we'll never turn back

8 months

2012-02-13T19:09:00.002-06:00

Theo is eight months old. He has his two bottom teeth and it looks like the top ones are coming in. He's been crawling for about a week. This has added a new level of excitement to floor time. He's started clapping in the last few days. He seems to have a preference for soul music. He claps and rocks when it's on the record player. He's ticklish under his arms and chin. He likes to eat and has started eating finger foods. He's very interested in Isaac and his toys. Isaac likes the attention most of the time.

cutey pants

a serious moment

crawling position

clapping

finger food

brothers 2

2012-02-04T19:50:00.001-06:00

7 months

2012-01-16T09:14:00.001-06:00

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-21T10:32:00.008-06:00

The Holidays are here and we've been busy celebrating with friends and family.

Isaac and I joined our good friends Andre and Lindsey for dinner and the holiday parade downtown. We managed to pick the coldest night of the year to attend the parade but it was great fun.

We've spent many afternoons making cookies and candy. Isaac is a fantastic helper in the kitchen. He keeps asking us for a chef's hat.

We also spent an evening making cookies over at the neighbors' house. I left early to put Theo to bed and the guys stayed to help. I heard they quickly moved on to ping pong and over things, leaving poor Jennifer to finish the decorating. Hopefully, Theo will hang in there longer next year so we can decorate together!

We've been lighting the candles for Hannukah

and opening a few gifts each day. We have been overwhelmed with cards and packages from our far away family. It's always fun to see what arrives in the mail each day.

And then there's this guy. During the festivities, Theo sometimes likes to hang out in his office (also known as an 'exersaucer'). He's a watchful young man and 'the office' is a safe place for him to observe his brother's wild antics.

6 months

2011-12-13T10:07:00.004-06:00

Theo is six months old today. When I mentioned it to Carl he said, "That went fast." It truly has. This little boy is growing up before our eyes.

At six months:
*Theo is eating solids. Carrots are a favorite.
*He sits by himself.
*He rolls over both ways, but still gets stuck on his belly.
*He loves his big brother, looks for him when he hears his voice and smiles whenever he's around.
*He's learning to fall asleep on his own.
*He likes music and loves to dance with Dad.
*He's a big boy, barely fits into 9 month sizes. He's quite long.
*He has one tooth and his second could appear any day now.
*He knows his mom and dad and almost always greets us with a big grin.
*He fits perfectly into our family.

carrots

Telling secrets already. "You get to come to my school on Friday."

Sleeeeeeep

2011-12-07T03:47:00.003-06:00

It's 3:45 in the morning and I could be sleeping because little Theo is. Many of you know about our sleeping troubles. They started when Theo was 2 months old. It was a cough we couldn't figure out. Finally, at 3 months, we realized it was reflux and he began taking medicine. He slept okay for a month and then at 4 months we really hit a rough patch. Many nights since then he's woken up every hour or two. During Thanksgiving we decided to tackle some issues. We got him out of the car seat and stopped walking or nursing him to sleep. He was doing a great job of falling asleep on his own, but he wouldn't stay asleep. He would startle every thirty to ninety minutes. So, I called our pediatric clinic for help and they sent me to the sleep clinic. Over the phone I described Theo's pattern and the consultant said, "It sounds like reflux." I then explained about his reflux and the medicine he's been taking. She told me he should try a different 'better' medicine. So, last Saturday Theo started a new medicine. Last week Theo also started rolling on to his stomach while sleeping. At first, he wasn't so thrilled about being on his tummy. He's still not able to roll from front to back, but over the last week he's gotten a lot more comfortable about being stuck on his belly and our boy is sleeping. The past two nights he's only woken up 3 times. That may seem like a lot, but it's far less then the 6-8 times we've been dealing with. So, we're hoping his good sleep continues. Hurrah! Now, I'll have to start retraining myself to sleep through the night!

A Little Bit of Love

2011-12-02T09:34:00.004-06:00

A little bit of love goes a long way. We are very lucky to have so many people holding us up and helping us out as we find our way through these sleepless nights and foggy days.

They invite us over for delicious meals, love our children, and send encouraging text messages night and day.
They hold the baby, play with the preschooler, and spend holidays with us.

They keep us up on current happenings, love our boys with big hearts, and bring a little excitement to our lives.

They drive long distances to visit, do our yard work, and smile while our three year old follows them around like a shadow.

They bring us wine, bread, and laughter. They play Legos and write stories with our big guy. They hug us like only a mom can.

And this is just a little bit of the love coming our way. There's the friend who comes over to cut hair at a moment's notice, and the friends who are always up for a quick outing, the friend who calls from the road to check in, and the aunt who sends a card for every holiday. And of course there's more than I've listed here because we are so blessed! Hurray for you all!

