Quickie

My little stinker took a 30 minute nap this afternoon! I thought I would have been able to sit here for a bit and write out a blog but it looks like it'll just be photos and a video.

Tim is out of town today until early early Wednesday morning. There was a siting of a female black bear near where Tim did his field work for his thesis. He went out with a few people this morning to set up some hair snares to see if they could ID her. It sounds like they're all pretty excited. Later, he has a public meeting where he'll be on a panel of experts... Tim an expert? HA! I'm glad he's doing well with work and everything, though.

and I guess I'll leave you with photos....

Chocolate syrup with a hint of pears for dinner

Standing up on PawPaw's legs

He fell out of PawPaw's legs and busted his lip

Watching birds

Fell and hit his head on the doorframe after the birds flew away

Teething

Look at that belly!

Over the weekend

Like I said on Wednesday, our weekend was great! We got some quality time with family and I got to spend some much needed girl time with Shannon, Sydelle and Cynthia. I don't know what I'd do if I knew they weren't there for me- Love y'all!!

Thursday, Auggie and I went to the Houston Children's Museum. It is such a great museum! There is so much for kids to do with their parents. I'm sure when Auggie is older, he'll enjoy going. They have a Free Family night on Thursday nights from 5-8. I recommend it to anyone who has toddler to elementary school aged children. To be honest, Auggie & I only saw one exhibit- Kidtropolis- but it was fun and educational. We spent more of our time on the second level at the indoor play area for kids 3 and under. I know Auggie really enjoyed it once he noticed the bead-on-tracks toy (like this... I couldn't tell you what its called). Then he discovered the ball pit. He had so much fun with the balls and chasing them around once he climbed out of the little enclosure. He was exhausted by the time we left.

The rest of the weekend was pretty uneventful. We spent the majority of the time at the house taking it easy. Somer, Delaney and Jeanice came over Friday afternoon. Delaney is so cute! She played peek-a-boo with me for a bit- adorable! It's hard to believe Auggie and Delaney are about a month apart... Auggie is tiny compared to a lot of the kids his age. I guess it'll even out eventually.

Saturday we were able to watch Cole play a double header. I left my camera at the house so I didn't get any pictures of Cole playing. Auggie enjoyed playing in the dirt and grass. It was really his first time in the dirt, though. In College Station, all we have is sand and its so dusty!

Auggie turned 10 months old on Saturday, too! I can't believe we have 2 months until his birthday! Gotta get to planning again!

Since Tim was enjoying his time fishing, I wasn't in any rush to get home and I know Tim wasn't either. He was able to stay and fish Monday so neither of us got home until 8 or 9 that night. Tim figured out how much time he spent fishing over the weekend- 37 hours! I can't imagine being in the water that much just fishing! No wonder his lips and nose are wind burned!

I don't know if I've said anything about me working soon or not. No, no, I'm not going to work- I'm going to start babysitting in either October or January! A girl I know from La Porte asked me in the spring if I would be interested in babysitting her son. Well, Jonathan was born yesterday! He is absolutely adorable! I hope the new family is doing well! I can't wait to meet him!

Auggie has been enjoying being home the past couple days. He has free reign over everything- okay, well, he had free reign in La Porte, too. Signing has been going alright.. nothing new or too consistent but I know he understands us when we sign milk or ball. I know he'll get it eventually! He's been making a few new noises. It's not the usual babble like most people think of when they say their kids babble (you know, "ba-ba-ba" or "ma-ma-ma") but we think its his way of babbling. He is definitely vocal.

Wednesday, we started Mainly Music again at First Baptist Church in Bryan. It has grown so much since we started going in March. Now they have 3 classes on Wednesdays with 2 new teachers. We're doing the 10 am session with 2 other moms from our Meet Up group. Most of the other moms are doing the 1 pm session but it coincides with Auggie's nap so we couldn't register for that one. I met a really nice mom while I was there yesterday. She asked what condition Auggie had and that sparked a 45 minute conversation. Her son was diagnosed with Spondylo-Epiphyseal Dysplasia (SED) a form of dwarfism. I enjoy having those conversations- makes me feel not so alone sometimes!

I had another conversation with an 18 year old Best Buy cashier over the weekend. He asked what was on Auggie's head and ended up explaining how his younger brother has 2 cochlear implants. I kind of chuckled when he said Auggie will probably have "super power hearing." It was good to hear that and have someone so nice tell their experience. It makes things so much easier when people are nice.

Well, I think I have rambled on long enough.. now to the pictures and videos I'm sure most of you are here to look at!

Waiting in the lobby at the Houston Children's Museum
Just a bad timing with the camera... but I do like this picture

Auggie loved crawling on the road

A nice day for a picnic

Auggie liked twirling the petals around

He got really excited about the play area as soon as he saw this toy

And he loved the ball bit!

Auggie also really enjoyed the bubble tube... It was hard to take him away

It had been a long day!

I had to get a picture of this

This was from our trip the summer of 2005! Cole had just turned 4!

Delaney and Auggie 

Great weekend!

We had a great weekend... sadly, we weren't all together.

Tim went fishing on the coast with a few people from Giddings. He had a good time and got a little sun and wind burned but I'm sure it was well worth all the fish he caught. 

Auggie and I took made the weekend long by meeting up with a couple moms from College Station at the Houston Children's Museum on Thursday. It was a great day. I know Auggie had a blast because he was asleep before I drove out of the parking garage on our way to La Porte. We spent Thursday evening through Monday evening in La Porte visiting with friends and family. I'll post picture of our trip Thursday. 

