So, it's been just over one week since the Pecher family arrived back "home" in Virginia. Luke and I were fortunate enough to spend one whole month with my family in Boston while Andy "slaved" away working at both polititical conventions in Denver and St. Paul. I must say that I missed our cats, but that's about it! Although I was miserable and suffering from morning sickness, Luke had a blast. He got to know his cousins more and they just played all day long. They would run themselves out chasing each other, playing outside, or fighting over Thomas the Engine trains.
There are some special moments from that month that I like to play over in my head. For instance, one morning, big cousin Ari brought out her water colors to play with. Luke, not one to be left out, hopped up on Papa's lap and went to town. When he was finished, he proudly took his masterpiece, walked over to me, and handed it to me with the biggest smile. He felt so proud and my heart felt full. He is such a cutie.
We were lucky enough to be able to see Ari off on her very first day of school. She was very excited to get on that school bus and Luke and their other cousin, Nolan, were excited as well. Luke loves school buses. He screams with delight every single time he sees one and this time was no different. Now that we are back in VA, whenever he sees the bus, he still sometimes calls out "Nanni!" (his own little name for Ari). Makes me sad.
One of Nolan's favorite things in the world are his Thomas trains. Luke has picked up on this. Now, whenever Luke sees one or hears one as we are walking outside, he says, "Choo choo--Nanu" (again, his own little name for Nolan). Too precious. Ah, but those two are just one year apart and I know when they get older they are going to stir up some trouble together! LOL Just ask Grammie what happend to her computer when the two of them were left to their own devices!!
I know they say that home is where you hang your hat, but to me, home is where your heart is and mine is still in Boston.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Blog Fever
Ok, so it all started very innocently, as I perused a couple of savvy couponing moms' blogs for steals and deals. Shortly therafter, it spread to the occassional reading of my friends' blogs and now I'm just full blown addicted to it! So, I've decided to buckle down and just do this! After all, I've tackled MySpace and Facebook, so surely I can handle this too!
I think the reason I've become so addicted to this, is that I love being able to look inside the small window of the lives of my friends--something that you don't always get via an email or even a phone call. They have provided their audience with something special when they put their thoughts out there and I think that's wonderful.
Also, as time slips past me and my little boy is almost 20 months old, I wonder what happened to that tiny baby I held? Now, he is off and running and developing his own little personality. Almost daily, I try and remind myself of his "firsts" so that it stays ingrained and unchanged in my memory forever. So, what better place to document such thoughts than a blog, in which technology can save my memories even when I fail to!
So, here it goes! I cannot promise that everything I write will make sense, but I can promise that it will all be written from the heart! Enjoy!!
I think the reason I've become so addicted to this, is that I love being able to look inside the small window of the lives of my friends--something that you don't always get via an email or even a phone call. They have provided their audience with something special when they put their thoughts out there and I think that's wonderful.
Also, as time slips past me and my little boy is almost 20 months old, I wonder what happened to that tiny baby I held? Now, he is off and running and developing his own little personality. Almost daily, I try and remind myself of his "firsts" so that it stays ingrained and unchanged in my memory forever. So, what better place to document such thoughts than a blog, in which technology can save my memories even when I fail to!
So, here it goes! I cannot promise that everything I write will make sense, but I can promise that it will all be written from the heart! Enjoy!!
Battling Torticollis-Part 1
Luke was born a healthy 9 lbs, 7 oz, and from the start was great at eating and pooping and even sleeping! However, six weeks after his birth, reality hit me. His wonderful pediatrician confirmed that Luke had congenital torticollis or "tort" for short. I know, I had never heard of such a thing and it sounds dreadful. It really isn't. Basically, it means, "crooked neck." Most likely, due to Luke's large size and my rather small uterus size, Luke simply got crowded in the womb and as a result his SCM shoulder muscle tightened up, causing him to tilt his neck to the left--ALL THE TIME! And while this can affect any number of skills, such as walking and running and even eating, it should not bring the devastation or the despair that so many other sicknesses and disorders can bring upon a family. After all, he could see and hear and his motor strength proved to be very strong. He cooed and smiled and interacted with others perfectly. However, that is exactly how I felt--devastated and in despair.
