The Littlest Cowboy

Nuthin but Nice!!

2011-12-19T19:38:00.001-08:00

What are YOU asking for this year???

This time the horse is real!!

2011-12-13T19:23:00.001-08:00

Our cowboy made his rodeo debut yesterday! Wyatt started hippotherapy on Monday. It was an awesome sight to behold. Two horse trainers, a certified therapist, two aunts, a little brother, Wyatt and, let's not forget, Roy the horse. And mom. It took some arranging and rearranging but Wyatt SAT on the horse, bareback, as it strode around the ring. We held him of course but to watch Wy lift his head (a herculean effort for him) was heart melting and then, wait for it, he smiled. Priceless. Then Aunt Sue jumped on a took him for a second jaunt. He sat even straighter and more alert. It was great. We are so happy that Wyatt is now an age where he can participate in these wonderful opportunities. And really benefit. Check out Wyatt and Roy!!

We are mobile!!

2011-12-08T11:17:00.001-08:00

So hopefully this new iPhone will help me stay a bit more up to date with the goings on here at the ranch! All the cowboys are doing great! I'll be checking In again soon!!

What You Missed While I Was Away

2011-09-09T16:01:00.000-07:00

Wyatt turned 3:

we got a dog :

Anna came to visit:

a nice long visit with grandma and grandpa Giovengo:

and back to school time. or TO school time as the case may be for Wyatt. i'll post some pictures of that soon!

are you still there?

2011-09-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

obviously, having 2 kids doesn't leave much time for blogging. i don't know how all those other moms do it! i had a great post all thought out. but no time to type it. well actually, i typed half of it today, but lost it. so i'm canning it - for now - and giving you a bit of what you've been dying to see.

Wyatt as a big brother!!!!

meet little brother, Weston. pretty darn cute huh? he's a good baby. very good. and he's already 3 months old!

here's his first 3 months - in pictures.

the boys are a perfect pair of best buddies. Wyatt has adjusted so well to being a big brother. you can tell it all from the smile on his face. now mama and dada are still adjusting. more on that later!!!

The Countdown

2011-06-11T17:44:00.000-07:00

we made it home. mostly safe and not really sound at all. :) Wy came home tues. (click on this and you may remember my disdain for all tuesdays.) he was, how can i say it? CRABBY. and he remained that way, until today. the crabbiness is more like a short temper now. but he is for sure healthier and we seem to be out of the woods. he was on a ventilator for 3 days and that takes a toll on a little kid. not to mention the aftershock of coming off of heavy sedation. let's just say, he couldn't even be held. THAT'S crabby ;)

but these woods, sheesh. they really got us good this time. all of it was topped off by the not-too-surprising fact that my blood pressure rose 10 points over the course of Wyatt's hospital stay. a very concerning statistic when one is pregnant. so, on Monday, as i'm driving to Children's Hospital (where Wyatt was) my midwife calls and asks me to come to Mercy hospital straight away. i actually had the nerve to say no!! she asked, right? well, then, she was a bit more stern and i turned around and drove myself to a separate hospital where i underwent 3 hours of testing. no emergency, we won't have to induce tonight. TONIGHT?! you were thinking about tonight? so, on bed-rest for tues. my amazing husband, parents and in-laws (not to mention Aunt Sue) were there to help out. in fact my husband didn't help, he did. i helped. he is one good dad. then, back to the hospital on tues. night, bags packed, just in case. 4 hours of tests. all is good. seriously, 1 day of bed rest can lower your blood pressure 10 points! but i was told to take it easy until the babe comes.

so, i have been, and i feel great. another reason i'm feeling good is that we have decided to forgo the birth center, "hippie birth", and be induced at the hospital tomorrow evening. (all of our relatives are breathing easy!) something about being in control of this whole process makes me feel a bit more at ease. having a kiddo like Wyatt, whose unexpected health issues are constantly keeping us on our toes, has added more stress than we could have imagined.

it was a fun day today. to take our last walk as a family of 4 (including our dog:). to eat our last dinner together as a little family. to feel at ease with tomorrow's impending arrival, rather than anxious about when it will happen. i am, by the way, 39 weeks and was induced with Wyatt too. it feels familiar this way!)

so next time i write, i'll be posing pictures of Wyatt and his little brother!!! wish us luck! :)

One Last Time

2011-06-05T17:02:00.000-07:00

it's been a long while since i posted anything about our little cowboy. the past 2 months have, how can i say it, um, really hard. on april 15th Wy had a terrible seizure and we did the whole icu thing. the routine that we had become familiar with in 2010, but hadn't experienced since september. the rest of april and may were spent trying to keep everyone healthy, getting ready for the new baby, and just focusing on having fun. oh yeah, we got a dog too. unfortunately, despite all of our efforts, Wyatt scared us again last week and we are, again, in the icu. this time was tough. and seemed worse. maybe because i am a bit more emotional. perhaps because i was on my own. but there's nothing like being 2 weeks away from giving birth and watching an er team intubate your lifeless child.

being the super tough cowboy that he is, Wyatt seems to be making a good recovery. and while last week's heat wave left me wishing that i would go early, i'm doing everything in my power to keep the littler littlest cowboy warm and cozy right where he is. (but nobody ever tells you how to stall labor, they only tell you how to speed it up, ideas??)

we are grateful for the love and support of those around us, and i'm here to say, keep it up people! we are diving into uncharted territory (for us). people do it all the time, right? well, wish us luck. wish wyatt a speedy recovery. wish for world peace. we all need it! :)

First Timers

2011-04-07T16:34:00.000-07:00

today Wyatt and i attended our first ever play group. it was a small group (3 kids this week, 4 next time) and was run by the school that Wyatt will be attending in the fall. it was such a pleasant experience. the other kids were darling, Wyatt loved the games and songs. and it was so nice to be doing something special just for him. just playing with other children. no therapy, no doctors. just playin'. he's wiped out now. taking nap #2. It was also nice to be around some moms that have some similar day-to-day experiences that i do. but i couldn't help but notice...(carrie bradshaw anyone?)

that i haven't been the best at venturing out and putting us in new and potentially awkward situations. i am always amazed that more people don't stare, don't ask questions and don't make me feel "different". well, kudos to everyone out there for not doing it. but i also think it's because i don't let them. i (and by I, i really mean we) have been an over-protective, sheltering mama for the past 2 and a half years.

i'm determined to change that. so playgroup is my first try. not such a bold move, i know. but, hey, it's a start.

i also know, that with the addition of a little brother, Wyatt will be thrust into new situations. we will be thrust into new situations. questions will be asked. and hopefully, i will be steeled enough to answer them...but for now, we'll enjoy our own little bubble and try, try TRY to break out!

music to my ears!

2011-03-21T19:22:00.000-07:00

ok - there's no video really, but the song is AWESOME. please just listen to it. you'd think we lived in tombstone or something and not pittsburgh. LOVE THE LITTLEST COWBOY!

