Ben is One!!!

Happy happy birthday to my sweet little man!!! Last week, Ben had his first birthday!

It is hard to believe that one little tiny man has been through all of this in one year. He is doing so well now, you would never know anything was ever wrong with him. We are so grateful to have a happy, healthy little boy!

Ben at One Year:

• 20 pounds, 12 ounces (25th percentile)
• 30 inches tall (55th percentile)
• Head circumference of 19.8 inches (still 100th percentile)
• Still takes 2 naps per day (thank goodness!)
• Is cruising all over the place, but not walking yet
• Love to get into everything!!
• His favorite place in the house is our snack drawer- he gets in it and plays
• Has seven teeth- three on top, four on bottom
• Has a very sophisticated palate- his favorite foods are bananas with pumpkin, turkey with spinach and rosemary and something that I can't even pronounce!
• could live on fruit loops if I would let him!
• loves his brothers so much!
• has a smile that will melt your heart!
• He is still the sweetest, happiest baby in the whole world!
  

We decided to go to Florida for Ben's first birthday and Thanksgiving, just our little family of five. It was such a fun trip that I will never forget! Ben's birthday celebration included beach time, a photo shoot, and last, but not least, a birthday cupcake! I thought I would share some of the pictures from his real birthday. Enjoy!

Birthday Party pictures coming soon!!

Ben's First Haircut!

Ben had his first haircut yesterday!! It has also been six months since his surgery! Woo hoo!!

Before- Crazy hair!!!!

Before- Getting ready for my first haircut!!!!

After- What a big boy!!!I just wanted to share the pictures on his head blog. He is growing up so fast! He looks like such a big kid now!

One Month of Helmetless Fun!

I have been missing bragging on my sweet baby Ben, so I thought I would post an update.

It has been over a month since Ben finished helmet therapy! Everyone asked me if he was so much happier without his helmet, and I have to say there was no difference at all for him. He has always been a happy baby, and the helmet really didn't affect him in any noticeable way. It is much more difficult on the parents than on the kiddos.

That being said, I could not be happier to have his head back! I still find myself playing with his hair every time I feed him. The "where did he get that red hair" comments have returned- after a major decrease while he was in his helmet. And the timing could not have been any better for getting the plastic hat off- I can't imagine if he had been in it this last month. We would not have left the house because he would have been so miserable.

Ben is still in physical therapy, but only once a month. We went back today for his first visit since he got his helmet off. Kea, his therapist, was so happy to see him without his helmet! She was so impressed with the progress he has made in the last month. Ben is army crawling all over our house, and it is only a matter of days before he takes off on all fours. He gets up on all fours and smiles so big like he is going to race around, but then he gets down on his belly. He is trying to pull up on things, but hasn't quite figured that one out yet either, although he really wants too.

He is growing up too fast! J.P. brought it to my attention last night that we have a 9 month old and I almost started to cry! He is supposed to be my baby, and he is just growing up so fast! I wish I could keep him little forever!

Ben had his 9 month checkup on Monday and weighs 19 pounds 10 ounces! This is only the 30th percentile, but it is the same weight that Jack and Luke were at 1 year old. It is all in Ben's big head, cheeks and double chin! He seems to be a very healthy little guy, and we don't take that for granted! I am so grateful for my happy healthy baby- especially after all he has been through.

I will post some of the latest Ben pictures, as I am sure you have been missing his sweet face!

Also, I started a fun blog about being a housewife. I share tales of my boys and other fun things about my life on there- so check it out: Barefoot and Pregnant.

End of Helmet Photo Shoot

Happy happy baby!

So Happy to show off his pretty red hair!!

Look at those cheeks!

His very last helmet picture!!

Profile Shot Look at the egg-shaped head!!!

The end of a chapter...

Hip hip hooray!!!! Ben is finished with helmet therapy!!!!

Ben and I went to Dallas today, along with my mom, for what we thought would be a helmet adjustment and scan. When we arrived Dwayne said Ben does not have to wear it anymore! I was so excited that I didn't ask too many questions. I probably should have been a bit more inquisitive about if he had talked to Dr. Genecov or how he came about his decision to discharge us, but I was too excited- I just wanted to get out of there. We might send him an email just to double-check that it is the right time for Ben to finish up, but I won't push the matter too much. I am so happy to have Ben's fluffy head back!

