I have been MIA for a million years!! I have wanted to write so many times but at the same time have just not had the energy to do it. So, here I sit....It's past my bed time but dang it I'm going to sit here until this is done (and then pay for it tomorrow when I don't want to get up for work) :)
So lets just start with today...it was another big day here in the Diehl house!! Easton had another follow up appointment for a head ultrasound and then an appointment with our favorite neurosurgeon. The ultrasound was tougher this time than it has been in the past....It's hard enough to keep a little bitty happy and relatively still while some random person messes with their head. That challenge increases exponentially as the child gets older. Mommy came prepared with a big bag of tricks today that involved about 5 different toys, a paci and of course some snacks! After that fun event was over we headed to see the doctor. She walked in the room with a smile on her face, admitting that she had cheated a little and had already pulled up his films. She proceeded to pull up the picture of his ventricles from today and then also pulled up the one from December so we could compare. Without saying a word she just turned the screen around so I could see and smiled. I looked and said well....they don't look any bigger to me. She laughed and said "No, not bigger for sure - I actually think they look a little smaller!!"
What??!!! God is so good!! Our prayer had been for them to stay the same but instead God one upped us and made them a little smaller!! Thank you Lord :)
Ok so what does all this mean? Well, it means we are still not having to have a conversation about putting in a shunt (the "holding tank" for extra fluid in his head that would help do the job that the ventricles are not) and that alone is something worth celebrating!! Dr. Beier was thrilled and was very impressed with our little guy!! We go back again in three months (with the promise of lengthening our leash if the next appointment goes this well). Next time instead of a head ultrasound Easton will have a quick, single shot MRI. No sedation needed (not sure how that works exactly) just their answer to a closing fontanel (soft spot) which happens around 1 year of age. I've been told that if we can make it through the first year shunt free that our chances for needing one ever decrease significantly!! :)
So what else has been going on around here?? Well - let me quickly bring you up to speed!
-Easton is a crazy man!! He loves to eat and eats anything and everything that you put in front of him. He eats a TONnand I have seriously not ever seen him turn something away.
-This crazy boy is sitting independently, rolling, getting up into sitting on his own and moving all over!! He is getting more and more mobile every day which is code for more and more ornery :) He's really starting to "explore" and find things to get into. Which I have to remind myself daily is a HUGE BLESSING and something that I need to be thrilled about!!
-The twins TURNED 4!! I am still not sure how that is possible!! I cannot actually be old enough to have 4 year old sons....right?? They didn't have the best actual birthday (gotta love germs) but had two fun celebrations which were both a blast (check out the pictures on the picture page).
-We are in the throws of Dave Ramsey around this house - another thing that I have to remind myself is a good thing on a regular basis....We have already paid off the car and are now working on my fabulous student loans....good thing I love what I do cause if not the amount of money I still owe for my education would be that much harder to swallow!! We are budgeting and watching every penny - it's "super fun" and I use that term loosely......
-Stephen's sister and her family (hubby, and three kids) moved from Maryland to Jacksonville in February which means tons of cousin time that the boys are just loving!! It has been really fun to watch all the kids get to spend so much time together and the grown ups are really enjoying each other too :)
-Stephen's soccer season ended in a pretty big way - the girls ended up second in the district and got to play in regionals!! Go Eagles!! Stephen is already looking forward to next year!
-I had a moment of weakness and agreed to run the Gate River Run with some girls from work....yeah that's a 15k which is 9.3 miles! I survived....and was pretty proud of myself but dang it was hard!! First time I've run something that long since before the twins were born!!
-I've started picking up some extra hours back at River Garden (see above - ie Dave Ramsey) - I have worked at River Garden years ago before PT school as a tech then again when the boys were younger. I had to step away from my time there when I decided to have surgery with E-man so I am just now getting back in the swing of things. It's great extra money but a prayer request....things are A LOT different since I left....praying for leading and hoping I didn't make a wrong choice by going back......
-and to end....there's this :)
I put some new pictures up so enjoy those!!
Promise to do my best to update more often!!
Love and Hugs
The Diehls!!