On the to-do list

2011-03-21T10:06:00.000-07:00

with a second on the way, our to-do list has taken over our life. list? it's is more like a book! ben and i have been spending hours making lists, going over lists, divvying up lists, and amending lists. and just when we can cross something off the list, 3 more things are added to it. and i'm not talking shopping for new crib sheets and washing miniature onesies (which was what most of the lists in the pre-Wyatt era consisted of).
this new modern family of 3 lists include:
dada: finish master's thesis, plan parent's 40th anniversary party, finish renovating basement, plant garden;
mama: finish journal article, travel to Boston, help dada plan party, carry a baby to full term, go to the dang dentist;
Wyatt: learn to fall asleep on your own, get used to your new bedroom, transition to preschool (full day, everyday preschool), visit all of your specialists before the baby comes, get your stander fitted and delivered, and don't forget to stay healthy!

ok, so i'm playing a little violin solo for us today. just for an hour or so. and then we are back to the to-do list. the main problem is, i think, that we are the type of people who thrive on these kinds of situations. if there wasn't a to-do list, we would think of a new project and make a new list. so does this mean it's never ending? i'm afraid, it most likely does.

is there anyone else out there like this? please, i need to know i'm not the only crazy one! ;)

TAKE ME SWIMMING!

2011-02-25T18:33:00.000-08:00

so much for subtle hints.

TA-DA!

2011-01-29T09:33:00.000-08:00

well, we've got lots of winners out there, so here is your picture! (if you'd like one for your fridge, autographed no less, send me your address :)

so the news is out, our family is about to grow. me, i'm already growing at a rapid pace. apparently, this little one is trending large, fabulous. due in June, Wyatt's little brother will be making his long awaited debut. but in case you wanted a sneak preview - wave to the crowd, little guy!

see ya soon!

what have YOU been up to lately?

2011-01-11T19:25:00.000-08:00

i was reading some of my older posts and i feel like i was witty back then. my posts had themes and i was able to throw in jokes here and there. they might even make it sound like i was happier back then. now, i don't blog as often, and when i do, the posts are dry and short and well, boring. well, they are. so, i'm gonna try to clean it up a bit. what else is there to do at 10pm while i await the night nurse's arrival? don't ask my husband that question. (SEE?!? i am funny!) (and for the record, i am happier NOW!)

so i really hope i don't jinx myself, but the littlest cowboy has been making strides lately. he's been on a new med, Keppra, that was just a trial to help with his movement disorder, but it has helped tremendously. and he may just be coming into his own. he is making so many purposeful movements, reaching for his communication buttons to tell us yes or no, to take turns singing songs and even to activate computer games!
visually, he is a new kid. tracking, looking for us, smiling and laughing when we are across the room. these are all things that we weren't sure he'd ever do, and now it seems he trying his hand at all of them.
and sleeping, he is sleeping like a champ now. i can actually count on two hands the number of nights he has slept 10+ hours in a row. a real feat for a kid who wasn't getting more than 2 in a row and 7 a night.
he loves school, he loves therapy, he loves other kids and he loves (and i can say this with full confidence) us. i just melt now, knowing that his smiles are for me. that he SEES me and is happy about seeing me. these are uncertainties that i have learned to live with, but am now proud to say are no longer a question deep down in my soul...

where's the witty you ask? i don't know. maybe i don't have to cover up anything with sarcasm and cracks now, i'm just really happy. there may be other reasons too - the first one to guess wins an autographed picture of THIS KID to hang on their fridge!

yes, his shirt says i *heart* budapest. thanks grandpap.

Happy Holidays!

2010-12-28T16:58:00.001-08:00

A free greeting card by Smilebox

All Yoga All the Time

2010-12-16T08:35:00.000-08:00

that's how it feels anyway. mama's new job started and we are all adjusting. Wyatt is at home with a wonderful nurse/nanny one day a week and he still attends "school" the other two days. Wyatt has adjusted very well and really loves Tracy (his n/n). dada has adjusted well too - he has a little break in between coming home from work and Wy-duty to work-out or write or what ever floats his boat. mama is adjusting ok too. the first week she had a few breakdowns, actually stalked her own house, driving by and trying to see any action from the windows. but now, three weeks in, she is learning the ropes at school and more comfortable with someone else helping out at home.

there seems to be a lot of guilt that comes with a mother deciding to work out of the home, especially when that home contains a child with special needs. we are lucky enough to be able to afford for me not to work. and i've considered it for sure. but i have found working to be like a therapy for me (although not a replacement for regular therapy of course!). granted, my work is teaching yoga to children (and adults), so (i think) it's a low stress, very fulfilling job. i have learned so much about myself through the process of developing another part of my identity, i've learned about how to talk to others about my son and how to share my experiences in a helpful way. so anyway, maybe part of me still feels a little guilty about leaving home to work with other children. maybe that's why i wrote all this out. but the more i think about, the more i know that it has made me a better mother to my Wyatt. and that's all that counts!

here is a little picture of heaven:

All Things Halloween!

2010-11-03T09:55:00.000-07:00

Fall is absolutely my favorite time of year. my family indulges me with numerous trips to the punkin patch. i think they are beginning to enjoy themselves as well. Wyatt let the nice lady at the face painting booth draw a smiley kitty and even acted the part. the day was so bright and beautiful, i don't think the poor kid could open his eyes!

Wyatt threw a little Punkin' Paintin' party with a couple of our close friends. all the kiddos are growing up so fast. first you have dada and Wyatt waiting for our guests. then the dinner group and the artists in residence...

finally, i know you're wondering who on earth could be hiding beneath that adorable monkey hat?

"It's ME!"

could the cowboy be any cuter??

Wyatt seemed to love dressing up and visiting a few neighbors for trick-or-treat. it was a chilly night and the monkey costume was a welcome fuzzy blanket for him. all for now - enjoy the weather! SNOW is on the way!

Blast from the Past - Summer Fun

2010-10-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

i figured you might want to check out a few pictures from our summer fun. if you are a follower of The Littlest Cowboy you might know that our summer, especially August and September were really tough. we did have some good times though and i'm glad we were able to document them!

first up - Wyatt's sister Anna visited for a week long sleepover! it was super fun. and as you can see, Wyatt loved having another kid around. she was sweet with him and brought him a lovely present - a cuddly penguin. she is a thoughtful little 5 year old. at one point she told me, "you know that guy who is in a wheelchair but is very, VERY, smart? I think Wyatt will be like him." i'm pretty sure she meant Stephen Hawking. a mother can only dream... :)

next up - a little trip to the mountains for the family (our first and only family vacation to date, a 3-day weekend to the Poconos for a family reunion). this was Wyatt's first experience in the pool. he enjoyed it (though you can't tell from the expression on his face) and we even got a season pass to the pool in our neighborhood. we used it a ton in June and July, but when Wy got too sick in August, not so much.

NEXT YEAR!

These family shots are from a trip to the Pittsburgh Zoo. they have a evening called "Dream Night at the Zoo". it's a chance for special needs families to explore the park. it was packed with people of all abilities and we had a good time. though i think Wy liked the people more than the animals!

and here you have Wyatt with his globe-trotting grandparents. they were back for a super fun visit. as you can see they make him giggle. we had a short but sweet visit with Grandpa a few weeks ago, and we miss Grammie tons. hurry home!!

more to come, including pictures from Wyatt's birthday party. yes, he's almost 27 months now. I KNOW. but enjoy these smiles for now. they have been getting more frequent and chubby in the past month, so you know they'll be good. love!