Pictures from November

2011-11-29T16:45:00.000-06:00

5 months

2011-11-20T16:40:00.004-06:00

Theo is a little over five months now. He's showing more of his personality and becoming more a part of things around here. He's working on sitting up, rolling over, scootching along the floor. He's eating solids. Carrots are a favorite. He's teething, seems to be getting teeth on the sides first. He's a charming little guy but still hasn't figured out the sleeping thing. We're tired, loving our boys, but very much needing and looking forward to sleep! It should only be a few more months from now. ;)

My Hero

2011-11-10T07:47:00.003-06:00

This superhero costume was made from one of Carl's old t-shirts. Isaac loves it so much he slept with it under his pillow last night and woke up at 5:20 in the morning to put it back on.

Fall Fun with the Neighbors

2011-11-03T09:19:00.004-05:00

We have great neighbors. D and J live just two doors down and we see them almost everyday before the weather turns cold. We usually meet outside after dinner. But as the weather changes, our visits are less frequent but still fun and looked forward to. The other day Isaac and I were walking home from the park when I noticed a big leaf pile in the neighbors' yard. We went over to check it out. It turned out they left that pile for Isaac. He had a blast!

Here he is talking leaf strategy with neighbor D.

Here he is throwing leaves at Mom.

Just a few days later Isaac dressed up as a construction worker for Halloween. He called it being a 'worker man'.
Before heading over to trick or treat with some friends, he stopped by D and J's house to show them his costume and get a treat. Instead of candy, they gave him a Lego helicopter toy. He's only asked once about his Halloween candy, but that Lego helicopter is the first thing he looks for in the morning and what he zeroes in on after school. Thanks neighbors!

Boy Love

2011-10-28T10:49:00.004-05:00

There is a lot of love flowing around these parts.

Isaac loves Theo...

a lot!

Carl loves Theo. Come on Theo, show them a real smile!

There it is.

Isaac loves Carl.
This is the first picture we've ever seen Isaac draw. It's usually just a whirlwind of color, you might call it scribbling. Last night Isaac drew something we could identify as a person of some sort. He told us it's a picture of Carl. He's also been 'writing' messages lately. The other night he wrote, "Carl loves me all the time."
Yes. Yes, he does.

Apple Orchard

2011-10-27T07:55:00.003-05:00

We love to visit the orchard. There are apples and pumpkins to pick, animals to pet, play structures to play on, hay rides, and a very bumpy cow ride. Here's a little bit of what it looked like this year.The boys.

Wagon puller.

Pumpkin picker.

Apple eater.

Cow rider.

The rest of us were there too, but Isaac saw most of the action. We're sure Theo will be in there with him next year.
One of my favorite parts of going to the orchard is the apple crisp Carl makes from the apples we pick. His crisp is the best!

Big Guy

2011-10-26T06:28:00.002-05:00

There was a time when Isaac was followed by a handful of doctors. There was the physical therapist, the geneticist, the neurosurgeon, and the endocrinologist. Now, he just ses the endocrinologist once a year. She's a very nice, shorter lady. That visit was yesterday. Isaac is still falling somewhere between the 5th and 10th percentile for height which means he's following his curve. This is great news. He had an x-ray of his hand to see if his bone age is still behind his biological age. The doctor suspects it is and that's a good thing. You stop growing when your bone age is 17. So, Isaac should continue growing after his peers have stopped. Based on his place on the curve and the bone age factor, the doctor predicts his final height will be somewhere between 5'7" and 5'9". Wow!

In the meantime, Isaac lives his life like he already is a big guy. I understand. I'm always surprised when I see myself next to taller friends and family members. I feel taller than I am and I think Isaac does too.

That's Isaac resting on the top platform. I love that big guy!

4 months plus

2011-10-24T13:08:00.003-05:00

Oh Theo!
Theo is a little over four months old. He weighs 16 pounds, 10 ounces and is 26 inches long.

He's certainly had some rough days, but we're hoping they're behind us. His fever and spots landed him in the ER three times before they decided to admit him based on his strange combination of symptoms. Seven doctors looked at him and all they could agree on was that he had some kind of virus. That virus cleared up and he quickly caught the cold bug floating around our house. With an irritated throat, he didn't sleep longer than an hour at a time for almost a week and a half. Ugh. We finally tried the car seat and he's been sleeping much better. So for now, he's a car seat sleeper. This feels like a step backwards and like progress all at the same time! But we'll take the sleep any way we can get it for now!

Theo Needs Your Love

2011-10-12T10:09:00.004-05:00

Theo is having some trouble. He's been in the emergency room twice in the last three days. On Monday night he had a fever and a few spots on his legs. The emergency room doctor said to keep an eye on him and bring him back if his fever went above 101.5. He had a very happy fever free Tuesday only to wake up screaming this morning with more spots and a fever of 103. I took him back and through blood work they found his white blood cell count to be 'significantly higher than normal'. They gave him antibiotics and sent him home. They don't know exactly what's going on with him. He has to be seen in clinic on Thursday and Friday for follow up. Please think of our little guy. He is usually such a happy boy and it's hard to see him hurting. All of your prayers and positive thoughts are appreciated.

