Hookin' for Helmets

Well what a busy week last week ended up being. We started with our visit to "the helmet man" for the news we expected... all 3 boys need plagiocephaly helmets & the news we did not expect... our insurance doesn't cover the helmets & the doctors office wants payment up front :(

We started out thinking we could find some used helmets on eBay or Craigslist or through some of our Mothers of Multiples friends. I posted our dilemma on facebook in hopes that someone had a used helmet they no longer needed. We also had a friend that started contacting different local organizations to see if they could help. I emailed Shriners, Easter Seals & a few others... none of them helped with plagiocephaly :( In the meantime I decided to have a fundraising "sale" on my Just Hookin' facebook page. I put all of my "in stock" merchandise into one album, called it
"Hookin' for Helmets" and marked it all down for quick sales. I advertised it & asked all of my friends, family & fellow facebook business page owners to pass it along. Within minutes I had sales!!! Sales & comments & suggestions!!! I was overwhelmed with just how many people did pass along the info & just how many people wanted to help. People we had never met!!! We also started receiving offers for donations. Unbelievable!!! I am so impressed with humanity right now.

Well needless to say, I have been crocheting like crazy!!! Not only have we sold a lot of in stock merchandise, but I've received just as many orders for new items :) I was already in the process of making new hats for the coming season, so I am busy busy busy keeping up with it all in between taking care of the boys.

For those of you who didn't know... I had a shop on Etsy, actually I still do but didn't sell much from Etsy & was paying fees to list my stuff, so I started a facebook page for my business, it was free and the only fees I pay now are to Paypal :) I'm able to advertise on facebook, network, & get my business out there through other friends and family. I haven't been selling since I went into the hospital, but a couple weeks ago I decided to start taking a few orders for the upcoming season. I bought some new patterns to try & little did I know I would be using my little side business to raise money for our boys.
Here are some examples of my work...

Baby Hats & Diaper Covers

Elf Hats for all ages

Props for Photographers

Baby Blankets & More Hats

Lush Scarves for Children & Adults

Festive Scarves for all ages

Ruffled Scarves for Children & Adults

Keep an eye out for many new items to come & Thank you to everyone that has made a purchase, a donation, or both & to those of you that have "shared" my page and passed the word along. We have the greatest friends and family & are so grateful for each & every one of you!!!

Our Appt with "The Helmet Man"

I mentioned a couple weeks ago that our pediatrician was sending the boys to see "the helmet man." Well "the helmet man" is a plastic surgeon & the boys were being seen because they each have a flat place on the back/side of their heads, this is referred to as plagiocephaly. It is causing their ears to be misaligned & it's also causing another condition called torticollis. Torticollis is where the neck muscle has tightened on one side because the boys always have their heads turned in one direction, their heads automatically roll to the flat spot & the tightened muscle makes it difficult for them to turn their heads in the other direction. We've been working on stretching their neck muscles for a couple months now & it is getting slightly better, but their heads still roll to the flat spot when they are on their backs, so we are fighting that constantly.
The outcome of the appointment is that the boys all need helmets, which we pretty much knew. However our insurance does not cover the helmets :( So we are looking into a few different things... programs & organizations that may help with funding & we are looking for used helmets to purchase or to be donated. We have had one offered to us so far :)

This is the type of helmet we are looking for in size large

I will keep you updated on the progress of the helmets...

A Short Visit With Grandma & Grandpa Tilyou

Donna's parents headed back to Florida from their summer stay in New York this past weekend & they stopped by for a quick visit on their way. The last time they were here the boys were still in the NICU, so this was the first time they got to see & hold them without all the wires and monitors.

Grandpa holding one of his Grandsons (Garren) for the first time

Grandma holding Caden

Grandpa holding Caden

Grandma with Kellan & Eason

 We all went out to eat & it was during regular dinner time hours. We've taken the boys to restaurants before but we usually go for between prime dining times (late lunch or early dinner) We've done this mostly because we didn't know how the boys would handle just sitting there & so that we can get the "baby train" in & out without rearranging the restaurant. The boys did great! We cut it a little close to their feeding time, they start to get restless about a half hour before they eat, but made it home just in the nick of time :)

Donna & her Mom & Dad with the boys, L to R: Caden, Garren, & Kellan

Being silly... I love photos where everyone is laughing :o)

Caught Off Guard...

Who expects it to be 86 degrees on a Thursday & then 56 degrees on Friday?!?! Maybe if we still lived in Connecticut, but not North Carolina, not in September! Anyways, it happened & I was not prepared with warm clothes for the boys :( Luckily my sister had sent some hand-me-downs that included hoodies & long pants, some a size too big but we managed to keep all 3 boys toasty & they survived their first cold days :)

Our little munchkins ready to go out...
Garren, Kellan, Caden

While searching through boxes of the clothes my sister sent I also ran across a drawer that I thought had clothes the next size up in it. Turns out it had some warm 3-6 month clothes as well and some really cute football outfits :)

Caden, Garren, Kellan... I LOVE these outfits!!!

Needless to say we are now concentrating on finding winter cloths, shoes, & carseat covers for the boys, even though it back up in the 70's now, lol...