Street Cred

Here is the short version of a long story. When Oliver came home for the hospital he only liked to look one way. It didn't matter if the world was ending on the right side of his head, he was only concerned with the happenings to the left. We tried everything to make him look the other way -- moving his car seat, putting him facing the other way in the crib, getting a therapeutic pillow, etc. It didn't work.

So he developed a super sweet flat spot on the side of his head, which pushed the left side of his face and his ear forward. It became clear that the muscles in his neck that he wasn't using were becoming underdeveloped. He was falling behind in his milestone markers and was having problems lifting his head on his tummy and holding his head up when unsupported. It doesn't help that that kid has the world's largest head to begin with.

We've been going to physical therapy twice a week since Nov, and things have gotten better but he's still taking his sweet merry time. He can now look in both directions! Bless his heart! The only way he is going to be able to fix his underdeveloped muscles is to USE them himself in a gentle controlled manner -- so the therapist put her foot down on anything that doesn't support his neck like the Bumbo, exersaucer, high chair, sitting up in my lap, facing forward in the Bjorn, sitting upright in the stroller, etc. I totally disobeyed her orders so I could get a few quick shots of him for this blog!

He needs to be laying on his back -- all the time -- attempting to roll, reach, stretch and raise his head. He can't have tummy time anymore because his muscles are not strong enough to lift up his massive head and it just pulls his muscles instead of strengthening them.

We also had to shave his FANTASTIC curly and wild locks.....

... so he could get this badass helmet. Sorry for the swears but this thing has some serious street cred to it. I'm going to bedazzle it with some stickers as soon as I get the okay from the doctor.

I love these photos of him waiting for his helmet. He's totally digging this bee thing.

He knows he looks good with his new shaved head.

Abby really wanted a helmet too, but instead she got a popsicle.

I'm sure she'll get over the disappointment soon enough!

Abby's Week

What did I do this week? I ate EVERYTHING with two spoons because just using one is uncivilized.

I drove around in this mom-powered diaper box car for hours on end.

And entertained my brother with stickers. He was so excited he drooled all over his pack and play.

Tag Team Puking

You are probably expecting a loving and tender blog post all about missing my man. Sorry, wrong blog. I set up a private one so that we could revel in all the mush and gush that comes with having a loved one away. I thought I would spare you all my whining about missing him so bad I can hardly breathe. You're welcome.

That being said, I hope he'll post some interesting things about what he's doing on this blog for people who would like to follow along on his adventure. If he can't access this website there I will do it for him :)

The flu bug is going around Berlin, so goodness knows it found its way to our house the day after Jeremy left. Both Abby and Oliver were up from 12-4AM tag team puking on everything we own. I literally ran out of blankets and sheets to put on Abby's bed. I solved that problem by putting blankets all over the floor and giving her permission to lean over the railing on her bed and puke directly on the floor. She also got a dose of Tylenol to curb the fever, which caused everything she puked on to be covered in a awesome florescent pink. Sweet mother of pearl -- thank heaven above I was spared and was able to succor one while yelling support to other.

Needless to say, I'm super tired but wanted to upload some fun photos with short captions.

When I asked Oliver to be an overachiever I should have been more specific.

Sometimes life is so hard you just have to put your head down on the Bumbo and cry about it.

Were the heck is all this wind coming from?

Abby's saying, "Is he still looking at me? I don't want to turn my head and make direct contact."

They are both saying, "what kind of mother puts their kids on the stove for a photo op?

Oliver is saying, "Dear magical light switch, please give me a sister kind enough to share her pringles."

Big hugs for everyone!

You are never getting my pringles. Rat me out and I'm going to Thelma and Louise your Bumbo over the edge of the counter top.

What are the chances Abby is going to hit me in the head with that window?

I let Abby play outside the day after the puke off. We ALL needed the fresh air. Oliver had no choice but to kick it in his car seat while we lived it up. At least we moved him around the yard with us!

Abby is obsessed with wearing her church shoes. It was Sunday, so who was I to call it inappropriate.

Nothing like sitting on your brother's head to get the perfect photo.

Man I love these furry cute balls.

Who says you can't find joy in a car seat?

Hate is a Strong Word

Does Oliver like rice cereal? I think this photo speaks for itself:

Now from a different angle:

There is a video of his first feeding, of course. Unfortunately, I had no idea my hand was blocking the view :(

Random Thought Wrap Up

I imagine you are wondering what was on my mind last week. Ponder no further. Random photos with random thoughts can be found below....

I wonder why the military would even bother with torture techniques like water boarding. All they need to do is put a terrorist in a car with a screaming baby and a whining toddler for 1o minutes and they will spill every single secret they know to be released.

Abby speaks German for about an hour after she returns from school. Lately she's been singing a lot of words that sound like she's swearing. They're pretty heavy on the "C" and "B" words that just grate at my soul. Jeremy says they're legit, but I'm not sure I'm buying that ditty. I don't know if I should give her a hug for being so smart or wash her mouth out with soap for talking like a sailor.

Oliver doesn't take bottles, but that doesn't stop us from trying them every once and a while just in case he changes his mind. Abby loves to finish off whatever he leaves behind, which just makes me cringe inside. Oliver drinks it all day long and it doesn't bother me. I have no idea why it creeps me out when Abby does. I mixed his baby rice with it and without thinking the other day I tasted his rice. For the record, breast milk and rice could be quite delightful with some cinnamon and shredded apples in it.

Check out this gingerbread Reichstag my friend made for Christmas. Mad skills.

I can't get enough of this photo of the kiddos kicking it with Brother Wong. I wonder if he missed us yet.

Remember the old-school classic Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer? This elf was a misfit because he wanted to be a dentist. I would think he was a misfit because all the other elves were bald and he clearly spent two hours every morning getting the perfect wave in his bangs. Not to mention the fact he waxes his eyebrows until they are 1 cm to short and arched like a rainbow. Maybe it's just me...

Isn't anyone else concerned that Santa looks like he's been purging his holiday snacks?

Germans do NOT tolerate any sort of environmental unfriendliness -- they don't salt their roads, warm/cool their houses, use a lot of trash, or drive huge cars. I do. Yesterday I left my car running while I was waiting for my friend to leave her apartment, which is a HUGE no no. It only took about five minutes for someone to come down and tell me to shut off my car. Keep in mind it is winter here and I have an infant in the car. I was pointing at Oliver while he was pointing at the sky and trees. Needless to say, I shut off the car to make him go away and he watched from his window to make sure it stayed off.

It's amazing to me that Oliver couldn't get this huge piece of paper in his mouth....

These fireworks were awesome, but I couldn't stop thinking that I was in the middle of WW2 the whole time. I have no idea how the kids slept through this!