More BIG Stuff!

It's THAT kind of night! :) ...she helped pull it out herself (with an Episcopal Cheer & a little dental floss)
Happy THURSDAY!!

Big Stuff...

...officially...crazy! It's 8:30am & THIS is what we've already said 'yes' to!...no more snow daze!!, please!...but LOVE our little Valentines!!!

she LOVES it...

hated it!!

...huge

alligator

tears!!

a little family time

Avascular Necrosis

We got pretty GOOD NEWS today! :) THANK YOU for praying with us... Drs were pleased w/ several things, worried by some, but overall...come back in 3mos/keep wearing the braces/no jumping, etc, pray for good growth...and NO surgery yet!!

The long version...It is there...and it is troublesome that it is developing on both hips, still possibly congenital, and they are unsure how much tissue is damaged/getting enough bloodflow...and why, and rare to have it at this young age.
It is positive that right now Leighton has great range of motion of those areas, does not appear in any pain, or inflammation/tightness & 'ball' does not 'pop' out of the socket.
They felt an MRI might 'academically' give us more info, but in terms of care, not change what they do next whether he has the diagnosis, or not...and having to put him under anesthesia yet another time is not fun all around.
We are thankful he sees a PT everyday at therapy, who can help us monitor the limping, or holding movement inbetween time...and are thankful for our new, excellent friend, bone development specialist who again, is right here in our LR backyard! Someone above is looking out for all...
As we were leaving, they even said Leighton could "practice" alongside all his sister's gymnastics moves in the playroom...he prefers the splits & is rather good at them! :) ...OH that little monkey...we love him something fierce!!

...Prayers for our sweet little guy tomorrow (& his parents!)...we finally head to the Orthopedic Surgeon to get some answers and a plan for his hip problems
...We're a little anxious, but SO glad to be going!! Its SO hard to keep him still...not running or jumping or climbing on things!




"Be anxious about nothing, but in everything, by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."

Philippians 4:6

New Year's Resolutions!!

We feel sort of like we're moving at 'light speed' these past few weeks!...Holiday Favorites will come later...but here's a couple of what we've been up to...

Happy January!!!!

(P.S...little boy had ear surgery on the snow day...weather & all...so, he didnt make it to the snow yet this season...anyone who wants more snow can 'pray' for another day so he can have his photo opp...)

All Dressed Up with NO WHERE to GO, Halloween Sick Pic

So much to catch up on still...WOW, where DID October go???? This mommy is feeling it today...maybe all will fall into line & I can type about it later :)

BOO!

...These "Jokers" are busy & rambunctious...lots of October fun to share...will be back later!

ALL our LOVE!!

It's the last week of Down Syndrome Awareness Month...I'm not sure we have many 'wise' thoughts or perspectives right now...feels like we are 'living' it more than reflecting...what we DO know for sure, is God has righly blessed us, but also intrusted us with a lot on this journey...

Our Favorite Girl

...There was a little girl, who had a little curl

right in the middle of her forehead...

and when she was good, she was very, very good

but when she was bad...she was HORRID!

Kindergarden days are FULL! Blair is doing well keeping up with the early mornings, loves a fun playdate afterschool, ballet, Indian Princess with daddy, "real" church choir, anything pretending to be a cheerleader, and at bedtime...is OUT from exhaustion!

...We had our school conference this week, and her teacher said they are 'smitten' with our girl! Blair is helpful in class to take care of those more quiet/not paying attention, and even (laugh) "offered" to be her teacher's 'assistant' if they needed her, because SHE could make it down the hall to the office and back like they asked...oh what a girl :) They are each matched with a senior pal that comes to chapel with them, or they make cards/art projects for...They are starting her in an accellerated reading program this coming week too.

She LOVES her brother & is so very proud of him...the sibling rivalry is erupting though, and at bedtime, book time, or any share-attention-time, she is quick to need mommy or daddy to 'baby her' to be 'little like Leighton'...

Her alter-ego is in a phase of bad temper tantrums that look like classic strong-willed child meets special needs sibling...our pediatrician & another great parenting specialist have directed us well, and those moments are becoming farther apart...

We love our happy, high-energy little girl who loves to laugh and play!

End of Summer

We rounded the corner at the grocery store about 1 month ago, and stopped short...WOW, what a beautiful reminder of Nana's kitchen table, summertime meals, and happy times in the backyard...

