Happy-Go-Lucky Jonathan

Above: I love life and I love my binky!

Above: Hi! I'm happy to be alive!

I just love Jonathan so much. He is such a sweetheart. He is full of happiness and always looks on the bright side of life.

Over a month ago, he had his six month well-visit. It went quite well. He is a BIG boy! He weighed in at 20 lbs. (he's probably even heavier than that now!) and he measured about 29 1/2 inches long. We had to get him a new carseat because the height requirement for the infant carseat was 30 inches. That carseat had lasted Peter a year. It only made it six months for my tall Jonathan! And Peter's not short either! Peter was always in the 85th percentile for height--until he was about 18 months and then he spiked to the 95th percentile (where he has stayed). Jonathan is off the charts. 100th+ percentile for height. So, basically, he is taller than over 100% of the babies out there! I sure love my gentle giant.

Above: My tall, sweet guy!

Peter was always so super happy at the doctor's office...until he got his shots (which was always an unpleasant surprise and quite a shock to him). Jonathan is a little more aware of what is going on. He is very reticent, careful, and guarded at the doctor's. He looks at everyone with a suspicious and watchful eye. For such a smiley, happy guy, he definitely doesn't smile much at his doctor's visits. When he got his shots this time (as well as the past two times) he let out the saddest, most heartbreaking, pained cry ever. I teared up while I held him. I hate having my babies get shots. Babies cry like their hearts are breaking and they are feeling intense pain after shots. I hate it! I know that it is helpful for them and that it is a necessity...but it still makes me so sad.

Above: Sweet, sad, chubby baby legs after four shots.

Above: Flashing the sweet smiles that are absent at the doctor's office.

The other sad (though not serious) news is that Jonathan has a very mild case of plagiocephaly. Basically, what that means is that he has developed a flat spot on his head. When babies are really little, their skulls have separate plates that have not fused yet. He developed a preference for laying on his left side and as a result, he got a flat spot on the left side of his head. I noticed it shortly before his two month appointment. It was weird because I literally didn't notice it one day and then I noticed it the next day. I'm sure it happened gradually, but it snuck up on me and it was there before I could do anything about it!

At Jonathan's two month appointment, my doctor advised me to keep him from laying on his left side and then we could see how he looked at his four month visit. At his four month visit, I thought Jonathan's head looked a ton better, but my pediatrician still advised me to go to a physical therapist. I met with the physical therapist shortly before Jonathan's six month appointment (I would have gone sooner, but things were wild in the interim. I got a kidney infection, among other things happening and the last thing I felt up to doing or wanted to do was go to another doctor! Doesn't it stink that when you are miserably sick and want nothing but to stay home and cuddle up in bed, that is when you have to get up, get dressed, and go out so that you can see a doctor?).

Luckily, the physical therapist said that Jonathan's muscles were totally fine. Some babies develop torticollis along with plagiocephaly. That means that because a baby develops a preference for laying on a certain side of their head, their muscles develop weaknesses--so one side of the neck and/or back becomes stronger than the other side which becomes too weak. Thank goodness Jonathan didn't develop torticollis. However, his plagiocephaly (though a very mild case) was enough that he had to get a helmet.

I'm not going to lie. The news that Jonathan had to get a helmet made me really sad. I had looked online and the information I found said that most insurance plans don't cover helmets and that they can cost up to $4,000. In addition to that, the helmets have to be worn for 23 hours a day for anywhere from 3-6 months (or even longer). My heart dropped when I read this. However, after doing a little research by calling the Utah companies that produce helmets, I discovered that it would only cost $2,000 tops (still a lot of money, but a whole lot better than $4,000!).

So, long story short, Jonathan is now wearing a helmet. Our insurance covered a little, so we ended up paying around $1,400 (that was for the helmet and the physical therapy appointment). We are hoping that sometime around Christmas he won't have to wear it anymore. It makes me sad not to be able to rub my cheek on the top of his soft, warm head. And I am sad that I can't kiss the bridge of his nose right between his eyes while he is wearing his helmet.

But he still looks super cute. His helmet makes his super sweet chubby cheeks look even chubbier. So pinch-able. He looks like he is starring in an all-baby version of the movie "Tron."

Above: Jonathan Washburn starring in "Tron 3: Baby's Day Out"

He really hasn't had too much of a problem wearing it. He's so good natured and he hasn't put up a fuss. He's such a good sport. We had to take it off and get it refitted because it was a little too tight and it was rubbing the skin by his ear and over his eyebrows so that it was getting raw and making the skin peel. But now it is fitting just right. It still makes him feel itchy when it's off. So, we've been lotioning his head--otherwise he scratches and scratches it the whole time the helmet is off. Poor guy. Put he scratches with a smile! I hope it works and that it works quickly. But the flat spot on his head is so mild that if the helmet doesn't improve it very much, it's not something that will be noticeable to others. So that's comforting.

The hard thing for me is taking him places and having people stare at him. We've gotten a lot of questions--mostly from well-meaning people who are either curious or concerned for him. But I've gotten some downright snotty looks from some elementary school aged children. I've also gotten some judging and lingering looks from some old biddies. I took Pete and Jonathan to the zoo about a week ago and there were some field trips going on. A lot of kids and adults gave Jonathan some rudely inquisitive stares that day.

It made me feel so defensive. All I wanted to do was protect Jonathan. I also wanted to lash out at those kids and tell them off. I felt like a mama bear protecting her cub.

Above: This little cub it definitely worth protecting!

The experience also made me feel so grateful for the many people who have "been there, done that" and have shared their experiences with me. I met a girl at the park whose daughter had to wear a helmet. They hadn't seen much improvement from it. I wouldn't have noticed anything about the shape of her daughter's head if I hadn't known. Her daughter was lovely. She also mentioned that she had a friend whose son had to wear one and he had seen great improvement. One lady at the zoo told me that her nephew currently had to wear a helmet. Later, a little girl chimed in with "Mommy! Look! That baby has to wear a helmet just like I did when I was a baby." Her mom then went on to explain to the other kids in her group (she was a field trip parent chaperone) about helmets and why some babies had to wear them. I was so grateful to that mother for explaining it so kindly. I also met a mother at Thanksgiving Point whose daughter had to wear a helmet for three months too. Again, I was so grateful for her story and for her understanding of my situation.

This experience makes me feel so much for those mothers of and children who have lifelong disabilities. How must those mothers feel when people stare at their children? How do they restrain themselves when there are people who are genuinely rude and mean to their child? How do those children feel? I'm grateful that Jonathan is too young to feel the stares of overly curious people. He just smiles at everyone when his eyes meet theirs. It makes my heart go out to them.

It also makes me feel how important it is for me to share my experience in the future with others who will go through it. I know that it really strengthens me to know that others have been through it and that everything has worked out fine for them and will for me too.

And then there's my sweet, sweet Jonathan. He takes it all in stride. He just smiles and enjoys the world around him. What a sweetheart! I sure love him!



Above: Isn't life great?


Above: Flat head shlmat head! My head is super cute!

Above: I love to wake up!