Summer's First Bath (aged 14 weeks)

Photo as promised. Summer will kill us when she's old enough to I am sure. She just better pray we dont publish any of the other photos we have!!!

Turns out people didn't like it so under duress its back to what it was until agreement is reached!!

Format change

Thought I would change the template of the blog shamelessly copying other blogs I like. Much nicer I'm sure you will agree!!

More to pray about

We had the appointment with the paediatrician this week. She was really happy with her development and her hips etc etc. However we now have a referral to an eye consultant. It has become clear that Summer is not looking and focusing as she should, not following quite normally. We are sure that she can see something but we just don't know how much. The best scenario is that this is merely some developmental delay and all will be fine in a few weeks. We don't like to think of any other outcome. Any eye problems would not be related to the Spina Bifida or Hydrocephalus (to the degree Summer had it) we are told, so to have this on top of everything else would be hard for us all to take.

Other than that all is fine, a few more smiles each day which is great and she sleeps so well, 7pm thought till 5am!!

Really Good News

Monday had the potential to be a really bad day but it was completely the opposite. Summer head size is now returning to normal for her age showing she is absorbing the extra fluid in the 3rd ventricle really well. Well done Summer!!!

Also one of her hips is now fully relocated and back where it should be and the other is just on the cusp of being in as well. The brace will stay on for the mean time but the likely hood of need a body plaster cast are dropping. An obvious relief.

We are able to remove the brace for a short period to give her a first bath!! We cant wait as flannel washing is jut not cutting it all the time. They have changed her brace which has helped the smell a bit!!

What an answer to prayer this has been. Thank you everyone who has supported us. There will be more set backs no doubt but this is a high point celebrated well last night with a little bubbly!

Will definitely take a piccy of the first bath to upload here soon!

A holiday!

We have just come back from a lovely mini holiday in Sufolk. Nics parents were away, so we used their house for a few days and caught up with John, Nics brother. Summer had her first trip to the seaside, she didnt partake in the fish & chips yet! It was so nice doing normal things.

We are famous again! Siobhon wrote a second article for Practical parenting as a follow up & it is in septembers edition. Its talks about our faith and our descision not to terminate the pregnancy. It is a good summery of how we feel about Summer which is great.

I am waiting for the Health vistor at the moment and we have a scan on Summers hips this afternoon. I am really praying that both will go well.
I leave you with a picture of us on Dunwitch Heath in suffolk, it was very beautiful.

Jabs & Ale!

I took Summer to the doctors today for her first lot of Jabs. I asked Sophie (our doctor) to try puting them in the back of her thighs instead of the front, because following the last conversation with our consultant, it seemed unlikily that she could feel the back of her legs due to the spinal damage. Well, she screamed at both injections in both legs. The Dr & I felt quite mean, because we were both quite pleased that we had caused her pain!

I am off today to a farm park for a 1 year olds birthday and then to work, as my work colleauges have not met Summer yet.

I leave you with a picture of what Summer gets up to with her daddy when she is not hospital!