Oklahoma Torndado

Such a tragic event caused my non other than mother nature. I can't even begin to imagine what all those families are going through and the aftermath they are dealing with.

I had an old friend contact me last night and ask if I had heard what happened to our other childhood friend's nieces.... they were listed on the list of people who didn't survive. My heart immediately sank and my throat went into knots as I fought back tears.  We immediately started 2 donation websites to raise money for this family.  One is Give Forward  and the other is You Caring.  Not only did they lose their house, car, neighborhood, and comfort...they lost a part of their family.  When I Google the mom's name, there's lots of news coverage of their family.  They didn't have only one child taken, but two.  They also happened to have the youngest victim; their youngest daughter who was just 7 months old and the other daughter who was 4 years old.  So naturally, the media is featuring them more than other families.

So I ask of you, please, please, please donate anything you have.  I don't know what I would do if in a matter of an hour my life was turned upside down and I lost everything.  It's one thing to lose a house, but no one should have to bury their kids.  When you lose your parents you're an orphan, when you lose a spouse you're a widower, but there is no word for when you lose a baby.

You can even donate $1.00.  The donation page has over 1,000 views....if everyone would donate $1.00 it'd really make a difference!  You can even donate anonymously!  Please donate and/or spread the word!  With social media today it shouldn't be hard....Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, email, text messages, ect!!  Click on one of the links above and make a donation!  All proceeds from both websites go to the family!

Women only!

After knowing myself for 26 years...I had everything down about myself.  I had stick straight hair that would look straightened just by blow drying it. I knew which facewash and lotion to use.  I had a routine at showertime with the bodywash, shampoo, and lotion I've used for years.  If there's anything I love, it's consistency.

Well after getting pregnant with Maxson, all that went out the window!  Everyone knows the basics:  morning sickness, stretch marks, obviously weight gain, bigger boobs, ect.  But no one warned me about everything else that comes along with it!  Not that it would've changed anything, but a few warnings might've been nice!

1.  Stretch marks AFTER birth??

Stretch marks are your skin stretching from the INSIDE...out.  There's lots and lots of creams, oils, butters, lotions all targeted for those hopeful pregnant women....thinking if they slather themselves with these products they'll keep flawless skin.  But if you're going to stretch, you're going to stretch.  There's nothing you can do about it.  You can try to help the stretching process by moisturizing so there's less discomfort.  Some people I know didn't use anything and barely looked like they had a baby.  Other people spent money on those expensive creams that you can't find at Target or Walmart....and looked like their belly was a map. Well I didn't get any stretch marks the entire pregnancy (granted I had him 7 weeks early).  A week after I had him my hips and boobs were sooo itchy!  The #1 rule is to NOT SCRATCH under any circumstance!  You just smack, smack, smack the skin...but keep those claws retracted! Well since Maxson was already here I figured why not scratch away?! Oh and I did! I scratched and scratched and scratched and loved every second of it!  The next thing I knew....My right hip looked like I was attacked by Freddy Kreuger!  I couldn't fit the clothes I was wearing when I had him!  My hips expanded...causing that itch! Soooo.....be aware ladies!  Stretch marks are possible AFTER you have your baby.  You're not in the clear yet!

2.  Going bald?!?

I've heard of the thick, luxorious hair that comes with pregnancy.  That was one pregnancy symptom I was looking forward to!  My thin, straight hair was finally going to have some volume!!  What no one told me was your hair falls out!  Not just the usual 100 strands a day...but up to 500 strands!!  Everytime I took a shower it would clog.  I would touch my hair and have a handful.  I felt like that Marsha Brady chick on the movie "The Craft!"  Someone put a spell on me and now I was going to be bald.  When I talked to other mothers and even my doctor they all responded with the same "oh yeah!  The hair falling out stage!  It'll stop eventually!"  WHAT?!!? They knew?!  And no one told me?!?  They were right though...it eventually did stop and my hair did become thicker and the shiniest I've ever seen it.  I was a happy camper until Maxson turned about 5 months old....then the process started all over again!  Clogged showers and handfuls of hair!  And once again...the secret society wasnt shocked!  Apparently all that hair that had filled in gets to fall out now!!  Oh man.  I'm surprised I even have any hair left!  And another crazy thing...from those evil hormones....I have a mohawk of curly hair now o..o

