Letter #20: September 24, 2010

September 24, 2010

Dear Cameron-

This morning we all went to Lutheran General Hospital.  First, we had an ultrasound to make sure you sibling was growing on pace and to find out he gender.  You’re having a little sister!!!!  We are so excited.  Dad and I were secretly hoping to have another girl.  We’ve just loved having you so much.  Plus, we have everything already!  I know you’re going to be such a great older sister.  I hope you get along as well as I did/do with my sisters.  Right now, we think we have her name picked out.  We love the boy names for girls.  So, we’re going with “Ryan.”  I’m sure she’ll get confused all the time, but we just love the name. 

Next, you had your 18 month appt.  Since my appt was running late, dad just took you.  He said you did great, that you did not make a peep during your 3 shots!  How come you’re so tough for him? J 

18 month stats:

Height = 32 inches

Weight = 21 lbs 5 ozs

Other news going on is that we bought a house in Wheaton!  We are set to move Nov 11.  We are so excited to have a big house with a big yard.  We can’t wait for next summer when you can run around outside in the yard.  I can’t wait to decorate your room.  I think Ryan will get all your old decorations and you’ll get a big girl bed, maybe with Curious George bedding.  You love monkeys so much. 

We are so proud of you, Cameron. 

We love you so much.

Love,

Mom

Green Lake boating with Aunt MAC

Green Lake swimming with Uncle Dave

OT with Grandma

PT with Papa Joe

First PT, Colleen

Pirate patch to strengthen my right eye

Letter #19: June 16, 2010

June 16, 2010

Dear Cameron,

You’ve had a busy month!  Mom and dad had been nervous that you still are not crawling or walking and your speech is a little delayed too.  We wanted to make sure it was nothing more than just low muscle tone.  So, we went to a neurologist who said that you had “hypotonia” (low muscle tone), and that we should do some tests to figure out the reason.  You had lots of blood drawn, about 7 vials.  Thank goodness grandma was there because I was crying while the nurses took your blood.  Then, we had your hearing tested, which checked out normal (phew!).  Next, was the MRI.  It was the worst experience of my and daddy’s lives.  It was so hard to watch the nurses poke at you to find a vein.  It actually took an hour and a half, poking you 8 different times.  I almost passed out after an hour.  When they finally go it, they gave you a sedative, which made you fall asleep within 2 minutes.  It was hard for me to watch you fall asleep like that.  Daddy was brave and went in with you for the MRI.  We had to wait a couple of days for the results.  In the meantime, you went to grandma and grandpa B’s for the weekend while daddy and I went to Las Vegas (it was my Mother’s Day gift from you J. )

Monday, June 7, began the week of wonderful news.  We found out that I was pregnant!  You are going to have a brother or sister in February!  The very next day, we found out that the MRI came back “normal”  ahhh, what a relief!  It was like a huge weight was lifted off my shoulders.  On the same day, we found out that your blood work was all “normal” too!  That week, we took you to the eye doctor.  He said that your right eye was a little week, so we needed to strengthen it, but otherwise, your inner eyes looked good (phew!). 

So, it was a week of incredible news for us!  Now, we know for sure that nothing is neurologically wrong.  Actually daddy never thought anything was wrong in the first place, just that you were a little weak.  We just need to work you out several times a day until you catch up to everyone else!!!

I took you for your 15 months check up (you turned 15 months on June 10, which is your cousin, Alexander’s birthday).  Here were your stats:

Weight: 21 lbs 6 ozs (25^th percentile)

Height: 31 ½ inches (+75^th percentile)

Head Circumference: 17 ¾ (25^th percentile)

I’m so happy that you are okay.  And I’m so happy that you are going to have a sibling.

I love you very much,

Mom

The first time I met my friend, Emma

Letter # 18: May 29, 2010 - The search is on for a diagnosis...

My parents, siblings and in-laws have been more supportive and helpful than I could ever have hoped for in the search to find out why my little girl is not progressing.  I know my siblings would joke to my mom "Oh Jackie's at your house, again?"  Well, I needed that support.  I needed that love.  And I needed someone there with all these appointments as I sat there like a deer in headlights, not able to remember everything a doctor said to relay back to my husband.  There are only so many days my Billy can take off work when you start (and continue) to have endless appointments.  My mom has always been there in my life and especially now to provide comfort and make me feel like everything will be okay and that she can make anything better (as she always has).  My dad has always been there to give the impartial advice.  In these appointments he was my barometer of how concerned I should be.  

I decided to put this letter into a video and dedicate it to my parents.  They mean the world to me.  They will celebrate their 45th anniversary on Sept 1.  

I know that they are hurting as much as I am throughout all of this.  I cannot fix this for my daughter and make it all better.  They cannot fix this for their daughter or granddaughter and make it all better.  

