Welcome Ethan and Emily

We would like to introduce the newest members of the Pickett family: Ethan David and Emily Brook, born Tuesday, Dec. 16th!!! They were a little early, but are doing great. I made it to 34 weeks exactly! Ethan was born at 12:15 pm weighing 4 lb. 5 oz. and 17 3/4 inches long. Emily was born at 12:17 weighing 4 lbs. and 17 1/4 inches long. They are both doing well. Ethan is still on a little bit of oxygen and they are both working on putting on some weight, but otherwise very healthy little babies. They will most likely be in the hospital a few more weeks. I have put some pictures up of the whole clan since it's been a while.

Luke is continuing to do well, although a little stiff lately. Unfortunately we have not been able to work with him as much with things being so crazy, but we hope to get back to it soon. The cold weather probably doesn't help either. Cody is doing great, as you can see by the pictures, he has been more eager to wear his underwear lately, which is a big step forward for him. If only we could get them to stop leaking on the floor!!! His picture is him showing off his muscles! I don't know, I think he may be a future underwear model?? LOL He is so funny these days, and such an awnry little booger! He seems to be very excited about the babies, so that's a relief. Let's hope it stays that way once they come home! Well, I better go get some rest. Take care and have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!

A long overdue update

Yes, an update is LONG overdue and I apologize. Things have been crazy around here since Clint and Luke returned from China. Yes, they are home safe and sound, thank goodness. It has been so great to all be together again. I will try and post some pictures of their trip a little later, after I get everyone caught up.

So we'll start with Luke! Yes we have seen some results from his stem cell treatment! His head control has improved tremendously and his hands move with more of a purpose these days. Instead of "batting" as much, he seems to really focus and grab something. His therapists are very pleased, saying they're now doing things that they couldn't have done before. The docs in China said that we will probably see more results in 3-6 months. We are very excited and very hopeful for any more improvements. Luke and Clint adjusted back to the time that first week, which was a relief. Luke still isn't taking great naps, but the past 4 nights,(I'm afraid to say it) he has slept ALL NIGHT!!! Granted, he's had a little help with some Benadryl due to a stuffy nose, but we've given him Benadryl before and he didn't sleep this well, so keep your fingers crossed that he continues to do well.

Cody will be 3 tomorrow (Dec. 4) which is so hard to believe!! He is Mr. goofball and says the funniest things these days. He told Clint the other day "Dad, you're a nice old man!" And today he told me "Mom, don't get me all worked up" . He is quite the character these days! A little sassy, but he is 3 afterall. We are excited that he's been putting on underwear after dinner this week! It's not much, but it's a start! In other news, the past two times he's been dropped off at school he hasn't cried, woo hoo! I'm sure this makes it a little easier on his teachers. He has been talking about some of his "friends" that he plays diggers with at school as well. Cody is very happy to have Clint and Luke back. He hugs Luke every morning and says "Hi buddy" in a very sweet, high pitched tone. And Clint is back to roughing him up, which he loves! Oh yeah, and Mia, our chocolate lab is his best buddy. He is always hugging her... he told her last night "Mia, I'm so happy to see you, I love you little Mia girl", which is funny, because she weighs about 65 lbs. Too funny that little guy!

And lastly, but certainly not least, the babies in my belly are doing well. I am now 32 weeks along and was unfortunately put on bed rest 2 days after Clint came home. The babies are fine, I was having some contractions a few weeks back so my activity is now limited just to be safe. It's a bummer, but we will do whatever it takes to keep these babies safe and sound! The ultrasounds are showing that both babies have lots of hair. No surprise to those who have seen baby pictures of Cody, and especially Luke. They are moving around like crazy and the boy really likes to do dances on my bladder!

Well, hopefully you now understand why it's taken so long to do a post. We've been busy trying to line up help and just adjusting back to family life! Clint is doing an amazing job with the kids and the household duties, albeit a little frazzled sometimes, but I understand that. Myself and the kids are so lucky to have him as a husband and Daddy.