Our next step was the long journey of physical therapy. From 8 weeks of age until he was a year old, Luke received PT from Early Intervention, from a Pediatric PT Hospital, and at the worst of times, from BOTH. Luke is a stubborn little boy (like his mama!) and most of the PT is parent-reliant, meaning, Andy and I were responsible for conducting his shoulder stretches all day and every day. Luke HATED it--he screamed and cried every time. Inside, I was screaming and crying as well. It was horrible to watch my tiny baby go through this. This was a battle I was just not up for and I admit that sometimes I just felt sorry for myself. However, I always managed to buck up and get him the help he needed to outgrow this. I threw myself into Internet research, visited various specialists all throughout Richmond and even contemplated traveling to Atlanta for a surgical solution.
Then, our miracle happened. In mid-October, at 9 months old, Luke got the chicken pox! This in itself was unbelievable to all, including his pediatrician. Neither his daycare, nor the PT Hospital reported any outbreaks. To this day, we do not know where Luke caught this. Anyways, at the time, Luke was undergoing his most intense and frequent PT sessions, as his progress was not improving as it should be. However, due to his little body being covered in chicken pox, not only was he out of PT for awhile, we had to put a hold on the at-home stretches as well, so as not to exacerbate any discomfort from the chicken pox. While I was somewhat relieved at the break, I worried what the absence in PT would bring for Luke. BUT lo and behold, after two weeks of no stretching, I realized that Luke was not tilting his head nearly as often and that I could even see the left side of his neck, something that was so precious to me, as it was always scrunched up. I couldn't believe it. We raced Luke back down to Richmond to see his orthopedist, who also marveled at the change. He credits the break in the PT, I credit God for "blessing" us with the chicken pox so that we could all slow down enough to pause the PT in the first place. For I, certainly, would never on my own have stopped it. I was so determined to "fix" him, that I went into overdrive trying to get him all the help he needed. In addition to my own determination, his physical therapists, orthopedist, and pediatrician all urged us to extend his PT sessions and to work harder at home with him. Thankfully, the Good Lord stepped in and straightened us all out--literally and figuratively. And today, Luke can walk and run with the best of them. And while you might never know he suffered from torticollis, I will never forget the journey, nor take for granted his ability to run around like crazy! Run, Luke, Run!
To this day, I STILL look at the perfect straightness of his neck with complete adoration. My favorite thing to do is to kiss the left side, as for so many months, it was off limits. I never knew how silly a mother could get over her son's neck! Despite his chubby cheeks and irresistible dimples, his neck is my favorite spot to plant a kiss! And it always brings delightful giggles from Luke!!
Our next step was the long journey of physical therapy. From 8 weeks of age until he was a year old, Luke received PT from Early Intervention, from a Pediatric PT Hospital, and at the worst of times, from BOTH. Luke is a stubborn little boy (like his mama!) and most of the PT is parent-reliant, meaning, Andy and I were responsible for conducting his shoulder stretches all day and every day. Luke HATED it--he screamed and cried every time. Inside, I was screaming and crying as well. It was horrible to watch my tiny baby go through this. This was a battle I was just not up for and I admit that sometimes I just felt sorry for myself. However, I always managed to buck up and get him the help he needed to outgrow this. I threw myself into Internet research, visited various specialists all throughout Richmond and even contemplated traveling to Atlanta for a surgical solution.
Then, our miracle happened. In mid-October, at 9 months old, Luke got the chicken pox! This in itself was unbelievable to all, including his pediatrician. Neither his daycare, nor the PT Hospital reported any outbreaks. To this day, we do not know where Luke caught this. Anyways, at the time, Luke was undergoing his most intense and frequent PT sessions, as his progress was not improving as it should be. However, due to his little body being covered in chicken pox, not only was he out of PT for awhile, we had to put a hold on the at-home stretches as well, so as not to exacerbate any discomfort from the chicken pox. While I was somewhat relieved at the break, I worried what the absence in PT would bring for Luke. BUT lo and behold, after two weeks of no stretching, I realized that Luke was not tilting his head nearly as often and that I could even see the left side of his neck, something that was so precious to me, as it was always scrunched up. I couldn't believe it. We raced Luke back down to Richmond to see his orthopedist, who also marveled at the change. He credits the break in the PT, I credit God for "blessing" us with the chicken pox so that we could all slow down enough to pause the PT in the first place. For I, certainly, would never on my own have stopped it. I was so determined to "fix" him, that I went into overdrive trying to get him all the help he needed. In addition to my own determination, his physical therapists, orthopedist, and pediatrician all urged us to extend his PT sessions and to work harder at home with him. Thankfully, the Good Lord stepped in and straightened us all out--literally and figuratively. And today, Luke can walk and run with the best of them. And while you might never know he suffered from torticollis, I will never forget the journey, nor take for granted his ability to run around like crazy! Run, Luke, Run!