As we were checking out of Star Cranial, the receptionist said, "Have a good life!" I thought this was great- no more helmet appointments! Woo hoo! Dwayne said we could come back in six months, when we go see Dr. Genecov, to get a scan if we wanted to follow up, but it is not required.

The whole afternoon I was kissing Ben's head and playing with his hair. I just can't get enough of his head. It was amazing how many comments he got as we were walking around: "Look at that red hair!", "What beautiful hair" and the ever-present "Where did he get that red hair?" I didn't realize how few comments we got with his helmet until he had it off. He looks so different with it off- it might take me a couple days to get used to it. I am loving his fluffy red-head!

As my mom and I were talking today she said, "What a crazy six months you have had!" I couldn't agree more! It has been almost six months since we received Ben's diagnosis. At the time it seemed like it would take over our lives forever. It is hard to believe that this chapter in our lives is coming to an end. Ben has amazed us with his strength and positive attitude- he truly is the happiest baby I have ever seen. This journey has made us realize how much we take our health for granted. I appreciate all three of my children so much more because of what we have been through. What a journey it has been!

Ben's journeywith Craniosynostosis is winding down, but I will continue to update the blog whenever there are any major milestones or developments. Thank you all for your continued support and prayers. We are so grateful for all of our family and friends!

(The picture above was taken tonight to document this momentous day! There will be many more hlemetless pictures to follow. It also shows a more serious side of Ben. He was totally exhausted after his big day!)

Dallas Day 8 and a Helmet Update

Ben and I had a Dallas day today! We met with Dr. Genecov and had a helmet adjustment. It was a busy day, but we had good appointments.

Dr. Genecov opened the door and Ben's face lit up like a Christmas tree! He smiled so big and stretched his arms out to Dr. Genecov- it was one of the cutest things I have ever seen! Dr. Genecov held Ben for a minute while his nurse and fellow gushed over him. He is a big hit at their office! (Enough bragging about Ben... I know...)

He said that Ben's head looked great. He was pleased that his fontanels (soft spots) were both still open- which I thought we wanted to be closing up. He said we do not want them to close up too fast or get too hard because they could fuse again. So, Ben's head is doing just what it is supposed to do. I asked him how much longer he wanted Ben in the helmet and he said to keep him in the helmet until he outgrows it, but we do not need to get a second helmet. He was very happy with Ben's results and doesn't want to see him again for six months!

After that, we headed on over to Star Cranial. I was anxious to ask Dwayne how long he thought Ben's helmet would fit him. He said he is a very skilled technician who can make the helmets like Ben's last for a long time (not the news I really wanted to hear). He then went on to say that there is a group of doctors involved in a study, Dr. Genecov being one of them, and Dr. Genecov tends to keep his patients in their helmets longer than the other doctors. The average for the others is 14-18 weeks. Ben has been in his 16 weeks currently.

Dwayne said he is meeting with Dr. Hobar, another surgeon who does the same procedure as Genecov, next week. He said he would ask his opinion about how long he thinks we should keep Ben in his helmet. I was not going to leave there until I got a guess out of him, so he told me probably about another month. This was music to my ears! I was prepared for another three months. I am trying not to get too excited, but it is looking like things are winding down on the helmet therapy front.

We go back in two and a half weeks. We will do another scan and Dwayne will look at everything and call Dr. Genecov to discuss the results. We have another appointment booked for August 10- I am hoping this will be our last helmet appointment!

Going to Dallas wares me out, but it is nice to have Ben to my self all day! We had a fun day together, and I will probably miss the little day trips once they are over. But, I can't wait to have his perfectly round head on display for all to see, without a helmet!

Picture: Ben fell asleep with his book in his mouth while we were taxiing to our gate in Tulsa- not very good timing. But, he did look awfully cute, so that is the picture for this week's post!

Happy 4th of July!

Love, Ben

Three (almost four) Months Post-Op

We had a scan at our Dallas appointment last week, so I thought I would post some pics. His shape is looking really good. They want his forehead and back right corner to round out a little bit. Other than those two minor things, his shape is right where they want it to be.

As you can see, the changes in the last six weeks are not as dramatic as the first six weeks. This is totally normal, because the head growth is not as rapid. We are still making progress!

We go back next week and see Dr. Genecov. I am really looking forward to hearing what he thinks of Ben's progress. I will update again then!

June update

It has been almost a month since my last post! As I've said before, no news is good news.

