Ari finally had an appointment with a craniofacial specialist! Ari has flat head syndrome (also known as plagiocephaly) and we met with Dr. Wood, with Gillette Children's, at Regions Hospital today to see what could be done about it.
Dr. Wood checked to see if Ari's head was equally flat on the back, if Ari's ears were parallel and in line with his shoulders like they should be, and if Ari was able to turn his head equally to each side. He decided that Ari did not need any physical therapy because he could turn his head to both sides just fine. He said that sometimes flat heads will round out over time, but that it's not guaranteed. He told us that Ari could be fitted for a CranioCap if we so desired, which we had already decided we wanted to do.
Ari and I were next directed to a medical devices area of the hospital. There, we met with a woman who was going to size Ari for a helmet. She answered several of my questions before we began. She told me that the most common downside is that Ari could be warmer from wearing the helmet. She said that for the best results, he should wear his helmet 22-23 hrs/day. She said that parents often become fond of the helmet, because their child is slightly more protected from injury, though that is not the intent of the helmet. And she said that on occasion the helmet may make them slightly more confident than they normally would be, but that once the helmet is off they quickly become used to getting injured on occasion again.
After answering my questions, she scanned Ari's head with a special hand-held scanner that made a computer image of his head. As you can see in the photo above, he had to wear a silly ski mask looking thing for the scanner to be able to read the contours of his head. The scanner looked and functioned almost exactly like the hand-held ones they use at the library to scan your book's bar code. You can see part of the resulting image on the computer screen in the background. Ari did very well through it all, sitting still and very intrigued by everything. See, he's giving you the "okay" sign in the photo too! ; )
I was told that it will take 2 weeks for the helmet to arrive. At that time, we'll have another fitting appointment. A week later we will have a followup appointment. Then, for the next 2-3 months, Ari will have appointments every two weeks to adjust the helmet as needed. As his head grows, the back of it will push out. She said that a certain spot on the very top/back of his head, where the bones come together, may not be perfectly round by the end, but that there are usually very positive results.
So begins our stint with a helmet. I will try to keep you all posted. = )
Yesterday I made some Dairy/Gluten-free cornbread and was it ever good! I made it to go along with the chili my mom made for family dinner last night. It was so nice to be able to eat everything that everyone else could... well, minus a few of the typical chili toppings, but that didn't bother me. = ) I've included the recipe below in case you wanted to try it out! This cornbread definitely turned out to be more cake-like than the cornbread you may be used to eating, and it is breakfast-y sweet. You could mess with the recipe and alter the ratios of cornmeal-flour and reduce the amount of sugar if you wanted to. I personally am having the left-overs with Earth Balance original spread and syrup for breakfast this morning though, so I will appreciate the sweetness. ; ) Here it is!:
DAIRY/GLUTEN-FREE CORNBREAD
400 degree oven 9x9 square (double for a 9x13 pan) bake: 20-25 min
Dry: 1 1/4 c flour (Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Baking Flour)
3/4 c cornmeal (I used yellow, but you can use white)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
(for sweeter breakfast-y version, feel free to add a dash of cinnamon!)
Wet: 1 beaten egg
1 c milk (I used Silk Vanilla Soy Milk. Use original for a less sweet version)
1/4 c vegetable/canola oil
Grease pan on all sides with shortening/butter/Earth Balance spread. Mix dry ingredients, making sure to sift baking powder to avoid clumps in bread. Add wet ingredients and mix well. Pour in baking pan and place on center rack uncovered for 20-25 min, until a toothpick inserted 2" from the side comes out clean. (you can leave it in slightly longer to brown the surface more if you want, but it may get drier) Enjoy!
