Keepin' It Real

I started this blog to share our journey and to inform people about Down Syndrome. But I also do it because it's therapeutic for me. It helps me to express my thoughts and feelings about having a child with Down Syndrome. Most days are good, really good. And I laugh and play and work with Colton...and he just melts my heart. But every few months or so, I have a day where I'm just defeated. I'm just tired....physically and emotionally. I don't want to have to worry about milestones or therapy sessions or how to motivate my child to do things. And I just have a long cry session...usually in the shower. Today is one of those days. I just want him to do what an 18 month old does. I just want to play with him and not have to feel guilty for not making him self-feed or hold his own juice cup or practice standing or strengthening his core. There are nights when I think back on our day together and I wonder if I did enough. Because I do have days when I don't do much "therapy" with him. I just let him be a kid and play like he wants to play; but then I get mad at myself because I do need to push him. Colton will not push himself. He's content just living how he's currently living. But I want more for him!

Another parent of a child with Special Needs recently said to me, "It's such a fine line we walk, pushing our boys to reach their potential but also accepting them just as they are." And it's so true. It's hard to find the right balance.

What is boils down to is that I just want the best for my child! I want him to be as normal as possible. I want him to walk and talk and play and have friends and learn and get a job and feel independent and loved and accepted. I want him to be the BEST! And he will be...but it just takes so much time and patience. I'm not only caring for my child and disciplining him and keeping him safe...I'm teaching him how to do EVERYTHING! And it's overwhelming and some days it just weighs heavy on my heart.

But tomorrow is a new day. And I'll be just fine. A good cry session is always good for the soul. I just need to focus on how far we've come...and not how far behind we are.

Now, excuse me while I go love on my little guy. Because nobody cuddles better than him, nobody kisses better than him, and nobody makes me feel more loved than him.

HE IS WORTH EVERY TEAR, EVERY HOUR OF LOST SLEEP...HE IS WORTH IT! AND HE IS MINE!




"Don't forget that you're human. It's okay to have a melt down. Just don't unpack and live there. Cry it out and then refocus on where you are headed."

18 Month Checkup

Friday morning, Colton had his 18 month checkup! He is still on the typical growth scale, so that's good news! His growth is starting to slow down, but she said that's normal for his age. Adults with Down Syndrome are usually pretty short, so I wasn't surprised to see that he was in a lower percentile for length. The biggest celebration for me is that his HEAD grew (1/4 inch)! Yay! Last time we went, his head hadn't grown and I had to go see a specialist. So, I just wanted to see some growth!
Here are his stats:

Weight: 23 lbs. 12 oz. (39th percentile)

Length: 31.5 inches (13th percentile)

Head: 18 1/4 inches (19th percentile)

It was a pretty easy checkup. Colton will stay on Zantac for his reflux. If he doesn't take it, I can tell that it starts to bother him, so I'm glad it does help. We are requesting a repeat Swallow Study to see if he has any improvement in swallowing liquids. Right now, I thicken all liquids to Stiff Honey. I know we won't be able to come off of thickeners completely, but it would be nice if we could just thicken to Honey or Nectar. His Speech Language Pathologist wants to come with me to the Swallow Study so that she can talk to the tech and ask questions that I wouldn't think to ask. If he still needs to thicken to Stiff Honey, then we are going to request an appointment with an ENT to see if there is something else going on with his throat other than the low muscle tone. Hopefully, the Swallow Study will happen at the end of August or early September.

Colton still only has 3 teeth (2 on bottom and one on top), but a few more are in the works right now. I'm SO ready for him to get some more teeth! I feel like he's been teething for months...and months...and months! Colton is a really great eater and will eat anything I feed him...but I have to feed it to him. I've tried to get him to pick things up and put them in his own mouth, but he just hasn't been interested. I finally decided that I had to find something that he REALLY wanted to eat. I went with something that I'd want to shove into my own mouth.....BROWNIES...and it worked!!!!!!!! HALLELUJAH!!!! I've never seen him so motivated to self-feed. Since then, he has fed himself pieces of grilled cheese and puffs. So we are making progress! And he can also hold his own cup! Yay! At least now I know that he can self-feed and hold his own cup if he wants to...he's just a mighty stubborn little dude, at times. Why feed yourself when mom will feed you if you make her wait long enough??? Hehehe.

