Suprise AFOs Came Early!!!

So I was going to blog Sunday but never got to it I know story of my life! So before I get to today let me fill you all in on what Last week was like for us... I know its long but it was a long week for me...

Monday....

New Car Day! What a day it was for us... We found out the previous Friday that the sounds our car was making was bad (we already kinda figured it would be) But now that we had someone tell us that what was wrong with it we knew it was time to get a new one. Getting completely ripped of on our old one we were very nervous and decided that we would buy only from a reputable dealership. We were thinking on a Toyota Scotty really wanted a Prius and I wasn't sure it would be a good choice for a family our size. We went Saturday to Lake Havesu and checked it out poor Scotty finally had to agree with me so we looked at other cars at the same dealership. We didn't want to rush into things so we went home and took the weekend to do our research and talk about what we really wanted. By Monday we made a decision went back to test drive a few more cars and make a purchase. I forgot how much effort and paperwork goes into a new car! It took a lot longer then we intended mostly cuz Scott and I couldn't agree on a car he negotiated with the dealership to make his car look better and better till I finally gave in. I still don't know how Scott convinced them to buy our 2002 Nissan Altama with 107,000 miles that is burring oil, broken heater, recently in an accident, needs body work, engine damaged for $1800 but they did. We were 100% honest with them so they had to know they were going to loose money on that car. In the end we came home with a 2009 Toyota Camry we really like it! Its bigger then our Nissan we can fit a whole (not just a half) person between the carseats and my stroller has plenty of room in the trunk!

Monday was also Landen's functional vision assessment we almost didn't make it back in time for him to be tested. Our friend Emma from the Arizona Schools for the Deaf and Blind came down all the way from Flagstaff to see him. They did a functional vision a little over a year ago and he did really poorly. These assessments are kind of strange if you've never done it before. They ask a lot of questions and they test him by trying to get him to look at things, seeing what distracts his gaze, putting objects out to see how he interacts, ect... They finish it off with vision acuity cards which are gray except a part with black and white stripes. They flip the card over and see if and how long it takes the baby to focus his eyesight on the striped spot. The lines get smaller with every card. Eventually for someone with poor eyesight the lines will just blend to the gray giving them nothing to focus on. Landen did better then last time but not as good as we would hope. This isn't a very accurate test cuz many things can distract him from focusing but they guessed that things that we could see clearly at 200 feet must be 20 feet or closer for Landen.

Tuesday...

Dentist!! Landen had his very first dentist appointment. I took him to a place here in Bullhead I heard their add on the radio and called up the office manager to discus Landen before I even brought him in. I kept telling her yes he is almost three but he is at the same stage as my one year old... She reassured me that they would be able to take care of him and I agreed to take him, but I guess she didn't believe me cuz they still scheduled him to have a full exam with x-rays and everything. Well I got there and it suddenly donned on them that although he was almost three he was way to small and underdeveloped for a regular exam. So she informed the dentist that we would be just doing a lap exam and we waited. This place was defiantly built for kids only! The waiting room had a giant indoor jungle gym and video games and toys and all Landen wanted to do was sit on the table and throw magazines... It was a long wait for some reason and eventually he decided to explore and have a little fun! He would have stayed there all week if I let him but he had to be examined. They had more toys in the exam room Landen was just so happy! I explained how long its taken Landen to get his teeth... he didn't get his first one till he was 14 months old and by 18 months he only had two, then they started coming in groups... Well he looked and told me that he was right where he should be and had all but 6 teeth! They even did one xray that turned out really poorly and didn't charge me a thing.

Wednesday...

Not too much thank-goodness just a therapy appointment in the morning... took time to catch our breath and get some home time!

Thursday...

Was playgroup at the park. We had lunch and an Easter egg hunt. I put the boys in the grass next to a bunch of eggs Brayden found one and was content with it when he realized it was full of jelly beans (he still feels sticky) and Landen found two to bang together I don't think he every realized there was anything in them. I'm glad to say my kids were content with so little they are easily pleased! We had a nice lunch with friends. And really enjoyed our morning at the park.