Wow! This has been an intense week so far. = D
I have started school again. Yep! I'm taking Anatomy & Physiology II, and I am taking it at NIGHT. This is my first night class ever, and what a difference that makes! I got an A in A&P I, but I took that in the morning.. when my brain was fresh and unused. Now I am taking Lab on Mon from 8-9:50p, and Lecture from 6-8:50p on Wednesdays. Sheesh! My brain felt like it was going to explode after the first lecture yesterday. *sigh* But, it is nice to know that it still works.. my brain, that is. I don't feel like I've really used it to it's fullest since the Fall 2009 semester, when I was last in school. It's a little cobwebby, but with a little dust-busting it will be like new. ; )
Since starting school on Monday, I have become much more productive around the house. As I stated in an earlier post, I really do much better at life when it is full and busy. My house is clean, the laundry is done, the dogs are brushed, meals are being prepared, and it feels GREAT!! I just hope that I can avoid procrastinating at studying amidst all this success. Should I get behind, I could start feeling hopeless and then all my productivity in all areas could crash... I think I'll just try my hardest to avoid procrastination.. and pray that God helps me keep balance in my life, deny my fleshly impulses and be wise. = )
Ari is now proficient at getting from his tummy to a sitting position. It has been so cute going in and seeing him sitting in his crib when he wakes up, or is crying. Today, I came in to check on him while I was washing dishes, and he had managed to get himself sitting up under the coffee table, and was rummaging around inside my Medela pump bag. I guess anywhere on the floor is no longer safe to keep things I don't want him getting in to. = )
I've also had some stress about starting him on baby food. He has not been doing well with cereals of any kind, but after much suggestions from Facebook, I decided to try him on sweet potatoes. He REALLY liked those! So today, I mixed Bmilk, cereal and baby sweet potatoes and he ate probably a whole Tablespoon! Since I am still nursing, I'm trying hard not to stress about him getting the nutrients he needs. He's a plump, beautiful little boy. = )
This past Sunday I also attended a Worship Kickoff meeting. I am super excited to start serving on the Worship Team again, and will sing at church for the first time since the end of Dec '09 next Sunday! Not this coming Sun, but the next... right. At least I have been keeping my vocal chords warm by singing to Ari all the time. = D (see previous post about singing)
Another update, is that I am considering watching a 2 mo/old one day a week starting sometime next month. The couple will be coming over next week to discuss details, and then I will decide if it seems like a good fit for my schedule/life right now. = )
What else?... oh, I drew a fun picture of Ari with the paint application. Tell me if you think it looks like him. My feelings won't be hurt if you don't. ; D
Signing off for now!
Drew, Ari and I went to a drive-in movie last night at Vali-Hi! How fun. = ) We watched "The Other Guys". It was Ari's first movie-going experience actually, and he did very well. He slept in his car seat for the first half of the movie. I fed him when he woke up, and then he just sat/stood on our laps playing around, very intrigued by everything inside and outside the car. We could have watched three movies for only $16, (Ari was free) but after the first one, Drew was ready to fall asleep... as usual. ; ) So, I changed Ari and we headed home.
I hadn't been since high school, and I forgot how much fun, and what a unique experience, going to the drive-in theater is. The sound of people laughing inside the cars around you. The smell of grilled food, and cigar/cigarette smoke. Ridiculously long lines at the bathroom during intermission. Kids running around playing, weaving in and out of the cars. And the humid, cool, summer evening air making everything linger just a bit longer. I definitely want to do it again. = )
School starts again on Monday! When I think about my schedule filling up more, and how I will be busier.. I really do get excited! It's not like I don't have things I could be filling my time with right now though. I have lists and lists of stuff that I "could" be doing. But, I seem to do so much better when I have a lot going on that I HAVE to do. When I have commitments.
It's weird, but when I have less going on.. I get less done, whereas when I have more going on... I get more done. Why is that? Is it a bad thing, a good thing, or neutral? It seems like an oxymoron or some sort of irony, but perhaps I was created to function this way? I think that I often procrastinate just to replicate the feeling of my life being very busy and full. Of course procrastination leads to being stressed out, which is not a good thing and something I definitely do not desire.
I wonder, is it possible to be busy, but not to procrastinate and therefore not feel stressed out? I'm not sure. I don't think I have personally ever experienced this seemingly ideal balance...
This evening I watched "South Pacific" on public television. *sigh* Oh, how refreshing and lightening it is to watch a Broadway musical; to hear those sweet show tunes. I feel like I'm at home, and also far away from it at the same time.
I sure do miss the theatre. Not that there isn't music around me. It bubbles up from within. I find myself singing throughout the day, in my head and out loud, especially now that Ari is around. I make up songs when I'm changing him, feeding him, playing with him, and when I put him to bed. I think Ari will grow up believing that life is one big musical. And that's good... because it is. = D
I got that from my parents. Music is a big part of both of their lives. Both my mom and dad used to make up songs for me and my five siblings in the same way as I now do. They still sing many of them to their grandchildren.
So tonight.. as I go to bed with, "Some enchanted evening, you may see a stranger.." dancing in my head, I want to thank my parents for helping me become the musical person I am. I am thankful beyond what words can express, and I love you both. = )
Esther is sleeping over again. We are being good girls so this is all I can post tonight. Ari is in bed, and we are brushing our teeth and heading there too. = ) I have to try and find a better time to blog than right before I go to bed. Good night everyone!