Tubes

2011-10-11T17:45:00.005-05:00

Isaac woke up at 3:30 this morning and was ready to go. He couldn't wait to start his day and who could blame him.

He was looking forward to driving the cars.

He got to watch a show while waiting for his procedure.

He picked the bubble gum flavor to put on the mask he wore while getting anesthesia.

And he played with another car. It's totally okay for a kid in purple pajamas to be hanging out in the back of a toy pick up truck in the middle of the hallway. I love Children's for this.

Here he is with his popscicle following the procedure. He really did very well and he's pretty well back to his usual self - except he seems to be hearing a little better. Yahoo!

What?!

2011-10-10T10:57:00.003-05:00

Isaac began having trouble hearing us back in February and 'what' became a frequently heard word around here. After trying loads of other things, he's having ear tubes put in tomorrow. Though they refer to it as a routine procedure, it's not routine for us. We will be up early and at the hospital by 6:30 to prepare for his 8:00 surgery. He is both excited and a little anxious. He's certainly looking forward to hearing better. When I explained why we were going to the doctor for surgery his face lit up. He's toured the hospital in preparation for tomorrow and is mostly taking it all in stride. This morning he did mention that he doesn't want to ride on the wheelie bed. I'm hoping he relaxes about this once we're there.
I'm glad we're able to do this at the Children's Hospital. They've always been great with our kids and Isaac's looking forward to the toys in the waiting area, the gift shop, and the promise of popsicles after surgery. We're hoping all goes well and that we get to bring this smiley boy home with clearer hearing. When I asked the 'Child Life Specialist' what the hardest part of the surgery experience is for most children she said they're often most distressed by how loud things sound after surgery. Please keep us in your thoughts and I'll let you know how it goes.

ma, pa and the boys

2011-09-30T09:19:00.010-05:00

We are a happy little family these days, full of love and lacking in sleep.

Here is an example of a very tired Carl.

He's tired but manages to push through and smile for the camera. Notice the lively boys. They are rarely as tired as we are.

Even with our lack of sleep, we sometimes manage to shower.

Sometimes we go on spectacular outings together.

Sometimes we just stay home and play. Here Theo and I are playing his favorite game called 'Eat my Cheeks.'

Delicious. It's a good thing he's got those cheeks. They're keeping me going. I'd trade a nap for those cheeks (almost) any day.

Book Lover

2011-09-28T09:39:00.002-05:00

Isaac loves a good book... or ten. Here's what his bed looked like during quiet time recently. That's him asleep in the midst of a pile of books.

Here he is introducing his brother to the world of fine literature.

We love his love of books for the obvious reasons but we also love the bargaining power we have with them. For example: "If you go upstairs right now and put your pajamas on, I'll read you THREE books!" You've never seen a kid boogie up the stairs so fast!

For the Birds

2011-09-28T09:12:00.003-05:00

One day Isaac was looking out the window.
He said, "I want to play a song outside where the birdies are."
So he did.

3 months

2011-09-15T08:59:00.003-05:00

Back to School

2011-09-08T17:13:00.002-05:00

We had lots of good days this summer, but towards the end we needed a change. Mostly, Isaac needed to see his friends and get back to his work.

First Day of School

Carl went back to school too. So far, things seem to be going well for both of them. I heard Isaac did apple work yesterday.

So, it's just me and this guy left at home. I love the little guy. He's very sweet. Right now he's struggling with a bit of a cough and stuffy nose. For the first two weeks we thought it was a little cold. Now we're thinking it might be allergies! We are working hard to eliminate any potential irritants. Even Sadie has been banished back to my dad's house. We hope he's feeling more like himself soon.

He's been a little serious lately.

One of these days I'll be faster with the camera and get one of his big cheesy grins up here.

Como Town

2011-08-26T10:16:00.001-05:00

When is this ride gonna start?

Here we go!

And a stop at the arcade.

cabin

2011-08-24T20:26:00.005-05:00

We traveled up north to spend a little time with family and to retrieve Sadie.

There she is below, fishing with Isaac and Grandpa Bob.

This was Isaac's first time fishing. I think he liked it.

Aunt Randi got some time in with the boys.

Cutie face.

Boating was the best, according to Isaac.

Having missed his birthday parties to date, the family decided to throw him a little 'Almost Three and a Half' party. If you know Isaac, you know he loves a birthday no matter what time of year it is.

2 months

2011-08-15T15:59:00.002-05:00

Theo had his two month check up today and he's doing great. He's nearly doubled his birth weight and weighs about 14 pounds. He's grown about 3 inches which puts him at 23 inches.
Isaac put him through the ropes prior to the real doctor's visit. He was a very kind and gentle doctor, even when administering the shots. I thought it would be months before the boys could play together, but Theo is the perfect patient for Dr. Isaac.

swimming

2011-08-10T17:45:00.002-05:00

Banner Family Resort

2011-08-10T16:47:00.004-05:00

After Chicago, we headed down to Indy for a stay at the Banner Family Resort. We love our time at J and J's. Here are a few of the things we look forward to.