Ben has been working really hard with his physical therapy, and has made great strides since we started. We saw Liesa, our primary physical therapist, two weeks ago and she was amazed at how much Ben has improved. She had not seen Ben in almost two months, so she was very impressed! She checked over all of the goals she made for Ben initially, and he had met every one of them. She does not consider Ben to have any kind of delay, and wants to cut back on our appointments- woo hoo! Ben will go every-other week until he starts crawling, and then once a month until he starts walking. He will be cruising around before we know it. He already makes his way around by rolling and squirming. His nickname at our house is "Speed Roller!"

Last time we were in Dallas, I asked our orthotist how long he thought Ben would be in his helmet. He didn't give me a direct answer, but said that Ben still has both on his fontanels (soft spots) very open on top. They want those to be closed, or close to it, before they take him out of the helmet. To me, it feels like that means another 3 months. The shape of his head is looking phenomenal, we just need that bone to grow in on top. They said initially 3-6 months of helmet therapy, and we are a little over three months in. Hopefully it won't be longer than six!

We are headed to Dallas tomorrow for an adjustment, and then we will go back in two weeks and see Dr. Genecov. I can't wait to hear what he says! I think Ben is having a scan tomorrow. If so, I will post the scan and some "head shots" later this week. I love seeing how much he is improving!

Thank you all for your continued support. We are so blessed to have this sweet little boy in our lives!

Baby Ben is Growing Up

Ben is six months old!! He is growing up way too fast, and I don't like it one bit! I wish he would stay this little forever. But, I know that is not going to happen, so I will try to enjoy these milestones along the way.

Ben at six months old:

• 16 pounds 12.5 ounces (25th percentile)
• 25.5 inches tall (25th percentile)
• head circumference of 18.5 inches (still 100th percentile)
• Sleeps from 9pm-8am, usually without any feedings
• Is holding his head up and rolling around
• Thinks Jack is the funniest person in the world
• Loves his Baby Einstein playmat and all the hanging toys
• Chews on his hands non-stop and occasionally gets a foot in there
• No teeth yet, but he is definitely working on some
• Had his first baby rice cereal, I am quite certain it all came back out his mouth
• Talks all the time, he has the sweetest voice
• Is the happiest baby in the world!

We had a big photo shoot to celebrate his six month birthday, so I thought I would share some of the pics!

Things are Looking Up

Ben achieved a very important milestone this week, and I couldn't be more proud! He has mastered the art of lifting his head off the floor all by himself. Only a Momma could be so excited by such a seemingly simple accomplishment. But, it is a major step in the right direction for Ben's development.

We have been in physical therapy for about a month now, and the main focus has been on "tummy time" and getting him to hold his head up. Now, after much practice, he has figured out how to do it all on his own. There is no going back now, he will be crawling around before we know it!

I just had to brag on my little man. He is very proud of himself too, as you can see from the pictures. He is just too cute, if I do say so myself!

Helmet therapy progress

Ben's surgery was over two months ago, and I can't believe how fast time is flying! Ben is five months old, and getting bigger every day. Everyone who sees him can't believe how chubby he is getting. He is definitely not lacking in the cheek department!

Be has been in his helmet for seven weeks, and we are starting to see some results. We went to Dallas last week and saw Dr. Genecov and had a helmet adjustment. Dr. Genecov was pleased with Ben's head. He said he is starting to get some bone growth on top where his giant soft spot is. He was also glad to see that Ben's head is not growing tall on top. His head is growing in all the right places. We will not see Dr. Genecov again for two months- so we have at least two months left of helmet therapy.

Ben had a few minor adjustments on his helmet. The exciting part of our appointment was another scan. With the scan, the technician was able to show me exactly where his head has grown and where we want it to go. It helps to see it on the computer! We are able to see his head rounding out, and I wanted to include some pictures to show all of you Ben fans just how he is coming along. These are from bath time at home. Ben's physical therapy is going well. I feel like we are reaching a point where we can cut back a bit and keep working with him at home. We will go back this week and see what they say. He still has a lot of work to do, but he is getting stronger every day.

Ben amazes us with his great personality and easy-going nature. He is a great traveler and a good sport about everything he has to go through. He is such an amazing baby! We couldn't ask for more.

PT and Dallas Trip 3

I guess no news is good news when it comes to Ben's Head Blog! The past couple weeks have been busy, but nothing too stressful or urgent.