Overall, his checkup went really well. I was very excited not to have a bunch of new doctors to go see. We will have our annual Genetics appointment soon and our repeat swallow study, but hopefully, that's it for a few months! Please continue to pray for Colton's heart. I pray that the holes in his heart close so that my sweet boy won't have to have open heart surgery in a few years. God, please close the holes in Colton's heart!!!

I just can't even begin to describe the love I have for this little boy. He is the sweetest, most loving, easy-going, happy baby! And I call him a baby because he is still very much a baby. The kisses, cuddles, and smiles that I get from him are the best! I feel like I'm looking into the eyes of an Angel when I'm with him. I never knew how happy this little boy was going to make me. Not a day goes by that I don't thank God for him. He melts my heart and is SO loved by my entire family. I'm thankful that God knew we needed him even before we knew it.

If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I post a lot of videos and pictures of him on a regular basis. If not, you're welcome to follow me @carriescott22. Here are a few pictures of my handsome little man taken in the last month...













In the last few months, Colton has really come alive. He has such a funny personality and has started actually playing with toys, rather then just throwing them. He especially loves playing with big brother's toys! He LOVES watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and will whip his head around to see the TV if he hears it first. He finally decided to start clapping....I'm not sure why it took so long but he decided he finally wanted to. He is army crawling all over my house and getting into trouble! I can tell that he's getting more body control, which is great! He loves emptying out my laundry basket and "helping" me with the laundry. He is starting to mimic more words. So far he's said ball, up, down, Mama, Dada, yeah, yay, bye bye, and more. The other day he even tried to mimic "brother." We are very proud of our little man!

Colton, we love you so much! Keep working hard!!!

18 Months!

18 months ago, the most precious soul joined our family.



Colton is the most easy-going baby. He's pretty much up for whatever we do as a family. When he was born, we were afraid we might be more limited in what we could do as a family because of his Special Needs, but we've quickly learned that is just not the case. We take Colton with us and let him experience everything Weston did as a baby. Colton is not afraid of water, he enjoys playing rough with daddy and brother, he is not startled by loud noises, and he's always up for new adventures. His latest adventure was this past weekend....



Oh, yes we did take that sweet boy tubing! And he absolutely LOVED it! I wish we could've zoomed in a little more on his face because he had the biggest smile! He also loves swimming and riding in the boat.



His prescription sunglasses are kinda my fav. They were expensive, but totally worth it. He owns more expensive sunglasses than I do!



At 18 months, Colton is still army crawling everywhere! He loves the fireplace and gives me the biggest smile when I tell him, "No!" His legs are getting stronger and he can pick us his feet to move them forward when I hold his hands to "walk." His legs are strong enough, but his mid-section is super loosey-goosey. The dude is like a noodle and he is just not stable when he "walks." His PT is ordering basically a unitard for him to wear under his clothes. It makes me laugh when I think about it. We are going to try to see if this will help him hold the middle together...much like spanks. We are anxiously awaiting for it to arrive. Haha. We aren't quite four-point crawling. I think Colton could do it...IF HE WANTED TO! He seriously fights not to do it. He can be SO strong and stubborn when he wants to be. Most days, he gives his PT a hard time. She works hard for the money....so hard for the money! He fights her during the hard stuff, and smiles at her during breaks. What a turkey!

Colton's new trick is to do, "Up, Down, Up Down, Up Down," with his arms. His daddy will say, "Up!" Colton slowly raises both arms up over his head, and as soon as daddy says, "Down!" he throws them down and smiles. It's so cute. They do it over and over and over. We don't have to show him how to play anymore...all we have to do is say the words and he knows the game. Sweet boy is learning! Speaking of words, his Speech Therapist and I think he's starting to say a few words. Last week, he said, "More." I've heard him say, "Ball," when we play ball. He can say, "Mama and Dada," but I can't be sure he associates them with meaning. My mother-in-law asked him if he wanted some juice the other day and she swears he said, "Yeah!" So it's good to see a few attempts at talking. Yay Colton!

We are still working on self-feeding. He can hold his own cup and squeeze pouch, if he wants to. He can pick up a piece of bread and put it in his mouth...but again, if he wants to! He's very capable when he's not being STUBBORN! I've been letting him help bring his spoon to his mouth and he's doing really well with that. He's throwing less food than before, so that's progress, too. He really will eat whatever I make for him...he's not picky! He can eat soft solids, which gives us a lot of options! He only has two bottom teeth and is starting to get one top tooth. So we are about to have 3 teeth! C'mon teeth! You're taking your sweet time!

