some more new pics

Preston's action shot going into pool
Aiden likes to help mommy with the laundry

Preston eating his cotton candy at the MDO fall festival

Aidend is ready to go

Aiden and preston relaxing after an evening at the pumpkin patch

some new pics from this summer

Chiari one malformation

Last week after an appointment with a neurosurgeon at Texas Children's we had our worries put at ease and found out that although he does in fact have a malformation it is very minimal and at this point and for several more years he does not feel like its something we need to worry about. He said in the rare occasion it can cause issues with potty training (sending/receiving signals learning to go) but other than that he does not anticipate any significant problems. There is a small chance in his later years (teens young adult) it could raise some issues but its only a possibility. YEA!!!!!!!! Finally a diagnosis that is no biggie :)

Aiden's new diagnosis

During our recent stay with Texas Children's Hospital, during a CT scan to check for bleeding after a fall, an additional issue was noticed. We were giving the diagnosis of a Chiari One Malformation, which is a structural defects in the cerebellum. I am almost positive that this has nothing to do with his Albinism; in fact I think that it due to a different type of genetic disorder. Before I was born, my parents had another daughter that died soon after birth from a condition called Spina Bifida, and because of that my OB kept me on a prescription of Folic Acid to prevent this condition in both our boys. I think that this is closely related however we are still learning. We have the pedi registering Aiden to learn more about this finding and Preston to check him out to be sure, and then once they are registered with some part of the insurance we can schedule an MRI and appointment with a Nero Surgeon at Texas Children to learn more about their exact diagnosis and what it means for their life and their future. Part of me feels really guilty because if this is a genetic condition, then this is now 3 different genetic conditions that I have passed down to my little Aiden, and all of them cause him to live his life differently than "typical" developing children. Part of me believe that God has great plans for Aiden especially for him to give him all these things in his life to learn about and over come but I still cannot help but feel responsible. Oh well, I know both my boys will be something GREAT. You can go the following website to read and learn more if you would like. Hugs to all!

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chiari/detail_chiari.htm

Preston started Pre-K

This fall Preston started Pre-K. It was so exciting and he was so ready to go back to school. He is one of 3 boys in his class and there are 6 girls. Every time I go to pick him up he is always the only boys sitting a table full of girls. His daddy is mighty proud and all I can think is that he has his whole life to worry about girls why can't he just hang with the boys right now???? I am totally not ready for this, I have barely recovered from the little girls in his class last year chasing after him as we were leaving to give him kisses!
His teacher is very by the book. They have take home folders that are labeled with a keep at home side and a return to teacher side. Preston just started potty training a week before school started and when I spoke to the director about it she said it would be fine if he was not fully potty trained by the start of the school year (its a requirement to attend Pre-K which I think it just absolutely ridiculous) since he had a speech delay and we were unable to communicate to properly potty train when he was younger but his teacher is not pleased when he goes in his underwear, I feel like I am being scolded when she tells me, and Preston told me that his teacher put him in time out for going potty in his pants at school so I will be checking into that. We are looking to put him in soccer this fall as well, get some of that energy out!!!!

Aiden's New Milestone

WALKING:
Aiden has been moving right along this summer! His birthday is at the end of June and a week after his birthday he started walking! We were over at one of my best friend's House (Jena) and we were just talking up a storm while our boys were playing and all the sudden Aiden just stood up and walked across the living room! I kid you not it was like he had been walking for months.....never wobbled never hesitated just walked perfectly! I started jumping up and down screaming and clapping, and Aiden could tell he had done something good. He started clapping for himself. It was such an amazing sight. I swear my friend Jena is a good luck charm; I told her from now on anytime I need my kids to learn something I am coming to hang out with her so that her good luck will rub off and they will do what I want! When Preston was leaning to crawl, he would not do it; we tried and tried and then one night Jena came over and Preston saw her (and her pizza) and he just hopped up on all 4's and crawled right to her, and then here we were again with Jena and Aiden starts walking......I tell you she's the lucky charm!

TALKING:
Aiden also said his first big word: HOT DOG. We were standing at the fridge deciding what to eat for lunch one day and Preston said he wanted a hot dog (as always) and Aiden just busted out with hot dog. He is now 14 months and says hot dog, hat, hot, ball, mama, bite, dada, all done, (approximates clean up when we sing the clean up song) no no, bye bye, and he signs for more and milk.

All these wonderful new thing just make my heart explode with joy and excitement. When Aiden was little I read so many times and were told by so many professionals that because of his visual impairment that it would be later than the "average" developmental age when he would walk and talk. There was no doubt that he would walk and talk it was just normal for VI kids to be a little behind in that area because so much of learning to walk and talk is visual not to mention the lack of depth perception that can also make VI kids hesitant to walk. I am just so proud that he is doing so well, and so far maintaining to stay with in the average age for developmental milestones. His annual evaluation is coming up next month with ECI so I will have a better idea of where he really is.

We also started him in Mother's Day Out this fall. There are only 7 kids in his class and 3 teachers so I really like that ratio. The main teacher does not seem to want to be very cooperative with applying his sunscreen before they go outside so we will continue to deal with that as needed. He is also the dominant one in the class. I think he is the only one with a sibling and for that reason plays rougher than the other kids since Preston as been malling him since the day he was born! We actually got a note sent home on the first day of school saying that Aiden pulled hair A LOT (with a lot being underlined) and that we needed to work on that with him. Oh well boys will be boys.