No More Promises

2010-10-22T11:17:00.000-07:00

it's become very clear that i am not made out for the blogging world. i haven't updated since Wyatt's last visit to the hospital and it's not because there's nothing going on! i'm taking full responsibility though, and have to admit that it's because my job really picked up.
i'll toot my own horn for a moment and brag about the conference i attended where i presented the research i've been conducting. that work kept me very busy. and right now i'm procrastinating and not writing the paper that should go along with it! oh yeah, i also got a new job! i'm super excited about it - i'll be teaching yoga and conducting research at the Falk Laboratory School ! seriously, they have a resident yoga teacher? yes. and i'm her. it's a beautiful new building in the middle of campus and it just seems like the right place for me.
one of the perks is that my children will be able to go there for free - a private school in the city! a dream! except, wait a minute...what about Wyatt? right now he attends a super program for super special kids. a daycare/preschool program called Child's Way. we love it. he loves it. they take care of him so well. but i know that 3 years old means transitions to new schools and so we are already ~~dreading~~ thinking about the where's and how's and even the if's. and we are getting close.
what i wouldn't give for my Wyatt to go to this school. my new boss, was sweet and pointed out that special needs kids are accepted and cared for, even those that require nurses...but, i tried to explain. he's really special. and i've already decided that i don't want him to be the most special.
so i guess i'll be the one to go to the private school in the city for now...
and i'm not going to promise that i'll post pictures soon. apparently i'm not good at keeping that promise!

He Did It Again!

2010-09-14T10:32:00.000-07:00

that's right, the littlest cowboy has done it again! Wyatt has made a full recovery from our latest trip to the icu. his diagnosis was severe GERD. the solution was to change his G tube into a G-J tube. and he hasn't vomited once since Saturday Sept 4th! we are holding our breath, as we always do, hoping that this streak of good health holds out for a longer stretch. the J tube requires a different feeding schedule, he is on a pump for 20 out of 24 hours a day now. honestly, i find it easier than planning around the 6 daily feedings that we were doing with his G-tube. we are able to be a bit more spontaneous, meeting dad at the park on the way home from work, taking a trip to the local farmer's market and going for walks.
there is always a sense of mourning when we take another step away from what is "normal". in the beginning i was very resistant to most permanent medical interventions, such as the g-tube, the j-tube and the fundoplication. but knowing that Wyatt is more comfortable afterwards makes all the difference.
thank you to everyone out there who sent text messages, emails, phone calls and comments on the blog. we appreciate all of the support! and now that i'm not mopping vomit off of every surface in our house, maybe i'll have some time to post some pictures on this darn blog!

A Message of Thanks (from the inside)

2010-09-06T06:47:00.001-07:00

it's no secret that i go to see a therapist a couple times a month. being a therapist, it was hard to deny that my (our) situation would certainly benefit from a trained third party's experienced views. and she has been amazing. and it has definitely helped me through some rough spots. one topic that comes up from time to time is support. support from friends, family, how ben and i support each other. i'm sure it's no surprise (especially to anyone who has experienced a tragedy, or something comparable) that when a challenging event is presented, many times those close to you go running for the hills. and when my therapist asks how we are doing on the support side of things i have a lot to tell her.

and its the truth, ben and i have experienced something much different than what we've heard is typical. we have marveled at the amount of support that we are offered by those close to us. and we couldn't be more thankful. so this post is to say a quick word of thanks to everyone whom we hold dear. and there are a lot of you.

Wyatt's grandparent's, far and near, are loving, accepting and sometimes even smothering. in a good way. they dote on him, spoil him and think everything he does is amazing. just as grandparents should :). Wyatt's aunts and uncles do many of the same things. stopping by the house for an hour or two to play with him while we run an errand. they are known to outfit him in some pretty cool gear and let him stay up way later than he's allowed when mom and dad are home. our friends are amazing too. we are touched by offers to come learn Wyatt's needs, to sit with him, to be involved.

we love you all for it. we love that you read about his diagnosis, that you ask questions, that you talk to us about how hard it is. and we love that you bring your kids to play at our house, that you buy him carefully thought out gifts that he can enjoy. we love that you send emails of support, that you don't hide from our difficulties and that you share yours. we love you all for it.

and a surprising, but no less touching, gesture, the one that really got me thinking about how wonderful everyone is, was coming home from the hospital for a quick shower yesterday to hear the sounds of yard work being done. no biggie, we live in the city and sometimes when the neighbor is string trimming (fancy word for weed whacking) in his yard it sounds like its in our yard. but, wait, it IS in our yard. i walked out the front door to find our 60+ year old neighbors cutting our grass and even sweeping our sidewalk. 'we know you have your hands full' they say. i wanted to cry. they didn't know we were at the hospital. they thought we went away for the weekend. and they still decided to help.

so when the therapist asks if i have enough support. yes. i think i do.

Life on the Inside

2010-09-04T19:13:00.000-07:00

here we are, again. back at children's for the foreseeable future. wyatt's vomiting and respiratory problems became unbearable for him (and us) through the night last night and so we packed up and have parked ourselves in the PICU. i am already sick of the PICU. don't get me wrong, the staff, docs, nurses, therapists, social workers, everyone, is fantastic. but i am tired. and so is ben. and so is our sweet little cowboy.

his battle with the vomit has become increasingly challenging over the summer. he had a fundoplication done (to stop the vomit) in April and is worked for hmmmm, about 2 months. then back at it. he had adenoids out a month ago, in hopes of decreasing airway obstruction and guess what? he snores worse than ever. hmph.

so we had planned for a voluntary admission on Sept. 8th to get these issues sorted out. all the tests condensed into a 3 day hospital stay. but we didn't make it. and here we are. saturday of a holiday weekend and you know what that means. no one is here to do the tests. double hmph.

please send a large helping of love and healing thoughts to little wyatt. he is struggling, but still his smiling self.

Yes we are home

2010-08-19T11:31:00.000-07:00

and boy are we spent. we actually came home a week ago. Wyatt is doing very well. he had been snoring extremely loud for the first several days post-op, but is breathing much quieter now. seems the congestion is still present, and i'm wondering when he will ever recover completely. but for now we are pleased with how far he's come. it never ceases to amaze me that the "easy" procedures are so darn tough. i did actually expect this to be easier. Wyatt's mommy and daddy are still trying to catch up. 5 days in the icu does NOT do the body good. i've ended up with "walking pneumonia" and am trying to figure out a way to get healthy. there's got to be one, right? well, for now, enjoy this smiling face, and SOMEDAY, i will get more pictures up. soon. really.

More Than We Bargained For

2010-08-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

we are going on day 4 at icu. Wyatt had his adenoids out on friday. we knew it would be a longer recovery and hospital stay than doctors predicted. but not in the icu. and not THIS long!
overall - he is doing ok. it's just always about the breathing. as they tell me, the ABC's of the icu start with airway and that is Wyatt's most complicated issue, lately and always.
after getting adenoids out, all kids have swelling. since Wyatt's airway is a little "floppy" the swelling has taken his usual issues to a whole new level.
today, he ripped out the IV (that was in his NECK) and then screamed until the attendings took out the nasal trumpet that has been in to help expand his airway. chaos ensued, after 17 sticks they finally placed a new iv (in his SHOULDER). and reinserted the wretched tube int his nose.
he has been extremely fussy and so that isn't helping matters either.
so anyway, we have been getting by, nurses and docs are pretty great here and we have an army of folks that have been coming to spell us for a bit of time.
so that's the little cowboy update. send us good vibes in hopes of getting the heck OUT OF HERE!