3. Crying during commercials......yup....

So I've never really been the sensitive type.  Not even when I was pregnant.  I had a couple incidents over these burritos that Jacob couldn't find.  I freaked out, cried, and accused him of doing it on purpose! lol.  CRAZY LADY OVER HERE!  Buuuutttttt that only happened once.  It's funny to talk about now...but I really wanted those burritos!! (Long story short, my sister brought some back from Orange County because Jacob couldn't find them anywhere in Vegas).  After Maxson made his debut, I was crying over EVERYTHING! I saw a teddy bear and cried.  And as you might've guessed....I cried during a commercial.  A COMMERCIAL!  I needed help!    I had no warning for those kinds of issues!

4.  Waterbed tummy

As people might've guessed you can't really use your stomach muscles as well while pregnant.  You do lose a little muscle there.  It's a tad worse after a C-section because you REALLY can't use your stomach AT ALL!  It feels like your stomach is on fire if you try to sit up.  So I knew that....it's almost common sense..I would think.  Well after I had him my stomach deflated, like an air bed.  I could literally pinch my side and touch my fingers through my skin.  It felt like I only had skin and nothing else!  Weirdest feeling ever!  It reminded me of a waterbed when you touched it.

Just thought I'd give any future first time mothers out there a heads up!  It's nice to know what's coming :))  And granted, not everyone will experience these aftermath symptoms....but it's good to know just in case. But of course it was all worth it!

Anything you guys experienced that I didn't list???  Might give me a heads up for my next baby!

Big brother???

Koreans believe you can get some "future" answers from your dreams... I know that sounds crazy, and I've had my doubts...but I've witnessed this craziness first hand.  When you dream of all white (usually a wedding)...and yes it does matter who's getting married..and the details....it usually means a death will happen within a week or so.  I can only imagine what that sounds like from a reader's perspective who didn't grow up with a crazy Korean mom!  But I assure you.....it's never been wrong! Then you have the other random ones like your teeth falling out....I'm always forewarned to be careful and to drive safely (but nothing bad has happened yet!  Knock on wood!)  

Where is this story going  you ask??  If you haven't guessed by now...I had a dream.  (DUN, DUN, DUNNNNNNNN!)  Not a death dream....but I had a dream about a fruit.  What in the world does that mean?! It means someone is pregnant with a girl.  Not just any fruit though...a yellow pineapple.  

So....I wake up and vividly remember this sweet, yellow, juicy pineapple I indulged in in my dream! The first thing I do when I actually dream of something (doesn't happen very often) is call that crazy, Korean mother of mine to see what it means.  I guess you can say it's become kind of a "family tradition" to do that!  

I called her up...always starting with the casual "how are you....anything new?"  Then I dived right into my goldmine of a dream that I was dying to know what it meant.  My mom is excitedly telling me....in between the details....how someone is pregnant with a girl!  Awwww! How cute!  Now everyone around me is running through my head as I try to guess who got stumped and drank the water :)))

In my excitement I blurted out "it was so sweet and juicy!"....you know....talking about the pineapple.  What did I hear on the other line?

 Nothing. 

Not a thing. 

Dead silence.  

Then out of the silence came one of the sentences my mom is known for....
"Ooohhh myyy gaaahhhhhhhh."  

At that moment...I felt my stomach drop into my butt.  What just happened?! This conversation just took a U-turn into "let's scare Jennifer-Ville."  My mom then decides to ask how old Maxson is.  Not only do I hysterically scream "HE'S ONLY 6 MONTHS!!!!" into the phone...but then I got a flood of thoughts!  Oh man?! Is it me!?? I can't be pregnant already?! It's not in MY plan! HA! Like Maxson was planned! :)))))  She just says to "be careful" and gets off the phone.