I am very excited to show you the rest of our pictures from our session with Kassi's Kandids. I finally got together with Kassi to pick them up. It seemed like our schedules always overlapped! 

Auggie knows

100th Post!

Click the photo to read my post about Craniofacial Acceptance Month

Wow! This is officially my 100th post! It only took me a little over a year to do but I'm so glad I have stuck with it! Too bad I can't say that with my personal paper journal. I really need to get back into writing more than once a month!

Leaning his forehead against Tim

His knee kept hitting the dog's foot and it kept making noise. Auggie didn't know what to do

I had a stuffed dog in my hand to play with Auggie... he crawled to me, took the dog and crawled away

He crawled under the exersaucer and behind the chair- of course, where he's not allowed to be!

MMMM... Camel's crinkly ear!

He hasn't quite gotten the idea of the push toy yet

He got ahold of Daddy's phone! Good thing he has an OtterBox!

Trying to figure out what I was doing on my phone

Auggie has started showing off his teeth! He has 6 on top and 2 on bottom that we can tell for sure. 2 of his top ones haven't been cut, though. You can definitely tell a difference in Auggie's mood when his mouth is bothering him. He has an appointment with a pediatric dentist in Austin in November so we'll see what she says about them then. Hopefully they won't be too much of a problem this young.

More and more of Auggie's personality is coming out. He is such a Daddy's boy! He gets upset when Tim leaves for work and gets really excited when he comes home. Tim can hardly go anywhere without Auggie on his heels!

I was about to take a picture of him and Tim walked through the door!

Auggie has started to let us know he's bored or upset by pulling on his BAHA. The headband is made out of elastic and Saturday, he found out the hard way how fast elastic snaps back when you let go of it. He has a little round bruise on his forehead and had a small knot because he snapped the band. He cried for a while but Tim gave him a bath shortly afterward. The bath definitely calmed him down. We're really hoping he stops pulling on it too much. I guess once he learns the BAHA is helping him hear, he'll stop messing with it. I'm hoping he learns that soon!

Do you see the knot?

I was going to leave you with a few videos but Facebook is not being cooperative so I'll leave you with Auggie dancing....

and Auggie's new chew toy

September is Craniofacial Acceptance Month

Okay- please bear with me on this post.

Within a few hours after Auggie was born, Tim and I both agreed we wouldn't be the preachy type about Treacher-Collins Syndrome. No pushing people into donating or fundraising or volunteering their time... nothing like that.

However, I just can't help myself since...

I mostly want our friend and family (... and well, everyone!) to realize every person is different. I want you to think before you make comments about someone's appearance even if it just a quiet whisper to your friend or even a loud joke later amongst a group of friends. I'm sure everyone has been in that situation- heck, I'll even admit I've been there and done that. But I do know I've stopped since I became a mom. [insert Family Guy's Brian "until you have a child" joke here]

But seriously, instead if poking fun or staring or even ignoring it altogether... educate yourself! Take the time to learn something new. Don't just pretend to care... DO care! It might pay off in the long term. You might make someone's day or even gain a new friend. It might even help you personally one day.

A Facebook friend posted this and I thought I'd share with you....

"Please take a closer look at me, not what you see but what’s beneath

To you I may not look the same as others that have come your way

But my face does grin when I am glad and my eyes cry when I am sad,

I need comfort when I’m in pain, will you take a look again?

My heart beats the same as yours, can you try not to overlook

that I am human just as you and I need love and acceptance too.

God creates each of his children, with no mistakes when sent from heaven

So, before you point at me and laugh, take time to know the other half

the part of me that doesn’t show, you will change your mind I know.

My soul is gentle and I am kind, strength and faith I have inside

I hope someday you will believe that we are not so different see,

And At the end of every day, I close my eyes real tight and pray

that someday you won’t turn your head, but get to know who I am instead

I am more than just the face you see. Would you please take a closer look at me?"

By: Carmen Mickley
I know it usually brightens my day when someone asks about Auggie's syndrome (other day, not so much, but I'm getting better). And I usually feel better once I answer them. With the simple answer of what TCS is, I have put Treacher-Collins Syndrome into their vocabulary; I have spread the word of a syndrome that not many people know about; and I may have sparked some curiosity to go read into it.

I mostly hope I spark interest in finding more information. We went into my pregnancy knowing we didn't need to any genetic testing because there is no history of diseases or syndromes in our families. It never crossed my mind we still had a chance of a chromosomal syndrome affecting our family. I would like for anyone who wants kids or has kids to keep that in the back of their mind... it can happen. It was a 2% chance for us... It can definitely happen.

I'll get off my soap box now but before I leave you to take advantage of Craniofacial Acceptance Month.. I'd like to thank everyone and anyone who has sent me texts, a emails or Facebook messages (etc) about being here for me. I know I haven't really opened up to anyone but I really do appreciate all the kind words I have received. I'm getting there... and you never know, maybe it'll be the one time you ask and I actually open up. Our family has been wonderful and I know we have the support from all of our friends. So thank you, with all my heart I thank you! (Heather, Jenna, Emily, Liz and my IG Moms... to name a few friends for now- the longer list and a better thank you is coming later).

I listed a couple organizations that have helped us along the way. If you ever find yourself wanting to donate money or volunteer your time, please look into them.

Children's Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas (Seton group of hospitals' donation site)

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Austin and Central Texas: Since Auggie spent 12 days in the NICU at Dell Children's, we were very thankful they had a Ronald McDonald House just across the parking lot. For a small fee a day, we were supplied with an amazing room and 2 meals a day. But that is only possible if people help out. They accept monetary donations as well as volunteers to cook meals, clean, etc. I highly suggest looking in The Ronald McDonald House Charities.