Well, I better go do some more "resting". I just wanted to remind everyone to remember the true meaning of the season. I know times are tough and stressful for so many people right now, us included, but our family has so many blessings to be thankful for this year. More than ever, we are just really looking forward to spending time with our families and rejoicing in the birh of Jesus. Have a wonderful and joyous holiday season. God Bless.

A short update

Here's some pictures of our little guys taken somewhat recently. Luke in his new bumbo and Cody having some fun in the tub. Luke and Clint are still in China and Luke is scheduled for 2 spinal treatments next week on top of his physical therapy. Sounds like they were able to get out this weekend and see some sites.

Cody and I are hanging in there. We went to the pumpkin festival and had a great time. He enjoyed seeing all the tractors!!! As much as I miss Clint and Luke, I've also really been enjoying some time with just Cody, especially before the babies come. That's all for now, I'm pretty tired and need to go to bed!!

It's been a while

Wow, it sure has been a while since the last post. September was a very busy month for us, but let's back track a little bit to give some long overdue "thank you's"!! The end of August we had 2 fundraisers for Luke's trip to China. The first, a 5K run at Stephens Lake, which was put on by Kirk (Luke's uncle), and another back in Ohio put on by my sisters and mom and dad. They both had a great turnout and helped us raise the remaining amount of money for Luke's treatment!! I know we've said said it before, but thanks sooooo much to everyone who organized or attended a fundraiser, donated, or just said some prayers for our little guy. Our last fundraiser was just last weekend, a golf tournament in Fulton. Again, a huge success and thanks again to the Pundmann's for all their hard work.

In other news about Luke and Cody.... Cody started a little preschool program once a week last month. He did ok the first 2 times, but wasn't too crazy about going the last time. He cried when I dropped him off, which broke my heart. He was fine of course when I picked him up. We'll see how he does next week. For those who don't know, Clint wasn't real crazy about school until about the 3rd grade! Cody has definitely blossomed into a "little Clint". He is such a little sweetie and so smart. His imagination has really taken off the past few weeks. I can't believe he's going to be 3 soon! They grow up so fast!

Luke is doing great, he is in China now with Clint. They arrived on Thursday after a long couple days of travel. The link to the blog that Clint will be keeping over there is the following:
http://stemcellschina.com/blog/lukepickett/
Before they left Luke had started sleeping a little better, still not great. We've started putting him on his side when he wakes instead of his belly and he seems more comfortable. He is doing great with his eating in the kid cart and loves to sit and play in his new Bumbo designed especially for special needs children. He's a little small in it, but it gives him other options to sit instead of lying on the floor. We also have a stander on loan from the Learning Center that allows him to maintain a standing position, which is obviously more age appropriate for him. Lastly, we've been really working on him trying to hold his own bottle. Clint said on the way to China he actually reached up and pulled it to his mouth!! That is a big accomplishment for him and we are so excited. Clint said he's been holding it more since they got over there as well. Keep up the good work little fella! He is getting stronger every week it seems!

As for the the other babies, we found out that we're having a boy and a girl!! We are getting very excited and a little anxious as well. The time has just gone so fast! I am now 24 weeks and getting bigger by the minute it seems. The babies are moving around alot now and the heartburn has kicked in. I am feeling pretty good otherwise, just tired alot. I try to take a nap on most days, even if it's only 20-30 min. It helps me feel alot better. I miss Clint and Luke terribly, but I am so excited about the possibilities for Luke that this trip might bring. Please continue to keep him in your prayers.

Well, Clint and I will be keeping you updated on their trip so keep checking back . I'll try and not go so long next time. Take care

THANK YOU!!

