Rainy Day Blues

Hear are a few of Matthew's Fun and Funny poses. Isn't he adorable!

Matthew has turned 18 mos. old this past week and is learning so many different things. It hasn't taken him long to learn how to correctly put the spoon into his mouth. He's still a little sloppy but his coordination is getting much better. Tonight he seems to think he can crawl up our stairs by himself, grant it he has gotten pretty good at this task but it's very scary for us. Baby gates hear we come!!!

After our church services we always head for my parents' home for lunch and to spend some time with the family. My nephew, Nathan is sooooo camera shy it isn't funny. It's so hard to get a decent picture of him. I took this picture of Matthew with Nathan behind the high chair. Of course he wouldn't strike a pose.

This is a snap shot of Matthew and my Mom taking a nap. Good thing my parents' don't have the Internet, my mom would fuss at me for putting this picture on here.

Matthew has another ear check tomorrow, please pray that everything goes well. We're planning on scheduling Matthew an appointment with a speech pathologist and an audiologist here soon just to see what his hearing ability is. We will have another one done when he turns 2 and compare the two results and if he needs speech he'll be able to begin speech therapy at the age of 2. That is if he doesn't start to talk clearly here soon.

Matthew is truly a blessing from God, it amazes me everyday how God creates us with our own personality, our own laugh and our own gifts. I pray that God will help me to help Matthew use his gifts wisely and to glorify God. What a honor it is to be a mother. Wow!

Amazing!!

Saturday was Matthew's 18 mos. check up
Head Circumference: 19 1/2" - 90%
Height: 32 1/2" - 75%
Weight: 23.12lbs - 20%

As you can see we need to work on the weight. However, we did find out that Matthew still has a little bit of an ear infection in his left ear, so we're still on an antibiotic. So no wonder his weight is a little off. He eats like crazy but is on the move constantly. Our pediatrician did agree with me that Matthew would probably benefit with speech. He says a few words every now and then but there not to clear. We're not sure if it's the Dandy-Walker or if it's where he was tongue tied until 13 months. This will also help with his coordination to feed himself.

Today:


We have a climber!!!! Holly came this morning to give Matthew his physical therapy and she started working with him climbing up our stairs and he done really well. I had no idea he could do it. Our pediatrician asked me Saturday if he could climb and of course I say "no" and he can! He struggles a little bit but HE CAN DO IT!!! Holly is also working with him on squatting, bending over to pick up toys,etc. He's doing so much here lately. I'm so proud of him. We still have a ways to go before walking. He stands with his knees somewhat bent, but with time and help he can get it.
I received and email last week in regards to Matthew starting hippotherapy at Riverwood, he is on the waiting list to start Sept. 2010. Please, please, pray that there's an opening for him. He could benefit from this therapy greatly.

God has given Matthew an amazing ability to do so much. He gets frustrated alot but he never gives up. He's such a smart little boy.

Our pediatrician says I need to start enforcing that Matthew feed himself and I need to start taking away the pacifier (slowly). So, since I had a 3 day weekend, Matthew and I worked on just that. He's getting better and finger feeding and does the majority of it by himself, he's still a little clumsy, but he does good. Today, we took turns using the spoon. I'd feed him some then let him. He done GREAT, except once the spoon got to his mouth he'd turn it upside down and then puts in. Hey! Whatever works. :)

We've also been working on our shapes and doing some sign language. He knows his circles and squares. He knows the signs for bear and all done. We're making progress. We also found out this weekend that Nancy Reynolds, Matthew's soon to be elementary school will possibly have a preschool for 3 and up. I hope so, that will benefit us so much and Matthew will be closer to home. It scares me to think that in a year in a half my baby will be 3.

Bradley got out his match box cars from when he was little and gave them to Matthew to play with. He just loved them!

Thank heaven for AMAZING little boys.

Resolutions, Bah!!!!!

I always try to keep my resolutions but never seem to, so I thought maybe if I write them down it might be a little easier for me to keep them.

Dana's Resolutions for 2010:

-Create a blog, check
-Get caught up on my scrapbooking, it's coming
-Get Matthew's pictures organized on our computer, working on it.
-OF COURSE THE BIG ONE, exercise and eat healthier, unfortunately still procrastinating.