Ben started physical therapy last week. He has a mild case of Torticollis- which causes his head to always tilt to the left. It also prevents him from turning his head all the way to the left. Dr. Genecov mentioned this in the first 10 minutes of our first visit with him, as it is very common with Sagittal Craniosynostosis. Another reason to do physical therapy with Ben is to keep him on track with his gross motor skills. Because his head is so big and he has the added weight of the helmet, he is at risk for delays in gross motor skills- such as crawling.

Ben progressed a great deal just in the week of doing our special exercises. We would put him on our chest to do tummy time, so that he would be trying to lift his head to see our faces instead of just the floor. He did great with the exercise, especially with J.P. He usually just wanted to lay his head down and cuddle with his Momma! We also sit him on a ball and tip him to his left so he will tilt his head to the right. It is a natural instinct to balance yourself.

This week we are on to bigger and harder exercises. Ben now has tummy time on a rolled-up towel with his elbows tucked under him, like in the picture above. This allows him to hold his head up, but his shoulders take some of the pressure off his neck. He is doing really well so far. We also are focusing on getting him to turn his head to the left by tracking a toy. Again, doing great. I think he will be progressing quickly and we will hopefully be done with physical therapy, at least on a weekly basis, in a month or two. Right now we are going twice a week on non-Dallas weeks, and once a week on the weeks we have helmet fittings.

We went back to Dallas this Tuesday for another helmet adjustment. Everything is going along great- no problems. They didn't even need to adjust his helmet much, just tuck his little ear pieces back in to keep it stable on his head. Next time we go he will be scanned again. I am excited to see the progress he has made with his head shape. We will see Dr. Genecov next time we go back as well. Ben is such a great baby that the Dallas days are almost a little vacation for me! I get Ben to myself all day and get to do a bit of shopping every now and again. He is such a good traveler!

Good news on the insurance front! We were approved for in-network rates. I won't go too far into it, but both of our surgeons were considered out-of-network. It was possible that we would have had to pay a very large deductible because of this, but our appeal was approved and our insurance company is covering our surgeons. Thank goodness!!

Things are finally starting to settle down a little bit around our house. I laugh when I say that, because things are never calm at our house with three kids under four! But, they are much better than they were in the middle of preparing for his surgery.

Thank you to everyone for your continued prayers and support!

One Month Post-op

Well, we have had quite the busy couple weeks since my last update! Ben is officially one month post-op and has been in his helmet 23-hours per day for over two weeks. He amazes us with how well he is doing.

Ben has adjusted amazingly well to his helmet. He had a few nights that he didn't sleep well, but I figured out that he was getting too hot all swaddled up with his helmet on. Once I switched to a lighter blanket and left his little feet out he slept great again, thank goodness! He has spoiled me by sleeping through the night! My biggest gripe about the helmet is that his hair is falling out like crazy. I am sure this is a combination of the helmet rubbing on his hair all day as well as being very hot. Hopefully it won't all fall out! Ben is doing so well in his helmet, he even lifted his head up off the floor for the first time last week! This is a big step because he has a huge head and the added weight of the helmet.

J.P. and I have adjusted to the helmet lifestyle as well. Ben has two baths every day to wash his hair and his helmet so he doesn't get too stinky. I am getting used to explaining it to people when they ask. I have found that a surprising amount of people know of someone who has had to wear a helmet for one reason or another. Who knew!? I'm actually so used to seeing him in it that I think he looks a little funny without it. We cherish our one hour a day of helmet-free time. I kiss his head and snuggle with him as much as I can.

Ben and I had our second day trip to Dallas yesterday. Although it started off on the wrong foot- I overslept- it went very well. We made it to Dallas in time for our 9a.m. appointment with Dr. Genecov. He felt around on Ben's head and said everything is good. He had some concerns about the helmet therapy, but worked all of those out after talking to our "helmet guy." He said that Ben still has a long time in the helmet because his soft-spot on top is still so open. But to me it seems like we just started with the helmet, so I am not discouraged. I just hope he won't be in it for six more months!

We got in a bit of shopping in between appointments yesterday, which was fun. It is nice to have some time outside of doctors' offices! Then we headed to Star Cranial, the helmet place. Ben had a few adjustments made and DeWayne talked to Dr. Genecov on the phone, which DeWayne said was a first. Dr. Genecov is taking a more active role in Ben's helmet therapy than he has with his previous patients. It is just one more reason we have been very happy with Dr. Genecov.