While at the park I realized how long Landen's hair was. It was windy and I couldn't keep in under control so I came home and cut his beautiful hair. I didn't stay up all night crying like I did the first time I cut his hair it was a lot easier to let go this time. In the end I think he looks very handsome with his new cut!

Friday...

PT and OT in Kingman... Things there are going so good! Landen is getting use to the place and is having so much fun. They have a new PT student a big 6'3" tall guy and Landen LOVED him! He loves his regular OT but this guy must remind him of daddy cuz he did so good with Mr Tom. The truth is unless Landen is hurt, hungry or tired he's Daddy's best friend so it doesn't surprise me. Not to say he doesn't love me when Daddy isn't home he is my snuggle bug. Back on track... So for the next 6 weeks Landen and Mr Tom are going to be PT buddies.

Saturday...

We went to the park to take our Easter pictures for our digital card. I got up early and made the boys bunny ears and tails... They had so much fun at the park I gave them a bucket of empty Easter eggs and they went to town! They played for a long time even after I was done taking pictures. Then we went home to be lazy for the rest of the day.

Sunday....

Easter Sunday, Just a nice day to relax and think about what our Savior has done for each of us. This Easter had special meaning to us. I think we realize more then ever since Landen's diagnosis how important the atonement and resurrection of Jesus Christ is for us. We got to ponder it even more since we were asked to be the speakers in Sacrament meeting. Talking in church is hard enough on a regular Sunday but when you are asked to speak on Easter Sunday it feels like a lot of pressure. But it was good for me to have to take the time to read the Easter story and ponder on the sacrifices made. I'm eternally grateful for my eternal family made possible through the Savior.

TODAY!!!

I got a call this morning that Landen's AFO's were here!! AFO's are a brace that goes on his ankles to hold them up straight. We are hoping this will improve his balance and help him learn to walk. Landen's ankles are turned in and not upright a common thing for low toned babies. The picture doesn't show it as well as I hoped. I've been hoping for this for a long time! My Little Landen wants to walk so bad and anything that may help him we will do! He did so good it was 15 minute in while the Orthtist fitted them and out. He loves wearing them didn't complain or pull at them. In the shopping cart he was swinging his legs back and forth so that they would hit the car loudly... like he needs one more way to be loud ;) After 2 hours I had to take them off to see if they were rubbing or causing blisters and he cried until I put them back on. He even tried walking during his vision/hearing therapy today. I could tell it was harder but he was walking with his legs together instead of like he just got off a horse! And he was lifting his knees as before he was swinging his stiff leg (no bending) when he tried to walk. I think this will do the trick for him! I was upset that they came with race cars on them. Why does it upset me? Because I wasn't asked!! I know its a silly thing to be upset about but when there is so much of his life I have no control over the little that I do is important to me. This company has so few designs to choose from especially for little little kids like Landen. Its mostly superheros and NFL teams so she just ordered them with race cars without asking. The truth is that I would have preferred plane blue to race cars and now we are stuck with them. I had thought they were going to be just blue and had a plan to make them cute. For the price we paid for them I should have had a choice! I don't want to rant and rave but I'm truly upset... there is so little I get to choose for my baby I certainly didn't choose to give him this disease... I can't control his symptoms or the progression, I can't fight what is happening to my baby, I didn't choose for him to struggle and have to give up so much of the "normal" stuff!! I try to make everything about him cute and happy I dress up his hearing aids, I buy him cute clothes, I try to do things that he like just for him, its my way of taking control of what I can. I can give him a happy life and I know he doesn't care about the little things I do to make him look cute. But it makes me happy to do things for him... I love both of my boys so much. Anyway I guess I will get use to the race cars and still find a way to make them "just for him"... I've written so much already and appreciate those who made it to the end... Thank You