Excuses, Excuses

2010-07-27T12:11:00.000-07:00

here it is, smack dab in the middle of a busy summer and i've posted only once! YIKES! well, as many busy moms know, especially us moms of super special kids, when we're on a mission, DO NOT get in the way. and my mission over the past 2 months has been to get the little cowboy through the summer *healthy* so we can have a rootin', tootin' good time at his 2nd birthday rodeo! and did we ever!

now, it hasn't been all baking and decorating for the last 2 months. we have had some other adventures. such as traveling (a trip to the Poconos for a family reunion, Wyatt's first weekend get-away), visiting family (Grandpa and Grandma Giovengo are visiting for the summer from the exotic country of.... Albania? :) and friends from all over (the wild west! it's Wyatt's dream to live in Tombstone, you know.) and we've had some fun trips to the National Aviary, the Greenfield Pool ;) and of course Wyatt's vacation home at Grandma and Grandpa Northrop's house. In sunny Wexford.

health wise, we've been doing just ok. Wyatt has not had a seizure since March (KOW). he has been dealing with lots of respiratory issues. we placed a lot of confidence in the fundoplication, and it just hasn't been as helpful as we had hoped. there are still daily episodes of vomiting. bad vomiting. it's a yucky cycle. congested, gagging, vomit, aspirate...rinse repeat. but, on the bright side, the kid has finally made it into the 25% for height and weight! (and we're talking about a kiddo who never made it past the 3% until the last check-up!) we are hoping that an upcoming removal of adenoids will help as well. but who knows.

but, developmentally, Wyatt is doing great. for Wyatt. he has become an interactive kid. giggling with us, when we tickle him. using "yes" and "no" buttons to indicate when he wants to play, read, etc. throwing little 2 year old tantrums when he is tired. overall, just communicating so much better. i have even heard him say "ma" on more than one occasion when looking right at me. and i don't care if it is an accident. we play in the pool , go down slides, run in the tripped out BOB running stroller and have even braved a few hikes with the hiking backpack. (the jury is still out on that one).

Wyatt's official birthday party was Sunday. it was a party with *just* family. which has grown to over 25 people in just the past few years. and let me tell you, we feel the love. sing it Elton. seriously, the family and friends that have shared in Wyatt's ups and downs over the past 2 years really do hold us up. so what better way to show everyone we care? throw a party!! a real western extravaganza! don't worry, i will be posting pictures soon!

afterwards, Ben and i shed a few tears, as turning 2 is more than just a birthday for us. and for Wyatt. it's a sweetbitter (better than bittersweet) reminder than our time with him may be limited. so as we move towards 3, we will continue to focus on the positives, snap pictures (and someday post them) and share our lives with the ones we love!

HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY LITTLE COWBOY!!

Family Matters!

2010-06-06T19:04:00.000-07:00

we've been gone for awhile and busy, busy, busy! lots going on - good things for the most part! Wyatt has recovered from the surgery and is doing very well. we've had a few set backs, but over all Wyatt has been doing some great things. you can see below, he's been spending lots of time with family. and that time has been happy and full of smiles.

Wyatt and his dada have been playing, swinging, and sliding....

nothing makes Wyatt smile more than a little taste of dessert!

Aunt Sue and Guido are some of his favorite cuddlers....

Grandma and Aunt Alyssa brought cousin Ava to visit! He couldn't take his eyes off of her!

Uncle Ben and Shannon match Wyatt smile for smile. What a cute trio!

OMG!

2010-05-20T07:35:00.000-07:00

Seriously - this is getting ridiculous! No computer at home is driving me crazy! And blogging while at work?!? Well, I'd never do that.....

Just rest assured that the littlest cowboy is having some pretty awesome adventures and I am taking lots of pictures - so in a few short days (cross your fingers on that one) I will be updating in full color!

Check back in soon....!

Just Real Quick

2010-05-06T10:23:00.000-07:00

we have been home for over a week and Wyatt has really recovered well! he is not vomiting. he is gaining weight. he is happy happy happy. so soon, once our internet is bak up and running, i will post pictures and have more time to tellyu what we've been up to!

thanks for all the well wishes!

Sleeping Beauties

2010-04-22T12:09:00.000-07:00

as you can see, we are resting peacefully. Wyatt has been doing well. his pain seems to be managed much better this go around. he was given an epidural and with that, we've had no problems with his oxygen levels (as is often the case when we are in the hospital) and he - and daddy - are getting plenty of rest. mom on the other hand....boy do i get bored. and i'm not a napper. so i twiddle my thumbs, think of all the paperwork piled on my desk, and then go back to surfing the web and reading The Palace of Illusions.

i also have become acutely aware of what is going on in the rooms around us. and this is one of the hardest things to see. babies and toddlers with no parents at their bedsides. no one coming to visit. no one (except a few volunteers) holding them while they sleep. of course, i'm not allowed (i asked) or i would be in there in a heart beat. sweet little things. scared and all alone. it makes me thankful for my life, and grateful to have been given the chance to support Wyatt through all of these terrifying procedures and scary new people.

next post will hopefully be from home! thanks for the support everyone!

Recovering!

2010-04-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

Thanks for the crossed fingers, arms, legs and eyes everyone! Wyatt did great in surgery today and everyone is resting comfortably in a private room. Hopefully, more updates to come, but for now, we are happy to have this out of the way and be on the road to recovery. And less laundry. ;)

Cross Your Fingers

2010-04-20T07:01:00.000-07:00

We are heading to surgery tomorrow and *hoping* that nothing comes up to prevent it. This will be our third try since January. Every time we set the date, Wyatt decides he doesn't want to go and throws a major kink in the plan. Like a seizure or pneumonia. Little rascal. But he has been very healthy (KNOCK ON WOOD) and so I think we'll make it.

The surgery is for a fundoplication. Pretty standard procedure I think. It is one, however that we have put off in the past. Wyatt's vomiting has become unbearable. For him and for us. It's often, violent and really keeping him from gaining weight. He hasn't been losing any, but is still gaining so slowly.

SO keep your fingers crossed that he doesn't have any excitement tonight, that he makes it through the day tomorrow and he recovers. Quickly. So he can enjoy the sunshine!

Like Father, Like Son

2010-04-09T08:47:00.000-07:00

or is it like son, like father?

lately, as wyatt has become our little boy, no longer our little baby, people are commenting on how he looks just like Ben. just like his daddy. i agree. but what is it? could it be their matching dimple chins?
their handsome green-brown eyes?

i'd like to think it has more to do with their personalities altogether.... case in point, the time i came downstairs and witnessed this little nap scene:

i do know that Wyatt loves his dada so much, and Ben is enamored with his little buddy. and i love watching the relationship grow!

All Sunshine and Smiles

2010-03-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

amazing kids. its a tag-line i swiped from The Children's Institute. wyatt is one of those kids and this week he has proven to be a seriously AMAZING little man. he seems to have made a full recovery after last week's scare. the pediatrician told me that after she saw the lab results from the ER, she expected him to have a long stay in the ICU. maybe permanent. but he's stronger than ever, now. hungry as ever, too. and we've enjoyed spring's arrival, spending time helping dada build his compost pile and going for walks in the tripped out BOB stroller. we are all feeling great. and here's hoping the sunshine and smiles last! thanks to all for the emails and phone calls. we really thrive on the support of our family and friends. SMILE!

