plagiocephaly, or lop-sided baby head

Yesterday's appointment with the orthotics specialist was informative:

He measured the distance between the front right corner of River's head to the back left corner, and then compared that with the measurement between the front left corner and back right corner (as if you were to draw an X above his head). The difference was 11mm, and they usually recommend treatment for any kiddo with a difference greater than 6 mm.

The good news is that the cranial shaping bands (aka helmets) are effective up until about 15 months when the skull plates fuse together, and he'll be wearing the device through the winter rather than the hot summer months.

The bad new is that he has to wear it 23 hours a day (just removing it for bathing and to clean the helmet) for 3 to 4 months.

The extra bad news is that our insurance company absolutely, without excpetion, beyond the scope of appeals, does not cover such a thing.

Despite what the insurance company believes, this is not just a cosmetic issue. Plagiocephaly can cause developmental problems. Our doctor thinks we need to do something about it. The orthotics specialist agrees. Let's just add another $1,500 to our growing list of monthly medical payments...

We're going back Nov 23rd for a fitting. Basically, they are going to create a digital map of his skull with lasers (the same idea behind green-screen technology in the movies...), and then they'll make his helmet within the next week.

I asked about the chemical components of the outer shell on the helmet (the inside is a kind of foam), particularly if there is any bpa involved. The specialist had absolutley no idea what I was talking about. What's bpa? Really? So I educated him, and he said he'd look into it, and that I get a gold star on my forehead. I guess I really don't want to know either way, since there isn't much I can do about it at this point.

They do have fun pattern options, and I am already brainstorming a handknit helmet cover for the cold weather.

In the meantime, I'm keeping his head warm with the hat I knit him earlier in the fall. You can read more about it here, where I entered it in a handknit baby hat contest.

And because he seems to be the king of weird medical issues, I also had to take him the pediatrician yesterday because he was on day 3 of a persistent nose bleed that seemed to be worsening. Talk about alarming: imagine turning around to see your baby's upper lip covered in blood every hour or so...

The doctor said his nostril was very red and irritated, likely from the change in weather combined with the sniffles we've all been passing around.

I was sent home with a shopping list for vaseline and neosenephrine to try and getting the bleeding to stop and allow his nasal lining to heal.

It's much better today. Only one nosebleed when he first woke up this morning, and none since.

Next Wednesday he is scheduled for allergy testing (and the same for Liam the following week). We're cramming in all of these medical things the insurance company will actually cover before the end of the year when our deductible rolls back to $2,000.

So here's the deal, River, if you must have more medical glitches, let's get them all worked out by December 31st. Okay?

random pictures and scattered thoughts

Okay, I have been putting off posting because I couldn't come up with some neat and tidy thoughts/pictures. And because I ended up still sick for the past week. And because time has been a sneaky fellow lately. So, here it all is.

After a day of feeling fantastic and energized after recovering from the stomach bug last week, a yucky head cold took its place. I think I may have caught it from Molly in Orlando via the phone... Maybe.

Liam caught it, too. We have been enjoying lots of tea and toast snacks.

 

...

It is finally starting to feel like fall. Bring on the sweaters and the hats!

 

And don't forget the warm boots.

 

Taking a bath after a dip in the mud...

 

Some Daddy-love

 

... 

I am probably the last person to find out about this, but Pandora is amazing. Free music tailored to whatver you like. Amazing. We have been typing in Elizabeth Mitchell based on SouleMama's recommendation. I love this kind of  folksy children's music.

...

River's orthotics appointment is tomorrow to see about getting him one of those corrective helmets. I'm not worried about the visit, but I really have no idea what to expect.

...

We are now locking Liam into his room at night since Gabriel came downstairs Sunday morning to find Liam with the woodstove open, lighting sticks and candles... Liam's not so thrilled with this new arrangement.

...

I think that's enough rambling for now. Some more cohesive posts to come.  

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halloween weekend

Thursday

We went to the special Halloween storytime at the Siloam library. Liam was very excited to wear his tiger costume (Thanks, Tia Molly), to see all of the kids in costume, to sing pumpkin songs, to hear a spooky story, and most exciting of all, to get some candy.

 

Friday

Both boys were still taking their afternoon nap when the annual Downtown Trick or Treat began. I decided that if one of them were to wake up, I'd wake the other so we could walk down. When River woke up about 30 minutes later, I woke a still sleepy Liam, dressed him in his costume, plunked him in the wagon, and headed downtown.

He didn't seem to mind, especially since he got some candy to munch on. Make that a lot of candy...

Saturday

Time for the pumpkin patch. Barely, since there weren't many left to choose from at Ranalli Farms in Tontitown. Apparently, the day before Halloween is not the best time to try and find a pumpkin. Gabriel gave me lots of I-told-you-so's.

Despite the slim pickings, we still had fun traipsing around and choosing a pumpkin. We told Liam he could choose any one he wanted, and we ended up with a 50 cent gourd (and later a big Jack-O-Lantern from Wal-Mart). 

River liked the pumpkin stems the best. 
 

Gabriel showed off his juggling skills.

 

Another attempt at a family photo. Where's Liam? NOT participating no matter how much we pleaded.

