HeLmEt TiMe!!!!

Okay so after brooklynn's surgery she needs to be in a helmet called a DOC Band. These helmets are used with kids with flat spots too. Our appointment was 1 week post her surgery. they take measurements and this DSI camera takes a 3D image of her head. They put this Stocking over her head which i thought would bother her and it didn't. All of the girls who work there are so great with kids brooklynn would have chilled there all day in it! This picture system helps to get a good image of the whole head so they don't have to cast the head. The stocking is to hold down the hair(which brooklynn has VERY little of).

1 week later Brooklynn got her helmet! she looks like a little football player.

There is a place in Phoenix that wraps cars which Designs called "The Wrap Shoppe" who will design and wrap the Doc Band. We heard great things about them so i called to find out prices and the process. I was shocked to find out They do it for free!!!!! i know how wonderful! My mom and me drove down there and meet them. they were so awesome! they held brooklynn and played with her and talked to us. They asked us what i wanted her helmet to look like and i told them Pink Zebra. they designed it and i can not wait for it to get put on. i am so excited for it not to be white medical looking anymore!! Thank you the Wrap Shoppe. i will post pictures of the finish product!!

This is the design for it. i am then going to put her name in BLING!! you know she has to have the BLING on it !!

This is what my mom did for the big LOVE day and until it gets wraped!! it has her name on the top with a crown!

brooklynn's surgery

so Brooklynn's surgeon's decided to do her surgery before she was 4 months old, because the bones are still very soft and easy to move. she had her surgery on January 25Th, 2011. i was so scared and could not sleep the night before. all i could think about was the worst cases. my baby who has only been on this earth for 3 months was going in to get pieces of bone taken out of her skull to make more room for her brain. The night before JL gave brooklynn and I blessings. i am so grateful for the priesthood in my home, love you JL. We got to ST. Joseph hospital and went into pre-op where we waited and they got brooklynn ready!

family picture before surgery



brooklynn in her gown. this was way to big on her.

right after we got to see her almost 4 hours later. i was freaking out after 30 mintues.

my mom Grandma Motes

my dad grandpa porter

JL's mom Grandma Dodd

Brooklynn did great after surgery. she did need to get some blood (which was hard for me to watch someone giving my baby more blood) she looked so white she had no color to her lips or cheeks. She was in the PICU for 3 days. she had a drainage tube inside her head to drain out excess of blood and other liquid. she had 2 incisions on her head. they took out a large retangle piece of bone top of her head and 2 triangle pieces on each side of the head by the ears.

she had to look cute!!

she had to get an IV in her head because all of her other viens were bad.

so sad!!!

do not judge how look please

brooklynn and I had a favorite nurse named Sarah. she was amazing!! She always could make brooklynn smile! loved her

ready to go home!!!!!

brooklynn update!!

Brooklynn got diagnosed with craniosynostosis in January. Craniosynostosis is where her soft spots on her head have closed up it occurs in 1 out of every 2,500 babies. She had X rays and CT scans to confirmed this diagnosis. We had to talk her Dr's about surgery options. She had great doctors and surgeons to help us through the process. Brooklynns head was very long and narrow with some asymmetrical areas.

recent projects

I have to start off saying i got the idea for this dresser from Classy Clutter from their 1st post about their dresser. thank you classy clutter for the idea!!!

BEFORE

$20.00 at goodwill !!! really not so cute needs some help!!! my hubby actually wanted me to keep it like this until he saw the after. now he said we have a big kid room.

AFTER

2 days later and a few can of spray paint. here is the after!!

BEFORE

$1 for lamp and shade at goodwill

AFTER
a little left over fabric, a sewing machine and hot glue!!

So much to be thankful for

Where to start???? wow what a great year we have had!!! here are a list of things i am thankful for!!!

My baby Girl Brooklynn!! she is amazing. i am so grateful for this bundle of joy. i love waking up to such a beautiful little girl! it still amazes me that she is ours to keep. And that the lord would give me such a wonderful blessing. Thank you brooklynn for picking me to be your mom.

Brooklynn's 1st Santa photo she did not like it very much!!

My wonderful hubby!!!! Jet you are so very special to me and brooklynn. i love the when he gets home he comes in and wants to hold his baby girl right away. he is such a good dad. he is so proud of our baby( he shows off pictures to people when they don't ask!) he just pulls out the ipod with the pictures and shows her off. Thank you jl for being our rock and wonderful husband. I am so excited for you to bless our little girl in church next Sunday!! i love you jet!!!

Our families!! with out you guys we would not be who we are today! thanks for teaching us the way to live so we are able to pass that down to our kids. You are always there if we need help and now beg to watch brooklynn. thank you for all your support. thank you to all brooklynns uncles and aunts. at the my family home there is a fight over who the best uncle is. i am staying out of that one!(they are all great).

The gospel!!! I love the gospel and know that the church is true. i want brooklynn to know how much it means to us. We took us 3 years to have you after miscarriages and a lot of sadness. We would not have been able to get through that without the love and support of our savior. Through pray and faith we knew someone we would hold you in our arms. Again i can not wait for you to be blessed by your dad. the priesthood has always been in our home brooklyn thanks to your dad. he has given you blessings and me, and for that we are thankful.

There is so much to be thankful for but these are just a few big ones!!!!

shanty2chic giveaway!!

I really want to win this giveaway!!! there are so many things you can do with this machine!!! i gotta have it. if you want to enter this go to their blog here!!! i love this blog so many great ideas!!

A mothers love!!!

The best feeling in this world was having my daughter placed in my arms!! we had a bond right away. my mom has always told me " you will never know how much i love you until you have your own children". what a true statement! i thought i could never love something more than my hubby, i was wrong i have so much love for my sweet brooklynn. when i look at her i can't believe heavenly father choose me to be her mom! i feel so blessed to have her after so long of trying, so many prayers and tears. i believe everything happens on the lords time and now was our time to start our family!! i love to hold her in my arms and have her look up at me.

I think i have the prettiest little girl!!! here are some of her newborn photos!

I love this little smile!!!

so grateful for my husband. he is a great dad to Brooklynn!!! always so excited to come see her during his lunch and after work!!! We love you JET!!!

A MOTHERS LOVE!!