Fifteen Weeks

This week my friend Keri and I took Tate to a pumpkin patch to snap a few pictures.

Needless to say, he was a really good sport.  How did I end up with such an easy going baby!? It must be the Tyler in him.

We also got to go to Fidelity's Halloween Party.  We sort of wished Tate was a little older but it was fun getting to show him off in his darling costume.

My friend, Michelle Bury, took Tate's pictures for me in his costume.  It was just too cute to not document with something better than an iphone!

I didn't take very good notes at his PT visit this week but his torticollis is still improving.  His asymmetry measurement was a little bit worse but I was totally expecting it.  He was sleeping really good over his left side until this week and we're back to turning his head every couple of hours.

Week Fourteen/ 3 months

My little chunk is 3 months!  We got to weigh him this month because his pediatrician wanted to check his head again.  He's 14lbs 4oz putting him in the 69th percentile.  It's getting harder to believe this little boy was born in the 13th percentile.  The doctor was thrilled with the progress in his torticollis and plagiocephally and said we may avoid a helmet after all!

Ryan came to visit this week!  Tate also got to hang out with Grama Great while we worked on his halloween costume.

At this week's PT appointment, Tate was awesome!!  His passive side bend was 45 degrees each direction, which is the goal.  I unfortunately didn't write down his active right side bend.  The biggest news of the day was that his asymmetry score was 11mm, down a half of a centimeter!  The PT couldn't believe it and I was stunned.  I had prepared myself for another week of no progress since I was sort of disappointed the week before.

Week Thirteen

This week Tate really started to giggle!  He really makes you work for it but it is worth it!  I'd do anything or that little grin.

Ty's sister, Anna K, opened up a little soda and treat shop in Provo this week and we went to the friends and family night to support her.  I've also decided to support her and get my daily dose of diet coke on days that end in y.  If you're around Provo you have got to try it out!!  Get a dirty diet and an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie!

Play time with Granddad

Tate found his hand this week thanks to PT.  We also taught him how to reach and grab things and now he reaches for everything...my hair, jewelry, bottom lip...

Twelve Weeks

I'll be honest, this week was the absolutely hardest week I've had as a mom.  Tate did great at his physical therapy appointment, but doing it at home, by myself, was a different story.  He would push against me off my lap, had no interest in the toys I would try to hold in my mouth so that I had my hands free for the stretches.  By the end of it we were both usually in tears.  I also made the mistake of reading just a little too much online and it all just got to be too much.  I think mom guilt is one of Satan's most powerful and refined tools.  I have never felt more helpless or inadequate.

Thank goodness for a supportive husband, mom and friends though!  Grama sent Tate an awesome package full of toys to help him turn to the left.  He loves the wedged mirror and light up "ipod" to watch while he does his stretches.  We also discovered that once Tate is sound asleep, he'll let us do the stretches and they are much easier that way!  I wish I could do my work outs in my sleep!!

Tummy time is still not his favorite but he's learned he can't get out of it and usually just falls asleep. 

At this weeks physical therapy appointment his torticollis was improving but his head hadn't grown enough for there to be much progress with the plagiocephally.  Today his passive side bent to the left was a 35 (it was a 20 last week, goal is 45) and his rotation over his left shoulder is still 80 degrees.  His right side bend is just 5 degrees which is awesome (it was 10 last time, goal is 0)!! This week we got some strength exercises to do on top of the stretches.  They are much easier but it is hard to find the time to get all this homework in!

Eleven Weeks

This week was Tate's Blessing day.  It was so wonderful that so much of Tate's family was able to be there for his special day.  Tyler did a beautiful job and the Spirit was so strong.  Tate is such a special little boy with such a gentle but strong spirit about it.  I can't wait to see him fulfill the things that were mentioned in his blessing like serving a mission and getting married in the temple.  

