Hi all.  Boy there's nothing like a trip to Children's Hospital to get a dose of reality!  I took Cody there to see a genetic opthamologist about his eye poking and other stuff.  I was so blessed and encouraged in the waiting room.  So many kids were in wheelchairs.  So many can't walk.  I so often forget how lucky we are that Cody is mobile - and does really well on his feet.  I spend so much time comparing him to normal kids - and so little time realizing how much harder our lives could be if he were on a feeding tube, unable to walk, etc.  I saw a segment of Dr. Phil today with a couple who have a 12 year old with Downs + autism.  This poor boy has to wear a helmet for his head banging, he has to be carried everywhere....the mom was so overwhelmed she wants to put him in an institution.  Once again, I felt so lucky.  although once puberty and testosterone hit, who knows what we might experience with Cody!  But I'll worry about that another day.  For today I'll be grateful my little one can walk up to me and wrap his arms around me.  I was also encouraged to read the story I posted yesterday about Zach - who was brain dead - yet is making a full recovery.  Okay, I'm not being Pollyanna -- this guy had NO blood flow in his brain!  His brain was DEAD.  Cody's brain is so much better than dead!  And his issues are all metabolic - there is nothing structurally wrong with his brain.  So if Zach can rebound from complete brain death - isn't there hope that a 3 year old - whose brain is still developing - can also rebound?  I choose to think so.  Want to join me?  :)

Oh boy is Casey crawling up a storm!  I just reported that he's crawling - and days later he's now trying to stand and walk!  He is SO funny!  He wakes up in the morning and before his eyes even open, he's smiling.  And the second his eyes open he is reaching for the headboard - trying to flip himself over to crawl on the bed.  The second he is taken into the playroom he is wriggling to get on the floor and the second he gets on the floor he is scurrying to the stairs to try to use them to stand up!  He is seriously single minded - "I MUST STAND!  I MUST STAND!"  And he won't eat baby food anymore.  He has 5 teeth now and he screams in his high chair until he gets a bite of something we're eating.  Mealtimes have become a Casey scream-fest.  As soon as he gets the bite in his mouth, he is screaming for the next one.  No one is allowed to feed themselves - he must have a steady flow of chewable food entering his mouth every split second.  Too funny.  I have seriously never seen a smilier person in my whole life.  He wakes up smiling.  He goes to sleep smiling.  He smiles when he cries!

It's been a really nice week so far.  Cody has only had 1 bad seizure in the last week.  His other days have been full of the little ones, but they are a blip on our radar screen.  He's slept well.  He's eaten well.  He seems fairly happy and giggly.  Life is good. 

thanks for checking in - happy Wednesday to you!

love, Shawna