*** This is your tissue warning to all those who have asked for one in the past ***

Letter #17: May 11, 2010

May 11, 2010

Dear Cameron,

You are 14 months old!  I can’t believe it. 

This past weekend was Mother’s Day.  You gave a super cute card, which had a picture of you on it.  You gave me a trip to Vegas for June 5^th.  So, you get to stay with grandma and grandpa Babiarz while dad and I go to Vegas.  We cannot wait until you turn 21 and take you there!

We started you in PT about 6 weeks ago to get you moving around.  You still are not crawling or walking, but we hope you’ll be cruising along soon enough.  You are just such a chill baby, you don’t care about moving anywhere. 

I’m so excited that it’ll be summer soon.  You’ll get to play with Anthony and your other cousins a lot more. 

We are so grateful for you.  You always make us smile. 

I love you so much,

Mom 

Letter #16: March 10, 2010

March 10, 2010

Dear Cameron,

HAPPY 1^ST BIRTHDAY!!!!

The year really did go by too quickly.  For the past week, I have been getting all nostalgic.  Dad kept saying “She’s gotta grow up.  She’ll always need you.” 

We made it official at the end of January that I would not be going back to school for the 2010-2011 school year.  I feel so fortunate that I can be home with you.  Who knows how long we’ll be able to afford me staying at home, so we have to take advantage of it while we can. 

I’m so excited that the weather is getting warmer.  I love going for walks with you.  I really love when we pick up daddy from the el and then straight to the park.  I cannot wait until we can go to the pool.  I think you’re really going to like it since you love taking baths so much. 

On your big birthday…

This morning you can a carrot cake muffin.  It is Grandma C’s recipe.  Carrot cake is my favorite cake, so I made you a carrot cake for you tonight. 

Aunt Jenni came over to play with you this morning.

We had music class in the afternoon with Aunt Erin and Olivia.  You seem to really enjoy the class, especially when they bring out the instruments for you to play. 

At night, we had Molly, Bobby, Brad, and Mo over for dinner.  They were excited to spend time with you on your big day.  You dove into the cool whip and seemed to really like it.  Once you got past the cool whip, you really liked the carrot cake.  That made me very happy b/c that’s my favorite cake. 

Right before bed, daddy read you “Birthday Monsters” (it’s his favorite book b/c you gave it to him on his birthday!).  Daddy reads to you every night before bed.  I love watching you 2 read together. 

It was a wonderful day.  You were happy the entire day and night.  You must have been tired from all the partying though b/c you fell fast asleep without a peep! 

Happy birthday, Cameron.  I can’t wait to see what fun this year brings you!

I love you,

Mom

March 6, 2010

March 6, 2010

With four days until her 1st birthday, this is the closest Cammy ever got to crawling. I prayed, wished, pleaded, bribed and hoped she would crawl by her 1st birthday. I truly believed with every ounce of me that Cammy was going to crawl. It's amazing how close I actually thought she was at the time to crawl, but after seeing just how easily is happens with a natural progression with Ryan, I realize she wasn't very close. This is the last time we saw Cammy bear weight through her arms and support herself on her hands. This is the last time we saw her in the 4 point position. What we thought was the beginning of crawling, turned out to be the beginning of the regression.

This is what we call a "GUT PUNCH."

Letter #15: March 2, 2010

March 2, 2010

Dear Cameron,

Today is your cousin, Olivia’s 1^st birthday.  That means in that 8 days, it’s your 1^st birthday.  This year really has flown by!

I’m so glad that I took weekly pictures of you.  It’s been pretty amazing to look back and see how different you looked in each week.  I hope you take that idea for your own kids.

I’m so anxious for the spring.  I really cannot wait for warmer weather.  I think it’s taking its toll on both of us to be stuck indoors every single day.  As soon as it’s nice enough to go for walks, we’ll definitely be outside several hours each day.  I can’t wait for you to start moving around on your own because it’ll be fun to chase you around the park.  It’s going to be fun to see you enjoy more of the park than just the swings and slides. 

We’re going to have 3 mini parties for you birthday.  If we had a big house, we’d probably just do one.  We’re having one on the Corrado side with Grandpa, Papa Joe, Anthony, Aunt Kristin, Uncle Vince, Olivia, Aunt Erin, and Uncle Joe.  We’re celebrating both yours and Olivia’s birthdays.  On your actual birthday, Molly, Bobby, Pete, Brad, and Mo are coming over.  Then, we’re having a party at Grandma and Grandpa B’s house with your Gierstorf cousins, Aunt Meredth and Uncle Paul. I can’t wait to see how you are with the birthday cakes.  You dove right in at Anthony’s party, so I think you’ll dive right in again.

I love you,

Mom