Today we met with Dr. Kayser, a genetic specialist. As I mentioned previously, Ben's genetic testing indicated that he had some abnormalities. He said that Ben's Y chromosome has some parts missing and some extra parts as well. The syndromes associated with the abnormalities don't seem to be present in Ben, thankfully. None of the abnormalities appear to be related to Ben's craniosynostosis diagnosis. The meeting was a bit overwhelming to me- genetics is all so complex. Both Ben and J.P. had blood drawn today to do more tests. Since it is his Y chromosome that is abnormal, all 3 boys and J.P. may have the same abnormality. Since they are all seemingly healthy we are not too worried. He also said that the Y chromosome is relatively unimportant. We will find out more in 2-4 weeks.

We go back to Dallas in two more weeks for a helmet adjustment. Should be an easy trip with only one appointment!

This whole process has definitely made me more grateful for my healthy kids! Ben's condition is minor in the grand scheme of things, and he should be good as new in six months. We are so blessed!

Easter Bunny

Happy Easter!

Love,

Ben

Dallas Day Trip

Ben and I made it to and from Dallas yesterday without a hitch! I was so nervous about making it through security by myself, but it ended up going smoothly. Ben enjoyed his first plane ride- even though he slept most of the time.

We left our house at 5:40 a.m., which I thought would be awful, but it worked out just fine. We made it to Dallas at 8 a.m. and back home by 4 p.m. We rented a car and I drove us all over Dallas. I am learning my way around Dallas quite well!

His helmet appointment was much shorter this week, thank goodness. His ear opening was cut to be a little bit bigger, and they moved the pads inside his helmet. The helmet technician had me feel Ben's head where to pads were and I could feel on his skull little indentions. These will all even out, it just goes to show how fast his head is growing; last week the pads were barely touching his hair, and five days later they caused indentions. We don't go back for two weeks, so I am sure we will be ready for an adjustment.

After his helmet appointment we had an appointment with Dr. Genecov. We were able to get in and out of his office in less than 30 minutes- pretty impressive! Dr. Genecov said that Ben's incisions look great, and that everything is going as planned. He wants to see us back every time we have a helmet appointment so he can make sure the shape is being corrected properly. This is a bit of a scheduling hassle, but we want to make sure we are getting the best results out of helmet therapy.

There are several syndromes that go along with Craniosynostosis. Ben does not have any other symptoms of any of the syndromes, but we wanted to have him tested just to be on top of things. During Ben's surgery, a blood sample was taken and sent for genetic testing. We received the report yesterday from Dr. Genecov and Ben has 3 abnormalities. Dr. Genecov is not qualified to interpret the report so we are setting up an appointment with a geneticist to discuss the abnormalities. We are not too concerned at the moment, based on what little we could decipher from the report. It is just one more thing to worry about and wait on an answer. Hopefully we can get answers soon!

We will be going back every two weeks, which is much better than every week! Flying down, renting a car and flying back really wasn't too bad. I can handle it every other week.

Ben is now wearing his helmet 23 hours per day! He has done so well adjusting! He has not had any problems sleeping in it or anything. I am certain that it bothers me much more than it bothers him. I miss being able to kiss his head and play with his beautiful hair! I will just have to take full advantage of the hour-a-day I get without his helmet. Yesterday was also my first time with him in public in his helmet. Only one person asked me why he had a helmet, and I didn't catch any stares like I was anticipating. The only thing I noticed was that I didn't get a single red-head comment, which is a real rarity (his hair looks much darker in the helmet because it gets all sweaty).

That is my weekly update! Ben is doing great, and we couldn't be happier! Thank you again for all of the love, prayers and support. We are so blessed!

Helmet Time

It has been more than two weeks since Ben's surgery, so now it is time to start helmet therapy. My mom, all three boys and I went to Dallas for a Spring Break trip, with the main objective of getting Ben's helmet. We managed to get in a little bit of shopping too!

We picked up Ben's helmet yesterday, which was a much more complicated process than I had anticipated. The helmet was made just for Ben, based on the measurements they took when his head was scanned two weeks ago. They put the helmet on him and then made various adjustments to make sure it fits properly. Getting the right fit is a long trial and error process-our appointment lasted almost two hours.