Adversity

2010-03-12T10:40:00.000-08:00

we've made it to spring here in the east and it couldn't have come soon enough. my next post was intended to be this inspirational talk by Aimee Mullins. i watched it with tears rolling down my cheeks, and felt hopeful by the end that i, too, will make the best of the challenges that life has set before me.

then tuesday came. darn tues. Wyatt had another febrile seizure, but this time he stopped breathing. for a long time. crazy sounding words were thrown out in the ER, like intubate and resuscitate, call social work and other exclamations i, luckily, have blocked out. the breathing tube came out relatively quickly, and he has been breathing fine on his own for over 24 hours. we are likely going home tonight. we have been through this before. fever hits, sometimes a seizure, trip to the ER, a few days inpatient, an antibiotic, and home again. this time feels different. there are conversations about a "plan". mom, dad, do you have one? let's think about one. etc, etc.

i'm not sure i'm ready for a plan. planning doesn't always seem to work out for me. i planned to have a soccer team of kids. i planned to go on camping trips with my kids. i planned to braid their hair and play dress up. i planned to color with them and scold them and wash the dirt from their boo-boos. i know that this type of plan is different. but i never "planned" that parenthood would come with this kind of choice. maybe it will all be for nothing and it will never be put into place. but adversity like this seems too much to plan for, today anyway.

Cabin Fever

2010-02-11T12:20:00.000-08:00

i've got it. man o man. after a week long hospital stay, i was ready for the real world. and now on top of that a week of being stuck in the house because of the snow...crazy i tell 'ya. i'm going crazy. it has been really nice having Daddy around. sometimes Aunt Goo makes the trek from her neighborhood and that's fun too. and Wyatt is handling great. sleeping in, lots of naps. what a trooper. i think he likes having everyone around! we've taken a few shots of the silliness that has kept us busy for the last 7 (SEVEN!!!!) days!

Wee, Wee, Wee...All the Way Home

2010-02-04T13:11:00.000-08:00

actually, more like cough, barf, wahhhhhhh all the way home. but we are here. and luckily it's only a 15 minute trip! they released Wyatt last night from Children's with a few new meds and a little less congestion. not much though, he is still raspy and full of mucous (ew, too much information?), but is in a much better mood and eating better as well. i hope to keep him healthier, somehow, and make the best of a missed week of work. for now we are all happy to be sleeping at home! thanks for the well wishes everyone!

Back Again

2010-02-02T13:07:00.000-08:00

thanks for all the comments about Wyatt's newest endeavor, yoga. we've had to put his practice sessions on hold for the past 4 days - we are back at Children's with another bout of respiratory illness. i'm not specifying the type because the truth is i really don't know if it's pneumonia, croup or whatever. didn't you ask? (you might ask) of course. it's never clear. everything is pneumonia-like, a possibility of this, a chance of that. and since Wyatt's diagnosis complicates most areas of his functioning, it slows the processes down. anyway, we are surviving. if only i could sleep at night, this would be like a vacation for me. the new Children's Hospital here in Pittsburgh is quite comfortable. a sushi bar in the cafeteria, a view of the city that anyone would pay an arm and a leg for. i have hours upon hours to kill, with no house to clean and no paperwork to complete. but since i'm dog tired i am not enjoying myself. Wyatt isn't either. he hasn't been his happy, smiley self lately and it stinks to see him so crabby. but we started him back on the full feed a few hours ago and he hasn't needed any oxygen for 24 hours....so here's hoping we are home tomorrow! wish us luck!

A boy after my own heart

2010-01-27T17:49:00.000-08:00

as some of you may know - i am a yoga teacher. (along with being Wyatt's mom, a wife, a therapist, a researcher, a messy house keeper, and a Twilight addict. yes, she said it. even that last one is true!) so when Wyatt completely passed out during his physical therapy session in child's pose i couldn't help take pictures. i've been dreaming of the day when he would do some yoga on his own. you know i'm constantly twisting him and moving him around in yoga-like poses, but for some reason, seeing him do this just melted my heart. and it reminded me of a story my mom told me once, about a yoga teacher she had that fell asleep in child's pose while teaching the class!

here he is. my little yogini cowboy.

2010

2010-01-13T10:29:00.000-08:00

i wanted to post some pictures of Wyatt from christmas and i can't believe it has taken so long! so without further ado, i present to you, Wyatt's Holiday Photo Shoot 2009...

aunt sue was kind enough to take the pictures...we had set up a time with a photographer through the littlest hero's project, to come take the pictures. she never showed. i was so disappointed, but Aunt Goo to the rescue, like usual, and they turned out great.

after making it through 2 bouts of pnuemonia in december, we were pleasantly surprised that the holidays went off without a hitch. i will be posting more pictures soon. but i wanted to get these up before i lost my train of thought!

First Time for Everything

2009-12-10T07:50:00.000-08:00

most parents of 16 month olds blog, brag and generally go on and on about all the milestones that their little wonders are passing. the first steps, first words, first time on the potty, blah, blah, blah. i don't mean to sound crabby about it, lord knows that if my little wonder was walking, talking and hitting milestones on time, i would probably fill these pages with the details of every last one of them. and he is doing things we are excited about, recently he has started chewing. a big deal for our little outlaw.
but this week, his first proved to be more terrifying than anything else. Wyatt had a seizure on Sunday night. i don't really want to go into detail, but it was terrifying. we called the ambulance (another first) and spent a few days at Children's sorting it all out.
in terms of Wyatt's neurological complications, we have always known he is at risk for seizures. other children with PCH have them, though some don't. but having made it 16 months, i hoped maybe we were in the clear. doctors believe that an infection and high fever brought on the seizure and then during the seizure he aspirated and got a touch of pneumonia.
so while we are recovering, at home finally, the weeks drama has left me with a lot to think about. mainly, how lucky i am to have this little boy and how i really want to make sure he stays healthy to keep reaching milestones, no matter how small or late. i mean, doesn't this face say enough??

and one cool thing about the hospital stay was that Wyatt had a visit from some Pittsburgh Penguins. the picture is really bad b/c it was taken with my phone, and the funny part about it was that both Wyatt and i were fast asleep (at 3pm) and i woke up to all four of them standing over me. they were very nice and brought Wyatt a Christmas present, but i was so out of it, that i couldn't remember their names. i believe it's Maxime Talbot, Mark Eaton, Alex Goligoski and Eric Godard. i wouldn't know that unless i hadn't looked up the roster that had handy pictures by their names!

running late

2009-11-06T09:52:00.001-08:00

i believe that was a title of a former post. just an indication of how things have been going around here lately!

at the end of September Wyatt spent 4 days at Children's to have a g-tube placed. it has been a long recovery for all of us. i think, initially, he was in a lot of pain, then that passed. then he got a bad cold. and that passed. now, he has decided not to sleep at night. and we are waiting for that to pass, too. Ben likes to call Wyatt a puzzle wrapped in an enigma. we just can't seem to figure him out sometimes.

luckily fall is my favorite time of year and my husband is one of the most patient and kind men i know - all in all it's been a good few months. Wyatt has become stronger, has started to really use his hands and arms to reach for toys and interacts with them as he hadn't in the past. his vision evaluation was extremely promising and he continues to improve his skills everyday. and the biggest news of all - at his 15 month check-up, Wyatt was finally back on the growth charts for weight! a status we haven't enjoyed for several months.

here are some fun shots of Wyatt posing with Aunt Goo and me, dressed as Clifford the little red puppy (as one of my yoga kids pointed out) and suffering through the punkin carving again!!