There's a pool.

There are cute cousins.

There's a pool.

There's the occasional (and much needed) family nap time.

There are more cute cousins.

There's time with aunts and grandparents.

There's lots of grilling.

There's a pool.

And when it's time to get out of your swimming suit, there's always the trampoline!

We Had the Best Time at Your Party

2011-08-10T02:23:00.007-05:00

Our travels kicked off with Carolyn and Fernando's reception. It was lovely.

There were cousin reunions.

There was dancing.

There were boys wearing bows. Isaac decided to rearrange the place settings. He pulled his chair over and squashed himself between Aunt Jenny and his girl cousins. It was way better than sitting with mom and dad.

There were sleepy boys.

There were sleepy, happy parents.

Loved it.

Traveling to Chicago

2011-08-09T13:02:00.003-05:00

Flying to Chicago, instead of driving, was a great choice. We had a very smooth experience with our two little guys. Isaac is a big help at the airport. He rolls his own luggage and is a very happy and curious traveler.

Theo was also a happy traveler.

Soon, he'll be rolling his own bag too.

after bath

2011-07-27T18:17:00.001-05:00

cathching some zzzzzz's

2011-07-21T16:02:00.000-05:00

brothers

2011-07-15T18:32:00.003-05:00

boys

2011-07-11T09:32:00.001-05:00

Grandma B's Visit

2011-07-11T09:06:00.003-05:00

Grandma B. came to visit six days after Theo was born. She likes to see them early and we like to have her here to help. So, it all works out pretty well. She held Theo a lot and found lots of great ways to keep Isaac entertained. She also did a fair bit of laundry and kept up with the dishes. Here's a glimpse from her visit.

Isaac did a lot of fun things with grandma. They watched road construction together, talked with some of the construction workers. She took him on the city bus to a big market near our house. They even got in a trip to the children's museum.

We all say a big thanks to Grandma B. for her love, and time, and patience.

visitors

2011-07-11T08:03:00.002-05:00

Many people have come by to meet and welcome Theo into the world. Here are a few.

We love you all. Thanks for holding our baby and playing with Isaac, and for feeding us, and being good company, and for the gifts, and for everything.

Theo, Theo, Theo

2011-06-29T18:54:00.002-05:00

Theodor Emil

2011-06-15T20:19:00.004-05:00

My contractions started on Friday and continued through the weekend. We had a great weekend of visiting with friends and playing at the park. Sunday night things began to pick up, with my contractions very quickly moving from ten minutes apart to four minutes apart. When we called the hospital to tell them we were coming, they told us they were full and diverted us to another hospital further away. We managed to call the doula and arrange for our friends to come and stay with Isaac before jumping in the car. We arrived at the hospital at midnight and Theo was born 23 minutes later. He was well on his way when we walked through the doors and luckily the birthing tub was filled and ready to go. His birth was very quiet, very calm, very peaceful.
He weighed in at 7 lbs. 11oz. and he's almost 21 inches long. He's very sweet.

Isaac is very keen on this little brother business. He's in the early stages of figuring it all out.

Grandpa Bob drove down the same day as the birth to meet the little guy. He stayed for a few days and then took Sadie home to stay with him at the lake for the summer.

Grandpa and the Boys

The Three of Us

2011-06-01T01:39:00.002-05:00

For just another three weeks or so, we'll be a family of three. We are celebrating these last days as a little family, while also looking forward to meeting our newest member. We're swapping hugs and "I love you's" a bit more frequently than usual. There's a feeling something is ending and a new something is beginning. We have certainly been reflecting on where we've been over the past three years. It's been an amazing time for all of us.
Here are a few pictures of us now, the three of us for a few more weeks.

Easter Egg Hunt at Church

2011-05-23T04:19:00.002-05:00

Birthday Party and other March Pictures

2011-05-23T04:08:00.001-05:00

Birthday Presents!

2011-04-30T12:46:00.005-05:00

Way back in March, Isaac turned three. We had lots of fun and the celebrating went on for days and days. On his actual birthday, a couple of good friends came over for cupcakes. We opened a few gifts, many of which came by mail. Here he is getting ready to unwrap.

Isaac opening a very cool flashlight from his St. Louis cousins. He loved it then and he loves it now, definitely in his top five favorites of all time.

Grandma and Grandpa B. sent some things.

These puzzles are also a big hit.

We gave him an umbrella so he could continue his love of the outdoors even with the changing weather. This, by the way, is a great umbrella. He can open and close it all by himself.

Balls.

