Owen's Test Results

Last Thursday we visited the neurologist one more time to find out the results to all of Owen's tests.

**I don't think I ever wrote about his EEG testing that happened on Sept. 29th.  For this test, Owen had to be sleep deprived and we were given very specific instructions on how much sleep he could get.  He was not to go to bed before 11 pm and then had to be woken up at 3 am.  He should not fall asleep again until at the doctor's office (around 8).  Needless to say, we were very worried how this would go.  Luckily, the day before the test was his birthday so we played up the staying-up-late-because-it's-your-birthday thing.  We went out for frozen yogurt, got a movie, and went to Target.  We came home and watched the movie and my mom arrived around 9.  He played with her and promptly went to bed at 11.  Jeremy got up with him at 3 (thanks babe!) and they watched a movie, took a bath, and played. Surprisingly, he was not ill and cooperated.  The car ride there was the hardest part in trying to keep him awake.  I sat with him in the back and played with him the whole 30 min ride there. It's wasn't until we got in the testing room that things went downhill.  They made him lay back in Jeremy's arms while they glued 26 electrodes to his head. He was mostly cooperative for this but started to freak out when they started to wrap gauze around his head.  The lady then told us to help him go to sleep.  Sure lady, I'm going to get this sleep-deprived hysterical kid to sleep. We rocked him, sang to him, etc. trying to get him to sleep.  Surprisingly enough, the 40th round of itsy bitsy spider finally worked.  They let him sleep for 5 mins then told us to wake him.  The whole thing was painful but we survived. **

So back to Thursday's appointment.  We go into discuss the MRI, EEG, and blood work results with the doctor.  PRAISE THE LORD...everything came back normal! No seizures, no tumor, no chromosomal abnormalities...glucose and electrolytes are fine. MRI did show a small cyst in the front of his left hemisphere (of the brain).  The cyst is just a pocket full of fluid and is having no effect on his development. However, the cyst is close to his sinus cavity and eye socket.  If it weren't to get bigger, it could put pressure on these areas and then would have to be drained. We will continue to follow up with the neurologist every 6 months with the possibility of more MRI's to check the cyst's growth.

Thank you all for your prayers and support.  Please continue to pray that the cyst will not grow and that Owen's development would continue to flourish. Also pray for us that we would trust in the Lord to provide all the means to pay for these very pricey tests.

Ah Shucks..

 This past Saturday we took a family trip to one of the local pumpkin farms here called Ah Shucks! It was a cute little place full of old timey buildings, tractor rides, a corn maze, petting zoo, and games.

Owen loved the kiddie corral where he got to dig in corn, play in this small house, and ride the horse

 Posing with our pumpkin

 Owen and Jeremy walking through the corn maze

 Being farmers and digging in the dirt

Then we went on a tractor hayride

 Not the greatest family shot

We had a great time spending time together as a family and enjoying the fall weather.

Oliver's 1st Haircut

In true Cox/Piner fashion, Oliver has a head full of hair. It was starting to get stringy in the front and long on the sides. While I'm the sentimental type, I'm not one to wait until after their 1st birthday to get their first haircut. My feeling is if they need, why not do it?

Thursday afternoon (Oct. 6th) I took Oliver over to Dolittle's Kiddie Salon for his first haircut. Unlike his big brother, he LOVED getting his haircut.  The lady placed him the little police car seat and he was happy as a clam.  He "drove" the car unfazed while she snipped away. While he really didn't get that much cut off, it still made a big difference to me.  He looks so much bigger now and I'm getting more comments about how much the boys look alike now.

Pre hair cut

Driving away

Whoa that looks short

Wooooooooo

Am I cute Mom?

He didn't even mind the clippers

Dude I'm cute. 

All done and ready to ride (again his silly picture taking face)

We Love Fall

Now the weather is finally starting to cool down, we are spending more time outside. We are loving the cooler air and less bugs. Join us for a little fun...

Owen loves for you to chase him.

 Oliver, get out of my way...I was trying to get up the stairs.

 Sliding is always fun..

 Owen wanted to take pictures with his camera too (a birthday present from us)

 The treehouse is fun

 Oliver's picture taking face

Watching the wind blow in the trees

Oliver discovers the sandtable for the first time..

 And the sand goes straight to the mouth..

 Oh this stuff feels funny

 Where did it go?

I'm loving fall. The boys and I hope it stays around for a while.

Baby/Child Dedication

 Sunday October 3rd we participated in our church's baby/child dedication service. This service is about thanking God for the children He has given us and asking for His help in raising them. It is also about committing to raise our boys in a Godly home teaching them the Gospel and disciplining them in their own walks. It is also a commitment on the church's part to help us by praying for us, instructing us, and keep us accountable. This is not a baptism and this in no way affects their own salvation; they must personally accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Our church only allows 2 families to do dedication at a time and we were fortunate to have our friends the Shepherds with us. They were dedicating their son Noah, who is a month older than Oliver. As the boys were presented, their names, pictures, and verses appeared on the screen behind us.  We chose Numbers 6:24-26: "The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face toward you and give you peace.”


Our prayer is that the boys would come to know the Lord as their own Lord and Savior (and hopefully at an early age). We pray that they would constantly seek His face and know Him all the days of their life. Also we pray that we would be good witnesses in our life and that we would reflect Christ to them. 

Pastor Kallam charging us as parents 

Pastor Kallam praying for us 

Family shot in the front of the church

Formal picture of us with Pastor Kallam after the dedication

We feel so honored that the Lord would entrust these two precious boys to us for just a little while.  Ultimately they are His and we want to do our best to point them to their Heavenly Father.  Though we may fail (and we probably will), we want them to know they have a Father that is perfect and good and will never leave them or forsake them.  Please pray for us as we continue to walk their journey called parenthood. :)

Thank you also to our parents (and my grandma) for joining us and supporting us on this day. Thank you for teaching Christ to us.

It's Fun to Have Fun (part 2)

 Owen got so many fun gifts this year. Here's the highlight reel.

What's in all these bags?

My parents got Owen his own UNC football uniform. He was in love with the helmet.

Dad and Samuel thought it would be fun to see how protective the helmet really was.

Samuel was excited for Owen to open his gift.. a monster truck.

A room full of people watched as Owen opened a bag of costumes from Jeremy's mom and dad.

Cat in the Hat matching game

Jesus' Storybook Bible

Cat in the Hat movies

What's under this blanket?

A new tricycle!

Owen got so many fun gifts he didn't even know where to start. Thanks to everyone who came and celebrated with us! He had such a fun time and he is so blessed to have so many people that love him.