Fall Fun

 I just wanted to add an update to Ben's progress. So far Ben's still not crazy about the helmet. Every time we have to put it on after a bath, Ben tends to get fussy and complain for a few minutes. After that initial indignation on his part, he generally forgets he's wearing it and has fun. For the most part, the helmet has just become a regular part of our routine. There are only a few instances in which I don't like it at all. Firstly, when my baby gets a skin irritation from wearing it. As a parent, it's very hard to see your baby uncomfortable in any way. Thankfully, he doesn't get these often. Secondly, can any parent relate to those moments when your precious angel decides to headbutt you? Usually this happens when baby is cranky, hence the headbutting. Or, you lean down and your baby throws his/her head back. When this occurs, I feel fortunate that he has his helmet, because it doesn't hurt him. However, speaking as the one receiving the headbutting, this actually does hurt. (imagine a bowling ball smashing into your nose for a visual if you like) Lastly, Ben does have to wear his helmet at night and this worries me at times. I am one of those parents who sneaks into the nursery at night just to make sure he is still breathing. You can imagine, since the helmet, Rian and I both check on him more at night.

Now, I must now say something I was pleasantly surprised about since Ben started wearing the helmet. We have not received any "looks" since the helmet. You know what I am talking about. Everyone has given them and has received them at one point or another in their life. The kid in the store who throws a fit for a toy (look.) That lady in the ten items or less check out with twenty items (look, actually glare if we are honest). When we first started wearing the helmet I was expecting this, though not nervous about this. Instead, I was delightfully astounded by the people of my small Ozark town. Everyone Ben and I see while out and about genuinely compliment his adorable helmet. Several people have even come up to me and shared stories of their friends' or relatives' babies who have had to wear a helmet. I appreciate my town and the people of it, especially those who have shared their stories with us, without even knowing us.

Rian has made me aware of an important fact I would like to clarify here: Ben's helmet is actually more like Mega Man than Magneto. I found this fact to be true after a heated debate and my husband pulling out his Mega Man shirt ;) I also would like to further clarify that my baby's superhero nickname is now officially: MegaCuteness!

My Little Superhero

A little over six months ago, my husband and I were blessed with the gift of a perfect, handsome baby boy. Benjamin is the joy of our life. He our son. A gift from God to us, and the best gift I have ever recieved! This top photo was taken for Father's Day and he was exactly one month then. We blinked and he grew. He can now say "Mommy", "Daddy", "Want Mommy", "Want Daddy", and several other words. He eats rice cereal, oatmeal, and baby food. He also likes to take sips of my water from a cup when I let him...it makes him feel like a big boy! I never thought of babies as adorable, until Ben. He is the cutest little guy and even when he is being a stinker, I can't stay mad. Serious. Cuteness.

When Ben was Three months old, his doctor was concerned about his head circumference. He also had a flat head. We had to go get an ultrasound done on his head (which he behaved quite well for) and nothing unusual turned up . We were then referred to Children's Neuro in Lowell and from there referred to Children's in Little Rock to a cranial doctor who referred us to physical therapy for a helmet. They put this little white stocking on his head that made him look stinking adorable while they took imaging of his head. They then instructed us to come back in two weeks for the helmet. The flatness of his head and widening on the sides is due to something called Brachycephaly.

 Before I continue, I must say that I kicked myself over this because I felt the shape of his head to be my fault. The only time my baby was on his back was while he slept at night. And don't get me started on tummy time. We did tummy time faithfully everyday and it tended to end with huge fits from Ben and tears from me. I did some research on this was relieved that I wasn't alone. Many babies have this problem. There are a variety of factors, but the main one is sleeping on their back. Does anyone remember the SIDS campaign? Back in the '90s and early 2000s doctors told us that babies needed to sleep on their back because they could get SIDS. I am not disagreeing with doctors whatsoever. However, I uncovered a rather interesting fact. Before the SIDS campaign only 1 in about 400 babies had flat heads. Since the SIDS campaign, 1 in 10 babies have flat heads! I was amazed by how many. And while I still do feel like somehow this is my fault from time to time, I realize I am not alone and many moms, good moms, deal with this too. So, we went to Little Rock to get his helmet.

My sister Cami said it looked like Magneto's helmet. I couldn't help but agree but insisted it was a superhero's helmet. It wouldn't be a wrong statement. Ben is my little superhero. This helmet is really tight and formed to fit his head. Yesterday, his first day with it, he had to wear it one hour on, one hour off. He really really really doesn't like the helmet. Yesterday was hard. But I did manage a few smiles from him. Especially when daddy held him ;)

Benjamin is perfect. He has nothing wrong with him neurologically and his brain functions just fine. Our baby is healthy and intelligent. We are just correcting a flat head because we love him. Mostly I am posting this for well meaning friends and family who have asked, and will continue to ask us questions.We are doing this because we want him to have a normal head shape. We love him and care about him. He is after all, our little superhero.