About My Blog....

I initially started this blog as a way to follow the happenings with Vinny and his diagnosis with HPE. But last night as I sat in bed I thought about the fact that I haven't really had to update any information regarding Vinny's healthy. We have been very fortunate enough that his condition so far is only limited to his developmental delays. Since he started his OT and PT, we have just had improvements and are so thankful that his condition has not worsened in any way. Since starting his therapy he has improved with his trunk support, opening and closing his hands, picking up toys, tummy time (which he still hates...but is getting better at) etc. We are so very proud of him!!

I enjoy writing this blog. It is a way to express how I am feeling and what I am thinking...and if I have a crazy thought or idea, its a place I can go to express them. So, my thought is, instead of making this blog all about Vinny, I've decided to write about anything and anyone I feel like. I have two other very special people in my life, that being my husband Tony and my son Jake and I look forward to sharing them with you.

So stay tuned. I have lots more to write about!!!

Vinnys 1st year!

For all the HPE and Special Needs moms that follow my blog and for any new readers who haven't watched Vinny grow this past year, here is a small photo album for you to view.  I look forward to doing this every year.....

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Vinny's Smile......

Since the day Vinny was born there is one thing that hasn't changed; and that is his smile.  I truely do have a happy boy.  Today I was playing with him on the floor and thought about the fact that he is always smiling....and always has that twinkle in his eye.  I love it!!!

Soooo...I thought it would be fun to blog about the many reasons for his smile.

Vinny Smiles When......

* you tickle his toes                    * you help him walk and chase his brother
* he watches commercials           * you sing to him

* you bounce him                       * you play peek-a-boo
* you put him in his jumpy chair  * you feed him
* you play with him on the floor  * you smile at him

Many people also make him smile.  Here are just a few of Vinnys favorite people.

Vinny loves his Daddy.  He knows how to make him laugh with lots of kisses and tickles.  Daddy likes to pretend he is wrestling with him and Vinny loves this!  He also likes to put Vinny on top of his shoulders and this always gets Vinny to smile.  He feels like such a big boy!

 Vinny loves his brother too.  He gets so excited when he sees Jake.  Jake is so sweet to him and almost always trys to include Vinny when he plays by showing him his toy or asking Vinny to chase him (with the help of mom, of course)....this makes Vinny laugh so hard.  He LOVES when we do this!

Vinny loves his Nonna (grandma).  She is the only one that he absolutely loves to slobber all over her face....with kisses of course ;)  It is actually quite cute!  Nonna sings to him, rocks him and tells him lots of storys while he sits in his chair and watches her cook. 

Of all of Vinnys favorite people, we can not forget his Nonno (grandpa).  Nonno absolutely LOVES Vinny!  Vinny smiles anytime he sees his Nonno walk into the room.  Nonno plays peek-a-boo with him, sits with him and gives him sooooo many kisses....but Vinny never minds!  You can tell his Nonno is very special to him.

Vinny is my Holland.....

I was reading a blog of another HPE Mom and came across this story she had found.  I thought I would post it because it reminded me of the feelings I had when I first found out about Vinny and HPE.   Vinny is my Holland!!

WELCOME TO HOLLAND


by Emily Perl Kingsley.
c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David.The gondolas in Venice.
You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."

"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.

The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.

It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.

But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.

First Day of Therapy.....1/4/10

Today was Vinnys very first day of Occupational Therapy.  I was actually very excited for today.  Anything that may help Vinny I am excited for.  For the most part it went very well.  Vinny is not a fan of other people holding or touching him...especially when mommy is in view; so needless to say there was also a lot of screaming going on. 

Our Therapists name is Heather.  She is such a wonderful women; so nice and caring.  I feel so blessed to have such great people working with Vinny along with one of the best Childrens Hospitals in the country.  Today Heather worked with Vinny on some stretches for his arms and neck along with some core strengthening.  I look forward to the day that he is doing them all on his own.  Patience...I know :)  For the rest of the week we are going to be practicing a lot.

Vinny will continue OT every week until May.  Hopefully he will start his Physical Therapy soon and we will be able to do both at the same time.

I will keep everyone posted as Vinny progresses with his therapy.

I'm posted a picture of my big brown eyed boy practicing sitting in his brothers snow tube!