Sick Days

Caleb started getting sick over the weekend with a cough and low fever. I've kept him home from school the past couple of days and he has been taking it easy, not doing much. He seems content to just sit at the table to paint or play with his cars. He has also watched "Cloudy with a chance of Meatballs" 6 times in the last 2 days (a perk of being sick-getting to veg in front of the tv).

I think Benjamin has caught Caleb's cold because his nose is nasty and he it coughing.  No fever though so that's good.  Hopefully these boys will get better soon.  We finished Benjamin's eye drops yesterday and his eye looks great, we'll have to wait and see if it stays that way. 

Here are a couple of random videos:

The other night Caleb kept asking for a glass of lemon juice.  I argued with him for a few minutes but he insisted he wanted some...so I got him a glass.  I thought it would make for a good video because I knew that Caleb would be totally grossed out and make a horrible face...well I was wrong.

Benjamin has been crawling on his belly for quite sometime and would occasionally get on hands and knees.  Recently he has started crawling on hands and knees more and more, and he is getting fast!  He is still pulling up on everything but hasn't shown much interest in taking steps.  To be honest I am in no hurry for him to start walking, he keeps me plenty busy already!

Pictures from the week

Here are a few pictures from this past week.

Texas had a couple of really pretty days this past week so I took the boys for a walk.  Caleb loves riding his AmTryke.  I love that there is something like this available for him to use.  And let me tell you this kid can haul some serious booty on this thing!  He's wearing his new glasses in this picture, well actually just new lenses.  We had to replace his lenses recently and we got him the transition lenses.  Pretty cool.

Caleb pointing at something in the sky and Benjamin can't keep his hands off Caleb's bike.  Truthfully, Benjamin just can't keep his hands off of anything that Caleb has.

How stinkin' cute is that face!  And notice the drool hanging from the chin...man will I be glad when he stops drooling.  Yuck!  His eye is looking better so hopefully the eye drops will do the trick and surgery won't be necessary.

And how stinkin' cute is this face!  Can't believe this boy is 4 1/2 years old...blows my mind!

Since I was posting some other "hat" pictures, here is one of Caleb when he about a year old.  So cute.

Spina Bifida Awareness

I ordered this necklace from another SB mom, Kari.  She is making these necklaces to promote awareness and to help raise money for the Spina Bifida Association.  Kari also started a Spina Bifida Resource blog (link on the right) and I have teamed up with her and some other moms, we will all be contributing to this blog.  I have been so blessed to have found so many moms, all over the country, that have a child with Spina Bifida.  There is an entire community of us out there, and we are all doing our best to support and encourage each other.  Many of them have blogs like mine and I love hearing about their kiddos.  I rejoice with them when their child does something amazing, and I cry with them when their child is struggling.  Our journey is a special one and it is comforting to know that we are no alone, we don't have to walk this road by ourselves.  I have been so inspired by many of these moms, some of them have children that are dealing with a lot.  I have been touched by how many of these moms love God, and they stand firm in their faith.  I'll tell you that nothing tests your faith more than seeing your child struggle, or seeing your child sick in the hospital, or sometimes just dealing with all the things that SB can affect (and it affects A LOT).  It is a life that will do one of two things, either you will lose your faith because you feel like God isn't doing what He should be doing or it pulls you closer to Him because you KNOW that He is the only way you will get through it.  My faith has been tested many times in the last few years but I stand firm in my faith.  God isn't concerned with whether or not I am comfortable in my little world, He wants to see me grow and learn more about Him.  God is God, and He is good, all the time.  

At horseback riding

Caleb is still doing the therapeutic horseback riding.  Here are a few pictures from today.

 

He really enjoys doing it.  I'm not sure if horseback riding is the reason he has made so much progress in the last year, but something is working.  I know I keep saying it but Caleb is doing amazing. I can't get over the progress he has made just in the last couple of months, it's crazy. God is so good.    

 

While Caleb was riding I took Benjamin outside (since it was 72 degrees today) to see all the horses.  I love the expressions on his face, he is so stinkin cute!  For those of you that pray, would you pray for Benjamin's eye.  His right eye has always been goopy from a clogged tear duct.  We took him to an ophthalmologist in October and they tried to open his tear duct but sticking a probe into the tear duct (if that sounds awful, it's because it is).  Well, his eye is still goopy.   So we are trying some special eye drops for the next week, if that doesn't work then we are looking at surgery.  He would have to be put to sleep while they insert a stint into his tear duct.  I really don't want to have to do that to him, so we REALLY want these eye drops to work. 

My Boys

I just love my two boys.  Here are a few pictures of them from today.

