Our First Year

     On December 22, 2011 I gave birth to by healthy, chunky, little boy at 1:43 in the morning. That moment in time when my son was placed in my arms will forever be frozen in time in my mind that I will forever remember. I was so happy, but so terrified at the same time. I was filled with doubt about what the future would hold for us as a family, and more importantly what it would hold for my little angel. I knew he had Fragile X (through a DNA test while I was pregnant) and I had no idea what to expect. The doctors that were there did not know what to expect (my doctor had to Google Fragile X to find out what it was). I decided soon after that day that I would stop worrying about the Fragile X and simply enjoy having my son. Learn about my son as an individual and not put limitations on him. I would treat him like a "normal" infant and when we hit a bump in the road we would address it.

    One year later that has worked out great for our family! My son is very bonded with myself and husband. He is such a warm happy content baby filled with so love. We started an amazing program called Babies Can't Wait when he was 4 months old. That has helped him a great deal with all types of advice, therapies, techniques, ect. Currently, he is in speech therapy, physical therapy, and in July he will begin ABA therapy. Adan is also Gluten, Casein, and Dairy free in his diet. I make all his baby foods because he has a hyper active gag reflex (throwing up is a daily thing in my house). I hope that with all the therapy he is getting that he will soon be able to eat solid foods! :) He has some small texture issues that we are working through by playing with different textures. We let him play with dry rice, play dough (which made him gag several times before he would touch it), and numerous other tips from my therapist. They seem to all be working great because I can tell a great improvement with him already. Adan also sees a Chiropractor once a month! He could not sit up by himself until he was 9 months old because his legs were so tight and he would fall over. We were doing so much physical therapy with him and we couldn't figure out what was wrong. On a suggestion I took him to this amazing lady and his hips were completely off, his leg bones were off, his neck, and back. After she adjusted him (with her pinky fingers) he sat up unsupported that day and has been trying to walk ever since then! She also showed me how to drain fluid off his ears to reduce his ear infections (Fragile X babies are highly prone to getting them).

    My son Adan is a wonderful happy, healthy, curious, hyper, messy, baby boy who doesn't slow down, and I love every second! My son is an individual who is teaching us about his own unique needs and how to best teach him and help him as he grows and changes. When people see him I want them to see Adan not the Fragile X. I strongly believe that by being open and talking about it is a part of Adan, but only a small part of his very large personality. It is also my desire to help others by sharing what we are doing and going through. I had no idea what to expect when I was pregnant and I was so scared. By offering this site it allows you to see what you can expect somewhat and get some encouragement.

    Having a child with Fragile X is an amazing blessing because you cherish every little thing and take nothing for granted. Every smile, or new thing they discover is an amazing accomplishment and I would not change one single thing about him. God blessed me with him and I am so very honored to be his mother and to take care of him. I am also blessed to have such a wonderful partner that gives us both such support and love every day. He adores Adan and judging from all the slobbering kisses Adan adores his daddy. God is good, and has blessed my life much more then I could have ever thought.