At this point I'm kind of panicking.  Can I handle a one year old...and a newborn?! How am I going to breastfeed and ninja roll around this place trying to stop Maxson from any mischief he's planning for the day?  THIS IS NOT HAPPENING!!

So naturally I did what no girl should EVER do!  Never, ever, ever tell a guy you "might" be pregnant.  Not only is your stomach in your butt....but now so is his!   But I'm not considerate like that.....if I have to worry so is Jacob damnit!  And if I'm nervous....Jacob will be too!  .....but I actually just need a pregnancy test! I don't exactly feel like lugging Maxson around the store in his carseat...hunting down a pregnancy test.

Deja vu all over again.  Jacobs playing his game when I interrupted with "my mom scared me and now I think I'm pregnant."  Off to the store he went.  After 8 years of having my mom in his life...that sentence doesn't even confuse him.  Now this happened last time mind you...only we thought my sister was the knocked up one...and I was just taking one with her to be nice!  7 months later, Maxson arrived.  Now here we are again...except I'm by myself!

Jacob come back in what seems like the longest 10 minutes of my life! He hands me the box and takes Maxson downstairs.  Once again it's just me and this stick I have to pee on.  How special, right!? Why is it as women...we have to pee on a stick, then think of a fun way to let the "father" know and the rest of the family?? Why are we robbed from that celebration?! Don't get me wrong.  I will not hesitate to dance around my living room with a stick covered in my pee letting me know a baby is on shim's way.... but they should invent something cooler.  Like going to a doctor's office...and  walking through a door to a "surprise you're pregnant" party!  Just a thought.

After thinking 9 months ahead...waiting 2 minutes....and questioning everything going on in our lives at the moment....it reads "not pregnant!"  WOOOOOOOO! Take that mom!!  But now I can't help but wonder.....

Who's pregnant with a girl???  Is it you???  I guess in due time we shall find out!  Until then....I'm staying away from pineapples.

What the heck is going on with him?!

I know I just started this blog out of no where and most of you have no idea what is exactly wrong with Maxson.  He was born with a few special attributes that only made him cuter :))))

Maxson's right ear is a unilateral grade II Microtia.  Microtia means "little ear."  I've never heard of it until Maxson was born, but apparently it's the 2nd most common birth defect after a cleft palate/lip.  It's more common in boys and more common on the right side.  Girls can be born with it and both boys and girls can have it on either side.  They can be born with bilateral microtia as well....but it's more common to just have it on only one side.  There are 4 different grades of it....grade 1 is just a slightly smaller ear or a slightly deformed ear.  Grade II is an ear that is smaller, and slightly more deformed... but an ear canal can be present.  In his case it is.  He has his full ear...it's just folded.  When you unfold it, an entire ear is present....almost like it has no cartilage to hold it in place.   Grade III is the most common....there's no ear canal and the ear resembles a little peanut.  Grade IV is when there is no ear present at all.

He did have a CT scan done when he was a week old (was not happy about that and we were not aware of it until it was done).  He does have a middle ear!  Each one of your ears has a middle ear and an inner ear.  I was talking to someone who thought a middle ear was an ear in the middle of your head that connected the two :)))))  You have an ear canal which leads to an ear drum.  When you hear something your ear drum sends vibrations to the bones in the middle ear.  Those bones vibrate to your cochlea....making it spin....which makes you hear!  Maxson's ear drum doesn't work correctly and his stapes (a bone in the middle ear) is embedded in the soft tissue.  His cochlea does work though!!  He can hear loud sounds....it has to be loud enough to make everything vibrate to make his cochlea spin.  An hearing aide would help fix that problem.  (We're working on getting one...that'll be a whole other post).  So since his middle ear is underdeveloped....he's know for having "conductive hearing loss."  You're considered deaf when your inner ear is affected and doesn't work properly.

Maxson was also born with a Tessier 7 cleft (soft tissue) on his right side as well.  Most people don't know this but you have 14 clefts in your face.  A cleft palate is cleft 14.  "Tessier" is just named after the guy who figured it out....Paul Tessier :))))  The cleft he has makes a "joker" like appearance in the face....there's an indentation from the corner of his mouth to his ear.  Out of all the facial clefts.....this one is the most common (cleft palate is not considered a facial cleft).  You can see the line in his cheek in some pictures...depends on the angle.  The older he gets the more prominent it's becoming.

