The First Week

I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights.  ~Terri Guillemets

After one full week of wearing her helmet, Isabella and I made another trip to Dallas for our next appointment. I decided to leave around 1:00 am on August 16th, so that I would be sure to arrive on time for our appointment at 7:45 am. Isabella fell asleep the second we got on I20, literally! She slept just about the whole way. At our appointment, her therapist showed me a mold of Isabella's head from before she started wearing the helmet. Comparing the mold to her head at that time, I could already see a difference. It is astounding how much of a difference one week can make. It also gave me the opportunity to visualize one aspect of how much babies grow and change every day. They are so fragile, with their bones still soft and some even unformed. And, at the same time, they are so resilient. The therapist shaved away some of the foam in the back of the helmet. This will give her occipital bone some room to become more round. Since her posterior fontanel, or soft spot on the back of her head, is already closed, it takes the back of the head longer to reshape than the front. The sides of her head, or parietal bones, also seemed as if they were not as prominent as they had been just a week before. I am excited to see how she progresses over the next couple of months. 



Day 1



Week 1



Once we were home, I immediately removed the stickers that I placed on her helmet a week before. I can tell this is going to be my favorite part. I have plenty of stickers that I was planning on using for a scrapbook. This time, I spelled out her name on the front and put flowers and swirls all around it. I happen to think it is just the cutest thing! She has adjusted well to the extra layer on her head. She isn't sweating near as much as she was the first few days. But, I do keep our room at "arctic temperatures" as my good friend Vicky says! She tends to exaggerate...hahaha!

Isabella is very aware of the helmet giving her head extra protection. When she is trying to reach for Lola, who is safely hiding underneath the big coffee table, she used to bump her head on the wood. Now, the helmet absorbs the bumps. This makes Isabella all the more determined to get Lola. It won't be long before Lola will have to find some other place to hide.

I grew up in a catholic household. My religion and my faith are very important to me. I have always known that I would want to raise my children with the same Catholic beliefs that I was raised on. When I began considering who I would want to be Isabella's Godparents, I knew I wanted my brother to be her Godfather. His long-time girlfriend, Karime, who is a part of our family as well, was also a person I knew I would want to help me teach my child about our Catholic beliefs. I have high expectations for these two as the Godparent's of my daughter. See, to me, baptism is not something that you go to church for a couple of months before and as soon as the event is over, you never go to church again, until you need something else, of course. To me, baptism is the first, of many, holy sacraments. It is a rebirth, a new life. I will teach Isabella about God. Teach her how to pray. Teach her to visit the house of God often. Teach her how to talk to God all the time. Teach her that God is a constant presence in and all around us. I believe that a sturdy religious background can be a strong base for your life. Don't get me wrong, I am not perfect, and I do not pretend to be. But acknowledging my wrongs and asking for forgiveness is something I hope to teach Isabella. This life is not always easy. We all rise, and fall, and rise again, just to fall again. Having faith is what makes the falls more tolerable because even though you may be down at the moment, you know that God will soon bring you back up.



After lots of schedule conflicts, we all decided on a date that would be good for Isabella's baptism, August 20, 2011. When this day arrived, I was excited and anxious. What a special day for my sweet girl. I must admit, I am very sentimental and am a sucker for tradition. I get it from my mom. My whole life, my mom has saved my baptismal gown and when Isabella's special day was nearing, I decided I wanted her to wear the same gown I wore 26 years prior. Thanks to my mom preserving my gown so well, I was able to start a new tradition. Hopefully Isabella can pass this same gown to her daughter on the day of her baptism.



Cynthia, December 1985



Isabella, August 2011

So, Isabella, my love, you are quite a character. You are stubborn and impatient. You are energetic and playful. You are angelic and adorable. You are my very own piece of heaven. You are now baptized in Christ. I look forward to teaching you about our religion and why we do the things we do. You are a child of God and the biggest blessing in my life. I hope that when you are a mother, you will cherish the small things and honor our traditions with your children.

You have come into the world so tiny,
Yet with such great promise for the future.
Before you were even born,
God planned wonderful things for you.
As you are baptized,
May you feel His love
And the love of all those around you,
And may you always follow in His way.

Love, Mama