Big Boy Stuff

2011-03-22T17:45:00.003-05:00

Isaac's turning another year older tomorrow. Somehow he thinks this means he'll be five. Oh well. It's meant a lot of big boy talk around our house. "I'm a big boy! I can do it myself!" He also likes to say things like, "You're a big mama!" I try not to let it bother me, being almost seven months pregnant and all. I think he's really speaking to how very mature and capable I am for my age ;)

Big boys go to the dentist. This seemed like a way better idea when we talked about it than when we actually did it. The face masks were too much for him.

But after some persuasion, he gave it a try. He seems to be hoping he'll never have to go back.

Big boys ride their trikes at the biggest setting.

Big boys make up plays about missing daddy when their daddy is out of town.

Big boys move into their big boy rooms.

March Madness

2011-03-22T17:31:00.003-05:00

We've had a busy winter and are headed into a busy spring. Our time has involved lots of snow. I'm sure those of you not living in Minnesota find it curious to see so many pictures of the same boy bundled from head to toe, with pink cheeks, standing in the snow. Well, that's Minnesota! And even though it's officially spring, there's more snow in the forecast for tomorrow.

This is Isaac's first go at face painting. With just a little help from mom, he created a tiger look. He likes to be a tiger. Roar!

February

2011-02-28T19:15:00.003-06:00

The World According to Isaac

2011-02-14T17:50:00.002-06:00

We have thousands of these if anyone is interested in curating an exhibit of his work. ;)

Snowy New York

2011-02-06T08:06:00.003-06:00

During our trip east we made plans to visit our friends Nick and Sara in New York. This winter has been a lesson in weather and plans. The night before we were to drive up from DC we got wind of a blizzard headed that way. So, we called up Nick to ask his advice. He told us to leave early and beat the storm. He was convinced we'd be fine if we got there before the storm. So, we did and we were. It was a cozy little visit with lots of walking in the snow, cooking, and exploring their neighborhood in Queens.

Isaac and Nick

Isaac surfing the snow in Central Park

bundled up in Central Park

We stopped in FAO Schwartz to warm up. Isaac was taken with the play kitchen.

We had a great time. Nick and Sara are expecting their first child in March and from our experience, they're gonna be great at it. We're very much looking forward to our next trip to New York and wandering around the city with the new little ones on their ways.

East Coast Trip : DC Pictures

2011-01-22T08:30:00.003-06:00

We spent winter break on the East Coast and we had a great time. Isaac loved the flight and everything about the airport. It was a highlight of his trip for sure.

We had a lovely time which included a present exchange.

Isaac tore through his presents

and was more than happy to assist everyone else.

Scratching the Bottom of the Picture Pile

2011-01-08T11:07:00.002-06:00

We need a new camera. This is part of the problem. We've fallen back on using my phone. In outdoor, natural lighting it's great. It's less great in our dimly lit house. We went on a great camera hunt a few years ago and the one we chose has not done the job. So, if you've got any camera recommendations, please share! Here are a few winter pictures.

One is the Lonliest Number

2010-12-14T12:10:00.003-06:00

While recognizing this isn't always true, it's kind of true for our kid who loves people. This has been pointed out to us by many kind and caring souls. We've noticed ourselves and certainly think two seems like a good idea. So, baby two will join our family in mid-June. We are very excited and Isaac is starting to get some ideas about the new baby. The other night we had a conversation that went like this:

Me -"Mommy is growing a new baby for our family."
Isaac- "A baby!?!?!?"
Me- "Yes."
Isaac- "A sister?!?!?"
Me- "Well maybe. But it might be another boy just like you. Wouldn't that be nice?"
Isaac- "No Mama. I want it to be another girl just like YOU!"

There you have it. We'll cross our fingers and see how that all turns out.

So while there are a few things about the last pregnancy/birth that make me cringe, there are lots more that make me smile.

like this

and this

and oh my goodness, those rolls!

friends and relatives

2010-11-18T21:08:00.003-06:00

We love visitors of all kinds.

Love this lady

and this one too.

Love the light shining on them

and their smiley faces in this one.

Ugh. This one is a heart-jerker. He was trying so sweetly not to fall asleep in his lunch.

A few more...

2010-11-17T07:30:00.001-06:00

our big boy

eating his pumpkin costume

with his best friend

posing

sick boy nesting in clothes basket

The Mom and Dad

2010-11-16T21:43:00.003-06:00

Some might look at this blog and wonder if Isaac is a child roaming in the world with a photographer, or if he is actually part of a family. Well, the truth is he has a mom and dad and we like each other quite a bit. Every once in a while we do things without Isaac. Here's an example. For our anniversary, Grandma D took Isaac over night. This meant we were able to drive to a little town on a little river and go kayaking.

Here we are on the bus ride to our drop off location.

Here I am happily paddling along

and checking out some of the wildlife pointed out by my trusty tour guide.

Trusty Tour Guide

It was only moments later when the tough guy started razing me for bothering to wear my life jacket (which I hadn't thought twice about until he mentioned it. Who doesn't wear a life jacket on a raging river? Notice in the pictures how it's raging?).