Usually accompanying a facial cleft 7 is macrostomia....which is also known as having a wide mouth.  Pretty much the inside corner of his lips didn't meet where they were supposed to. His is very mild.  Usually this inhibits babies from being able to thrive because they can't close their mouth fully.  When we try to feed Maxson with a bottle, his mouth on the right side stays open so all the milk just pours out.  We have to squeeze his cheeks together...almost making him pucker to help him eat.  He hates it...almost as much as we hate doing it.  Imagine eating like that!!  Breastfeeding is just honestly easier for both of us.  He can eat comfortably :)))))  And he clearly likes to eat! Here is an extreme case....before and after her repair. You can see his in this picture...

Microtia is around 1 in 8,000 kids.....and his face is 1 in 80,000!  They still don't know what causes it, but they believe from studying rats...it's a lack of blood flow to the face during the first 4-8 weeks of your pregnancy.  Something as small as a blood vessel bursting causes this.

He was also born with two hemivertebrae in his lower back.  His are like the top right picture.  The two balance each other out....so it doesn't make his spine crooked!  Clever little guy :))

Maxson was also born with a few holes in his heart.  We did see a pediatrics cardiologist recently and they're 60% closed...so they're on their way to being closed fully :))))  We've very happy about that!  Apparently that happens to 1 in 5 babies born full term or premature!  Crazy!

They suspected he has Goldenhar Syndrome....but after researching and speaking to a geneticist....one of the main characteristics of Goldenhar is having dermoids in your eyes.  His eyes are perfect.  Goldenhar babies usually have kidney issues and problems with their vertebrae in their neck as well.  Maxson does not have Goldenhar syndrome....and is on the most mild end of the spectrum for all of his "issues."  We couldn't be more thankful.  After being in the NICU...we saw babies who were in far worse conditions!  His lungs, eyes, brain, ect are all perfect and that's all we could ask for!  After all....it is just an ear :)))))))

The other side of Mother's Day this year

Today also marks the day my dad passed away 14 years ago!  It's so crazy it's been that long..  I still remember sitting in my English class....Mrs. Erickson...and I happened to be the one reading out loud.  The teacher got a phone call and informed me I was going home for the rest of the day.. I looked at my friend Susan who was sitting next to me...to of course rub it in her face...and went on my merry way.  My mom met me outside the office...she had sunglasses on and wouldn't look at me...and I just knew.  I was 12 and knew my dad died...that's the only thing that came out of my mouth.."dad died huh?"  She just nodded and started crying...

The week after was a complete blur.  I even remember him "claiming" May 12th as his day to die...  My brother passed away May 10, my dad's birthday was May 11, and his grandpa passed away May 13th.  He always said that day was reserved for him...who would've thunk it??

I never really had my dad in my life.  He was one of those "holiday" dads...and I was lucky if I even saw him during those. He just came back into my life 6 months earlier.  He took me to the local fair...came to my one and only basketball game he's ever attended...went to the movies and saw The Matrix...because that was the new big thing....played cards....you know...typical father stuff.  It might not seem like a big deal..but for those last 6 months I actually got a glimpse of what it would be like to have a dad.  Wow! I missed out!  

I went to his house for his birthday the day before but was worn out from basketball practice (or was it volleyball??)...and slept the entire time.  I still kick myself in the butt for that.  He was so excited my sister Misty made him a steak dinner and a cake.  I bought him a white shirt with a Tasmanian devil on it and a wallet!! Typical dad presents! My mom came and picked me up that night. He woke me up. I groggily walked to the door...he said "aren't you going to give me a kiss??" I turned and gave him a sleepwalker's hug and kiss....he said "I love you..." I said it back and that was it.

It's crazy how I can barely remember last week but those couple months are vivid in my memories....at least he left on a good note..

I truly believe God gave him a chance to come back and make his peace with everyone before departing...  He even gave my mom closure.  I mean..how many people get the chance to do that??