I asked Bradley tonight what his resolutions he has for this year, of course, he said he has none. At least none he wants me to list on here.

Now, back to our normal evening. We finally got Matthew to bed at a decent time tonight, 8:45pm. Here lately he's not been wanting to go to bed, all he wants to do is play. He doesn't even want to get out of the tub. Tonight he's finally figured out that he can make more splashes by kicking. Everytime I tell him to kick, he kicks like crazy and just laughs. Maybe swimming lessons at the Y this year will be more exciting for him and me. Last year all he wanted to do is float around in my arms.

Well, that's all for tonight. The picture above is of Matthew taken at our Labor Day picinic here on the farm. It's too adorable not to share. Hope you enjoy.

Our Journey

This is my first time "blogging" so please forgive me if I ramble on. This to is my story of my family and my son's journey with Dandy-Walker variant. Which occurs 1 in every 5000 births.

Matthew was diagnosed with Dandy-Walker when he was 6mos old. However, our journey began on the day he was born and the doctors told us Matthew had a large head primarily due to hard labor and him being a big boy at birth. Weighing in at 8lbs. 14oz. and 22 inches long and born at 37 1/2 weeks. We didn't think anything of it until our first pediatrician noticed Matthew's soft spot was still wide at his 4 mos. ck up. We then went to Baptist for an ultrasound which then led to an MRI. Matthew was however misdiagnosed with a different syndrome which was much worse than Dandy-Walker. We found our neurologist in Greensboro who used to work at Chapel Hill and got a second opinion. He confirmed to us that Matthew did have Dandy-Walker variant and no hydrocephalus. We then went to Chapel Hill to see the geneticist who agreed with our neurologist and Matthew had a karyotyping test done- which showed him to have no abnormal chromosomes. We were so encouraged with the information we received from all of our doctors. Matthew also has a small cyst on his pupil which was at birth believed to by iris coloboma (my sister has it also), come to find out that wasn't it.

Fast forward to now, God has truly BLESSED my family. We've been through alot in the past year but God has a way of bringing people into your life to help you to grow and see the big picture. I want to do that for others, I want to give back what God has taught and showed me through all of this. For the mothers out there who are just now finding out that your child has Dandy-Walker- YOU CAN DO THIS!!!! It's not easy and you do have some heartache, but through each milestone met and each smile from your child- IT'S WORTH IT! I wouldn't have chose Matthew to be born with this condition, but I wouldn't want him to be born to anyone but me. He's my life, my heart, my soul. He was created by God for God's purpose and he's perfect and handsome might I say.

Matthew is now getting ready to turn 18mos. old next week. He's an avid crawler, which he didn't start til he was 15 mos. old. At 15mos. all in one week, Matthew learned to crawl perfectly, pull up to stand, cruise, and finger feed himself. He wouldn't be where he's at today if it was for his physical therapist, Holly. (Thank you Holly-so much) Matthew didn't qualify for speech or OT. I've tried to get both and so far no luck. However, with Matthew's new found fast mobility he's forgotten how to talk. He was saying at least 8 words by 15 mos., now we're lucky if we get one. We do get animal and car noises though. Our pediatrician says that boys tend to do this especially if more interested in another task and to give it another month. Matthew has been battling another ear infection also-so we might be looking into tubes.

Matthew starts hippotherapy at Riverwood Theraputic Riding Center when he turns 2. So he'll get to start when school starts- we're so excited about this new adventure for Matthew. Matthew does have to wear AFO's, right now there at the ankle but we've ordered new ones above the ankle to help with his balance and to walk. Hopefully in a few more months I'll have video of him walking and talking! He's now learned to blow kisses and point to his cow puzzle piece and say moo. He's so funny, but very defiant. Which is all normal for his age.

I've attached a few of my favorite pictures of Matthew in the past yr. Hope you enjoy them.

I have been encouraged by reading other Dandy mom's blogs and I thank you for your honesty and your guidance. You may not know it but your blogs mean alot to me, I hope that I can do that for other moms too.

Until next time, Good Night and God Bless!