 

Sunday

After church in the morning, it was time to carve our pumpkin faces. Liam was very very very excited about this.

Gabriel was, too. I told you if you made a goofy face I'd post the picture...

 

At first, Liam wasn't so sure about the slimey innards, but he got over it.

 

River enjoyed his own piece of pumpkin.

 

After the pumpkin carving, we decided completely last minute to drive out to Tulsa for the zoo's Halloween festivities.

We made it in time for an hour or so at the zoo before they closed the park in preparation for HallowZOOeen later in the evening.

 

Liam was happy to show Gabriel around the zoo. We made all of the favorite stops, including a ride on the train. 

The big fish are always a hit.

 

Our little gnome likes them, too.

Some animals we usually don't get a chance to see were out and about this time. The rhinos were up nice and close.

And so was the jaguar. 

 

And then he noticed River in the wagon. This is the you-look-like-a-tasty-snack face. Scary!

 

The snow leopard cub wanted to play. Cute cute cute.

 

After a quick ride on the turtle, we left the zoo for dinner at Whole Foods and returned a while later for HallowZOOeen.

 

Since the Ergo baby carrier was mistakenly left at home, I needed to come up with some other way to carry River around once he fell asleep. I improvised with my favorite handknit shawl, and it worked wonderfully.

 

There were trick or treating stations throughout the zoo. Liam thought it was great: riding in the wagon, holding up his basket, and getting even more candy, which he steadily ate for the entire two hours we were at the zoo.

 

This bean bag game was also a lot of fun for him.

 

By the time the evening was over, we had one sleepy little tiger, and a sound asleep little gnome.

 

When we finally got home, our pumpkins were waiting to greet us.

 

I hope your Halloween was as fun-filled as ours.

Now, if only I could get Liam to stop requesting more candy 10 times a day...

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{this moment}

{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.

Inspired by Amanda.

Alright. I know this is cheating and opposite the point of {this moment}, but the perfect moment from this week wasn't one I captured with the camera. So, here's the prose version:

We were in the backyard, soaking up the afternoon sun despite fall's nip in the air. I sat on the back deck with River on my lap, watching Liam dig in the raised garden bed. He was, of course, naked and covered with patches of dirt.

Then a gust of wind blew through the neighbor's maple tree, rattling the not-so-glorious-this-year leaves still on the branches. Liam stood up, listening, watching.

And when the wind gusted down around him, startlingly brisk, he threw back his head and started howling. Like a wolf turned to the moon. Like Dahlia, our beagle, responds to a siren. Like a wild one.

And when the wind stopped, as suddenly as it had descended, Liam turned to look at me. He smiled and went back to his digging.

...

Lately, I need all of these remarkable moments I can get with Liam. Because most of his moments are more trying than precious. Like the other morning when I awoke to discover that Liam had already gotten up, and instead of coming upstairs to get me like he usually does, he got the matches out of the kitchen drawer, dumped all three boxes on the kitchen table, and successfully lit one from the pile! Apparently, the lone match had burnt out before causing any significant damage, he'd lost interest, and I found him playing in the front yard. Aaah! and Aaah! again.

So now the matches are kept on top of the refrigerator. We still need to get a child-proof lock for the front door...

Recently, I was reading You are Your Child's First Teacher, and came upon the best description of Liam's personality that I have yet to find. Regarding the character traits of the precocious child, i.e. Liam, he is overly awake.

Liam has such an exuberance for life. Such a strong drive to discover the world around him: its limits, its boundaries, its gifts.

I don't want to squash him.

And so I struggle, daily, to find that balance between loving guidance and freedom to let him be. Most of the time I think it's getting better. My attitude, that is. In the meantime, Liam is turning on the garden hose, and putting it inside the house through the doggie door.

saltines, a plan, and a sail boat?

Yesterday, while I spent the day on the couch, Gabriel stayed home from work to take care of our boys. Well, he made it all the way to work before I woke up, realized I was really sick, and asked him to come home.

He showed up with a bottle of ginger ale, a pack of saltines, and a plan for the day:

And he did it all, except for the trip to the park, but Liam didn't seem to mind so much. They played all day. Liam took an afternoon nap. Gabriel made a loaf of flaxseed bread. Yes, he is that awesome.

In the afternoon, Gabriel and Liam went down to our precinct's polling location to cast a vote. I couldn't get my sick self off the couch so I stayed home with River playing next to me.

Liam misheard Gabriel and I talking about voting. Every time he said vote Liam heard boat, so while Gabriel was casting his ballot, Liam kept asking Can I see the sail boat now? When are we going to the sail boat? Sail boat time?

We'll leave the civic duty lessons for another day.

This morning I woke up feeling refreshed, recovered, and ready for the day. I actually feel the best today that I have in a while now. I must have needed all of that extra sleep...

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bleh

My housecleaning plans were interrrupted by a stomach bug that has kept me glued to the couch.

But on a brighter note, my question was posted on The Kitchn:

click here

Maybe tomorrow I'll get around to posting our Halloween pictures...

 

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Happy Halloween

We had an eventful weekend. Lots of fun pictures and stories to share, but first I have to see to the housework. It's bad. Really, bad. There will be no before and after pictures this time...

In the meantime, I leave you this peace offering:

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