Overall, Colton is doing really well. He is the busiest 1 year old I know! He goes to gymnastics on Mondays, therapy for 2 hours on Tuesday, therapy for 3 hours on Wednesday, therapy for 2 hours on Thursday, and he did an evening swim lesson in June. Colton will start full-time school soon. I really think it's the best thing for him. Early intervention is KEY in children with Down Syndrome. They usually plateau around age 12 or 13 (from what I hear), so it's so important for him to get help now! And Mama could use a break. Like seriously, I'm about to go to the doctor for my left wrist from carrying a 24 lb. weight everywhere I go...I've been in a lot of pain, lately. Most 18 month olds can walk, but I still have to carry him all of the time...but it won't be long. He WILL walk eventually.......and that day will be oh so exciting!!!!

Happy 1/2 birthday, Colton! We love you so very much!

Patience

Over the past 17 months, I've learned a lot of things. I've learned about Down Syndrome, the heart, swallow studies, low tone, occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech therapy, feeding techniques, Medicaid, etc... It has been quite an educational year. But I would say the hardest thing I've had to learn this year is...Patience.

Most kids are quick to grow up. Those milestones come so fast in that first year and before you know it you're chasing around a one year old who has a rapidly expanding vocabulary and you just want time to SLOW down! I experienced that...with Weston. He was running by 11 months and climbing out of his crib and constantly giving me heart attacks. And I was so tired and stressed out from chasing him around all day, every day. I didn't realize it then, but I didn't really appreciate how quickly he was reaching those milestones. And then God gave me Colton. And he is completely the opposite of my Weston. He does things at his own pace. Raising a child with Down Syndrome requires lots and lots of patience. There are days when I'm really good at being patient. But after a few weeks or months of working on the same skill, I begin to lose that patience. And it never fails that when I'm almost at my breaking point, Colton learns a new skill. And it may not be a big milestone like rolling, sitting, crawling, or standing, but it's a big skill for Colton....and it gives me that boost I need to keep on keeping on. And I know that is God's way of telling me..."It's ok, Carrie. See, he's getting there. Just be patient...just be patient."

The other day, Weston wanted to look at some old pictures on our computer. We came across pictures of Weston at 17 months old...and all of a sudden, I got really sad. I spent the whole day a little down in the dumps because I forgot where Weston was at 17 months. And I know that I can't compare my kids because it's not the same, it's not fair. It's like apples and oranges. But it still stings a little. Deep down in my heart, I know that Colton is going to four point crawl and pull to stand and walk and clap and sing and talk and run and jump and ride a bike....but it's just going to take a lot longer than it did for Weston. So there comes that word again...PATIENCE. Patience is hard for a person who likes numbers and timelines and plans...and I have to throw all of that out of the window while raising Colton. But that's ok...I'm learning. And when I get totally overwhelmed and stressed out, I pray about it and I remind myself of how far Colton has come in the last 17 months. He used to not be able to get his legs off of the ground while lying on his back because his abs were so weak. Now, he can bring both legs up toward the ceiling and slam then down on the ground like nobody's business. He likes to do that in the pool, too, and make a big ole' splash.

At 17 months, Colton sits really well. He loves to spin circles while sitting on his bottom. He can army crawl all over the house. His latest milestone is pushing himself up from laying to a sitting position (who knew that was a milestone? Don't kids just naturally do that?). He can hold his own sippy cup and squeeze pouch. He can blow kisses, when he wants to. He is a champ at giving high fives with both hands. He can turn the pages of a book. He can stand for longer periods of time, but be careful because when he decides he's done, he's done and will come crashing down. He's eating really well and sleeping really well. He has the cutest little personality and messes with me all of the time. He loves to throw things off of his highchair and even though I give him a stern "NO!," he will look me right in the eyes and slowly take that toy to the edge of the highchair and release it. He thinks that's funny! Mommy keeps a straight face and disciplines him, but I'm laughing inside. Because I LOVE to see that he's being intentional about that. He knows better! He does the same thing about taking off his glasses or crawling to touch things he's not supposed to touch. It really is hilarious! Colton is a babbler. He makes all kinds of sounds. His Speech Therapist said his babbling is progressing...so that's good! Colton will mimic me if he's in the right mood (sounds or faces or actions). And he is just the biggest lover. He loves to kiss and cuddle. Because of his low tone, Colton is the squishiest little guy. We call him our "Fluffy Marshmallow." Nobody hugs better than Colton! We are pretty fond of the little guy. I'm pretty sure he gets the top spot in being the family favorite (wink, wink).

