EXITed

It's offically over!  Nora FINALLY went to her Exit appointment at Cranial Tech last week.  Long story short, they had to re-schedule her appointment and it seemed like a LONG two weeks of waiting to see the final results in measurement & photo form.  I love all the people who work at their Charlotte office.  They are so positive, nice, and caring.  You should have seen them oooh-ing and aaah-ing over Nora's dance moves.  Or how they patiently helped her walk around the office as we moved from room to room for various parts of the appointment.  They have a wonderful way of doing business there to put moms at ease and create a positive environment.  We'll miss them!  (But we are definitely glad it's over--no more sweaty head for one thing!)

Wasting time before the appointment.  Doesn't everyone dump out the toys to climb in the basket and play with a tape measure??

Sorry I couldn't get it turned for some reason.  This is Nora posing with her band and her head.  It is a replica of her head before treatment.

She graduated!


To show us how much her head grew, they took before & after measurements and photos.  Here's a link to that info in a Google document.  (That's the only way I could figure out to share a pdf...hope it works!)


Head Growth 

Photo Shoot...Cranial Technologies Style

Recently, at a DOC band check-up, we had the opportunity for a fun photo shoot.  This shows you a little about Nora's head check-ups.  Oh, and she didn't mind any of it!

Aaron is holding her head mold.  It's what her head started as.  They use it to compare visually with us at each appointment.  We're hoping we get to keep it.  =)  Normally, she doesn't have the hose over her whole head...we were just playing with her & she didn't care!

This is more like where the hose goes during the check-up.  Its a little low and sloppy here---she looks a little thug-ish.

To keep her attention, her therapist lets her play with the tape measure.

The hose is quite stretchy!  Look at that hair!!

Here's happy Nora.  Pretending to measure her head.

While she waits for adjustments to be made to her DOC band (shaving out the foam for more room to grow) she gets to play with all their great toys!

We're really going to miss going to see her therapist, Kathy, each week!  She's so sweet and really likes Nora.  Nora even convinces her to buy toys for her own kids.  (Like this pop up purple toy she has above...Nora always loves it so Kathy decided her son needed one.)  At our last check-up (last Wednesday) they scheduled her exit appointment.  Next time we go (in a little less than 2 weeks) should be her last time and graduation day!!  We're scared for her to go without her head protection, but it'll be so nice to not get head-butted with hard plastic anymore!  We can't wait!

9 Months!

Can you believe Nora is 9 months old already?!?  Sometimes it's easy to believe...and sometimes it's not.  Time flies, but I am lucky enough to spend each day home with her so I get to soak it all in!

Super Nora!  This is how she woke up the other day after her morning nap. =)

In her Christmas hat

Feeding herself (Yes!)

Peek-a-boo Santa

At her 9 month check up the doctor said she's healthy!  She's growing steadily physically and developmentally.  We can't ask for more!  =)  She is now 19 lbs 8 oz (50-75%ile) and 28 inches tall (50-75%ile).  Her head is growing (thanks to her band) is now 43.5 cm (25-50%ile).  She did get part one of the flu shot and she didn't even make a whine!  She's a trooper!
Here's her at the doctor's office:

After the flu shot, waiting...

We still go every 2 weeks to the Cranial Tech office for her DOC band check up.  She continues to grow like they predicted.  It's estimated she'll get her band off in a month or so.  You wouldn't believe how much her head has rounded out.  It's filled in on the back, especially at the bottom by her neck.  Her facial features are all aligned and symmetrical.  This means that we're mostly working on cosmetics now and making it look the best it can!  We are extremely pleased with the therapist and workers at Cranial Tech and her band!

Here are a couple of pictures of her there:

Always digging in my purse these days!

She loves playing around in the room

Wearing It Well

 Well, Nora finally got her DOC band on October 27th.  Here's to making heads round!!

Nora's last night sleeping with out the band

At Cranial Technologies, just got her custom DOC band!

 New band.  1st stop:   Lowes.  Daddy's 2nd home.

The band comes sterile white.  Blah.  Thanks to my mom, she's now styling and wearing her band well!  It doesn't bother her one bit!!

Now...grow head grow!  =)