Well, it's all fun and games to make fun of water safety until you get tossed out of the kayak by a giant wave (or your wife).

Just kidding. He was fine and I was glad to have his unused life jacket as padding for my bum.

Way behind...

2010-11-16T20:51:00.003-06:00

As you may have noticed I am way behind in updating this blog. It's taken some encouraging words (demands) to get me going again. I've got pictures and movies and all kinds of things I could post. Putting them in any order is too daunting. So, it'll be a random sampling from late summer and fall until I'm caught up. Here goes.

He was a pumpkin for Halloween. He's quite the jokester now. Somewhere I have a picture of him pretending to eat the pumpkin he's wearing.

Watch out for bucket-head!

Oh wait. It's just this guy.

At the ripe age of two and a half Isaac is slowly entering the world of sugar. He's lived happily with graham crackers and ice cream... until now. He was recently introduced to cookie making. He loved every little thing about it, especially eating the delicious results.

No explanation needed.

state fair

2010-10-02T08:36:00.003-05:00

wagon reading

2010-09-05T21:08:00.000-05:00

the lake and the lake: part 3

2010-08-21T19:18:00.005-05:00

the lake and the lake: part 2

2010-08-10T09:22:00.005-05:00

These pictures are from the Minnesota lake trip.

'Riding' the tractor at the Blueberry Festival

cereal with Aunt Randi

driving the boat with dad

Ice cream!

looking at fish

wild blueberry picking in the woods

the lake and the lake: part 1

2010-08-09T17:06:00.004-05:00

We've been traveling a lot this summer. Most recently we spent some time at the Schmidt family cabin followed by a jaunt to Lake Michigan to spend time with the Banners. We love lake time.These are just a small sample of our time. More pictures will be coming soon.

cousins

2010-07-19T09:50:00.004-05:00

We went to Indianapolis for the annual 4th of July festivities. We had soooo much fun.

Isaac loved his time with the cousins so much that we brought one home with us. ;)

The News We've Been Waiting For

2010-07-08T13:40:00.004-05:00

We went to our follow up appointment with the neurosurgeon today. He wanted to measure Isaac's head and see if his trend was indicating a shunt, as he previously suspected. I was nervous before the appointment, knowing we might finally be moving toward or away from surgery for our little boy.
After looking at the measurements for the last three months and measuring again, the doctor was happily surprised to see no change in Isaac's head size over the last four months. The numbers and Isaac's continued development led him to say, "The proof is in the pudding." Isaac is doing great, and won't be needing a shunt anytime soon! It is such a sweet relief to have this answer and to reflect on our journey. I have certainly learned a lot and there is no question that Carl and I are feeling very blessed on this happy day.

Happy Birthday to Randi!

2010-06-30T11:43:00.002-05:00

the numbers

2010-06-14T15:09:00.001-05:00

Isaac went in for his measurement and his head is the same size it was a month ago. Hooray! His body is longer and he's gained a couple pounds. Hooray! Hooray!

word from Madison

2010-06-13T18:54:00.004-05:00

We heard back from the experts in Madison. Here's what they wrote:

Dr. Pauli does not think Isaac has any form of dwarfism.

In terms of whether Isaac has a syndrome...Dr. Mendelsohn has already done the testing to rule out any identifiable syndrome. That doesn't necessarily rule out the presence of a syndrome as it could be has has "something" that just isn't able to be figured out based on his physical features and testing that is available at this time.

The question about Isaac's head size is a difficult one that seems to be predicated on whether a diagnosis can be generated - without a diagnosis, it is hard to answer. A second neurosurgical opinion sounds reasonable in this situation.

I am sorry that we couldn't help you further as our expertise is in dwarfing disorders - we have officially ruled that out in Isaac.

So he doesn't have a form of dwarfism, he's just a little small (for now). The syndrome question is interesting and not one we give a lot of thought to. The only thing we're concerned about is his brain and the question of a shunt. So we will be pursuing more measurements and information about Isaac's head in the next few months. He is such a happy and smart guy that it's hard for us to believe he needs a shunt. He is going in for a head measurement tomorrow and we hope to see the same number we saw last time - with no sign of growth. If Isaac's head growth slows down in the next couple of months the neurosurgeon will be more confident in leaving his beautiful brain alone. That's what we're hoping for. We have been so blessed in this journey with Isaac. He just keeps passing tests and overcoming obstacles. This is the last piece we have to walk through (for now). Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we pursue the best path for keeping Isaac happy and healthy. We love our families and friends and are truly blessed by your encouragement and support.

a few random pictures

2010-06-01T22:32:00.000-05:00

whipping cream

2010-05-19T19:08:00.002-05:00

Crepes for dinner. Yummy. The first round was triple cream brie and asparagus. The second round was cooked apples and whipping cream. Isaac loves the mixers and he's pretty good with them too.

