Ethan's Eye Update

It's been a long time since I've written about Ethan's eye, but we just had all of our rounds of doctor appointments last month, so there is an update to write about.  All in all, Ethan's eye is the same.  Basically, his third nerve has been damaged for one reason or another (a virus, a schwannoma, etc.) and because of it his eye has lost full movement and the pupil is always dilated.  It's not changing, not improving or worsening, it just seems to be how it's going to be.  He has good days and bad days.  Some days his eye looks right on, and you would never know he had this palsy, except for the dilated pupil.  Other days it looks so bad that his left eye just hangs way outside all day.  I feel that it is almost 100% related to tiredness (or sickness has a factor too).  If he's really tired, his eye just can't overcome that muscle weakness.  But when he's well rested, he miraculously can muster up the strength to use that left eye and fuse it with his right, despite its weakness.  The doctors are both bewildered and impressed by the variability of his use of his weak eye.  

So what does this mean?  We see a pediatric opthamologist, a neuro opthamologist, and a vision therapist, who have all given their best shot at this.  Ethan is a rare and unique case.  No one has really seen anything like this, especially in a young child, not even when Dr. W asked around at a conference filled with other neuro-opthamalogists form around the country.  No one had any experience with anything like it.  But both doctors feel the same---since Ethan's condition is stable, doing surgery is going to help him, along with continued vision therapy.  And we feel good about this.  

Ethan will be getting another MRI at the year mark from his last one, which is August.  As long as all looks normal and the same on that scan, we will go ahead with surgery afterwards.  The surgery is a simple out-patient surgery, where the surgeon will detach the outer muscle that pulls on the eye and re-attach it further back, giving it less leverage on the eye, and therefore making it easier for Ethan to overcome the inner muscle weakness and pull that eye in.  Of course, this will likely not be a permanent fix, nor will it be the last of the eye surgeries that Ethan will likely get.  Because of his palsy, it is possible that his eye will eventually drift out again over the years and he will need the surgery again when he is older.  But maybe not.  If nothing else, the doctor really feels like this surgery can only help Ethan.  The goal is to get him to fuse his eyes together as often as possible, and to keep him using that left eye and achieving stereo vision.  So the sooner we can help him do that, the better off he will be.  Here's hoping.  

So until the summer, we are just doing the same thing we've been doing---patching his eye on bad days and doing therapy activities with red-green glasses the other days.  I have started a new version of patching, where instead of a patch Ethan wears some basic reading glasses, with the right lens taped with scotch tape, forcing him to use his left eye, but also aiding him in focusing that eye.  Because that eye is always dilated, it makes it difficult for him to focus it, especially up close.  So he puts on the glasses and I let him do activities on the iPad.  And he's pretty good to keep them on most of the time.  

Here's a picture of his new eye exercise, and I can't help but think of Ralphie when I see this picture.  :)

Another Boredom Buster

Sometimes Christian and Ethan choose to ride their scooters in funny places.  This was one of those times.  Scooters on the trampoline?...Sure!  And Owen tries to tag along, although he's not as fast on his wiggle car, especially going across the grass.

I love Christian and Ethan in the background. :)

Favorite Picture

We got a new camera and I've been having some fun tinkering with it.  I can't wait to learn more!  But until then, I'm still shooting away.   I love this one from the other evening.  And I love that spring is here!

The beginning of sports....

April 4 was a monumental day for our family...it marked the first of many years to come filled with our boys' sporting events.

Christian had his first-ever soccer game (or anything-game for that matter) and he was so cute!  He even scored a goal!  Way to go Orange Fireballs!  And to make our first time trying this even more crazy, we decided to sign Christian up for soccer AND baseball.  What was I thinking?!  But so far, he loves it!  So here goes to a crazy spring! :)

Here's to many, many more years to come of this.  And I think I might even keep track, just for fun, and in honor of the Salmons. So to date....

Soccer:2
Baseball: 1

Easter

Easter came and went so quickly, I practically missed it.  Except the part about Christ and His resurrection.  We had sharing times all month about Christ and His resurrection, and I am so very grateful for the chance I had to teach about that all month.  That brought the true spirit of Easter the whole month long, and I'm so glad I'm in primary.  Otherwise I might have missed it altogether this year.

