The DOC is On!

Ever heard of a DOC band?  If not, Ezra can teach you.

Back when Ezra was a little guy, his pediatrician noticed he had developed a flat spot on the side of his head.  His neck was tight on one side, otherwise known as torticollis, so his head tilted to one side.  We visited Johnathan's physical therapist, did neck stretches every day and tried all the repositioning techniques.  But although his neck improved some, his little head did not - in fact, it got severely flat on that side and significantly larger on the other side.  And all that misshapeness isn't helping his neck improve, either. 

So about a month ago, we started the process to get a DOC band.  It is going to hold the sides of his head that are too large and allow the flat side to grow.  Combined with more physical therapy, hopefully at the end of his treatment (anywhere from 3-4 months depending on how fast his head grows) he'll have a properly-shaped head that won't put pull his neck to one side or otherwise hamper his motor development.

Today he and I got his band in Austin.  We went to the clinic in the morning, then we went back in the afternoon to check the fit and make adjustment before the 2 hour trip home.  

In between, we found a cool park - Mayfield Nature Preserve - about a mile and a half from his clinic.  It had a house and gardens and was full of wandering peacocks!  Ezra and I enjoyed a picnic, a little hike around the trails, and some pictures with the peacocks.

  

Ezra and I will be partners for a jaunt to Austin every other week now for growth adjustments to his band until his treatment is done.  We're making the best of it, though.  He doesn't seem to mind the DOC band at all, and I'm getting more time than I usually have in my everyday life to listen to podcasts and pray in a quiet car!

Dallas Day Trip

Johnathan's AFO needed an adjustment, so we scheduled his appointment for President's Day so we could all go to Dallas for the day.  After a quick trip to his hospital, we went to Fair Park (home of the Texas State Fair) and discovered all kinds of things to see and do. 

 The Children's Aquarium was just the right size for a short outing.  The kids loved the tide pool, the albino crocodile, and the sea turtle.  And I almost talked them into touching the sting rays with me!

 We posed with this mastadon outside the Museum of Nature and Science.

 And we had fun climbing all over the sculptures built into the lagoon outside the Cotton Bowl stadium.

There was much more to do here that we didn't see.  So next time Johnathan has a doctor's appointment, we know just the place to get our wiggles out before strapping into the car for another three hours!

Swing Kids

A Mighty Rushing Wind

In the early hours of the morning we were hit by a mighty wind, but not the Holy Spirit variety... Just the extreme weather sort!  4:30 am or so, I heard a roar and a huge flash of light.  Our power went out, and when I became coherent enough to get up and look out, I saw a tree down in the dark.  It wasn't until the sun started to come up that we saw the extent of the wind's power. 

But I kinda wish I had been up so I could have seen (from the safety of our house)...

... the wind pick up the stuff in our backyard as well as some large pieces of roof from a neighboring building and fling it against the fence in the front yard...

 ...whatever it was that bent the cross over on top of the steeple...

 ...and bring down two trees and several huge branches (and we're thankful they blew away from our house and our neighbor's house instead of toward them!).

 The tree knocked out our power and phone, so we're also thankful for our neighbors who looked out for us, a warm church building right next door with a crib and nursery to play in and kitchen to use while our power was being restored, for an efficient electric company who got the blown transformer back up by noon, and for the fire department volunteers who kept everyone safe and filled up our van's tire when we pulled out to take Naomi to school and discovered we had a flat! 

I thought it was March that comes in like a lion, but this year it was February. 

Happy Birthday, Mommy

I feel quite spoiled, having enjoyed a birthday party in Colorado and a birthday date night already.  But my sweet family gave me a fun evening on my actual birthday, too!  We had gyoza and a yummy napa cabbage salad for dinner.  For dessert, Naomi and Johnathan decided I should have a "red violent" cake - That's red velvet, for those of you who don't speak Naomise.

 

But check this out...  Kevin rose to new heights of baking skill and learned how to make his own fondant to decorate my cake!

 Naomi decorated the pink heart - it was so pretty with the contrasting heart cut-outs, and Kevin fashioned the flower and leaves on the purple one.  Johnathan helped design his own blue person on the side (his has the yellow hair, of course).

Needless to say, I was highly impressed.  Especially when I discovered the fondant really tasted good, because it was made out of marshmallows.

Well, there you have it.  The big 3-4 is over, and I felt very well celebrated.  Thank you, everyone!!

Seven Months Old

Ezra is 7 months old now!  Over the past few weeks, he's perfected his sitting technique and cut 5 new teeth.  He loves chewing on things, especially paper, and he'll protest very loudly if you take his treasured item away from him.  In this picture he is taste-testing Johnathan's counters that we use for preschool work.

Coming soon... Ezra will likely be joining the "Boaz Kid Orthotics and Physical Therapy Club."  Check back in for more in a few weeks...

Our Surprise Package

Grandpa Stata promised Naomi and Johnathan that he would send a surprise back with me when Ezra and I return from our trip to Colorado.  When my parents dropped me off at the Colorado Springs airport... Surprise!  The package was Grandpa!  I'm just glad I didn't have to fit him into my carry-on!  We had a fun week with Grandpa.  He went with us to physical and occupational therapy with the boys, took Naomi a Happy Meal and had lunch with her in the school cafeteria, and we all went to Austin to visit the Children's Museum there.

 The museum was a great one, too... lots of science exhibits, storytime, a big fish tank...

 ...a construction zone,

 and cool mirrors that Ezra loved.

 Johnathan read Ezra a book while Naomi created a masterpiece with cardboard tubes and scraps of fabric.

 And the whole crew had fun playing in the band and wrapping pretend tamales.

It was wonderful to have a little extra time with Grandpa Stata.  What a great surprise!