finding our way

2010-05-11T18:50:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we took Isaac to the neurosurgeon on the advice of our pediatrician. His head continues to be large and his body to be small. We saw the same neurosurgeon last year and he recommended waiting to see how Isaac grew. On this visit he was less interested in waiting and more interested in finding answers and making decisions. Isaac's brain and development continue to be fine, but just the disproportionate size of his head is a concern. There's two ideas about why Isaac's head is large. He might slowly be building up fluid and need a shunt to help with drainage. Or because Isaac is a small boy, he might have a form of dwarfism in which case his head is going to be large when compared to his body. Either way Isaac will be fine, but it's time to move forward on this medical journey. Our geneticist hasn't been able to lead us to any answers. So, we were lucky enough to find a geneticist in Madison who specializes in diagnosing cases like Isaac's. This doc has looked at a lot of children at the same crossroads as Isaac and has made the call between hydrocephalus and dwarfism. We've sent off all of his medical records and some pictures. They hope to have answers for us within a few weeks.

Here are some cute pictures of our sweet boy from recent days.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers. We are hopeful. We count Isaac's good care and your support among our blessings.

Happy Birthday!

2010-05-02T22:32:00.002-05:00

hodge podge

2010-04-23T06:51:00.003-05:00

4 times

2010-04-13T17:01:00.004-05:00

Isaac went potty on the potty four times today! He usually does it at least once a day, but this is a new record. Hurray!

We're still working out all the details.

Monday Monday

2010-03-27T14:47:00.002-05:00

This little whippersnapper went in for his two year exam on Wednesday. His head is still off the charts and we've decided to do more imaging. Last year around this same time Isaac had an MRI to check for fluid. On Monday he'll have a CT scan. He has to be sedated for the procedure (which I think is the hardest part). Having been through it before, it isn't as scary this time around. But, please keep him in your thoughts.

We're hoping everything goes well and that we'll be back to chasing him around by the end of the day;)

Birth Day

2010-03-22T22:59:00.004-05:00

The First Celebration

2010-03-22T16:29:00.004-05:00

Grandma and Grandpa came all the way from Indiana. They brought cake.

Isaac practiced the song and candle routine the night before his party. We were happy to participate in the rehearsal. Yum, cake!

Good cake!

He also opened a few presents and he's still loving every one.

Happy Day!

2010-03-20T23:09:00.002-05:00

snowy day

2010-02-28T14:30:00.003-06:00

who's under there?

2010-02-18T19:23:00.005-06:00

Here's a little video from supper time.
My voice is especially annoying in this one.
I advise watching without sound;)

pockets and a few others

2010-01-24T08:21:00.003-06:00

He has a new awareness of pockets.

They are a must have feature when choosing a sweatshirt for the day.

Maybe his hands get cold, maybe he needs a place to put his Cheerios.

gearing up for outside

bus at the children's museum

the guys

2010-01-23T19:11:00.003-06:00

Isaac acquired two little Lego men during the holidays. He loves them.

Mama: "Isaac, do you want to take some pictures with the guys?"

Isaac: "Yeah!!!"

Although this one's not made out of plastic, Isaac likes him a lot too.

enjoying the thaw

2010-01-17T17:54:00.004-06:00

After weeks of subzero temperatures and scenes in which Isaac collected all of our outdoor gear, piled it onto the kitchen floor, and rolled around, we took to the streets to celebrate the warmer weather.

The Boy Loves a Good Birthday

2010-01-09T20:47:00.003-06:00

Awhile back Isaac started wandering around singing - abba dabba ooo ooo. We had no idea what he was singing. It was only while attending a birthday party for a friend that we figured it out. It's his version of Happy Birthday To You. Carl celebated a birthday this week and Isaac was there to lend a helping hand.

in awe of the cake

blowing out the candles

licking the plate clean

asking for more

Celebrating in South Bend

2010-01-09T20:36:00.003-06:00

We had great times in South Bend. Isaac has some of the cutest cousins on the planet and a very pretty grandma.

Here Isaac is bringing the paper to grandpa. He really likes this guy.

a pair of pretty girls

Holidays and Such

2010-01-07T21:09:00.006-06:00

Some time has passed and some things have happened. Some of it has been captured on film and much of it has not. Isaac is a hard guy to photograph these days. He's fast and he WANTS the camera. Often times picture taking winds up with no good photos and Isaac in a puddle on the floor. So, I try to avoid the scene altogether. That being said, we did manage to catch a few pictures of the holidays and such.

There was Hanukkah.
Isaac was very interested in the candles and the presents.

Here he is celebrating with Play-Doh.

That same week Isaac's school had a celebration. They always pick a culture to study before winter break and then present their learning to friends and families. This year they focused on Ancient Egypt.

He really liked the jewelry.

There are more pictures of our winter celebrations to come. So, stay tuned.
In other news, Isaac has started going potty on the potty. It's sporadic but very exciting.

