Back to School and much more...

Things have been crazy busy for us lately. Bryce has had a very bad double ear infection for weeks now. His health had improved so it was surprising to hear that his ears were still infection. This news after weeks of being sick, breathing treatments, a long list of various antibiotics. Now we are scheduled to meet with an ENT Doctor at the end of the month. Bryce has also started a new four week session at the Conductive Learning Center. This session he goes 5 days a week from 9am to Noon. I have taken a 4 week leave from work so that I can go with him... It is nice to be off and to focus on Bryce and his therapies, but we have been busier than ever. This week we have had therapy in the morning and appointments in the afternoon. Hoping next week we will have a few afternoons to enjoy.

We were able to take a break yesterday and take the boys to the zoo after therapy and a quick Pediatrician appointment. We all had a blast! The lion roared while we were there... Cohen roared the rest of the way home. It was the most amazing sound. We then went to the park for a picnic and play time at the playground at Sawyer Point. It was a great day!

Cohen is doing great. He is my "chatty Cathy"... He doesn't stop talking and we LOVE it! He talks and talks and talks. It is amazing to hear him. He has gotten very demanding with his new talking skills. SIT MOMMY SIT has become a regular. Maybe I should listen to him more. He has also been going on the potty --- standing up!!! That's our boy.

The next few days consist of more therapy, a second round of Botox and massage therapy. We can't wait for the weekend!

2 Years Old!

Happy Birthday Cohen & Bryce!

It continues to amaze me when I think back at how far the boys have come and how far we have come as a family. We were told on more than one occasion that Bryce would not make it and if he did he would be like a "vegetable." I refused to believe everything they told us, but I would be lying if I didn't say that I never wondered what kind of future we had chosen for him. Fast forward 2 years.... Things are not exactly a walk in the park, but they are far from the grim future that some had described. We live life to the fullest and we will NEVER take the little things for granted. My life has forever changed and I am so very proud of my little family. How lucky we are that our eyes have been opened and we know now the true meaning of LIVING.

We went to the Museum Center today, it was a blast! Cake and presents at home just us!

Saturday we will celebrate with our family and friends. It is so much more than a birthday party, but a celebration of life - 2 lives that we were very close to losing.

So Happy Birthday to my little miracles, may you always be happy and live life to the fullest.

April Session ends - Trip to the Krohn Conservatory

We have had a very busy April. Bryce just completed his first four week session at the Conductive Learning Center of Greater Cincinnati. He has made a some amazing changes over the past four weeks there. He is now using the potty quite often. He probably goes 80% of the time that we put him on it. I have to be honest, potty training was far from my mind and I hadn't yet considered trying with him. Now we just have to work on a sign for him to start letting us know when he needs to go. I hated to see the April session come to an end, we absolutely love this program and it is going to be more than amazing for Bryce and his progression. He will have a break for the month of May and will start back in June. Everyone needs a little vacation. This will give him time to just be a kid - and of course, to celebrate turning the Big 2!

Cohen is doing great as well. He is running around like a little wild man. He is more destructive by the day and talks talks talks. He sure does keep us on our toes- typical 2 year old. We are working on potty training with him as well, but he isn't as fond of it as brother. Still a long way to go, but I guess we will get there in time. Cohen is starting to include Bryce more and more in anything that he does. It is so amazing to see their bond getting stronger all the time. I am so thankful that they have each other.

To end the April session we all went on a field trip with some other kiddos/conductors/assistants to the Krohn Conservatory to see the Butterfly Show. We were able to all four go and we had a wonderful time. That is until Cohen decided to have one of the infamous (2 year old) tantrums.... it was way past nap time for him.

We are Marching for Babies

We are two days away from the March for Babies - we will be walking again for the 2nd year with our family and friends. Our family had a goal to raise $2,000 this year, I am proud to say that we have exceeded that goal. The final dollar amount is not yet calculated, but it is over the goal we set. I used to think often about our NICU experience and how incredibly hard that first year was on me, my husband, my boys and our entire family. The boys will be 2 next month, I just can't believe how far they (we) have come. We went from having very ill, lifeless babies, to 2 little boys who have really grown to develop such special personalities. We were told that Bryce would be more like a vegetable if he lived at all. I can proudly say that he has more life in him than most and his smile lights up everyone that meets him. I hope that the money we raise will help spare other families the heartache that our family suffered for so many months. I would love to believe that prematurity and birth defects wouldn't strike as often as it does, that it would give ALL babies a healthier start. I walk, we walk in honor of our boys and what they have been through, but holding close those who never get to take their babies home. Thanks to everyone for the love and support that they have shown to us!

We will never forget you!

I wanted to post a picture of my Grandma Nancy. I mentioned her passing in the previous post. The woman who thought that I could do no wrong. She was so proud of me and my boys. She will never be forgotten and her memory will live on.

Conductive Learning Center

Bryce started at the Conductive Learning Center today. We decided to change "schools" since Matt and I felt this would best fit Bryce's needs. It was hard leaving Perlman and the friends that we have made there, but the time was right. We had hoped to go ahead of time to see what a session would be like, but things have been so hectic we didn't have a chance to. After Day 1, we are very excited and we both feel that this is EXACTLY what Bryce needs. Last summer my Grandmother had read an article about the Conductive Learning Center, located in Covington, in the newspaper. We had already decided to attend Perlman at that time. We got the call last Thursday that Bryce could come on Tuesday of this week. My Grandmother died the next day (on Friday). I know that she would be very excited for Bryce (for us). We have another Angel helping us from up above!

Botox Round 1

Bryce had his first round of Botox on Monday (03/21)... He had a total of 11 sticks. Poor guy wasn't too happy about it, but as soon as it was over he was all smiles again. I can't believe that any one out there has a personality quite like his. He is simply amazing! Bryce has been eating great and FINALLY gaining weight too! At his last check-up he was up to 19 pounds 1 ounce!!! Go Bryce. I had two goals for him before turning 2 - to be at least 20 pounds and to be crawling. He is so very close to meeting both of those. So exciting to see him changing so much.

Cohen is doing great- we are entering the Terrible 2 Tantrum phase a little early. He has his little fits and beats on brother - and of course- is completely destroyed when you get after him. He LOVES to be outside. I don't think we will be able to keep that kid inside at all this summer. It will be so nice to be outdoors more!