Ethan Turns One and hits the 10,000 Mile Mark!

Opening presents with
Grandma and Grandpa

It is one year to the day that my life was completely flipped inside out, turned upside down and spun on around its axis.  It has truly been a whirlwind of a year and while there may be things I would change if I could – I would not change the road I took to get here and the place in which we as a little family unit are right now.

This day one year ago was the best and worst day of my entire life. This was the day I almost lost my son forever (see August's blog post - "What Happened During Delivery..."), the day I finally got to hold him in my arms – the day I embarked on a journey the particulars of which I would never have been able to prepare for.

My little wonder boy Ethan has really endured so much -  in just 12 short months on this beautiful planet he has had the following:

• CPR
• 2 MRIs (the second of which required sedation)
• Cat Scan
• Spinal Tap
• Chest X-ray
• Blood drawn
• IVs in both of his hands and both of his feet 
• Daily nebulizations and inhalers 
• One 2am ER visit due to respiratory issues
• DNA swabs
• Ultra sounds on his kidney and liver 
• 6 assessments and reassessments on his gross/fine motor skills, cognitive ability, ability to communicate, and behavioral aptitude
• And a circumcision to boot! 

Happy Birthday to Me!

When you have a son with a neurological disorder it takes an army to ensure he’s as healthy as can be. Ethan has the following throng of specialists in his arsenal:

• Two pediatricians (we go so often we bounce back and forth between two women that we love)
• Neurologist
• Ophthalmologist
• Pulmonologist
• Geneticist
• Two physical therapists
• Occupational Therapist
• Site Therapist 

1 year photo shoot!

To say the least – we have been busy! But there have been so many wonderful things this year as well! Like the travel for instance. Ethan has traveled to so many places.  In one year - counting only vacations, not daily trips around town – Ethan has traveled 9,500 miles. And as I write this blog we are driving North for his one year birthday party – on our return trip he will have made it over the 10,000 mile mark.  Where on Earth has Ethan been traveling to, you may wonder?

• Road trip home to NorCal for Bisnonna Nedda’s funeral
• Road trip up the coast to meet our cousin Gavin, then up to NorCal again for Auntie Colleen’s college graduation
• Drove all the way to the Trinity Mountains for our family vacation
• Flew to Salt Lake City for Shuli’s wedding
• Drove to Temecula for beer tasting trip
• Flew to NorCal for annual Santa Cruz trip with the ladies to meet our buddy William 
• Drove to San Luis Obispo for Great Grandparents 60th wedding anniversary
• Flew to Denver for Great Grandmother Helen’s funeral 
• Drove to NorCal twice for the Thanksgiving and Christmas
• Driving to NorCal as we speak to celebrate one year of awesomeness!

Where shall we go
next?

What an adventure my son – and as Helen Keller said, “Life is a great adventure, or it is nothing.”  I look forward to the many adventures in the coming year – maybe a little less drama – but definitely an inspiring journey.