Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Oh My!

New Pics of me in the pumpkin patch! Look at me sitting with all of these wonderful balls of orange! Check out my photobook under PUMPKIN PATCH!

6 Months Old!

Hi, Everyone!

Happy Birthday to me! I am one half of one year old! Isn't that great? My mommy put me in a real thick sleeper and I really don't like it. I would love it if I could be in my birthday suit all of the time!

Well, I am starting to hold my head a little bit! A couple of times a day, for 10 to 20 seconds at a time! I can even turn my head when I am holding it up!

Look out world, Maggi is growing up and getting stronger!

I LOVE ALL OF YOU! I have more pictures added of me at 6 months and some of my head, showing how it is changing. Dr. Stevenson said that we will see a lot of changes until I am about 2 years old.

Maggi "Big Girl" Blair

Before and After

This is my head! Hasn't it changed a lot? Be sure to look at my photos, there are more to see!

Health Update

Maggi's Scoliosis and Seizures

On Monday, 10/17/05, we took Maggi to Scottish Rite to see the Orthopedic Specialist about her Scoliosis.

X-rays were done and this is what was found:
Maggi has a curvature in the Thoraxic Region of 39%

An MRI is scheduled for 11/15/05 to make sure that the brain stem is not being affected and that the central nervous system is fine. He is very positive, as are we.

We also saw the neurologist that is calling Maggi's seizures on 10/8/05, "spells" and that to watch her. At this point, no cause for alarm because she is behaving super and her examination was wonderful. Sometimes with Reflux, it can cause seizures or a child look like they are having seizures. We will follow up with Gastrointestinal next Friday.

Keep her in your prayers and always, let us know if you need anything...we know somebody who has a deep, strong, sweet connection with God... and she will pass on anything you need in her little prayers!

Much Love,
Donna

Halloween Baby!

Happy Halloween!

Can you believe I am already 6 months old? Aren't I adorable in my ghost jammies? My mom dresses me up all of the time. She is silly.

Be sure to stay posted, I am going to have more pictures online by Friday. They will be my 6 month pictures, mom and dad haven't taken any of me yet. We want to find some pumpkins to pose me with! Wow, they are so much fun.

I LOVE ALL OF YOU!
Maggi

Maggi Bows

Maggi Bows!

While Maggi is sleeping, I make hair bows to relieve stress! So, I have about 90 of them and will be selling them at a Fall Bazaar this weekend! Please come! I will have some of my cd's there to give out to everyone, with a donation given to Maggi.

MCDONOUGH UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
FALL BAZAAR

151 MACON STREET, MCDONOUGH, GA 30253

9am - 4pm

770.957.4150

Mom will have lots of her homemade preserves, too! Even some pickled ocra, chow-chow and honey! So, please come visit. There are a lot of wonderful games for kids, too!

We hope to see you there, we'd love to see everyone...and YES, MAGGI WILL BE THERE!

How am I doing now???

Happy October to all of you!

We wanted to update you on Maggi's progress. She said it was okay for us to say a few things. We took Maggi to a follow up visit to the neurologist, last week. We weren't too thrilled and are looking to get a second opinion. The follow up was for the visit Maggi had at Scottish Rite, when she was admitted on June 14th, due to not breathing. That was the scariest event of Maggi's health, thus far. We learned later, after speaking with a few of the specialists that treated her there that week, that Maggi was in a great deal of trouble. We now know how lucky we are that she is still with us...has had her surgery and is progressing as well as she is.

There was the incident of the morning that she quit breathing three times within one hour and couldn't wake up. It appears that she more than likely had a seizure. This is what we are currently searching for a neurologist to have examined. It is terrifying, but believe me, I know my little Maggi and I could tell she was in trouble that morning and even after that, I have had a couple of occassions where she appeard to be having a seizure. So, we must get that checked out and only by the best!

Our other concern is Maggi's scoliosis. She was diagnosed in May, along with her craniosynostos...at the time we were so emotional over the cranio issue, that I didn't even comprehend her scoliosis. So, it has taken us until this past month to realize that she had the curve in her spine and brought it up to her pediatrician. Dr. Goza (pediatrician), suggested that we see an orthopedic specialist, which we will be doing this month. Her scoliosis is in the thoraxic region and can be the most difficult to treat. So, we also have learned that scoliosis can contribute to her not breathing...which makes a lot of sense to us!

Maggi is throwing up with her reflux much more, as of late. We are still treating her with Prevacid and have added Mylanta for the burning pain she gets. It really has helped. But, we will be contacing Dr. Lewis' office tomorrow to see if we need a visit with him.

GREAT NEWS about Maggi! She is blossoming developmentally and it is such a joy to see her reaching for toys, our faces and for our hands to hold. I can't tell you what a big difference that is. There is so much personality in this little girl, just waiting to burst out! We want to thank everyone for their prayers. Please continue to ask God to watch over us, we hope that we can start attending church on a regular basis, again. I miss singing in the choir so much and being in our Sunday School Class with Greg Shaw. Our music minister is so uplifting, Mr. Mark Karki, he is always sending out the most amazing emails. So, we want to move on from reading these great emails, to actually attending the church and being a part of our family there.

Much Love to All of You...remember that there are children out there in much more need than our little Maggi and we feel so blessed that her health can be addressed and treated. It is difficult for any parent, no matter what level of severity their child's health is...most of us aren't doctors or nurses and we have to trust these professionals with our children and sometimes we don't get the best of care. Hopefully other parents are half as lucky as we have been...we have been blessed with some great specialists thus far and if anyone comes into Maggi's path that isn't on top their game, well...they are out. We trust our gut instinct and our hearts...we trust God more than anything. So, continue to pray for us and for those other sick children that may be living on their last shred of hope. We ache so much for what their parents must be going through. We have seen so much having been at Scottish Rite.

God Bless Each of You and All of Love Goes Out to You and Your Families!

Donna & Patrick

My Occupational Therapist

This is Miss Monique! She is my occupational therapist and has started back her visits with me, every other Tuesday! She was so impressed with my new look and how well I am doing with communicating! Mommy and daddy were able to get some great tips on helping me gain more strength in my neck when I am looking towards my left.

When I was born, my head was stuck to the right and I couldn't really turn it to the left, at all. I still favor my right side, but now, since surgery, I can actually hear a sound to my left and turn towards it! Because I have been lying more on my right side, my head is getting flat. After surgery, my head was so round and within a week, it started flattening. With just adding the cool tips Miss Monique gave us, it will all shapen out soon!

Do you know what is really neat about Miss Monique? She is a dancer, just like mommy used to be and she has invited mommy to take her adult tap class! Wow, that is great. I hope that mommy takes the time to go. I know she gets busy, but it would do her some good!

We love Miss Monique and all of the ladies of "Babies Can't Wait"...they are a great support to us.

Tons of LOVE,
MAGGI