The End of Summer

2009-09-15T10:57:00.000-07:00

i wish i was a better blogger, i really do. i saw this blog today Run with E, and the author posts like every hour. i mean, she may as well twitter. but then again, i doubt she has MY LIFE. and what a wonderful life it is. most days. here are a few of the good ones:

a long awaited picture from the dinner group. can you see little Rhyse in there? She was just 2 weeks old!

we've come a long way since this!!!!! (circa 2006)

a cute shot of Aunt Goo with her LB (little buddy).

the little cowboy really getting into his discovery farm book:

looking like i caught him reading a dirty magazine or something!
i think this is where he gets his love of books:

a very, very happy boy!

The Party!

2009-08-07T11:44:00.001-07:00

a very, very special thank you to all of our family and friends who traveled near and far to help Wyatt celebrate in style. we had such a great time and honestly, are looking forward to next year already! especially if we get to eat another one of these: (THANK YOU Uncle Will and Aunt Alyssa!)

Scenes from the first cake eating experience. i think he likes it!

the family:

The friends:

the cornhole:
the bubbles!:
finally enjoying his spoils:

and one for your viewing pleasure. can you believe how little Wyatt is? can you believe how rested Ben is? This picture brings back such mixed feelings. pure joy and innocence, of course. we didn't know a thing about PCH. but knowing hasn't changed how much we love and care for our little cowboy. i can't wait to experience everything this second year has to offer!!!

A day to remember

2009-08-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

whew. well, now that Wyatt's birthday week has come and gone we are attempting to return to some state of normalcy. apparently, when it comes to celebrating, we know how to do it right. we spread the party out all week, culminating in a birthday bash on Saturday. i think we really wore the little cowboy out because he came down with a nasty, nasty virus on Sunday night. so nasty, his 104.5 temperature took us to the ER. blech. but, today he is on the up and up and let's hope next time the Northrop's decide to throw a party, we'll leave the barfing off the list.

a quick re-cap of Wyatt's fun-filled birthDAY:

Waking up on his birthday:

A trip with Aunt Goo to the Pittsburgh Zoo!

wait, you said the zoo? yessssssss!

did i mention it was raining on our zoo trip?

two mamas and two babies

i was excited about this sign because i have actually been to Timbuktu! seriously, i have.

um, mom....did you know that there is a bear behind us?

Wyatt really loved the aquarium. i think it was like a giant mobile for him!

i KNEW that was going to be fun! thanks aunt goo!

chilling out with Aunt Goo:

If Wyatt can't HAVE a dog we will dress him up like one...

no time to eat dad, must keep my eyes on this big blue balloon!

birthday bath...
Wyatt slept well that night. i will be posting his party pictures soon. enjoy!

Party time is ALMOST here!!!

2009-07-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

are you ready?? :)

sorry this is such a lazy post, for some reason i'm not able to organize the pictures well. just enjoy those chubby little cheeks! more to come!

Here's to making it through the first year!

2009-07-09T19:32:00.000-07:00

hi everyone! i've decided to try to update the blog this month with as many pictures as i can find of Wyatt's entrance into YEARS (rather than months, though i know us mommies still say things like 16 months, 18 months, 22 months). my reason to be so excited about having a ONE YEAR OLD is that, well, the odds are not exactly in our favor. Wyatt's condition often takes children's lives early and so having a ONE YEAR OLD is as much a gift as we could ask for.

a quick "health" update before we get to the good stuff. Wyatt has been having a bit of trouble gaining weight. we are taking slow steps towards the g-tube and probably a fundoplication. if you are a parent out there with a child that has either of those, i'd love to hear your experiences (good and bad).

Wyatt has 2 teeth and probably more on the way. i really can't believe that the human body does this to children. those things are SHARP! and he hated them at first. but he seems to have gotten used to the idea.

we are experimenting with some new dosing in his medication and so far have had a happy, napping, eating, smiling, gooing, kissy, lovey, wide-eyed little man. i hope the effects stick :)

and now for the good stuff:

family picture in front of the old house. the rhodies are nice, though, don't you think?

dada and his bubba

daddy tossing the baby, he loves it, i swear.
a quick pic of big sis, Anna, missing us, I'm sure!

visits with friends -

Jen and her new lovey - can you hear the clock ticking?? ;)
when friends attack - Little Livy giving Wyatt a much deserved smack:

one of my favorite pictures of Wyatt, maybe because he looks SO CHUBBY. he's not, but i love this anyway.

i have a bunch more pictures to share and hopefully will get them on here soon. thanks for being patient! we love you all and can't wait to celebrate a YEAR with you!

Where in the world have you been?

2009-06-17T05:35:00.001-07:00

we've been a bit overwhelmed here in Wyatt's world as of late. but in a good way! we've moved!! to a cute 3 story in the Greenfield section of Pittsburgh. Wyatt is doing great in his new room (it's a lot like the old one, but a bit bigger!) and he seems to enjoy the rest of the house too. i think what he loves the most is his new back yard! Ben even bought him a little pool, for the hot days that are coming fast now.

i know you're excited about pictures, but i'm one of those people who will never share a picture unless it looks perfect and right now our house is far, far from looking perfect. though it does look good, i must say.

i will post some pictures soon, if only i could find the camera cord.... :)

Kid's Yoga - My Other Children!

2009-05-19T07:47:00.000-07:00

these are a few pictures from my Monday night Kid's Yoga class at Schoolhouse. they are ALL characters and i have such a good time trying (the imperative word here) to teach them some yoga. more to come from the Wednesday class!

Happy Mama's Day

2009-05-09T18:01:00.001-07:00

happy mother's days ot all the moms out there who have influenced my life. and happy mother's day to my mom, i miss you so much.

9 months + 26.2 miles

2009-05-04T10:00:00.000-07:00

another month quickly passed and here we are! Wyatt is 9 months old! we can't believe it either. he is just getting rounder and cuter with each passing day. we have been up to a lot, and so has Wyatt. I'll try to keep it short - Twitter style.

Wyatt loves eating. he has a broad(er) palate these days. prunes, zucchini, eggs, green beans, mangoes. he especially loves eating with his shirt off:

he is napping a little bit better as well. falling asleep just about anywhere, apparently:

Wyatt enjoys book very much. reading with daddy is a favorite pastime. they enjoy "On the Go Sounds" and "Cuddly Babies", but have also finished "All Quiet on the Western Front" and "Call of the Wild:

He has become very, very attached to daddy, just look:

or is daddy attached to wyatt?:

and though we are happy, i think we are all covered in Wyatt's dinner:

finally - i wanted to post some pictures from Aunt Sue/Goo's AWESOME marathon! we sent Wyatt to the grandparents and followed her all over the city as she pounded the pavement through 22 Pittsburgh neighborhoods! WAY TO RUN AUNT GOO!!!

Hip Hip Hop, You Don't Stop

2009-04-16T09:43:00.000-07:00

Easter has come and gone and we are still in a chocolate coma here at the Northrop house. Wyatt had a very nice day visiting with relatives on boths sides of the family! while I wait for all the pictures to come rolling in (we have to rely on family because we seem to have misplaced the charger for our camera) here are few super cute pictures from the beautiful day:

(for some reason i cannot get them organized, so you'll have to suffer through the pictures, out of order!!)

Some Great News (for now... :)

2009-03-24T08:34:00.000-07:00

we just returned from The Children's Institute where Wyatt is going for feeding and speech therapy. they decided that he does NOT need to get a G-tube for now because of his AWESOME weight gain! almost 2 pounds over the last month. this should probably be credited to both his enormous appetite and my anal retentive practice of adding calories to everything he puts in his mouth. flax seed oil has been awesome for this. i add about half a tablespoon to each serving of solids and even tried it in his bottle for awhile. he's been eating everything we put in front of him too - i am just so happy and i wanted to share the news!