(sorry we forgot to upload these...I wonder what else is saved as a 'draft'...)

Oh yes, our little Dennis-the-Menace has learned to stand on the coffee table...magic wand and all! ...he 'waits' for us to turn our heads for 1 second, climbs up & yells "HI" top of his lungs til we run...such 'good' toddler behavior we'd been praying for :/

...there's a 'gleam in his eye too...

We're way behind on the pictures, (he has LOTS of new tricks!) and we'll try to catch up this weekend..."Sister" is happy & good too; work extra busy, and we're all ready for cooler weather!

XO

Friends, we are STILL praising God for our GREAT APPT!
Dr Bower hugged me!
:) He could NOT BELIEVE how opposite the test was...no hearing aids for sure!! They improvised the test situation a bit (less people/distraction toys) and he attended way beyond his normal maturity level
...there was some scar tissue in his R ear (that we had to pull out, painful, yuck) but on the way home Leighton signed "listen" to that R side ear when I turned on the music...lover-boy!! It was like he was hearing it for the 1st time.
All is well, and we serve an amazing God!!

HEARING TESTS

‎...finally...back to ACH at 8 this morning for Leighton's 2nd opinion on hearing!
PRAYING for healthy & strong ears, great attending to the listening 'games', experienced test-er, etc for our special little guy!!
He's been showing us SO MUCH GOOD in responding, gaining language/talking...we need it all to agree!! :)

GREAT NEWS frm our early Cardiology & Nutrition appts today! PTL :) Yipee...valve appears leaking less, & no more midnight tube feeds!!!

choo-choo

stopped in the toy store, and LOOK what he was interested in...one of those fun 'firsts'...

This kid is going to rock our worlds!!

ALL before 9am, still in jammies...Daddy ran to an early haircut, & mommy just wanted to 'start the coffee' quickly...2 minutes TOPS!

"Sister"

www.deedahandme.com

Oh Happy Day...

a happy morning drop off with mommy, daddy, brother, & Mrs. Fortenberry...

Sunday after church...

...trying to escape a diaper change, we looked around the corner to see WHERE he had run...

Neat Story about Leighton's Heart Surgeon

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Today,

THANK YOU Everyone...We DO feel it!...God is giving us reminders of his complete providence & goodness in many moments these last couple days...
Today, we casually said something with Leighton in my lap about "pats"...and without coaxing or repeating myself, here came the "pats" to my back...and a hug inbetween...

We plan to have a 2nd opinion, hopefully thru ACH, in the next 1-2 month timeframe...w/better answers as to what is stubborn-Down Syndrome-ADD type-Toddler behavior, and what could be hearing loss (which was thought all the while to be "fluid"...)
Holding on to the positive and SO thankful for God's Grace!
The Tolands

So, LONG ACH appts...(walked in the house about 30min ago)

Post-op...
airway= ck
tubes= ck
tonsils & adneoids= ck
...LOTS to be thankful about...
then, last on our list...hearing, if it does not improve in 2-3 months, they want to talk hearing aids :( ...definitely a BOMB drop for us...but then my radar was up for some reason...
...OK, praying people...we have a new mission!
For now, I think I need to head underground to deal & process...WHY,seriously, does he have to have 1 more hit??


I need Matt to come home, and God to show his providence! Its been a long week!
THANKFUL for your prayers this afternoon, as ALWAYS!

XO for now!!

post-op appointment!

Taking Leighton to his post-op appointment...prayers that ALL is well after the string of complications...& some for this mommy's anxious heart too...the constantly changing medical piece of this journey is our hardest to take!

CATCHING UP

BEACH PICS!!!!
...finally...

beautiful water, lots of kids, excited girl...

why is it more FUN to try out a fork on the TABLE, not the plate???

the fuzzy-ness...is the HUMIDITY!...wow! super steamy hot at 8am!

Rest-time on the top bunk...lil' boy wanted to 'try' to be included everytime!

Prankster!

"June Grass"

Aimee & Eric & Lilly came to see us from Birmingham for a couple days...

Matt calls this her "Esther Williams" Bathing Attire...

Blair wants a baby sister SO much...and might just tell you so! :/ ...she says Lilly is her 'cousin'...

another little July birthday...turning 1

deciding to 'leave' the group & explore...

...these expressions are priceless!