Raising a child with Down Syndrome is really challenging...and it requires a lot of PATIENCE...but it is the most rewarding thing I've ever done. Nobody needs me more than Colton. Nobody loves me more than Colton. Colton is going to crawl and walk and talk...and he's going to do great things...it's just going to take time. In the meantime, we will continue to love him, practice with him, support him, and celebrate him.

The Lucky Few

This book came out last month, and when I heard about it, I knew I just had to have it. Today, I finally made my way over to Barnes & Noble to buy it. I've only made it through the first chapter and I already love it. I can't wait to read more. If you are fostering, adopting, struggling with infertility, or parenting a child with Special Needs, this book is for you. But really, I think anyone can find a way to relate to this book as it is about "Embracing the Gift of the Unexpected." And I do believe that unexpected things happen to all of us.

"The Lucky Few..." I hear those three words used a lot now that I have a child with Down Syndrome. And I have to admit, that on the day of Colton's birth when I first heard his diagnosis, I didn't feel so "lucky." I felt sad and cheated. My life was this beautiful vase...just what I always wanted...and in an instant, that vase was thrown to the ground and immediately shattered into a million tiny pieces. I didn't know how I was ever going to pick all of those pieces up and put them back together. I was so angry that my vase was broken...I didn't want to have to fix it. And the harsh reality was that vase was permanently broken...and it would never be the same. So...I had two choices: leave the broken pieces all over the floor and wallow in my sorrows, or put the pieces back together and create a different, but equally beautiful vase. Obviously, I chose the latter.

In this book, the author, Heather Avis, says, "I didn't know then that easy and normal and nice would do little to build my character or make me a better and more complete human being. Somewhere off the rose-petal path where easy, normal, and nice bloom, true beauty lives in the muck. But only the lucky few of us who step off the path will find it. My luck began when God picked me up off the comfortable path I had paved for myself and drop-kicked me into the mud. In the beginning, all I wanted to see was the grime on my clothes and the dirt on my hands. But because of God's grace, I finally stopped looking for a way back to my own plans. And the farther I stepped from that pretty path of easy, normal, and nice, the more clearly I could see the beauty he was creating all around me."

Colton's diagnosis was the hardest thing that's ever happened to me...but it's also been the best thing that's ever happened to me. I never knew how strong I was. I never knew how much I needed God. The only way to survive this is WITH HIM. I trust that His plans are greater than my plans. My relationship with God has strengthened so much throughout this journey. Almost every Sunday during worship, my eyes well up with tears and I get a knot in my throat...but not because I'm sad...because I'm so thankful that He knew how much I needed Colton. If I was the author of my story, Colton wouldn't have been in it...and now, I can't imagine my story without him. God knows best....and at times, we don't know how He's going to take our current struggle and make it into something beautiful...but He will. You just have to Trust Him and be patient.

My sister-in-law sent me a text last week after Colton's Cardiology appointment. It was one of the sweetest things anyone has ever said to me about Colton and my blog. She said, "I appreciate your blog more than you could imagine because it strangely makes me feel more connected to God. Colton's smile and seemingly unaffected spirits demonstrates His presence more than I have ever experienced. It's like Colton knows something we don't. Looking into your child's beautiful smiling face tells me that he's going to be just fine and God has a plan in action that we can't quite see yet."

At the beginning of this journey, I didn't feel so "lucky." I was forced "off the comfortable path" and led into the unknown and I was terrified. But it has inspired me to share Colton's story and life with you through this blog. And I hope and pray that it helps you to feel God's presence like it does for my sister-in-law. I have come to realize that when I gave birth to Colton, I actually hit the jackpot...and I am forever inducted into a club that goes by the name, "The Lucky Few."

Colton's Heart (15 months)

Let me preface this by saying...I am not a doctor. I just try to listen to what the doctor tells me and put that into words for you guys. It's hard and complicated and I try my best...so please forgive me if I'm inaccurate about anything. This is a new world for me and lots of new vocabulary is thrown my way on a daily basis.

