And it starts!

He got up on all fours yesterday for the 1st time. He did it about 3 times :) I realize that this is not at the best angle, but it was all I could get!

Father's Day

Will said he thought Jackson's helmet was pretty cool...and yummy!

All the boys minus Will

Sweet Avery

Great pic Amy!

Will!

Jackson and his cuz Will

We had such a great Father's Day in Auburn! I wish we all lived on the same street!

A week has passed...

Well, it has been almost 2 weeks with the helmet and things are looking good! He does not seem to mind it much and acts exactly the same as he did before :) He feels it now and then with his hand, but goes right on playing. Only a few bad things...1st of all, it STINKS! It smells just like any other cast would...like B.O! hahahaha 2nd, its just like he is wearing a baseball cap, so his vision is blocked a little. It's hard for him to look up at us b/c he can't see with the helmet blocking his view. 3rd, we are stuck indoors ALL the time! I just wish we could go to the pool ;) But, we are very fortunate that he took to it so well!

Rub-a-dub-dub

I just bought Jackson this duck tub and he LOVES it! I had to share the video :)

The countdown begins....

Jackson's pediatrician diagnosed him with Plagiocephaly & Brachiocephaly about 3 weeks ago. To put it very shortly plagiocephaly is assymetric head growth while brachioceplaly is flattening of the head. The pediatrician wrote Jackson a prescription for the cranial orthoses (fancy name for a helmet) he is wearing in this picture. The helmet is designed to encourage growth in areas that are recessed. The orthotist (helmet specialist) recommended that Jackson wear a helmet for 23 hours a day over the course of 3-5 months. This was all very unexpected for us and we did not want to put Jackson through wearing a helmet unless we were certain he needed it. With that in mind we visited a pediatric neurosurgeon in Atlanta for a third opinion. He concurred with the orthotist and the pediatrician. Our main concern was that the helmet had a low probability for making things worse and that it did not cause Jackson any functional or developmental problems by putting pressure on his brain during this period of rapid growth.

We picked the helmet up today and so far, so good. He sweats like crazy in it, but then again...he sweated like a mad man before ;) The orthotist said we should expect that, especially since he was always sweaty. The helmet is introduced slowly over a course of 5 days and by the 5th day he will be wearing it all 23 hours of the day. After the 5th day he can only have it off to take a bath and for us to clean the helmet.

I have spoken to most of you about Jackson, but I put some links below for you if you are not familiar with these conditions or want to read more about them. I will keep updating the blog with his progress :) I am confident that things will be fine and he will not remember a thing.Thanks to all of our friends and family for all your love and support you have given us!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brachycephaly

http://www.plagiocephaly.info/faqs/what_is_plagiocephaly.htm

http://www.plagiocephaly.info/

The last link below is a great video that shows the process that we go through with his helmet and explains a little more about it.

http://www.starbandkids.com/index.htm

8 months

Jackson & Will on the day of their Baptism

they were making all the same faces and motions, it was too cute!

Us with Barbara and Dale at Church

Uncle Steve at the Baptism party

Me and John with Jackson~Amy and Dan with Will

The parents, grandparents, and great grandparents!

playing the piano with Diddy

At my cousin Adam's graduation party

Hanging out with Grandma :)

Chillin with Liam at Jessi's pool

Me and Jackson with Jessi and Liam (who was asleep in the float!)

A couple weeks ago on a walk with Jessi/Liam, Tomi/Elliot, and Me/Jackson

This month has been lots of fun. Jackson seems to be amazing us everyday! He does not crawl yet, but can somehow get across the room! He rolls everywhere and kinda scoots :) He loves to be on his belly and use his arms to take himself in a full circle :) He started eating "puffs" and loves the swimming pool! Things also scare him more easily now...like the blow dryer, vacuum cleaner, or things that surprise him like loud sudden noises.