I and Friends

2009-12-07T21:36:00.000-06:00

boy in hat

2009-12-07T06:49:00.002-06:00

story time

2009-11-21T22:41:00.003-06:00

Isaac picked this one off the shelf the other day. I thought it was a perfect choice for our little daredevil.

bubbles

2009-11-21T22:32:00.004-06:00

penguin

2009-11-08T18:54:00.001-06:00

apples and pumpkins

2009-10-25T16:28:00.005-05:00

Hit it!

2009-10-20T21:53:00.005-05:00

Isaac is really in to hitting things with his hands, with a spoon, with... his wooden hammers! Ouch! Tonight he tried to hit daddy with the hammer. Our little 'Bam-Bam' was quickly redirected. Here are some pictures of barehanded hitting.

Setting it up.

The wind up.

And from the other side. It's quite hard (and painful) to do this with your hand. After a few tries he got all of the balls through. Oy!

And then there are times when even Bam-Bam needs a break.
Thank goodness.

cool like that

2009-10-14T21:42:00.003-05:00

Seriously. Andre and Lindsey were over for dinner. Isaac was excited and ready to hang out with his visitors. Here he is striking a pose in the midst of our conversation.
(Photo courtesy of Andre who was quick enough to grab the camera.)

boy in the hood

2009-10-10T10:46:00.001-05:00

Because it's Monday

2009-10-05T19:40:00.002-05:00

locksmith

2009-09-30T22:11:00.004-05:00

Keys are a new favorite. So much so that Isaac has become a stealth key detective. He's figured out our hiding places and always seems to have his eyes peeled for the elusive keys. You'll be carrying him past a shelf and the next thing you know he's lifted your keys and has them

clenched in his fingers. Once he gets the keys, he's off to the doors. He tries each key and pushes the automatic buttons sometimes too. The other day I got most of the way to work before I saw the trunk light was on. It's always an adventure with this guy.

Hmmm, what shall I do?

I could grab the dog's tail

or...

I could check for keys.

Oh yea. I like these. These are good ones.

Now which one is it?

This one?

Or maybe it's this one.

Hmmm, no luck. But it was a good try.

happiest boy in the toddler room

2009-09-28T21:57:00.002-05:00

We get daily reports from Isaac's teacher. They always include what he had for snack, how much he ate, when he was changed, etc.. They also include little anecdotes about his day. They almost always mention how happy and busy he is. Today his teacher commented that thirty seconds after dad dropped him off Isaac was singing and beaming at her. She also mentioned his brief 35 minute nap and how he woke up quietly and got his sunscreen and hat. It seems he was ready to go upon waking.
Carl reports the school community loves him. He's chatty and smiley with the children and parents. The children in Carl's class, especially the older boys, have adopted him as their own.
When we ask Isaac if he wants to go to school he always says yes. And I'm grateful for this, incredibly grateful that Isaac has found a place to shine in his own light. I love watching Isaac be Isaac in the world. He's just so darn good at it.

night night

2009-09-23T19:46:00.002-05:00

smattering

2009-09-20T16:04:00.004-05:00

I will get the camera...

or the dog.

Gotcha.

Off to school on the first day with his nap bag. It's a little long.
Grandma B, can you make the new one with shorter or adjustable straps so it doesn't drag on the floor?

He totally biffed it the first week of school. Those who play hard, fall hard. He didn't seem to mind too much and now is completely healed.

back on the charts

2009-09-15T21:24:00.006-05:00

He's back on the charts. After falling off the chart in height and riding above the chart in head size, he's back on the charts. Height and weight are in the tenth percentile and his head is in the ninety-seventh percentile. Hurray! The doctor (an endocrinologist) he saw today was really positive and thinks he's moving in the right direction. He's grown an inch and a half in the last month and a half. She measured him three times just to be sure.

And he's happy and laughing all the time. He feeds the dog twice a day by putting dog food into her dish and he has some new words - cracker and go, go, go! The last words describe him really well -always on the go. He's enjoying school and I'm enjoying him at the end of my work day. Love that guy big or little, but just for the record - he's HUGE!

puppy love

2009-09-13T20:46:00.002-05:00

This is the one and only day Isaac had access to a flashlight and somehow he new just what to do with it. Carl really likes playing this game with Sadie too.

last hurrah

2009-09-09T19:14:00.005-05:00

Carl and I went back to work before Isaac started school. So, for two solid weeks Isaac and Andre had major play dates. Isaac really got attached to Andre. It's pretty sweet. During their time together Andre and our friend Lindsey arranged a trip to the zoo.

What I love about these pictures is how each of them is just thrilled to be hanging out at the zoo with their buddies. I'm so glad Isaac has these guys in his life and I hope they come to see us soon. I think Isaac would be thrilled to see them... and the bike.

school has begun

2009-09-09T19:08:00.003-05:00

Isaac is going to school now. It's a little weird to think about, but he's doing pretty well. Here are a few pictures of playing in the sand with new friends.