Ben's helmet is clear so that we can keep an eye on his incisions, which are healing wonderfully. I am glad it is clear because we can still see all of his pretty red hair!

Ben will be "breaking in" his helmet over the next five days. Today he is supposed to wear it for one hour followed by a one-hour break, then repeat. The time he wears it will increase each day until he is wearing it 23-hours per day. He will have his first nap in his helmet on Sunday, and sleep in it all night Monday night.

So far, it has not bothered Ben at all, except for when I pick him up- he shrieks just for a second. I think it might pinch his little neck. He has been very happy in it, and we had our first helmet photo session. I think he has to be the cutest kid in a helmet ever! I think it will be harder for me to adjust to the helmet than for him.

Ben and I are flying back to Dallas on Tuesday for a helmet adjustment and an appointment with Dr. Genecov. It will be our first flying-solo adventure. I am a bit nervous about getting through security alone, but we will get the hang of it after a time or two. After that, we will have a two-week break until we have to go back.

On a side-note: I read an article detailing the procedure similar to Ben's. Click here to read it. There were a few differences, but it a good, detailed description for those of you who are interested.

One Week Post-Op

It has been a week since Ben's surgery, and it is simply amazing how fast he recovered! He is 100% back to himself. He is on his normal schedule, and is such a happy little guy. You would never know that he had his skull cut open just a week ago. We could not be any happier with the decision we made to go with the less invasive procedure.

Ben has not needed any pain medicine since we have been home, and he just finished up his antibiotic. All we have to do is shampoo his head every day for three weeks to keep his incisions clean. His stitches are all disolveable. It is amazing how easy the upkeep has been.

I think the past week has been much harder on J.P. and I than it has on Ben. We were both exhausted from our time in Dallas, and there is no time to be tired with 2 toddlers around! We are slowly recovering, and Ben has been so kind to let us sleep all night.

One of the hardest things has been protecting Ben's precious little head. Ben has a huge soft-spot on top of his head, and two crazy brothers running around. I can't lay him on his play mat or in his bouncy chair if they are awake, which makes it pretty hard to get things done around the house. I never thought I would say this, but it will be kind of nice once he has his helmet!

I am going to Dallas with my mom and all three boys next week. We are making a little trip out of going to get Ben's helmet. I think Jack and Luke will probably want to get helmets too! Since I will be doing lots of flying back and forth, it will be nice to have a fun trip in there too.

I honestly can't thank everyone enough for all of the prayers, support, and kind gestures! The meals have been especially helpful in this last week. Thank you to all of the wonderful Marquette parents who make goody bags for Jack and Luke, and who setup a 742-DINE account for us. We are so blessed to be surrounded by such wonderful, thoughtful people!

I wanted to include a few post-op pics of Ben's head. The shape has already changed a little bit, but the real difference will be seen after helmet therapy.

We're Home!

We are so happy to be home! It feels like an enormous weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I do not have to worry about surgery anymore! It is a wonderful feeling.

Ben and I both slept pretty well Thursday night. He didn't even wake up when the nurse came in with the blood pressure cuff in the middle of the night. We both woke up feeling good and ready to go home. Ben thought it was hilarious to rip the monitors off his chest. We took it as a sign he was ready to get out of there! Dr. Weprin and Dr. Genecov's fellow came by and they both said he looked great and that we could go home. Yippee!!

Ben was the biggest hit at the hospital! Lauren, our nurse in the PICU, said he was the cutest kid she had ever seen, aside from her own. Our nurse yesterday morning took him out and showed him off to all the other nurses. Everyone who came in our room said "I heard about his red hair!"

We were discharged at 11:30am yesterday. Star Cranial was able to squeeze us in for an appointment in the afternoon, so we won't have to fly back on Monday as originally planned. Ben was scanned for his helmet. They have a special machine with 4 lasers and 10 cameras which measure all of the dimensions of Ben's head in 1.5 seconds. All of the data is uploaded to their computer so they can custom-build his helmet. He had to wear a funny little cap while this was done, and he looked so silly! We will go back on March 18 to get his helmet.

We made it out of Dallas, after battling traffic, and home by about 8:30 last night. Ben slept almost the entire way home and then slept through the night. He really is the best baby in the whole world! All of the nurses said his schedule would be off for a few weeks, but he is back in his normal routine. I am amazed!

We feel so relieved to have all of this behind us. We can't believe how many people were praying for Ben this week, and we are so grateful!