Benjamin loves to stand at windows...actually he loves to stand at everything.  He also likes to take different things with him...here he has one of Caleb's shoes.  He is doing SO much better with sleeping through the night, it is wonderful.

Caleb taking a picture of me while I take a picture of him.  He loves sitting in his window for some reason.  He is just doing amazing these days.  His school is ordering some arm crutches for him since is walking so well with his walker.  I can't wait to see how he does.  He has come so far.

Benjamin just can't get enough of Caleb, he absolutely loves him.  I think it is adorable but Caleb is beginning to find it slightly annoying. 

I don't have anything to say about this picture, I just thought it was cute.  Benjamin is such a toot, and I say that with affection.  I wish all of you could see what his personality is like.  He is very much about me these days, it's all about mommy.  Every day at 5pm (right when I am trying to make dinner) he decides that he can't live without me and has to have me right then!  One thing that always makes him happy is Cheerios.  He loves multi-grain Cheerios, he could probably eat his weight in Cheerios. 

Caleb trying to finish his dinner and Benjamin just can't leave him alone.  Caleb was rubbing Benjamin's head saying:  "See you've got a little bit of hair."  So cute!

And finally, a video of Caleb making Benjamin laugh

Our 8th Anniversary

Glenn and I got married 8 years ago today.  In celebration of our anniversary I thought I would post some pictures from that very special day.  Look how young we are!!  This is when we were just Glenn & Cassie, not "mommy" and "daddy".  That day is such a blur so I'm glad we have pictures.  I just want to say what a wonderful husband Glenn is.  He is also a fantastic father and truly a good man.  I am blessed to have him as my partner.  We have been through many trials in our 8 years of marriage and with God's help we have made it through each one.  Happy Anniversary honey, there is no one else I would rather spend my life with.  I love you.

Neurosurgery appointment

Caleb had an appointment with his neurosurgeon this morning.  It was just a regular checkup, no big deal.  The Dr. said that Caleb looks good and is pleased with his progress.  His mobility is good and his cognition is right on track. We did learn something today that I did not know.  We've been somewhat concerned that Caleb may be unable to tell when he is full.  The boy has always loved to eat but we've noticed that he always seems to want to eat more.  He is always asking when the next meal or snack will be.  The Dr said that it could be due to the Arnold Chiari Malformation (common brain malformation in people with SB).  He said he actually sees it a lot in kids with Spina Bifida.  Caleb may not be able to tell when his tummy is full, which can certainly lead to him being overweight (another common problem in kids with SB).  It just means that we need to watch his servings and make sure he doesn't eat too much and then gain weight.  His weight is fine right now, no concerns there.  I share this because it's very interesting to me all the things that Spina Bifida can affect.  We tend to focus on the physical limitations but SB affects so many other things.  Here are a couple of pictures of Caleb and Benjamin while we were waiting for the Dr.

  Caleb watching another boy play video games in the waiting room.

Benjamin just looking around.  You can't see it but I promise he is starting to grow some hair!  He's a long way off from needing his first haircut but there is some fuzz up there.

Then...and Now

I know I keep bragging about how far Caleb has come and how well he is doing with his walker and braces, but I really wanted all of you to see what I mean.  This first video was taken in October of 2007, Caleb was 2 years old.  Caleb had just gotten his HKAFO's (long braces that start at the hip) and he was learning how to walk in them using a walker.  Watching this video just warmed my heart.  He looks so precious.  I love those chunky legs, I miss that!  I was reminded how Caleb was not talking at 2 years old, I think he had 4 words at this point (mama, dada, on, off).  Of course now he talks from sun up to sun down.

This video was taken yesterday.  Look at how far my boy has come!  It is absolutely amazing.  He graduated from the HKAFO's to AFO's this summer and hasn't stopped since.  

Is that amazing or what?!  For those of you with SB kiddos, please know that anything is possible.  I never expected to see Caleb doing this well, we were told that this would not happen.  Caleb is proof that doctors and therapists don't know everything.  Who knows what our kids are capable of.

Picture of how his braces have changed.  The HKAFO's are the big braces on the right, the AFO's (left) are the braces he wears now.  Big difference!  Praise God!

Brothers

I took these pictures the other day and forgot to post them.  Caleb wanted to help by feeding Benjamin for me.  He did a pretty good job too!  Caleb is an excellent big brother.  He would do just about anything to keep Benjamin happy (mostly because he doesn't like it when Benjamin cries).  Benjamin just adores Caleb and pretty much follows him everywhere.  He is constantly crawling into Caleb's room, he never goes into his own room.  They are so cute together.  I hope they are really close as they grow up.