Our last visit at Chapel Hill

Yesterday we ventured up to Chapel Hill again for Jaren to get his EEG done! After the long trip there and him not sleeping at all, we didn't really know what we were in for. The lady explained to us, that one of us were going to have to hold him while she put 22 electrobes on his head and taped them down with papertape. She said she usually has to end up wrapping the child up in a tight blanket so they can not move, and letting them scream through the whole prep process! But Jaren did so wonderful! He was so brave and such a big boy! It only took about a half an hour to get all the electrobes on and then she wrapped his head in gauze so that he wouldnt be able to bother the electrobes. Jesse held him the whole time, because he has to remain completely still, so that they do not pick up brainwaves that involve muscle movement. Anyway, The EEG was a half an hour long and he slept for almost 20 minutes of it, which was fantastic. After the EEG we had another appointment, to get the results. Our appointment was at 330p but we ended up waiting until after 5p to see the doctor. But that was okay with us. The nurse came in and told us that the EEG was completely normal. All of his urine samples came back perfect and from the looks of those tests he is 100% healthy normal boy! THIS MEANS!! NO SEIZURE ACTIVITY! PRAISE GOD!!!! (the last time we were there, the neurologist said that there are many things that happen to babies that can't be explained and that they generally grow out of them) They are now thinking this is the case with Jaren's weird breathing pattern! They still want us to send them the video that we got on Jaren doing this, just to have a movement specialist look over it! But I know that God has healed Jaren! The night we called 911 we prayed over his little body, just asking God to heal him, to help me through this, and to ease any discomfort or fear it may cause him. That Wednesday, Pastor Marsha also prayed over Jaren, and the night before we went to Chapel Hill, Pastor Tom prayed with us, as well as all of your prayers! We can't express our thanks and gratefulness for all the prayers! Our God is a healing God!

Tomorrow, is Jaren Robert's 1st birthday! I'll have so many pictures for you and more of an update on Jaren in general! But for now I have a doctors appointment to get to, then I have to go finish getting stuff for the party! Look for the birthday blog tomorrow night! My little man is growing up!

Chapel Hill, Jaren's Birthday && more...

First and most important update is Jaren's appointment at Chapel Hill on Thursday. We left the Jacksonville around 9a to head up to Chapel Hill. We had been told it was about a 3 1/2 hour trip so we wanted to plan accordingly. We ended up getting there early, so we took Jaren to McDonald's for lunch and then headed to the Hospital. It was such a beautiful place and a HUGE eye opener. There were so many children there. God was truly in that place. No matter what was wrong with those little children, they were all smiling and laughing and playing. One little boy (who I believe was a leukemia patient) came up to Jaren and was showing him his new CD of children's music and new hot wheels collection. He was such an angel, simply as cute as a doll baby.

Once we got into the room where Jaren would be seeing the doctor, we ended up waiting for about 2 hours for the doctor. They were running a little behind that day, but we didn't mind waiting, we just wanted their expertise and opinion on Jaren's condition.

After doing a physical exam on Jaren: watching him interact with us and the nurse, as well as motor skills, other exams they did, and watching the video I had of one of Jaren's attacks; the Neurologist stated that he does not think there is anything neurologically wrong with Jaren. He said that he is very advanced and that he doesn't think we will ever have to worry about a neurological problem with him. PRAISE GOD! They do not believe that seizures are causing this 'weird' breathing issue. They are going to do one EEG just to make sure everything is okay. They are going to a 30 minute EEG and then read the results that day, that way we don't have to make more trips up to Chapel Hill than what is necessary. I should find out today when his appointment is, so I'll let everyone know as soon as I know anything else.

In other news Jaren's 1st birthday is coming up very very soon! His birthday is November 1st for those of you who don't know. This year his birthday falls on the same day as the Marine Corps Ball; and this year it is mandatory for all Marines in 2nd CEB to attend or they will have duty. Jesse and I had already decided not to go, because they had told us about 4 weeks before we had a decision from the medical board ((the last week of October or first week of Novemeber, will be our 4 week mark)) therefore we may not even be here in November. Anyway, my point is, we are going to have plan Jaren's 1st birthday party back home in WV for another weekend. We are looking at the 22nd of November. It is a Saturday, and then we will be home for Thanksgiving as well! ((We've not been home for Thanksgiving in 3 years))

God has so much in store for us in our lives and He has been speaking to me so much lately. I pray and strive daily to be the wife and mother God has created and called on me to be. I pray He will open my eyes to the things he wants me to do in my daily walk with Him and my family.

I look forward to updating you all on the big changes in the next coming weeks with Jesse finding out when he will be getting out of the Marine Corps, and everything else that God has planned for us.

We love you all!!!

sippy cups && walking miles

My baby boy is 11 months old today!! I can't believe that on this day, 11 months ago, I held that tiny little baby in my arms for the first time. I'm not sure I've I told you all, but Jaren has 7 teeth. He has his 4 top front teeth and 3 on the bottom. Since he has so many teeth, the doctor wanted him to off the bottle by 11 months. He's still on formula, but he would just get it out of a sippy. Since Jaren was about 6 1/2 months old, he was doing wonderful on a sippy with some diluted juice. Unfortunatly I stared reading about the BPA that were in certain baby bottles and sippy cups, and of course Jaren's sippy cups had it in them. So I proceeded to take him off the sippys and just go back to only bottles. Once I found some BPA free sippy cups, I purchased them, thinking he would just go back into the swing of things. BOY WAS I EVER WRONG!

Jaren LOVES to eat. He will eat a large bowl of oatmeal and fruit for breakfast along with a bottle. Through out the day he will snack on those little Gerber puffs and have atleast 4 jars of baby food and 3 more bottles. He also eats bits and peices of everything I and Jesse eat throughout the day. With this large appetite, I assumed Jaren would autimatically go straight for the sippy cup since it was full of formula. He hated the sippy cup. I kept googling different ways to introduce and get your child onto the sippy cup. NOTHING WORKED!!!!! But Jesse watched Jaren on Saturday and when I got home that evening, Jaren was drinking out of the sippy cup! I couldn't believe my eyes! Jaren has not had a bottle since Friday! I'm so proud of him!! Jesse is such a strong, wonderful, dedicated father. I LOVE YOU HUBBY!

I've also been walking alot lately. I've decided its time to get myself back into shape and on a great road to lifelong healthiness. Two of the girls that live in my housing development also have children, so we have been walking. We weren't sure how far it was to walk around our housing development, but I do know its a mile to the gas station and back so we've been walking there and back and honestly by the time I get home I feel so great and energized I could do it again.

I know walking isnt a big big deal, but its a start to get back on a healthy track. I look forward to writing more and more about it as I continue.

Tomorrow...
Tomorrow, we head up to Chapel Hill, to the UNC Children's Hospital. It's roughly a 3 1/2 hour drive, but I look forward to just talking and laughing with Jesse, and catching up on both of our day to day events that we've missed lately. I'm also looking forward to hearing what the doctors have to say about what is going on with Jaren. I just pray that it is something that is easily fixed and my baby boy will be 100% healthy again. Thank you all for your prayers and support while we go through this. I look forward to giving you all great news tomorrow evening. We love you!