Day 30

I'm so thankful for YOU!!!

I never would have imagined myself blogging a few years ago, but today I am so grateful for the friendships that have resulted. A few of you I've been blessed to meet IRL... and others, well, I hope someday that we can meet as well!

Your comments and prayers have uplifted and supported me during the painful days of IF and surgeries, and have accompanied me as well during the wait for and joyful arrival of baby C.

Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter; whoever finds one finds a treasure.

Faithful friends are beyond price, no amount can balance their worth.

Sirach 6:14-15

Day 29

Today I'm super thankful that my littlest sis, R, is a DPT. C has been seeing a PT in our area (little sis lives back home otherwise I'd pick her in a heartbeat!) for a few months for torticollis. His PT here suggested I take him to an OT/Cranial technology clinic nearby to check his head shape. So, today's diagnosis is plagiocephaly.

Curious... does anyone have any experience with this? Apparently the incidence of it has risen from 1 in 300 infants to 1 in 10 infants. (Back is best for sleeping... but apparently not for a baby's head shape!!) C is slightly outside the most opportune time for treatment, but still within a good limit.

It looks like he will be getting and wearing a DOC band.

I am SO thankful for my sister who told me a while ago that babies themselves aren't bothered by the bands (there are a few kinds). It's the parents who are. And that was my immediate first reaction - "what?!?" I really do not like the idea of strangers coming up and saying "what is wrong with his head?"

After thinking about it...

Other than this, C is so healthy. He's happy. He's growing and thriving. So what if he has to wear a band for a few months.

Then... I started looking at options.

How can I decorate it? The DOC Band website has instructions for painting, etc!

I laughed when I saw a picture of one decorated like a watermelon with the words "just fixing my melon" on it!

Spider Man? A cool Penguins or Steelers design?

The words "you should see the other guy"?

Fortunately, this treatment really works. My sis has seen great results with one of her clients.

And, of the few locations of Cranial Technologies, one is super close to me. And interestingly enough... it is right next door to the lab where I went so often to get blood drawn for IF. I never thought I'd be there with a baby!

God has a sense of humor.

Catching up... Days 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

Oops! I am so behind on my days of thanks! Visiting family, while fun, usually leaves me exhausted with the distance (I know some of you have to fly to visit family, so I can't complain about being within driving distance), but it still always wears on me. That combined with staying up late to spend time with everyone and little sleep... well, I'm still catching up! :) C is a great traveler, but he doesn't sleep very well when he's not in his own bed. We did a lot more co-sleeping on this trip - he couldn't seem to stay asleep in the pack-n-play, plus he was going to bed a bit later than normal most nights.

Nevertheless it was a great week away!

And to catch up!

Day 22 - A MIL who takes the time to buy GF options for me. I rarely eat bread at home, but I enjoyed GF english muffins while we were visiting DH's family and of course what is Thanksgiving without stuffing? :) Thanksgiving was a wonderful day... and we even attempted a family Christmas photo! After about 100 shots - first with all of us, then just with C, I ended up deciding to use one of just C. He smiles the most for me - at least me behind a camera that is. He's used to me pointing it at him, I guess! He didn't seem to know what to do when others tried taking pictures of him!

 Happy Turkey Day! :)

Day 23 - Leftovers. I had pumpkin pie at breakfast. Yum.

Day 24 - A shower for my awesome BIL and his wife. As I mentioned last week, they've had 3 miscarriages. We are so grateful that this baby is healthy - and extremely active. He or she kicked at me.. and at C once too! LOL. :)

Day 25 - A safe trip home... DH took a nice afternoon nap and we left after dinner. Made it home in 4 hours!! That never happens on Thanksgiving weekend!

Day 26 - Laundry done. I lost count on how many loads, but it's all done! :)

Day 27 - Decorating for Christmas! I'll post some photos soon. I got out the decorations and put 2 candles in the windows. That's as far as I got today, haha. :)

Day 28 - Advent Prayer Buddies!! Can't wait!

This wasn't the one we chose, but I love his eyes in this one.

And 3 fingers in the mouth? All. the. time. :)

Whew! Caught up!

Day 20/21: New cousins

So thankful that C will soon have 2 cousins to play with!

We are especially grateful because DH's brother & SIL have had 3 miscarriages and this baby is healthy and doing well!! They are due at the beginning of January, so please pray that everything continues to go well!

My sister V & her DH are expecting in March - a baby girl!

Days 18 & 19

I'm a little late...

Day 18 - Thankful for a fun evening performing with friends at the St. Cecilia Festival (if I get the video from a friend I'll upload it). 

Such a good boy during the performances! 

Day 19: A fun week with family coming up!!!

Day 17: The Kindness of Strangers

Well - not complete strangers. These people see me at mass each day, although I don't know their names.

This morning... after C was done with his bottle (almost done - he was pretty much pushing it away), I set it beside me, where he kicked it... and it shattered on the floor. During the consecration. Sheesh. I looked at it in horror, and a woman across the aisle jumped up, told me not to move, and went and got towels and a box to clean up the mess. After mass was over, one of the gentlemen who helps set up for mass got a broom to sweep up the slivers and a mop to catch anything else left over. All I had to do was continue to take care of baby C. Aside from that incident, we were able to stay in the church for the entire mass without him exploring vocal prayer. :)

Day 16

Grateful today for an unclogged kitchen drain. We finally had to call in professional help (ugh!) but I will never put another peel down there again!!

It's amazing how much you take something for granted until you can't use it!

I'm off to run the dishwasher now...