March was full of two birthdays, St. Patrick's Day, a family wedding, and then it was Easter!  But at least we died Easter eggs and the boys got to hunt for some at Grandma and Grandpa's house while Daddy and I attended a wedding.  And most importantly, we got to go to church and really focus on the true meaning of Easter.  Although sacrament meeting was a complete disaster that day and then my sharing time, which I'd set up before sacrament meeting, was un-set up and misplaced before I even got to primary.  It was a bit of a rough day.  :)

DYING EASTER EGGS

EASTER SUNDAY
Jake attempted to take some pictures of the boys in their Sunday best before church.  This is what we got....

Maybe the best one, except Christian's mug shot

Totally classic Ethan.  Lately he refuses to smile and does this instead. 

Classic Ethan

LOVE this one!  Classic Owen

And my very favorite of them all......

This is my life.  And I love it!

HAPPY EASTER!

On a Sunday

One thing I love about little boys is dressing them up in their Sunday best.  Every other day of the week we are pretty casual around here, myself included.  (Especially with my growing belly...) Warmups and tees are definitely a favorite outfit for all.  And hair gets combed to go to school, and sometimes that's it.  Which means Ethan and Owen rarely get their hair combed. :)

Except Sundays.  

On Sundays everyone gets dressed in their church clothes--with button up shirts, ties, vests, or suit jackets, gets their hair combed with mousse and hairspray and all, and I will never get over how stinkin' cute these little boys are when they are all handsomed up for church. :)

This particular Sunday the little ones were dressed in their suits, which is my favorite, and I wanted to get a picture before they slimed them with dinner.  These were the best I got. :)

Mommy and Owen....sometimes it's painful to smile. 

Owen's Style

Owen is a smart little boy, who takes matters into his own hand.  He figures out ways to get what he wants, and doesn't wait for me if I'm busy.  I guess that's third child syndrome.  :)  And sometimes I laugh so hard at his unique way of accomplishing things.

I took this picture a month ago...this is Owen's way of eating a corndog.

Boredom Buster

Playing in the empty, unusable shower with pillows.  It entertained them for a long time!

Owen's 2nd Birthday

Owen's birthday was a lot of fun!  

First we started by making a cake the day before.  Owen LOVES to help me make anything in the kitchen, and he loves, loves, loves to lick the spoon!  He loves batter and cookie dough and bread dough....I think he'd eat the whole bowl if I'd let him!  So of course I let him lick the spatula, and mind you that this was very brave.  It was BEFORE church, he was in his white shirt, and it was chocolate cake.  But it was worth the happiness that came from it.  :)

On his birthday we decided to go swimming.  Another brave move on my part.  I had been promising Christian and Ethan we'd go, it was spring break, and this was the best day all week to take them.  But Owen currently had a deathly fear of the bathtub, so I wasn't sure how it would all go.  

Well Owen said he wanted to go, so I seized the moment and everyone got their suits on and Owen even put on his goggles!!  This is my favorite picture of the whole day!  

 Once we got to the pool it took Owen awhile to decide he wanted to even get his toes wet, but by the time we left, he was sitting and laying in the water, and even going under the fountains!!  He was wet from head to toe and loving it!  He didn't want to leave and then he kept talking about going swimming again as soon as we got home.  It was such a fun time at the pool!  (The big boys had such a blast too!  I wish I had a pass there.)

Owen napped, we ate spaghetti pie for dinner, and then it was time for his party!  Grandma and Grandpa, Grammy and Papa and Uncle Connor all came over for the festivities of presents and cake and ice cream, and most importantly, the candle blowing.  Owen was hilarious blowing out his candles!  He tried so hard, but when he blows, he sticks out his bottom lip, so the air just goes straight up his nose.  His big brothers were a little too good at helping, but Owen was still pleased that he blew out his candles and clapped and was so excited!  The videos are hilarious, if only I could upload them.

He got a new swivel car and a hide and seek puzzle, as well as a play weed-whacker, some new books, a Little People ferris wheel, and a shopping cart!  Which he loves.  :)

All in all, I think he had a great day!  He loved that it was his birthday.

Owen is 2!