He had a very unhealthy lifestyle....hence the fact he died the day after he turned 43!  That scares me.  That's only 16 years away from me now!! I shall not have heart disease!  I don't want to eat myself into a grave (as I'm engorging myself with those monster chocolate covered strawberries...c'est la vie).

Here's a picture of us at my sister's birthday party when I was 4...the only picture I have of me and him!!  I think that's why I take an overly excessive amount of pictures of Maxson...I always have the thought this could be his last picture with so and so....  The first thing people do when someone dies is search for pictures they have with that person...I just want him to have options :)))

My first Mother's Day!!

How exciting.  I honestly feel so special today!!  Cause let's be honest for a second...everyone has a birthday but not everyones a mom :))). I feel blessed!

I got a nice surprise visit last night from my mommy!   She drove to Vegas with her best friend for a couple of days.  My first Mother's Day is also spent with mine!  Oh lucky, lucky meeeeeeee!

Jacob, Maxson, Samson, and Hurley got me my favorite flowers....daisies...and ginormous chocolate covered strawberries! YUM!  I caught him ordering me some Edible Arrangements...those are my favorite!!  So he decided to cancel it and get me something else instead.  Sneaky, sneaky husband.  My sister Lisa bought me a card and a Wheat Belly cookbook!!! I'm very excited to use that in the future!  I also got a nice surprise card in the mail from my in-laws :)))). I love it.  I CAN NOT wait for Maxson to come home with crazy, fun stuff he made in school....I've looked forward to those little treasures long before he came along..

Dr. Fearon even emailed me back already! He said Maxson wouldn't need to have surgery until closer to 18 months...possibly even longer cause his macrostomia is so mild!!!  GREAT news added to a great day! For now I can just enjoy my precious little boy without a gazillion doctors visits :))))

Doctors, doctors, doctors....

Of course I'm researching like a mad woman.  I know some of you have heard me say "Dr. Fearon" before.  He keeps popping up again.  Is that a sign?

I've looked at countless doctors....even after getting recommendations...but I keep coming back to Dr. Fearon.  So what's the problem then?  He's in Dallas, TX.  Can't I just pack him up and move him to Los Angeles?!?  After talking to another family...The Tucker Troops....I realized it's not going to be monthly appointments for long.   After the first few appointments.....with the exception of surgeries....it'll just be yearly appointments.  I think I'll start pursuing him...hopefully Tricare will allow it!  

If any of you want to see anything about Dr. Jeffrey Fearon...you BARELY have to do research.  Just type his name in Google!  I've been reading about him since Maxson was born and have not read one negative thing about him.  Not even an "unsure" response about him.  People travel all over the world and country to be seen by him.  I've been emailing him the past 6 months...and he's nice enough to respond.  He's more than happy to give advice.  

I'll start pushing for our referrals on Monday.  Please keep us in your thoughts!  If we have to start paying out of pocket to go there....I'll just start working the strip at night.  I KID I KID!!  I'll make Jacob do it first :)))))))))  Ha!

Even typing that we're going to go see Dr. Fearon makes me feel better already!  Let the negotiating begin!

New therapist!!

We met Maxson's new therapist on Thursday.  His usual therapist had her baby....Nixon I believe...and we were replaced with someone else..and of course I can't remember her name?? She apparently was Maxson's therapist in the NICU....but after being there for 31 days...we saw a gazillion people.  I only really remember about 5 people.  

She commented on how big he is now...and that he's bigger than her 1 year old son :))). I've been hearing stuff like that a lot lately.  What can I say...he loves the boob juice. 

Eileen...his occupational therapist...whom Maxson ADORES...had another great session with him.  She puts him belly down on this spinning contraption to get him to support himself with his arms...and he just spins away.  This kid is going to love rides.  Thank God!  Someone can finally ride with Jacob!!  I always feel like that terrible anchor of a wife who won't go on anything...making Jacob not go either...making us not venture out to any type of theme park or fair. Now if I could just have a mini-me who'll prefer to look at things instead...we'll be set! If I just keep having wild-childs like this....my future looks dark and lonely on family outings ;))))). 

