Thursday, 29 September 2016

We're Back.......But now there's four!!!

I've been dying to get back into writing again, especially with great blogger idols around like Constance Hall (I wish I could write half as well as her!).  Constance has motivated me to get back into it so I have a hobby that gets me away from the sometimes stir crazy-ness of looking after little people.
 
It's been over a year since my last post and Miss JB has developed into a very happy and healthy two and a half year old. If you didn't know she had such a rough first year - you would just assume she had no complicated medical history.  We now only require yearly check-ups with the surgeon at Princess Margaret (next one being end of this year) and luckily there has been no side effects from the two surgeries, all has gone 100% to plan.
 
July 15th we welcomed the handsome Koby Farr Stanley into the world and he has proven to be a wonderful addition to our clan! Joanie absolutely ADORES him , though she does sometime squeal a little too loudly in his ear with delight and gives him some huge boa constrictor hugs which makes me a little worried for his safety! She loves helping me with his nappies and giving him bottles and just watching as he babbles and smiles and develops more and more each day.
 
Shaun and I were adamant we wanted to try for another baby and sibling for JB despite there being a 50 % chance of the same "craniosynostosis" gene being carried on in our next child . We even looked into using IVF to eliminate that gene, however, we fell pregnant before going down that path way and it turned out well in the end. I know we would've pulled together and coped had Koby shared Joanie and my condition, but it was a relief knowing we didn't have to go through seeing our precious children in pain again. Some may say what we did was risky and selfish , but when I see the love shared by JB and Koby I know we did the right thing.

 
Now we enjoy the normal developmental milestones of an infant without the grey cloud of surgeries hanging over our head. I do reflect often on  this though when I see things that Koby does so easily that  JB found so difficult, such as tummy time and holding her head up Shaun and I look at him with  proud but surprised eyes, we just can't believe how strong he is!  I'm sure he will also be much quicker with other stepping stones such as rolling, crawling and walking;  all tasks which require balance and upper body strength, things JB had to work so hard at to develop. But  JB will probably shine at tasks that Koby will find hard. No other two year old could love the outdoors and fishing as much as she does!!
 
We are extremely fortunate to know Joanie's early challenging days are behind us now and my heart goes out to those parents who have hospitalised and/or seriously ill children that will remain that way for a long time or possibly for their entire lives. It is terrible to see your child seriously hurt or ill ,  but all I can say to those with sick or injured children is don't ever give up, children are way tougher and smarter than us adults give them credit for.
 
Now Shaun and my struggles are that of the more common variety, the things that most parents have to deal with - juggling the day to day life with a new born and toddler! All I can say is I'm proud I have no grey hair and am not a chain smoker from all the times Miss Red has pushed my buttons!
I'm fairly sure I'm right in saying I permanently have suitcases under each eye from all the broken sleeps Mr Koby Farr has given me but I know I can speak on Shaun's behalf saying our hearts have never been fuller and we couldn't imagine life without those two little gremlins!
 

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