I was watching some videos of Luke yesterday when he was just a little baby and I started to cry a little bit. I guess I just got to thinking about how innocent he was and that at the time, we had no idea there was anything "wrong" with him, we had so many hopes and dreams for him. But as I sat there crying and holding Luke (smiling at me, of course) on my lap, a calmness came over me. There is nothing "wrong" about our little angel and we still have hopes and dreams for him, they're just slightly adjusted. Sure, he has a brain injury and his body doesn't work the way it's supposed to, I am not naive to this. But he is also pure sweetness and joy, and no stinkin label of Cerebral Palsy is going to take that away from him. I started to think about how far Luke has come in just a little under a year since he first started therapy. His head control is getting sooo much better, he is eating solid foods, interacting with toys, chewing on his hands, tolerating tummy time, interacting with his big brother... the list goes on and on. No, Luke is not crawling, sitting up, or walking..yet, and to some these little "inchstones" don't seem like much, but they are to him and I couldn't be more proud of him. He has brought so much to my life and made me a better person. I thank God every day for my beautiful little family.

Ok, there is my reflection time. Whew! On to other news! As most of you reading this know already, but for those who don't, Luke is going to China in October to receive stem cell treatments!! We are very excited, as it is fast approaching. We have been doing numerous fundraisers, which you may have read about. This weekend we had a dinner/auction for Luke and had an AMAZING turnout and it was a HUGE success. We are eternally grateful and so appreciative of everyone who came to the event, helped plan the dinner and everything else that went along with it. For those who couldn't make it, or have sent donations, thank you, thank you, thank you!!! We are still amazed by how much people are willing to help our little guy. It has been an extremely overwhelming and emotional experience for us. And of course thank you for all your thoughts and prayers, please keep them coming .

We do have some more fundraisers coming up as well. Next weekend there is a wing-ding night in Olmsted Falls that my family is putting on. In addition, there is a 5K run/walk at Stephens Lake park here in Columbia with a barbeque following. Then in Sept. we have a golf tournament in Fulton, a 4 man scramble. If you'd like more info on any of these, just let me know and I'd be happy to email you some information.

In other exciting news, again for those who don't already know... Clint and I will be adding to our family in January!! Yes, we are expecting AGAIN, but this time there's 2 babies!! Yes, twins, can you believe it? No, we don't know how we're going to do it either, but we'll do our best! I am 18 weeks along and feeling pretty good, just a little tired. So needless to say, we have been crazy busy with fundraisers, planning for China, babies, and just trying to make it through another day! Finally, as I was reminiscing, I found the funniest baby picture of Luke , he was about 1 month old. He had CRAZY hair when he was born, check it out in the pictures section! Hope it makes you smile as much as I did!

The good and not so good

Sorry it's been a while, things have been very busy here. Between fundraising, vacations, and just everyday life it seems like the days and weeks just fly by. Clint's parents held a very successful Poker Run for Luke a few weeks back and along with dontations, we are one step closer to reaching our goal for Luke's China trip. Thank you soooo much to everyone who helped out and donated. We are so very grateful. Last week myself and the boys headed back to Ohio to visit with my parents. We all had a great time. We went to the county fair, the boys both loved the farm animals, and Cody especially liked the tractors and rides!! Luke even got to pet a horse, rabbit, cow and goat! We also went to the zoo and spent lots of time outide, which was nice because the weather was great, unlike the sauna like weather here!! UGGH, I hope it ends soon. It was so great to just enjoy the boys instead of worrying about running around to Dr. appts. and therapies. It was also nice just to have some extra hands to help out!! Thanks so much Mom and Dad!

This week was back to normal for us. Luke is again not sleeping well at night, which is very frustrating. We just don't know what to do anymore. None of us (except Cody, thank goodness) have had a full nights sleep in over a year!! That's just ridiculous! I just wish he could tell us what's wrong. We put him to bed one night and he got so mad he threw up, then last night, he was up 3 times, once for 45 min. before I went in there and got him to sleep because I couldn't take it anymore. I just wish he could figure out how to get himself to sleep. I'm so worried about when the babies come, how are we going to do it. I am just having a down day I guess, it happens... sorry. Then today we went for a checkup with his eye dr. and he tells me in 6 months they may want to start talking surgery for his eyes! It just really caught me off guard. It is a procedure that is pretty common for kids with CP, but it's just another thing. I HATE CEREBRAL PALSY!!! I hate the thought of Luke being uncomfortable, I just wish he didn't have to go through all this. It makes me so sad sometimes. Please understand, I know how blessed we are to have Luke and realize he could be much worse, it's just a struggle some days to deal with it all. The boys are both sleeping now, so I should try and rest myself, here's hoping tomorrow is a better day.