Breathing Eas(ier)

2009-03-10T08:51:00.001-07:00

with the recent spike in temperatures and a healthy dose of sunshine, the Northrops (or Thropvengos, as Ben lovingly calls us) have had some very good days. we feel relieved and thankful for many things, in no particular order:

Friends:

Family:

and medicine that works. it is no coincidence that once Wyatt restarted the medication that we use to manage his movement disorder, we got our baby back! he is taking naps again (never as long as i'd like of course, but, hey) and cooing, smiling and enjoying eating solids. we were able to take him for a few nice walks in the past few weeks(in the bjorn! Ben is such a proud daddy when he wears it!), to visit with the Esser's, the Jones' and the Beanner's, and most importantly, our lovey little boy is continuing to do things that make us proud! check him out:

We also took a trip to the Laurel Mountains to visit with Grandma and Grandpa Giovengo. Wyatt loved, loved, loved the serenity of the quiet cabin in the woods. He seemed to just fall into a trance as he gazed around at the trees and listened for birds. Here are a few cute pictures:

a friendly game of Risk, that lasted 6 hours and spanned 2 days!!

gazing out the window:

loving his Valentine's giraffe:

napping in style:

and finally getting ready for some green beer!

We are ok

2009-02-25T12:05:00.000-08:00

we really are. i mean it.

if it sounds like i am trying to talk myself into believing that, you might be right. but i today, i think we are ok.

it's Wednesday and i should be at work, but Wyatt has a fever and so couldn't stay at daycare today. i had to go pick him up and for some reason that really scared me. there are so many things about him that scare me. he coughs, i'm scared, he vomits, i'm terrified! he won't nap he won't eat, i'm crabby and afraid. what if he never naps? what if he is always this fussy???

well, we will finally be going to back to the medicine that initially helped him, but that wasn't covered by insurance. now it is. now that we tried 3 others that had nasty side effects. poor baby.

seriously though, we are ok. we've been to a few doctor appointments and an evaluation at the Children's institute this week. it was pretty cool and i think it will help us out a lot.

i'll quit talking now and let you see what you came for:

a visit with GREAT grandparents:

a visit with Anna IN PITTSBURGH!!!:

an attempted family photo:

an attack on Aunt Goo/Sue:

And So It Begins....

2009-02-12T12:38:00.000-08:00

Tuesdays. I hate Tuesdays. Everything bad that has ever happened to me or someone I care about happened on a Tuesday. I will give it to you, there are some nice things about it. I stay home with Wyatt on Tuesdays and I teach yoga on Tuesdays. And let's not forget, the Mentalist is on Tuesdays. But seriously, that's about it. Case in point: my mom died on a Tuesday. A week later Wyatt was hospitalized, on a Tuesday. And this past Tuesday proved to be right up there with those terrible Tuesdays. In fact, I'm not even going to respect the day by capitalizing it and will now refer to it by the diminutive abbreviation: tues.

I received a call from Wyatt's neurologist in the early afternoon. She was calling to confirm results from Dr. Dobyns in Chicago. It seems that Wyatt's MRI's from last September indicate that he does in fact have PCH Type 2. Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia. (I'll let you look it up, but let me preface the Google with: it's rare, and not so good) It's hard to describe how I felt right at that moment, and how I feel now. But I do know that it will be an ongoing process. Ben says he feels like we are constantly taking one step forward and two steps back. We have a great day, a great hour, and feel optimistic, like we can really see our lives turning out ok. And then a day like tues. knocks you back, kicks the wind out of you and then stomps on your heart so hard you feel like you may never recover. And it didn't even end there.

Wyatt had a terrible night tues. night. He cried and fussed for close to 6 hours and we decided that a trip to the ER was probably in his best interest. Well, note to self, a trip to the ER with Wyatt will almost always be met with confused residents, stinging comments from tired nurses and general perplexity that will add hours on to an otherwise routine trip. As if a trip to the ER is ever routine. He continued to fuss and cry with a 102 fever for another 5 hours and after an enema, 4 x-rays, bloodwork, a spinal tap and 11 hours in that hellish place, they concluded it was a stomach virus and constipation and sent us home with a Rx for Miralax. I was happy that the little love slept all day and even most of the night. He is hoarse from all the crying, generally worn out and a little dehydrated, but other than that, seems to be ok.

So it just felt like we went from thinking that we might just be ok on Monday to the world crashing in on tues. Wednesday and Thursday have been better. But since we can't skip tues. for the rest of the year, I'm sure we will have more and more challenges down the road. Wyatt has been a joy over these past 6 months and I'm certain he will continue to light our lives. He is such a beautiful little soul and I love him so very much. And Ben is the most patient and doting father and little boy could ever have. This is probably why it hurts so much...

I guess I wanted to say, that I'm not writing this to get a bunch of messages of support, or even as a way to meet other families, although those are nice results too. I'm mainly writing to tell you that if you ever want to get me something, DO NOT get me days of the week underwear. I'll just toss them out in fear of accidentally wearing the tues. pair on Friday and ruining THAT day too.

A Week of Firsts!

2009-02-06T13:05:00.000-08:00

it's been a good week here in the Northrop house. Wyatt is now 6 months old! he has been such a joy. most of the time...Wyatt has been quite busy. let's start with Sunday:

it was Wyatt's first rock concert! we went to WYEP's Alternative Souper Bowl on Sunday afternoon. both Ben and I were a bit nervous, but excited to see Brewer's Row, as we haven't been to a show since before I was pregnant! we were so happy to find out that Wyatt loves the band as much as we do! he was so entranced by the lights and the sounds...then he started to sing along! it was great to see him kicking is feet and bouncing around. i wish we would have thought to bring a camera! check out the Brewer's Row website and see how it's impossible to sit still when they are playing! later, Wyatt made it abundantly clear that he is NOT a sports fan. he cried through the ENTIRE Super Bowl!!

second, Wyatt has been loving his fruits and veggies. case in point:

the applesauce is a big hit. he absolutely loves to eat solid foods and i'm a bit fearful that he is starting to hate his bottle....thought still a little guy, Wyatt is growing steadily and we are happy to feed him as much as he can handle!

and finally, Wyatt and I went to our first Mommy and Me yoga class and Schoolhouse. it was an interesting experience, fun fun never the less. Wyatt wasn't too happy at first, but then the quiet room of little babes became louder and louder and it seemed the noise put Wyatt to sleep. the louder the room, the sounder the slept. he didn't up until we got home! i think we'll try it again soon...

Wyatt Speaks!

2009-01-25T05:08:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone, Wyatt here. I've taken over posting duties for the blog today because my mommy claims she is too busy. In fact she wanted me to tell you that she's sorry that she hasn't posted for almost a month now, but she just can't find the time. I don't believe her of course. But I guess teaching all that yoga and working on her research study and pretending to train for the Pgh marathon is taking up a lot of time! And let's not forget me!!! I am coming up on my 6 month birthday, making life at our house ever changing, always interesting and so much fun!! By the way, am I my father's son or what (see above!)??!!

In January so much happened! I spent my first night at Grandma and Grandpa Northrop's house without Mommy and Daddy! I had a great time and Mom and Dad said that they did nothing but sleep. Apparently, that is called fun these days. I also visited with my Great Grandparents and Cousins. Mommy said she can't find those pictures right now but will post them as soon as she does.