Anywho....Eileen put Maxson in his bumbo chair as usual...locked in the tray...and set up some toys.  She grabbed a toy off the tray and tried to take it away without him noticing...well he noticed.  He followed her arm like a hawk.  She was pleasantly surprised and wanted to try something.  She let him play with a toy until he dropped it out of sight...she grabbed it...still out of sight and moved it. That little booger strained his neck...followed her arm...and stared at the exact spot where the toy was...still hidden!  He wanted nothing to so with any of the other toys. She was very impressed!  She said that's something 9-10 month old babies do!  Every week this kid is doing something new that's a couple months or more advanced! I'm so proud.  

When I used to hear parents say "my kid is so smart because of....yada yada yada.." I didn't get it.  I would look at them like they were crazy and think "don't all babies do that? I mean...he/she only waved...how hard is that?? I trained my dog to wave." Now it all makes sense.   I've only actually been impressed by a couple kid's intelligence.....my cousin's daughter Preslee is the smartest kid I've ever met!  (Granted I've never liked kids...so I've only seen so many...) 

But now if Maxson blows bubbles I'm through the roof!! Lol. How smart is he...blowing bubbles with his spit like that?! Ha! Every little thing he does makes me so proud and impressed!  I just sit and stare at him in awe sometimes.  Could you imagine remembering when you were a baby and learning everything from the beginning?? How traumatizing!  I wonder what my parents thought of me when they watched me or what I did that impressed them after already having a 9 and 7 year old? Maybe it's because he's my first.  I don't know.  But man....what a smart cookie :)))

Good morning star shine...the Earth says hello..

 Maxson was extremely fussy this morning.  He didn't want to eat and I changed his diaper....just couldn't figure it out.  I laid him back down between me and Jacob...sometimes in the mornings he'll hang out with us and just talk away.  I love his baby talk.  What I wouldn't give to actually be able to understand him....in due time!!!  And by then I'm sure I'll try to get him to stop talking in the mornings :)))

I heard a slight gurgle....a little spit up followed...then lots of choking!  I flipped him over and hit his back (full force yet gentle) and loads of gunk came out...yuck.  Cottage cheese mucous all over our bed! By the looks of it...I'm guessing he lost almost 2 meals.  He must've felt better because then he proceeded to talk as usual.  Now the washers going...Jacobs snoring with his glasses on...and Maxson is passed out.  I feel like this always happens to me! Lol. Maxson has a reputation of waking me up really early!!  He wants to let me know the sun is about to rise :))). By the time the little turkey goes back to sleep, I'm wide awake. Story of my life these days.  If it's not Maxson waking me up....I have Samson...our 110 pound black lab/great Dane breathing in my face and whining so he can get breakfast. He thinks he's still a puppy. Little turd.  Hurley is the only "normal" one in the house.  He's still asleep in his corner.  Lucky. 

Babies are so happy..

One of Maxson's favorite activities is sitting in front of the big mirror in our hallway and playing with himself.  Yesterday I decided to sit with him in my lap and take part in his activity.  I always say "who's that handsome feller..." and he smiles so big. What a vain little boy...

As I was watching him giggle and smile at himself....I couldn't help but wonder if one day he won't smile in the mirror anymore. I realized I was crying at that point....like a baby. lol.  I love his little face.  I love his little "Nemo" ear. I love his crooked mouth. It's what makes him Maxson.  Will me telling him he's handsome everyday be enough for him? Is love enough?  The world is so cruel and judgmental.  Afterall....we're all loved right?!  But when someone comes along and calls you fat or tells you your nose is crooked....it sits with you in an ugly place in your mind. Will others see what I see?  Will they see this happy baby that God chose for me?  It amazes me how when I look at him I see perfection.  I find myself making excuses for the "flaws" the doctors are pointing out.  "His cheek is only smaller on that side for now...but when the baby fat diminishes it'll even out." "He's eating just fine when he breast feeds, who cares that he can't physically eat from a bottle or keep a pacifier in his mouth....he's thriving and that's all that matters." "His skull is only crooked on that side because of his crazy hair."  "Ohhh....that cute crooked smile is a deformity...who knew?"  I don't see anything wrong with his face/skull until I hold in front of a mirror.  It's a dramatic change!  Is that what others see when they look at  him??