To this day, I STILL look at the perfect straightness of his neck with complete adoration. My favorite thing to do is to kiss the left side, as for so many months, it was off limits. I never knew how silly a mother could get over her son's neck! Despite his chubby cheeks and irresistible dimples, his neck is my favorite spot to plant a kiss! And it always brings delightful giggles from Luke!!
Battling Tort-Part 2
Fast forward a few months. With the tort resolved, our attention could now focus on the unending, severe ear infections Luke was suffering. It got to the point that he had one every other week. Antibiotics were no longer working and we knew it was time to get tubes put in. Now, a new piece of info for the puzzle. Due to the torticollis, Luke's left ear is slightly misshapen. His neck was hunched up to his ear for so long, that it's growth is behind that of his right ear. Luke's wonderful and compassionate ENT doctor could not say for sure if the ear infectins were related to it, but assured us that by the age of 5 (when our ears stop growing!!) if Luke's left ear has not caught up to his right one, there are very easy surgeries that can fix it. Oy vey!! Anyways, back to Richmond, where Luke had tubes put in both ears and removed some pretty large adenoids. Almost five months later and he is doing beautifully!
But the tort journey still hadn't ended. Since he was a little baby, Luke has suffered and STILL suffers from silent reflux. It was a long few weeks until we realized what he was suffering from. His prevacid now controls the pain and has worked wonders for him. Yet, we were faced with a chicken and egg question. The medical industry does not know if the tort caused the relux or the other way around. Many other parents of children with tort report severe incidences of reflux. I guess until there is ANY testing for torticollis in utero, we will never know.
But the tort journey still hadn't ended. Since he was a little baby, Luke has suffered and STILL suffers from silent reflux. It was a long few weeks until we realized what he was suffering from. His prevacid now controls the pain and has worked wonders for him. Yet, we were faced with a chicken and egg question. The medical industry does not know if the tort caused the relux or the other way around. Many other parents of children with tort report severe incidences of reflux. I guess until there is ANY testing for torticollis in utero, we will never know.
Expecting Number 2
So, as most of you know, Andy and I are pregnant again! I am 13 weeks along and still feeling horrible and constantly sick. I've never wanted to vomit and eat at the same time before. Ah, the joys of pregnancy. It wasn't this way with my first pregnancy, so I guess this little one quite a different personality already!
Aside from feeling very blessed to finally get pregnant (it took us about 10 months!) and being very grateful that all has gone well thus far, I cannot help but be a nervous wreck this time around. There is something for the saying that "ignorance is bliss" when you are pregnant the first time around. All I could think about was nursery themes, onesies, registries, and the cute little baby boy that would soon be in my arms. It never, ever crossed my mind that something could go wrong with either my pregnancy or my little boy. Well, one C-Section and a diagnosis of congenital torticollis later, and all cutesy thoughts of babies disappeared. Enter real life. Now that I am immersed in the world of motherhood, my life has been opened up to other moms who have undergone much worse with their little ones. This scares me. I am no longer ignorant and I miss the bliss.
Aside from feeling very blessed to finally get pregnant (it took us about 10 months!) and being very grateful that all has gone well thus far, I cannot help but be a nervous wreck this time around. There is something for the saying that "ignorance is bliss" when you are pregnant the first time around. All I could think about was nursery themes, onesies, registries, and the cute little baby boy that would soon be in my arms. It never, ever crossed my mind that something could go wrong with either my pregnancy or my little boy. Well, one C-Section and a diagnosis of congenital torticollis later, and all cutesy thoughts of babies disappeared. Enter real life. Now that I am immersed in the world of motherhood, my life has been opened up to other moms who have undergone much worse with their little ones. This scares me. I am no longer ignorant and I miss the bliss.
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