We found out last year that Colton has an ASD (Atrial Septal Defect). The wall between his right and left atria has multiple holes that allow blood to go back and forth like a trap door. His right atria is dilated because of the extra blood allowed in that chamber. This is part of the reason his PCP was concerned he had Dextrocardia because an X-ray makes his right atria look enlarged...therefore, backwards in his chest. It is not backwards, just dilated. We were told that there's a chance those holes would close on their own over time. We went in for our annual checkup today and I was hopeful to hear good news. Thankfully, Colton was in good spirits. This kid has a heart of gold.



They did an Echo on Colton's heart. He was very wiggly, but he didn't cry. We just sang songs to him and he did really well.




Unfortunately, we didn't get good news....



Colton still has several moderate holes between his two atria. Blood is going back and forth more than it was a year ago. It's called "Fenestrated ASD's." Here's the picture she drew for me...



It's not something that requires immediate attention, but she said he will have to have a procedure done in the future to fix it. There are basically two options.

Option 1: Use a device to go through a vein in the leg to close the holes (Cath)

Option 2: Open Heart Surgery

At this time, she's not sure if Option 1 will work because he has several pretty good sized holes that need to be closed. She said that technology is constantly changing and getting better, so maybe in the future this would be an option, but she can't promise that right now. She wants us to come back in one year to check his heart. At that time, they will speak to a team to see if Option 1 will work for Colton. If so, he'd have that procedure done between Age 2-3. If that won't work for him, they will want to do Open Heart Surgery but would wait until he's at least 4 years old to do so. So...nothing would be done right away. This is something that he can live with for awhile and be ok. He has no restrictions and is able to continue all physical activity. He is asymptomatic.

Now....I did tell her about his lack of head growth and that we were meeting with Neuro-Surgery in the next month. She said that if for any reason Colton has to have surgery on his head, he cannot do so until his heart is fixed first. She said that there is a risk of Air of some kind getting in there during surgery that would cause problems with his heart?? I was a little confused about that...but....she said it is VERY important to let them know that he has "Fenestrated ASD's" and those need to be fixed first.

So, we are hoping we can just wait a year to go back to have his heart checked. At that time, we will decide the best course of action to fix Colton's heart. However, if we find that we have issues with his head that need to be fixed, then we will have to go down that path sooner.

This appointment was hard on my Mommy heart. This was not the news I was expecting. All I can do is focus on the positive. Colton is not in need of emergency surgery. Colton is healthy. Colton can resume all of his daily activities without any worries. God is bigger than the holes in Colton's heart. Miracles can happen. I'm gonna pray that Colton's holes in his heart close. I'm gonna pray that Colton will not need to have a procedure done. But if he does...we will get through it.

"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold." Psalm 18:2

15 Month Checkup

Colton had his 15 month checkup today! Here are his stats:

Weight: 23 lbs. 7 oz (60th percentile)

Height: 30 3/4 inches (33rd percentile)

Head: 18 inches (20th percentile)



These percentiles are for a typical baby. He's still killin' it in the weight department! Woohoo! We've been doing feeding therapy for several months now and Colton is doing really well. We are trying to cut back on formula and introduce milk. He still gets a morning and evening bottle. Colton is doing great drinking from a straw cup. We are trying to transition him from sucking with his tongue to sucking with his lips. All babies suck with their tongue because of a nipple...but as they get older, they learn to suck with their lips, keeping their tongue in their mouth. The Honey Bear Straw cup is great because we can adjust the length of the straw. The longer the straw, the more he sucks with his tongue. So at therapy, we work on shortening that straw so that he really has to use his lips to suck. Sucking is so good for the muscles in his face and mouth. We want those muscles to stay toned. Colton is now eating soft solids and can eat squeeze pouches. Our goal is to eat a protein, starch, and fruit/vegetable for meals. Colton can eat small bites of turkey, hot dogs, chicken nuggets, macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, toast, carrots, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes, yogurt, applesauce, oatmeal, puffs, grilled cheese, meltables, etc.... I am SO pumped that he's able to eat a wide variety of foods. He does not gag on foods like he used to. Progress!!!!!!!! Now, Colton does not self feed. We are really working on that. Most babies put everything in their mouth...and they are supposed to...not Colton! Which you think is a good thing until your baby doesn't even want to put food or utensils in his/her mouth. Yesterday at therapy, we got Colton to put a veggie straw in his mouth, sucking off the salt. Yay!! It's a start! His therapist also put vanilla pudding all over his tray to let him play and explore and he did take a graham cracker stick dipped in pudding and put it in his mouth. Baby steps! He is a really good eater...and I'm thankful that he's at a healthy weight.



