Our Fourth (& Fifth) of July + 1 recipe

Since the fourth of July landed on a Friday this year we ended up with two days of celebration! Sawyer had three outfit changes, his first dip in the pool, and tasted my famous macaroni salad. Here are some of my favorite pics from the fourth...and fifth.

I was gifted this cute hand-me-down romper when Sawyer was born. It remained in his closet just waiting for the fourth. Well, I should have checked the size before I dressed him. I was able to get it on, but when it came time I could not get it off! My mom held him while I cut him out of it. He was perfectly happy during the process thank goodness!

A flag to some...just another toy to others.

Muscle Tee//Shorts//Shoes

Baby Float (Similar)

Since we were attending two back-to-back parties I doubled one delicious recipe and brought it to both shindigs. This is seriously my favorite macaroni salad. It's loaded with veggies, not mayo heavy, and has a really fun name! It's the perfect side dish to bring to any summer party.

Fleetwood Macaroni Salad

2 cups cooked elbow macaroni (I use 1/2 a pound. This will boost the serving size.)
1 cup fresh or defrosted frozen corn kernels
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1/2 cucumber, peeled (I leave the peel on), seeded and cut into quarters
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley (reserve a little for garnish)
1/4 cup chopped chives or green onions
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 cup vegan mayonnaise (You can use the regular stuff, but Vegenaise is seriously some tasty stuff!)
1 1/2 tsp salt (This cookbook is salt heavy. I would suggest salting to taste...don't just dump it in!)
1/2 tsp pepper

Mix everything together in a large bowl. Sprinkle with parsley to garnish.

I found the recipe in one of my favorite cookbooks The Native Foods Restaurant Cookbook. Native Foods is a growing chain of healthy "fast food". I had major cravings for this place when I was pregnant. Although I eat meat it repulsed me at the time. A couple of my favorite things on the menu are the Scorpion Burger, Soul Bowl, and I love the Watermelon Fresca. Check it out if you have a restaurant in your area and if not you can always pickup the cookbook.

If the Shoe Fits

The winner is....

It's a three-way tie! I couldn't pick just one pair. A boy needs his options. Thank you so much for all the responses on the blog and Instagram. They were so much fun to read and see everyone share in our joy!

Last week Sawyer received his first prosthetic. The prosthetist put Sawyer's little leg on and had me stand him up, hold his arms, and help Sawyer take his first steps. It was such a happy and unforgettable moment. At the end of his walk Sawyer started bouncing up and down with excitement. He was so proud of himself.

Side note: for parents of a child with a prosthetic looking for shoes. Although it would seem velcro would be the way to go for a baby or child they actually proved much more complicated then laces. Sawyer's prosthetic foot is very basic. It's only meant to help stabilize and allow him to get around. It's a bit bulky so most shoes with velcro are very difficult to close. Laces allow the shoe to form around his foot. This will all change as Sawyer grows and his prosthetic gets more advanced.

We are so excited for what the coming months will bring. I can hardly wait for Sawyer to start walking. On second thought, maybe I can. I really need to get on baby proofing our entire home...stat!

WE NEED YOUR VOTE!

I can't put into words how excited I was to buy Sawyer's first pair of shoes. So, I will just show you with the photos below. Up until now Sawyer could only wear socks...so this is where my excitement stems from. Well that and it's SHOES...tiny little BABY BOY SHOES! Yes, I bought all of these, but I will only keep one or two pairs. Leave a comment and let me know which pair you like best. Stay tuned for the results.

 

Red Converse//Saucony//Pumas//Similar Brown Stride Rite//Multi Color Stride Rite//Black Converse

Our Story - Sawyer's Journey

This has been one of the most trying years of our lives. Having a baby is not an easy task and our story does not end there. During my second trimester screening we not only found out we were having a boy, but we were completely devastated to learn there was an issue with his development. I will never forget the doctor entering the room asking the nurse "Which side?" He didn't have to say anything to us; the question and his tone said it all. Something was wrong. I want to share our story of Sawyer's journey. I hope to bring awareness, and help other families in similar situations.

We found out over the remainder of my pregnancy that Sawyer had a problem with his right foot. Our doctors did many tests while I was pregnant to find out what was going on, but could not give us an exact answer. It was not until Sawyer was born and checked out by many specialists that we had a conclusive diagnosis. Sawyer has Fibular Hemimelia, which is a longitudinal fibular deficiency. That's a lot of big words so let me break it down. You have two bones in your lower leg the tibia (large bone) and fibula (small bone). A person with Fibular Hemimelia is missing part of or their entire fibula. In Sawyer's case he is missing part of the fibula, which resulted in partial foot growth. Our doctors could not tell us why or how it happened, but we do know it's not generic. In our case it was also an isolated incident meaning it does not affect anything else mentally and physically, which we were very thankful for.

There are two avenues for treatment: leg lengthening and foot reconstruction or amputation and prosthesis. In Sawyer's situation he did not have a weight bearing foot so there really was only one option for us. At the age of eight months Sawyer had a Boyd amputation. He is left with part of his heel and will be able to walk short distances without the use of a prosthesis. Currently we are in the process of getting him fitted for his first prosthetic leg. The goal is to have him up and walking on schedule with other children his age.

Everyone deals with things differently and I really struggled with the news. When I was pregnant I cried on my way to work most mornings. Once I had Sawyer I cried when I thought about how unfair this all was. He is an innocent baby boy, why him? I was very lucky to find a wonderful psychologist who helped me with my feelings. She told me what I was going through is similar to mourning the death of someone. The loss of the life you thought they would have. What helped me most was talking to family, friends, and researching what was going on with Sawyer. I found salvation in hearing other family's stories. It was one reason I decided to tell our story on this platform. I believe it's not something to be ashamed of and have come to the point where I was ready to tell our story. We are all different in our own ways. Although some differences show more on the outside then the inside it does not make us any less of a person. Sawyer is an amazing little boy and has a very bright future.

From left to right:  This picture was taken soon after Sawyer's surgery at 8 months. Sawyer's cast went right past his knee and his leg was bent to keep the cast from slipping off. As you can see it did not set him back. He moved, played and adjusted to the cast. The center picture is at 9 months and the image on the right was taken at 10 months when the cast was off.

Handmade Father's Day Gift

For Derek's first Father's Day I wanted to make something with Sawyer to give as a gift. I believe a handmade present has so much more meaning. But, what do you do with a 10-month-old baby?

 After scouring Pinterest for ideas I finally found something I liked. A handprint tree! When we got married instead of guests signing a book I set-up a fingerprint guestbook tree. It was a simple line drawing that our family and friends placed various shades of green thumbprints on to make up leaves. Not only is it apiece of artwork hanging in our home, it's a reminder of all the love that surrounds us.

I drew a similar (much smaller) tree adorned with Sawyer's name and the year. I dipped Sawyer's hand in two shades of washable green paint to form the leafs on the tree. In typical baby fashion Sawyer tried to stick his hands everywhere except where I wanted them. I highly recommend doing this craft with two adults. One person to hold the baby while the other helps to make the prints. Even with two of us Sawyer ended up with green hair. I wish I took a photo it was hair-larious!

I had the picture matted and framed so we could hang it near our wedding tree. A moment in time caught on paper. Made with love and tiny baby hands.