A rough update on the last 6 months

Wow...time does fly!  Apparently its been 6 months since I last updated this blog.....doesn't seem possible to me, but the dates don't lie.  Life happens and things like this blog end up taking a back seat.  Honestly, I was only using this blog to keep people updated on Mateo's heart condition and information but I have a feeling this is going to turn into a "What's Happening with the Whole Douglas Family" blog.  We've reached a steady momentum in Mateo's heart condition and there's really not much new to post.  He had a follow up appointment with Dr. Suh, his cardiologist, last June.  Weight, height, blood pressure, pulse ox, EKG, ECHO.....it all went as routine as possible and Mateo got an "A-OK" from the doctor.  Heart function is super and no other issues have reared their ugly heads....so we go back in 6 months for a routine check up.



Can't you tell how happy he is about that?!


Mateo turned 4 years old at the end of April.  I didn't want to do a big party at our house by myself so we had his party at the zoo in Tampa.  He loved it.  The zoo did an excellent job too.  They provided a party room for us and after a little over an hour, they let everyone out into the zoo for the day.  We had an EXCELLENT cake.  It was made my Caridad Santana and I would recommend her any time.  We were approved by Icing Smiles Org. to receive a special cake, free of charge, for his birthday.  Icing Smiles is an organization that finds local bakers (either professional or in-home) that will donate their time and supplies to creating a beautiful cake for a child with a serious illness.  It is such a neat program and we were so honored that they accepted our request.  The cake turned out delicious and looked amazing!




Mateo and his birthday cake

Mateo also participated in tri-sports at the Y this spring.  He had 9 weeks (3 weeks of each) of soccer, basketball and t-ball.  He had a lot of fun.  His favorite was t-ball and he is very good at it.  I think he'll end up being a baseball superstar like his dad was in high school!

Mateo also saw his eye doctor in June and we were sent home with great news!  Mateo no longer needs to wear glasses.  His focusing issue has been resolved and while his vision isn't perfect (which it probably never will be) its not bad enough where he needs to wear glasses or patch anymore.

Mateo, Mason and myself spent 5 wonderful weeks in Wisconsin with my parents over the summer.  It was SO good to be home for that long.  My only complaint is that it wasn't long enough!  I could have stayed through the rest of the year.  It was nice having the extra help with the boys.  Mason started eating baby food while we were there.  Mateo got to play outside with reckless abandon, like boys are supposed to be able to do. 

He had sleepovers with friends, playdates with cousins, several "gator-rides" with my mom, we went to Bay Beach, bowling...etc.  No wonder he didn't want to come home!




This is farm life!





The giant slide at Bay Beach...Mateo LOVED it!





Mateo finally got to ride a Ferris wheel...his face says it all

Meeting Smokey The Bear at the Scandinavia Corn Roast Parade



He had a great time with his cousin and my parents.  He hated to leave.  We've been home for 3 weeks now and he STILL asks if we can go back to stay.  

We got home just in time for school to start. 

Mateo is attending the same school as last year.  With so many "unconstants" in his life right now, I didn't want to go and change his school on him too....not that I had wanted to.  We love his school and all the teachers there.  They do a great job and Mateo loves it there.  Plus, a lot of the kids that were in his class last year are in his class again this year.  So I didn't want to take that familiarity away from him.  He is loving school.  I want to be as involved as I can be this year, but we'll see how it works out with Mason and his schedule.  Life always revolves around the baby!

One other piece of exciting news is that Mateo was chosen to have his picture and story put on a poster that would be displayed in select Subway restaurants and Regions banks.  They will be promoting the Heart Walk put on in Tampa by the American Heart Association.  We are really excited about it, so if you see his poster out and about in Tampa, Brandon or Plant City let them know you know Mateo and feel free to purchase a heart in honor of Mateo!




A rough picture of the poster!

 On another note, Mason is growing like a weed.  He turned 8 months just a few days ago.  Its going so fast.  Less than 4 months and he'll be a year old!  Last April he was diagnosed with torticollis.  His head tilted to the right because of a weak/short neck muscle.




Notice the head tilt!

 He started physical therapy right away to work on stretching that neck muscle and building some strength to help straighten it out.  He did PT twice a week and I also had him see a chiropractor twice a week.  When we went to WI, I couldn't continue the physical therapy but he was able to continue seeing a chiropractor and she also practiced cranial sacral therapy.  Basically, she would put pressure on certain parts of his head to reshape it.  Due to Mason's torticollis, his head was a little....asymmetrical....and needed a little TLC.  She did a great job and Mason looks great! You can't really even tell there had ever been an issue.




Pretty little head  :)

Mason is into everything right now.  He is ALMOST crawling.  He can roll himself to get where he wants to go and he does some kind of scoot/shuffle that I don't even know how to describe.  But he has begun to get on his hands and knees and rock.  He doesn't quite have it yet, but I think in a week's time, he'll have the crawling thing down.

Mason is also starting to experiment more with foods.  He LOVES his avocado and he likes anything I put in his netted teether.  But he prefers any of the orange veggies...even over fruit.



Look at them baby blues!

 So the boys are doing well.  I have been going a little crazy.  The whole "single parenting" thing has proven to be very difficult and overwhelming.  But we're making it through.  I signed up for a 3 month gym membership and I can't believe how great it feels to run on that treadmill.  I hate exercising. Seriously.  But with all the stress and melt-downs I have lately, that outlet is just amazing.  I could run and run and run....unfortunately, Kidersize at the gym has closing hours, so I have to turn off the treadmill at some point :)  I am craving something that is all mine lately, so I did something I never thought I would do.  I signed up to do a run.  I must be C-R-A-Z-Y.  I hate to run and I never thought I should have to PAY someone to do it (except the gym of course).  But my good friend talked me into it since the money spent goes to a really good cause.  So I am running my first 5K ever in the Blueberry Stomp Mud Run.  Its 3 miles of muddy goodness.  3 miles, 19 obstacles and I can hardly wait.  Its going to be a blast. 

The same week I signed up to do the mud run, I also registered to do The Color Run in St Pete.  Seriously, I don't know what I'm thinking.  But I'm getting this high off of running right now, so I thought....why not?  It looks like fun.  Its not timed.  I'm not trying to prove anything.  I just want to run and have fun (seriously, I just used those two words in the same sentence...who am I??) and have it be MY thing.  Mama needs some time to herself!

So we are living life to the fullest right now and having a good time doing it.  Life sure hasn't been boring lately and it doesn't look like its going to slow down any time soon.   But that's the way us "Douglases" like it!