I can't believe our little Owen is a two year old!  That means things like getting rid of the binky and potty training are shortly upon us.  Really?  When did that happen so fast?  He still seems like my sweet baby, and yet at the same time is very much two!  Here are some snippets of Owen at TWO:

1. Owen is silly and goofy and loves to laugh at himself.  He is developing a really fun sense of humor, and often at night we can hear him in his bed laughing at the things he is saying.  He also loves to laugh when others are laughing and is quick to join in.  He is so fun!

2. Owen is so full of energy and enthusiasm for life!  He gets SO excited about the little things and expresses himself so well.  He makes life so exciting!

3. Owen has one volume: LOUD.  He always has been this way.  He still has his high pitched scream that he uses way too frequently in defense against his big brothers, and also just loves to be loud.  Except the rare moments when someone is sleeping or he is pretending and will whisper, "Shhh, KIET."  I love that.

4. Owen still has the bluest eyes and blond hair.  Although I see a hint of it darkening....

5. Since the sun has been out the past few weeks, I have been noticing the faintest freckles on Owen's cheeks and nose!  I'm so excited!  I love freckles. :)

6. Owen is smart.  Of course. :)  He loves to do puzzles, read books, sing songs and he talks up a storm!  He can tell you anything he wants and communicates fully.  He is such a good talker for a two year old.

7.  Everyone loves and adores Owen.  I always get comments from nursery leaders, singing teachers at church, and other moms who tend him for me occasionally how pleasant and fun he is and how much excitement he has for things.  Oh how right they are.  Owen is so easy to love!

8.  Owen loves people.  He went through a short phase at about 18 months when he didn't want to go to nursery or anyone's house to be tended.  Not even grandparents'.  And he would just scream and cry when I'd leave him, sometimes not ever to be consoled.  That was always so heartbreaking to me!  But thankfully, that didn't last long.  He LOVES to go to nursery and LOVES to go play at other's homes while I go to the doctor or take Ethan to eye appointments.  He really loves to be with people.

9. Owen loves to GO!  He gets so excited if he knows we are going somewhere, and he does not let you forget that you said we were going.  He also gets so mad every morning when I turn back up the street from dropping Christian at school and pull into our garage, rather than going somewhere else.  Sometimes he throws and fit and won't get out. :)  But he is thrilled when I turn the other way and we head to the grocery store or the bank!  (That's about the extent of our errands.)  And he LOVES to go to the bank.  And get suckers!  Owen is Daddy's favorite errand buddy and he will take him anywhere.  Their latest favorite place is Home Depot!

10. Owen is so sweet and snuggly.  He also gives such good kisses and has been giving his brothers kisses before bedtime lately.  So cute!  He still loves his binky and blanky and will cuddle up anytime he has them.  Definitely a reason I'm not in any hurry to get rid of them.  I love this snuggly boy!

11.  Owen loves Ethan, or EFAN, rather.  He is always concerned about where Efan is and wants to be doing what Efan is doing.  (He also wants to do anything his big brothers are doing.)  And his nursery teacher told me that he is always talking about Efan, all through nursery.  And if she ever asks him questions, Efan is part of the answer.  Ethan and Owen really are becoming such good buddies.  They have a lot of fun together and it's so fun to watch!  (Keep in mind, Ethan is still really good at making Owen scream, but Owen still loves him!)

12.  I am happy to announce that Owen loves the bath again!!  He went through a few weeks just recently where he REFUSED to have a bath.  (And I am to blame, who scared him by turning on the jets in the Wallsburg tub.)  But Owen is not to be convinced of anything he doesn't want to do.  So once a week I would put him kicking and screaming in the tub and wash him as fast as I could and pull him back out, still kicking and screaming.  No fun.  But we have finally gotten over it!! Thanks to a successful pool trip on his birthday.  Yay!

13.  Oh how we love our Owen!  Owen you are such a joy to our family and sunshine in our day.  Keep that sparkle and fire and never lose your love for life.  I can't believe in a few short months you won't be the baby anymore, but I think you are going to be a fantastic big brother.  And now you think you have a baby in your tummy too. :)  I just can't get enough of you!

I love how Owen still wrinkles his nose

Ethan insisted on being in the pictures, which he was not dressed for.  It was Spring Break! So I gave in a few times. :)  Sweet big brother, I shouldn't have been frustrated, but I knew Owen's attention span was short and so I was.

Silly Boy!

This is the best picture of Owen's blue eyes, but not great.