Heya Stranger!

Well hello, Blog!  Long time, no post!

Goodness, has it really been nearly two months since a post?  Well, let's catch up!

The twins are seven months old now, and more fun than ever.  Although they keep me very busy and practically don't nap at all, they are turning into very cool little people!  Giggles galore!  Makayla loves her jumper and looks like she might be auditioning for Riverdance when she plays in it.  Austin is scooting all over the place!  It wont be long before I'm constantly chasing after the two of them.  I am also now laughing at how much we tried to protect them from germs in the beginning, since now, everything goes directly into their mouth!

Seven Months Old

We took Makayla to Stanford's Children's Hospital on Wednesday for her MRI.  The purpose of the MRI was to rule out any neurological conditions or more serious factors that may be causing her Nystagmus, such as a seizure condition or a brain tumor.  She was so brave, and did so well.  Even though she was unable to have anything to eat after 5:30 a.m. that morning (since she is so young they had to knock her out for the procedure), she was all giggles and smiles and dancing for the nurses when we got there for her 12:00 p.m. appointment.

It was really hard watching them put her under, and combined with all the hospital smells, which reminded me of the NICU, I was very emotional. I am very thankful that we have a very amazing friend, Aubrey, who was willing to stay with Austin all day, so that Joey and I could both be with Makayla, and there for each other on this emotional day.  She even cleaned my house while we were at the hospital!

Unfortunately, we will not get the results until August 23rd.

Makayla the morning of her MRI

Thanks to a referral form the Blind Babies foundation, we also have a Vision Specialist and a Physical Therapist, from the school district, coming to visit Makayla (and Austin) once a week.  They have been coming to see her for a little over a month now and are thrilled with the progress she is making physically, and we are learning a lot about Makayla's vision, and the best ways to help her see.  The vision specialist has noted that her Nystagmus has mellowed a bit over the last month, and predicts that we will see much more over the first two years of Makayla's life.  


I've also recently started up a friendship with another mom, Claire, thanks to the Nystagmus Blog.  Her son, Jack, is about the same age as Makayla and Austin, and also has Nystagmus.  She is from the UK, and we chat about being new moms and what Nystagmus means for our children.  Although we are both very busy and have a hard time keeping up with our emails, she has been a great support system for me.

As for my couponing shenanigans?  I'm still at it, and am now really finding my groove.  My poor husband has been such a good sport.  The poor guy, I have switch up his coffee, his body wash, deodorant, and the meals I prepare, but he remains supportive and willing to try whatever I toss his way.  Although I struggle to find coupons for our groceries, I know that the way we shop for toiletries and household items will forever be changed.