First Haircut

Ethan got his first haircut today thanks to Grandma. He has needed one for a while now, but mommy couldn't come to terms with it until now. I didn't want him to go into surgery next week with hair in his eyes I guess. He was such a good boy! Grandma and I both thought he would fight the haircut all the way considering he doesn't stay still unless he's sleeping, but he just sat there like a little angel and ate a cracker while his hair was being cut. I'm so proud of him!

Don't I look handsome!

-Dina

A New Accomplishment for Momma

Bob watches the boys twice a week so I can get out and play soccer. Last Sunday, my team played a game at Genessee and I scored 4 goals! This was the highest goal total for me ever in an official outdoor game. I've scored a hat trick one time (3 goals). I believe that was my first game back after I took maternity leave with Jonathan. On average I score a single goal between 2 teams every other season or so. I felt a little guilty afterwards, scoring so many goals considering our team won 7-1 or something like that, but I do have to say that the other team's goalkeeper was a total jerk so it felt really good scoring so many against him. The rest of their team was really nice though. This keeper would get the ball and slowly dribble it out and take his time. I've seen keepers do this if their team is winning by one or two goals to waste a little time, but apparently this keeper does it all the time. I asked the girl I was guarding from the other team about it and she said that's how he is. Their keeper was also very mouthy and argumentative towards our team too. Worst part was he didn't even shake our hands afterwards. Nice guy.

Anyways, with the 4 goals I scored on Sunday and an additional one goal on each team already this season, i've scored 6 goals between both of my teams so far this season. A new record for me. This is despite a rolled ankle I suffered early in the season. I will enjoy the success because it might not ever happen again!

-Dina

Badge of Honor

I realized recently that Ethan is wearing his badge of honor. God is using Ethan's syndrome for good things and I am so happy. The Social Worker at Evergreen Hospital who worked with us while Ethan was in the NICU has called me a couple of times now to ask if I would come in and talk to families who aer going through similar experiences, i.e. feeding tubes and craniofacial differences. I have been more than happy to do this and have me tsome great families. I think it might be therapy for me to talk to these parents too. I love tlaking about Ethan and the Craniofacial people at Children's Hospital, which i've been able to talk about both visits. On this latest visit, I showed the parents pictures of Ethan before and after his macrostomia repair and it seemed to really help ease some concern for these parents who's child will be undergoing some repair as Ethan has undergone. I really think being able to see an actual child (and not jsut one in a pamphlet) who has had surgery and seeing how well their scar looks helps so much. There was another time when we were waiting to see the craniofacial doctor at Children's where we were waiting in teh waiting area and Ethan took a liking to this little baby girl who had a cleft lip. I was at first a little uncomfortable with him staring at her because you never know how parents feel about these things, but the mother noticed Ethan and sat ehr daugheter on her lap so Ethan could see her better. Eventually I noticed that both this little girl's mother and father were looking with a lot of interest at the side of Ethan's face. They started asking questions about Ethan's condition and his repair. I told them that Ethan's repair had been done by the craniofacial clinic and they did a wonderful job. Then these parents started smiling and talking about how good Ethan looked. I felt like for them just seeing Ethan took that scared look off their faces and put a smile in its place. That was very cool!

I kow that there are so many problems that children have that need treatment adn I don't mean to be offensive or diminish the severity of other childhood conditions, but....children with craniofacial differences wear their condition on their face for all to see. Yes, most of these children are not in a critical state like children with other conditions, but you can't see some of these conditions on the outside. Craniofacial children dcan't hide their condition. I think i've seen children with some very serious looking conditions-missing features and features not in the right spots. Visiting the craniofacial clinic so often over the last 18 months has made me very aware of staring at people. I didn't like it when people stared at Ethan and Ethan isn't even very bad at all. It has also made me so thankful that Ethan's condition isn't worse than it is because Craniofacial Microsomia could be so disfiguring.

-Dina

Welcome Vivienne!

Rob and Elaine (my sister) welcomed Vivienne Wei Li Walker into the world today! She was born 8 pounds 4.6 ounces and 21 inches at around 7:15PMish. Mother, daughter, and father are all doing very well - considering this was the end of 50+ hours of labor.

Hello Vivienne!

Elaine, Vivienne, and the proud grandparents.

- b

New Surgery Date

Ethan's new surgery date is 3/2/11.

He has recovered from his cold and has entered into 'quarantine' mode. We do *not* want to reschedule this surgery again!

- b