It's simply Tuesday

We are in love with this sweet smile! Each day is a blessed day with our family of five.

Fun summer time

We had a great time heading to Burlington city park and spray ground. It was a great way to kick off the summer. 

Corbin's tooth and swim meet

This boy lost his second tooth today and had his first swim meet. What a day! He tried so hard!

Reflections

I gave you life, but I cannot  live it for you. 

I can give you directions, but cannot lead you. 

I can take you to church, but I cannot make you believe. 

I can teach you right from wrong, but I cannot always decide for you. 

I can buy you beautiful clothes, but I cannot make you beautiful inside. 

I can offer you advice, but I cannot accept it for you. 

I can give you love, but I cannot force it upon you. 

I can teach you to share, but I cannot make you unselfish. 

I can teach you respect, but I cannot force you to show honor. 

I can advise you about friends, but I cannot choose them for you. 

I can tell you about lofty goals, but I can't achieve them for you. 

I can teach you about kindness, but I cannot force you to be gracious. 

I can pray for you, but I cannot make you walk with God. 

I can tell you how to live, but I cannot give you eternal life. I can love you with unconditional love...and I will. 

Being a mother is a blessing but is also a challenge.

You will learn your strengths and face your greatest fears. So blessed to be a mother to these boys and our sweet baby girl coming in September. 

      Corbin Allen

     Mason Cole

         Madison Grace

First tooth

This sweet boy lost his first tooth at school today. We had no idea that it was ready but apparently so. He bit into his lunch at school and out it came. Children go up way too fast!!

Sweet brothers

The love that these two share warms my heart. So blessed by them on a daily basis. "You don't chose your family. They are God's gift to you, as you are to them."

It's a...

It's a girl!

Happy Easter

He is risen! "For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

                 Easter Sunday

              Couldn't get a good picture of the two of them together. 

Easter egg hunt the week before. 

They found a lot of eggs!

Prayers appreciated

Prayers are appreciated tomorrow as I undergo a preventative procedure to try to keep this baby in as long as possible! 

Brotherly love

Mason, give Corbin a kiss...no don't bite his face off!

So ready for spring

We can't get enough of this gorgeous weather. Let's keep it dry so we can enjoy time outside and get this house built!

Surprise

An early Valentine treat...we are expecting a new little sweetheart coming this September! #Godisgood

Working hard

This boy is working  on sitting up!

Graduation

We came. We stayed for eight weeks and made some good progress. And we are home! Woo hoo! #we'llbehomeforchristmas #wedidit #mightymason #heearnedthatcape #hardworkpaysoff

Far too long

Phew! I know I haven't been updating this regularly but things have been busy. Between driving back and forth and getting Mason to the hospital, etc I have neglected this. But the end is near...this Friday! A total of 8 weeks and we have almost made it!

Overall, Mason has continued to make good improvements. We ran into a little difficulty the week before thanksgiving and during thanksgiving where he was acting abnormal. He has started to take foods with ease (even though still in smaller volumes ~15-18 g per session) but he started acting differently from one day to the next so the nurse practitioner checked him out and his tonsils were enlarged. He was a little stuffy in his nose but other than that no symptoms but the good news is we were able to continue trials by mouth because he was strong enough to handle it oral motor wise. Once we got through that he powered through and has made some good progress. I think where I left off they were cycling through the thicker soups like beef stew, chicken noodle soup, black bean soup, and lentil. Next they introduced him to veggies such as: sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, and peas. This final week we have targeted a fruit and a carb in order to make it thicker and decrease the overall fruit sweetness: cream of wheat/peaches, pancakes/pears/peaches, and french toast/apples. With every new introduction of food Mason has been able to adapt and generally take in more volume and we were able to get rid of the gravy as a preferred "food" and add sweet potatoes (plus he is enjoying these fruit/carb combos really well). He has taken up to 33 g in one sitting and generally takes at least 15 g a meal which doesn't sound like a lot, I know, but is great improvement. He is able to clear his mouth with 1-2 swallows now and is more timely. The plan is to continue rotating through each kind of taste weekly and introducing new foods over 2 days at a time with always having his preferred meal in the morning (since that is typically his more difficult meal). We are also going to be coming back here once a month to continue working on these techniques.