Colton's face here cracks me up. He loves to babble. He can do the following consonants: M, N, B, D, G, and W. My favorite sound he makes is "Whoa!" He gets those lips pursed like the picture above and says it over and over...especially when he's excited about something like a dangling necklace. If you are wearing a necklace or stethoscope or lanyard, watch out! That kid loves things that dangle. Colton is very expressive with his face and his voice. He makes all kinds of faces these days and loves to make his voice high and low and loud and soft. He woke up early the other day so I put him in bed between us and kept telling him he was with "Mama Dada." I repeat things a lot for him and a few minutes later he said "Mama Dada." He can say both separately but I've never heard him string them both together. I was very proud of him. His babbling is progressing. He's starting to sound like he's speaking a language. He's really trying to communicate. He also likes to mimic, if he's in the mood. He was in the driveway the other day with our neighbor and she would pat her mouth while making noises...when she'd stop, he'd do the same thing to his mouth. They kept going back and forth. It was so sweet! I'm so thankful for the help with "therapy."



Colton is going to start doing 3 hours of PT each week. We've gotta get that kid moving more.

Think about this: You are all warm and cozy in your bed and the alarm goes off. You hit snooze so you can stay in bed just a little longer....but eventually you have to drag your body out of bed and get the day started. It takes so much energy to do that.

Well....that's how Colton feels all of the time. Because of his low tone, things are hard for him. It's a lot of work to move that 23 lb. body around. So...Colton is pretty content to just stay on his tummy or sit on his bottom. He has to REALLY want something to put forth the effort to go get it. And if it's too far way, forget about it. It's not worth it to him. Bless his heart. So finding what motivates Colton to move is a challenge. And that changes from day to day. Sometimes I get out the vacuum because he likes that dangling cord and I want him to try to move. He can army crawl if he really wants to...and he's getting more curious...so that helps. He's starting to move more and more...which is good because we need those muscles to get stronger. He does not get into 4 point yet (hands and knees crawling position). We practice that at therapy a lot. Colton moves like a 7 month old mainly because he can't do 4 point yet. Because I have to carry Colton around so much, I am constantly tight. My neck and shoulders always have knots...and my lower back is sore on a regular basis. But I have some pretty awesome biceps. If you see me this summer, don't laugh at me for being Rambo....seriously! I'm ready for Colton to start moving more so that I can get a break. It's hard out in public with a 15 month old that can't stand up and hates the stroller.



So...Colton's growth is looking pretty good...except for his head. Today, we noticed that his head hasn't grown since his last checkup. Our Pediatrician said that she wants to refer us to Neuro-Surgery just to check to make sure his growth plates haven't already closed. She said that normally kids whose growth plates have closed at an early age have a really funny shaped head. His head shape doesn't look funny....so she said she's not too worried. But she is being a little cautious and would like to have it looked at. We are waiting to hear when that appointment will be. If his growth plates have closed, he won't have room for his brain to grow; therefore, he will need surgery to fix it. We are praying that that is not the case. I'm just hoping that his head will start to grow more in the next few months. She said she's not too concerned, but definitely wants to have it looked at just in case. So please pray that Colton doesn't have any issues with his growth plates.

We head to the heart doctor on Tuesday for his annual checkup. We are hoping that the small holes from his ASD are the same size or smaller. It would be wonderful to hear that the holes are closing up on their own. If they aren't closed yet, they will just wait another year or two to see if they will keep getting smaller. Prayers for that appointment would be appreciated, as well.

Colton is doing really well. He couldn't be getting any more help. We have been blessed with a great team of people that are helping us navigate this new life. Everyone has been so positive and supportive. I haven't had any negative experiences. And it's amazing to me how many people are drawn to Colton. Everywhere we go people talk to Colton and comment on him or his glasses. Yesterday, 6 different people in Walmart stopped me. One lady said..."You know you have a jewel with this one. They are the most precious people." She's right. Colton is such a precious little guy. We just adore him.