Chocolate has caffeine in it. ARG!! Why do I always crave it at night?! As some of you know, my allergies to cow's milk and wheat got much worse after having Ari. I've been drinking soy milk, and like it a lot, but I bought some goat's milk this week to try. For some reason, the idea of it creeps me out though. The fact that I find it more creepy to drink milk that came from goat's teats than cow's teats does not make any sense, but I do. So, I decided to dose it with a large amount of chocolate syrup before trying it for the first time. Strike that- it's actually the first time in a long time. I do remember that we had it at some point in my early childhood. I'm not sure why we stopped drinking it. Maybe because it's so friggin' expensive. Or maybe because it's just creepy. Anyways, I drank it and it went okay. It does have a little different taste, but more disappointingly it still made me feel a little weird. WAY less weird and sick compared to when I drink cow's milk though.. so that's an improvement.
My youngest sister Esther is sleeping over tonight to keep me company since Drew is out of town for work. As I was drinking my chocolate goat's milk (milk from goat's teats.. *slight shudder*).. she said she wished that I had some chocolate in the house. I told her she could check in the cupboard where it's usually kept. She paused, and said that she might go check if she started feeling bad. I replied that chocolate always makes you feel better... and then it makes you FAT. = ) We laughed so hard while we acted out how funny it would be if you ate a bite of chocolate, and as you were saying how good it was, your stomach immediately got fat. What an evil, betraying, but delectable treat. Tsk tsk tsk. Today I told my mom that I was indeed planning on going to bed on time tonight. And then I forgot that my only bed sheets were still in the washing machine. And drank chocolate milk. Drat. *sigh*.. and the cycle continues...
We celebrated my twin nephews, Caleb and Micah's, birthday this evening at my parents house. The are two years old! It seems like it was just yesterday that we were visiting Naomi in the hospital when they were born. That kind of creeps me out... because that means that before I know it, Ari will be turning two as well! Okay Rachel... slow down... Having a kid sure has made time fly by even faster than it usually does.
As we were hanging out, my sister Naomi said that is seems like Ari has grown so much in the few weeks it's been since we last hung out. It's true! I think since we last hung out, he's sprouted two teeth, started sitting up very well, and started getting on his hands and knees and rocking back and forth. Why is it that I was sooo ready to grow up fast when I was young, ready to leave all the "little people stuff" behind, but it makes me sad thinking about Ari growing older?
I haven't figured that all out yet. I'm just embracing my emotions, whatever they may be, mulling it all over in my brain here and there, and trying to enjoy everything as it makes its way in, and sometimes back out, of my life. I know that if I hold on too tightly to any one thing, I will miss out on a bunch of others. But it's so hard... = )
Last night, after I finished creating this blog at 1:30 in the morning or so, I crawled into bed exhausted and still a bit jazzed. I accidentally dropped the the baby monitor as I was trying to plug it into the charger in the dark and Drew woke up. He looked at his watch, and said to me, "One-thirty in the morning... what's that about?" I said I didn't know and crawled in bed. Why is it that I still stay up so late sometimes, knowing that I really need my sleep and that I can't sleep in anymore now that there's a little mouth that needs feeding at 7am? Maybe it makes me feel young. Maybe I'm just impulsive. Either way, I don't feel the greatest this morning, even after my coffee. Hopefully I will remember this feeling next time I get a brilliant idea, like starting a blog, at 9:30 at night. Seriously Rachel.. what WAS that about?
In case anyone is wondering, the title of this blog is derived from the title of my current favorite book in the world: "On Becoming Baby Wise". This book helped me figure out how to put Ari on a sleep/feeding schedule that resulted in him sleeping 8 1/2-10 hrs/night starting at 2 1/2 months old. Rested baby= rested mom. I highly recommend it. = )
So apparently it is the "in" thing to have a blog. Do I necessarily think that I have enough worth saying to interest other people on a regular basis?... ehm.. not sure. But I guess it's worth a try. Not to mention that my shrink thinks it could be helpful for me to let it all out. Just kidding.. I'm not currently seeing her.
So for starters: Ari just had his first dosage of rice cereal. It was fun to watch him, but I felt sick to my stomach afterward. I'm not sure if it was from thinking about how he's growing older and I don't like it, or from thinking about eating little flakes of dried rice powder mixed with breast milk... People keep telling me to enjoy each moment and not desire that he get older. I think I may have the opposite problem. Time will tell... he's still sweet 99% of the time. = )