We are so thankful for the opportunity to attend this program and for God's perfect timing for us being here. We are also appreciate for all are friends and family who have helped take care of Corbin while I have been here. We couldn't have done it without you all! And we are very thankful that we will all be together for Christmas!

Progress

Sorry it's been so long but things have been busy. For a quick update they had us do some experimenting this weekend to see if Mason would eat better by mouth when he was empty (before tube feeds). We worked on three "meals" of his preferred food gravy and he did great right before his tube feeds (which is when we think his belly would be empty. So on Monday afternoon we made some more tweaks to his feeding schedule so that during his therapy meals he wouldn't be so full and that has seemed to help! Today he took 20 g of his gravy at 8:00, 8.5 g of beef stew at 10:30, and 7 g of beef stew at 1:00...1 oz 1/2 by mouth! Woo hoo! I have also worked with Mason and taught him the cue "chew" which he thinks is hilarious (and it gets him to chew and swallow his bites faster)! Win-win. 

The plan is to add a new food and see how that goes and they will send food home for a 4th "meal" tomorrow. His oral motor skills are getting so much stronger and he is clearing his food with 2 swallows instead of 3 so we are pleased and will take it! So proud of our boy and his progress! Thank you for continued prayers!

Passing the time in between meals. 

Ups and downs

            Tired out after a long day. 

The past few days have been full of ups and downs. At the beginning of the week we were trying to figure out how to make things work with the feeding sessions to set Mason up for success. His 10:30 meal was always a struggle because he had just finished up his tube feeding which made his reflux worse and more gaggy. They decided to split his tube feeds up so it wasn't such a large volume at one time and that did help us be more successful. Today was a difficult day. We did switch back to the puree Mac and cheese and Mason just seems to have a hard time with it. I think we will move on to something else tomorrow. As of now the goal is to get him jump started to develop muscle memory and strength to take possible 25% by mouth with more being a very long term goal. I am hoping and praying that we can even get there at this point but I'm not losing the faith yet. Please continue to pray for success. He has improved with the acceptance of bites and a more timely swallow and he is closing his lips over the squeeze bottle which is much improved. He is trying very hard which is more than I can ask. 

Sunday came

Sunday came and it was time for Mason and I to head back to Richmond. This is getting more and more difficult and I have such a hard time leaving Corbin upset. But we are thankful for safe travels and for the opportunity to be here and for the wonderful time that we had together this weekend. 

  Love and miss this sweet boy. 

                          Silly face

It is amazing to see the bond between Corbin and Mason even without words. They love each other very much. Corbin has taught Mason to reach over from his car seat so they can hold hands while we are driving. We are blessed. 

"For where your treasure is,there will your heart be also." Luke 12:34

Please pray for good gains this week and progress with Mason's learning how to eat and continued health. I'll continue to update! Thanks so much for your prayers. 

Happy Halloween

               "Woody" the jokester

                         Buzz

  So happy to be home for the weekend. 

Chicken soup for the soul

Mason had a hard day yesterday. He did take 9 g for his first meal (of gravy) but then struggled with the mac and cheese for the next 2 meals with several reflux like episodes and just not seeming into the sessions. Then he came back to the hotel and took a 3 hour nap that I had to wake him up from! For those that know Mason you know that is unheard of...he doesn't take long naps at all!

Today the plan was to try a soup/stew that was on the thicker side and the choice was chicken noodle soup. One of the good things about us doing the blenderized diet is that Mason has pretty much been exposed to all real foods so we know that he can tolerate them. At breakfast Mason took 10 g of gravy! Making some good gains! For the next meal he did a good job handling the soup and was much improved, swallowing timely. He did have a burp/reflux episode which caused him to hold the food in for a second in order to deal with that. During the last session he ate 5 g of the soup with no behaviors and timely swallows. He also seemed to have a stronger pattern of moving his food back which was really good. Overall, a really good day and we continue to make some gains! 

           Enjoying this beautiful day!

Mason and I have searched for all the pumpkins throughout the hospital. They are having a decorating contest which has been neat to see.