Tate also had his first physical therapy appointment this week.  His therapist is awesome and Tate was an all star during the appointment.  We learned that Tate's torticollis was moderate but his plagiocephally was pretty severe.  They took a ton of measurements to see how far he could actively and passively turn his head or bend his neck side to side.  He can only tilt his head to the left (ear to shoulder) 20 degrees, 45 is the norm.  He can also only rotate his head over his left shoulder 80 degrees.  His head is tilted ten degrees to the right when he is just relaxed, and it should be 0.
They also measured his head to see how asymmetrical it was due to the physiologically.  They measure diagonally across his head on each side and the difference is your asymmetry score. Tate's measurement was 16mm, the norm is 0-3cm.
We got a lot of homework to do at home.  Re-positioning was our number one priority, basically we can't let Tate lay on his right side.  He can only be in a "semi-inclined upright position" (car seat, swing, bouncy chair, etc) for 20 minutes each day.  He also has stretches he has to do three times every day.

The biggest part of the re-positioning was to move Tate into his crib to sleep at night.  Mom was not ready for this and was very nervous!  Thankfully we have a twin bed in his room so I slept in there a few nights.  Tate was totally ready though and slept great even though I was up every hour turning his head to the correct side.

We went over to Aunt Gal's after physical therapy so that Ty and Brett could give Tate a blessing.

10 Weeks

 This week we took Tate to his first BYU game.  I keep thinking our luck with this kid is going to run out and one day he'll just decide he doesn't want to go with the flow anymore but not this boy! He's so easy going and we love it!!

Tate and dad even made it on ESPN!  So glad Aunt Kristi recognized them!

I started packing up his too small clothes.  I absolutely did not cry because that would just be silly.

We also met Tate's future roommate at BYU, Hudson.  Ty's old roommate, Brian was in town for a wedding and he and his wife had a baby the same week as Tate!  We decided that it was destiny and they just have to be roommates too.  BYU class of 2037!

Two Month Check Up

I can't believe my baby is two months!!!  He's growing so much!  At the doctor we found out that he is 23.75" (50th percentile) and 12lbs 1oz (84th percentile).  I love his huge cheeks and the chub on his legs!  Why is that so cute on him but not on me?! :p

He handled his shots like a champ!

When my mom was here last week, she noticed that he was getting a flat spot behind his right ear and through the back of his head.  I felt a little guilty, I thought baby's with flat heads had mom's who didn't hold them enough!  I started holding him differently and tried to make him sleep on the other side at night.  We figured it was just because he was such a great sleeper!  When my doctor brought it up at the appointment, I got really nervous and started to defend myself and tell him I held him as much as I could and was already doing everything I could to keep him off that side.  He stopped me and told me that there was nothing I could on my own do to have prevented it.  Tate was born with a short sternocleidomastoid muscle on his right side which made him unable to turn his head to the left.  I knew he favored his right side, but I didn't realize he actually couldn't turn to the left.  As I started looking through his pictures it became pretty obvious. The neck issue is called torticollis and it causes the flat head since he is unable to turn or move it when he is laying on his back.  Plagiocephally is the term for the flat head and is quite common since 1994 when they American Academy of Pediatrics started recommending that babies sleep on their backs to avoid SIDS.  My doctor referred me to a pediatric physical therapist and told me that Tate would most likely need to wear a helmet to help his head grow in the right shape.

Some tort pictures

Weeks 8 and 9

My mom and dad were bringing Ryan out to BYU-I this week and extended their trip a little longer to take a detour through SLC.  I had six students competing at a competition in Cottonwood Heights so the timing was perfect.  I stayed up at my Grandma's house and mom and grandma watched Tate while I was with my students.  Mom even brought Tate to the rink when he needed to eat.  I'm so lucky to have such a supportive mom!  She is such a great mom and grandma to Tate.  Every time she comes I feel like she helps me to be a better Mom so it's a good thing she has been able to visit a lot!!

Bathtime

My Skaters

Church

First {successful} nap in his crib.

Meeting Grama Judy and Papa Dean for the first time

Playing with Grama and Papa Great

What a lucky boy that he got to see four of his great-grandparents all in one day!!  

Getting Ready for the BYU v Utah game

We were both glad we watched that one at home!!