Carter's Exit Photos

As of October 13th, Carter no longer has to wear his helmet. I am attaching his exit photos. I'm not going to say much about them. I think they speak for themselves. The progress he made is nothing short of remarkable. Looking back, I can't believe his head was that bad. BUT it was and I have to say I was in denial. I'm so glad we went to see the therapists at Cranial Tech. Amy was our consultant and she was so kind and gentle. Cranial Tech is an amazing company doing wonderful things for children and families. I will never hesitate to recommend them to someone else. Carter keeps shaking his head back and forth, I think it must feel like when you get several inches of hair chopped off and suddenly your head feels light as a feather. Other than that, the transition does not seem to be bothering him. He slept through the night last night and I anticipate another succesful night tonight. Feel free to leave a comment with questions. Have a look at Carter's improvement:

October 13...No more helmet

Most of you know this already, but we found out last week that Carter will be in his DOC Band for about 3 more weeks. Our graduation day will October 13! Just in time, for Carter's First Birthday! Now, his head will not be 'perfect', but the strides we have made in the last 5 months have been nothing short of amazing. I was so worried and concerned about this process when we found out that we were doing it. Now that the end is here, I realize the whole experience was not nearly the ordeal I thought it was going to be. We've had many compliments on his helmet, what a cute baby he is and questions about why he wears it. My whole attitude was to tell people why he wears it and tell them that it's been a great experience. Then in the future they can pass that information onto the information if the need arises. Carter is such a great baby and this helmet never really seemed to phase him. He is the perfect kid for this experience. Now, there will be a bit of sadness when it comes off. I know him in it and that will be different. He rocks it don't you think?! But, at the same rate, when he cries I can cradle him behind his neck and get cheek to cheek. That really isn't something I can do right now and I've really it. Bittersweet.

Nolan's First Day at Sara Walker 3's

Grandma Toni says Gerber Baby...

What do you think?

Grandma thinks I look like a Kewpie Doll...

What do you think?

Nolan Quotes

Nolan: Look Mom! It's New York City. Daddy lives there.

Me: No, honey. Daddy lives with us. He works in the city.

Nolan: In MY red brick house?

Me: Yes, honey. YOUR red brick house.

Grandma Janet: Nolan, Carter can read books with us. OR he can just chew on the covers.

Nolan: (Looking at Carter's crib) Where are his covers?

Me: Nolan, I have to clip your nails. They are out of control!

Nolan: What? Did they run out of batteries?

Grandma Janet: Nolan, tell mommy about the whales you saw on the computer today.

Nolan: Baluga, Orca and Humpback!

The Painting Process

New Helmet

Carter will get his second DOC Band a week from Wednesday. So I have been debating about the new paint design. I don't like to do anything to 'baby' as you can tell from his current helmet. I am contemplating doing something similar and keeping with the flames. We have gotten lots of compliments and he looks really really cool. But I've also thought of using a tattoo design or going with a skull and crossbones since we are fixing his head. All of these will still keep with the motorcycle look. But I am open to suggestions and if you'd like to chime in with a comment please feel free to do so. I've added some of the designs I've found online to give you an idea of what I'm thinking.

Carter's 8 Week Before and After Photos

We went to Cranial Tech today and had digital photos taken for the insurance company. It helps explain to them why Carter needs treatment. Now we wait to see if they will cover the second DOC Band. The results are nothing short of amazing. I didn't expect to be so emotional when Amy showed them to me. But the images really spoke for themselves and let me know that all this worry and stress was worth it.

When you look at them look at Carter's front on photo and you will notice that he had one cheek larger than the other, his right eye and ear weren't in alignment and drooped lower than his left. Also, his temples were too wide for his head, the top of his head squared off and his forehead sloped. This was all a result from the flattening pushing his brain forward. The picture on the left is before and on the right is after. Look at the difference. I can't believe how symmetrical his face is in comparison to his before photo. I hope you can see the improvements. Also, the last 2 photos on the second page really illustrate how much of his flattening has disappeared. I can not explain to you the utter amazement I have felt every time I look at these. I have always known there was improvement, but really couldn't grasp it until Amy showed them to me side by side.

Please ask if you have any questions. I just feel that these images are a testament to what Cranial Tech can do for children. These changes occured over 8 weeks! That's it. Pediatrician's really need to get on board with this technology. It's so easy to do now and I know it's going to be the best thing for my son.