Luke's Appt.

Luke had an appt. with a new neruologist yesterday. The most exciting thing was that he weighed 21lb. 12 oz, which is a big gain for him!! We are ecstatic! I asked the Dr. about Luke's sleeping and he suggested not letting him take a nap or just keeping it to 1 hr./day. He obviously doesn't have children. I didn't take him too seriously, I mean, he's so tired, he has to have enough energy for all his therapies. Anyways, took it with a grain of salt.

The doc also may want to run some genentic an metabolic tests on Luke due to the fact that we don't know what caused his CP. He seemed very puzzled that we didn't know. I don't think he suspects anything, just making sure he rules out anything else. The Poker Run is this weekend so we are excited about that, they should have a good turnout. Then next weekend it's home to Ohio to visit my family. It will be so nice to have a break from therapies and dr. appts!! Hope the car ride goes ok!

Pretty good week

Well, Luke has had a pretty good week. We started putting him down for bed and naps awake and he's actually falling alseep on his own!! If only we could get him to sleep all night and for naps. His myoclonus still wakes him up. He is very inconsistent, waking up anywhere from 1-3 times at night. But, it's still an improvement over earlier days. We are going to see a new neurologist next week so I have a whole list of questions for him. Other good news, the Learning Center where Luke receives his therapy has lent us a chair until his comes in! It's not the prettiest, but it's nice to be able to put him in it and let him play instead of laying him on the floor....and Cody likes to push him around in it.
We took some really cute video of Cody and Luke in the pool the other day, Luke was just going crazy splashing, it was very hot that day and I imagine it felt pretty good to both of them. I'd post the video but the boys are naked! Maybe that's why it felt so good :)
Next week is the poker run fundraiser for Luke so we're looking forward to that. I also contacted a local TV station about doing a story about Luke and China. They sounded like they might be interested, but we'll see. It would be great coverage for all of our fundraisers!

Our Story

Luke was born March 8, 2007. The pregnancy was uncomplicated, as well as the birth. We had ourselves another beautiful little boy, in addition to big brother Cody, just 15 months old. We couldn’t be happier.

Around 4 months old, we noticed that Luke was very “stiff”. The pediatrician thought that maybe it was due to his acid reflux. A month later, Luke was still very stiff, his hands fisted constantly. He also wasn’t rolling over, or lifting his head up when on his belly. We saw another pediatrician who recommended a Physical Therapist examine him. We were told he had low muscle tone and would need physical and occupational therapy. A month later, we saw a neurologist and Luke received the diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy.

Luke is now nearly 16 months old and full of life and joy. He is a happy child who loves his family, swimming, reading books, and playing with his new puppy. He is quite the charmer with a smile to light up everything around him. He currently receives physical, occupational, speech, and aqua therapy.

Cody, now 2, is a very silly and happy boy. He loves to read and play with all his trucks and cars. Lastly, he absolutely adores his new puppy. He loves his little brother, but I think sometimes is still trying to figure him out!!

Family is everything to Clint and I, we will do all we can to give our children the best life possible. Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers

Here we go!!

Hi everyone, I decided to start blogging about our life and times with Cody and Luke. Other CP moms keep telling me what great therapy it will be for me. I also thought it would be a great way for all our friends and family to keep up to date with our challenging, crazy, but oh so blessed life. It is still work in progress, so keep checking back for more updates! I don't know how often I'll get to it, but I'll try my best!!

Hope you all enjoy. Take care

Cheryl