I saw some pictures of some of the surgical options for him.  I've heard they're more traumatic for the parents to go through....but my God.  Getting his shots are traumatizing for me as it is....and I don't even go in the room! It's so sad to me babies have to endure surgeries like that so they can have a chance at a "normal" life. I can sit here all day and say I don't care what people think when they see him....and I don't because people are judgmental no matter if you have deformities or not... but I just don't want people to be mean to him.  I want him to be confident and have friends.  I already get so defensive of him.  I know people are curious when they see him...but when someone asks me "what's wrong with his ear? Can't you fix it or make him wear a hat..." my defenses automatically turn on into crazy mama bear mode! I want to blurt out "what's wrong with your face?!?"  But quickly change my mind and step back into mature-mom-land. I don't mind questions...I love educating people...they just need to be more aware of what they're saying :))))))

One of the best things I ever heard when someone met him for the first time was "it's just an ear."  I'm constantly hearing how great plastic surgery is today or how it'll be easy to cover and blah blah blah....but that "it's just an ear" comment...as simple as it is has so much power behind it.  As weird as it sounds it gave me a sense of peace.   And you know what....it is just an ear.  Me and Jacob had come to the conclusion to let him decide what he wants to do with his "nemo" ear.  Afterall, he's the one who has to live with it.  Now I'm starting to second guess myself and wonder if we should try to get him a medpor ear when he's 3...just get it done and over with before he remembers anything.

There are 4 options for his "nemo" ear.  The first is to obviously not do anything and leave him the way God made him.  The second is to remove his "nemo" ear and get a prosthetic ear that can be removed whenever he wants.  The third option is a MEDPOR ear....the doctor can do it in one surgery, SOMETIMES two....he builds an ear with a type of porous plastic, covers it with skin from above, and there you have an ear.  That can be done as young as 3 years old.   The last and final choice is a RIB GRAFT ear.  You have to be at least 7 years old for this option.  They take cartilage from behind the 6th, 7th, and 8th rib and build you an ear.  They take a skin graft from somewhere on your body, cover it, and voila...you have a functioning ear.  That procedure is about 4 surgeries and way more invasive.  

We're going to the EAR CONFERENCE and EAR COMMUNITY PICNIC in Los Angeles this August for 3 days to learn more about these procedures and meet some specialists behind them.  I want to be prepared for if/when he decides he wants a new ear.  And I've already decided....like a crazy person...to have an entire photo shoot with him and his "nemo" ear before his reconstructive surgery if he decides to do so....cause I know I'll miss it. AND I'M SO EXCITED TO MEET OTHER  FAMILIES IN THE SAME BOAT!!!  

The waiting game

I've been researching and found a great medical center in Los Angeles.  It's Dr. Reinisch at the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.  Dr. Amsberry (love him) recommended him ...and after reading about him I feel confident in his talents.  He's one of the founders and first people to perform the medpor procedure!  I called this morning to start the referral process and am crossing my fingers we get approved!!  It'll take a couple of months to hear a response!!  I have to practice patience :))))

Hello!!!

Today is the first day of many!  I'm looking forward to posting our projects around our new house (hopefully we'll be moved in by June)!  I'll keep updated on our son, Maxson's progress and growth! And any other quirky things going on in our family!  

We're a small family who is just getting started! My husband Jacob is in the Air Force. I'm a stay-at-home mom to our 6 month old son and 2 rambunctious dogs. 

We wanted to start a blog for family and friends who we've met along our way, who can't live close to us today!  Our son has hemifacial microsomia, unilateral microtia, macrosomia, and a tessier 7 cleft. I've been inspired by other moms out there whose blogs I've stayed up countless nights reading. I get a rare glimpse into our son's future and it reassures me everything will be okay. I can only hope to give new or established families the same sense of peace.