We visited with a bunch of crazy ladies that my mom calls "girls team". They seem nice, but all they like to do is hug and kiss me and pinch my cheeks. Luckily, Ethan and our daddies were there to distract them or I never would have gotten any sleep!

Last week was very exciting. It started out with a visit from my Grandpere and Grandmere Giovengo. They are back in the states for a few months and came from DC just to see me! I had such fun and now I miss them a ton. I will be seeing a lot of them in March though when they come to Pgh for a whole month!

That same weekend, the super Steelers won the AFC championship and now they are going to the Super Bowl! I was so excited. You may not have been able to tell, because I slept through a lot of the game, but, trust me, I was excited.

And then (there's more?!?!) Inauguration Day was great too! I dressed up for the occasion. Mommy and I watched all the festivities and she did not let me sleep through the big speech. Now I can say I witnessed history!
Let's not forget all the fun visits with my Uncle Ben and Aunt Sue! You can see that they are just like my mommy and love to dress me up in crazy hats and take my picture with giant trees!!

Some cool things that I've decided to do to impress my parents:
- I've started talking (hence the witty title). I've started to find my voice and am really goo-ing a lot now!
- My head control is getting very good. I love to sit on Mommy's lap and try to hold my head and torso up!
- I'm getting so much better visually, watching my parents from all over the room.
- I love to smile and play very early in the morning. And I think my parents are getting better at waking up at 6am on the weekends!
- And perhaps, most notable, I've started solids. I think I like that sticky stuff that they started with, but I really wish they'd hurry up and give me something with some flavor! I asked for cotton candy, the blue kind, but I don't think they'll go for it.

Like Mommy mentioned before, I have a lot of challenges that my parents and the great team of doctors at Childrens' are still sorting out. But I'm working hard, with therapists and on my own, and am making progress. I am giving the phrase "baby steps" a whole new meaning!

So anyway, hopefully my mommy will write again soon, before I turn 1! Uh oh. Here she comes. Gotta go. Pretend I'm sleeping! ;)

Merry Christmas to all!!!

2008-12-27T19:02:00.000-08:00

just wanted to share some of the gorgeous pictures of my family with our fans. these are the best shots from our photo shoot with Abby Rose back at the beginning of the month. if i had your address, you likely received at least one of the pictures as a card. we are so happy with the way they turned out and are looking forward to having them mounted on our mantle! first, you'll see, grandma and grandpa with their lucky grandkids and then a few more shots of Wyatt, Ben and i and then of course the babe himself!!! hope you enjoy! Happy Holidays!

LATE! 4+months, Thanksgiving and visits in/with Ann(a) Arbor!

2008-12-12T11:15:00.000-08:00

it's that time of year, when as soon as Thanksgiving hits I know I'm falling behind. late ordering the cards, late buying the presents, not to mention, late for work, late getting to bed and now late with our latest update, ugh...

Wyatt is now almost 4 and 1/2 months old! he is growing so cute and chubby, perfectly kissable (just how we like 'em, right?) and more alert with everyday. check him out!

there are certainly new concerns that are cropping up, new diagnoses and new challenges....but Ben and I are taking each day for what it is and trying to be thankful for what we do have: a wonderfully supportive family and crew of friends, a rock solid relationship and a beautiful baby boy!

speaking of being thankful and supportive families...we spent a lovely Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa Northrop here in Pittsburgh. the food was delectable and the company even more enjoyable. here are a few shots of our weekend!

and finally, we are just back from a whirlwind trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan, which is essentially a family reunion of sorts. Grandma and Grandpa N. make the trip too, Aunt Alyssa and Uncle Will live there, and of course, lovely Anna! we celebrated her birthday (a little early). there are lots of shots of the celebration, but none of Anna and Wyatt together, so here is one from a prior trip plus more of the birthday girl and family!

finally, a highlight of the trip (there were many) was a family photo shoot by Abby Rose. she took some great pictures of the entire crew and of our little guy. I will pass some on soon!

one more tidbit that i MUST add. this little bugger isn't the best sleeper. but now, he is going on 4 hours napping and sleeping through a very, VERY loud installation of a new dishwasher...unbelievable.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-11-23T07:44:00.001-08:00

and it's only November! light up nights (plural) abound here in the Northeast as soon as Halloween passes and so we took advantage of Sue's prime location in the cute little village of Aspinwall to layer up the baby and make him wait in line to have his picture taken with Santa. i wasn't prepared for the fact that the hour long wait would be spent watching everyone else plopping their infants (most smaller than Wyatt) onto the big guy's lap. i guess i expected to be the only insane parent there. glad to know i'm not alone!! i have to admit, he did great - not one tear in line OR when Santa got a hold of him. he wouldn't look at the camera, but Sue assured me that, being only mid-November, we'd have plenty of other opportunities to get a good shot of Wyatt with St. Nick. below are a few of the pictures from Wyatt's first trip to see Santa. Incidentally, he asked for world peace and to be able to sleep through the night...

the next day there was a quiet and beautiful snowfall that had me itching to go for a walk, so, again, i layered up the little guy and strapped him into the front pack. which he LOVES (sic, check out his face in the first picture for proof) and we trekked up to the main shops on Murray and Forbes Aves. well, the quiet and beautiful snowfall that i observed from the windows of our toasty warm apartment was more like a blizzard once we were out in it, and i had to laugh. at first it was precious, snow falling on the baby's lips and he was licking them and waiting for more. but soon, he was fast asleep, in his cookie monster snowsuit with his face buried on my chest, and i was being pelted in the face and could barely see where i was going. we stopped in a few stores to defrost and then headed home. he didn't even wake up until i tried to peel him out of the suit. i think he had fun. i know i did.

Dear Aunt Sue,

2008-11-17T07:17:00.000-08:00

my new favorite Aunt Sue and Wyatt picture! and i have no idea why this text is underlined....i'm new here ok?

just wanted to give a little air time to Wyatt's Aunt Susie, my sister. she has been an absolute godsend in these past 3+ months. practically a 3rd parent to our little guy. she spends every Monday with him, watching him while i teach yoga and before Ben gets home from work. and she has spent countless Saturday afternoons with him while i run errands, go for a jog or try to get something done in the house. we would not be able to function without Aunt Sue (and the other members of our family who will be getting their own posts soon :)

the best part about coming home to Sue and Wyatt is waiting until she leaves and then checking out the camera to see the cute pictures she has taken of the two of them. following are a few of my favorites! we love you Aunt Sue!

Punkin, I mean, Pumpkin Time!!

2008-11-13T12:37:00.000-08:00

just a few pictures of october 2008 with Wyatt. yes, that is a picture of mom trying to put Wyatt in a pumpkin. or punkin as we say in our house. go ahead and try it - punkin - too cute, huh?

It was love at first bite!

2008-11-10T10:09:00.000-08:00

when Olivia and Bekah come to visit we always have such a nice time. we've gone on walks with strollers and baby carriers, been shopping and to the coffee shops of Squirrel Hill. i know he's just playing hard to get, but Wyatt either sleeps through his dates or acts very uninterested. i'm sure that will pass, but i have to give little Livy props - she sure is persistent!

It's a New Day

2008-11-08T06:19:00.000-08:00

wanted to share this cool new video with you:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHWByjoQrR8

no it's not of wyatt - it's a tribute to wyatt's hero!!!!! :)