9.1.11--Spectacled Bubba

In July, Malachi had an eye exam after he failed his mini exam at his 4 year and we started noticing him squinting and struggling to see things in near to mid range.  I felt bad for him during his exam because when the doctor found out that I was a certified paraoptometric assistant (eye doctor's assistant) for 5 years, he had me put Malachi's dialating drops in.  Needless to say, Malachi was not very happy with me. :)  Malachi tried soooooo hard to sit still for all the tests and the doctor's assistants were so patient with him.  We found out that he is hyperopic which means he has a hard time seeing things up close, but his seeing far away things are relatively easy.  The doctor recommended we wait until next summer before school started to get him some glasses since that would give him another opportunity to get some more test results for Malachi (without going into too much detail and boring you to death, when children are young like this, it is next to impossible to get a really accurate reading like you can with adults, so although his prescription improves his vision, it isn't fine tuned like an adult's would be).  We got to thinking more about this recommendation and thought that it would be better to get him glasses now instead of bombarding him with so many changes next fall.  The fact that Samuel got laid off and our insurance ran out in just a few days also helped with the decision! :)  Malachi helped me pick out these black and orange glasses...isn't he so handsome!?  I soooo glad frame designers are making so many more fashionable and affordable options now!

So much glare on his lenses, but look at that adorable smile! :)

We couldn't leave Sapphira out!  When we were picking out Malachi's frames, Sapphira got so excited and thought she would get some, too!  So on the way home from picking up Malachi's glasses, we stopped at the dollar tree and Malachi picked out these black readers with "parkles" (rhinestones) and Daddy popped the lenses out so Sapphira could have her own "eyes" (her word for glasses)

She's pretty stinkin' adorable, too if you ask me!

Cheese!!!

After supper, GaGa and Boppa came over to pick blackberries and they got to show off their new specs and play outside.  Malachi had already noticed a difference.

Malachi has done so well with his glasses and only asked for a couple breaks from them in the first few days.  I know from my previous experience that sometimes when you go from wearing nothing to a prescription as strong as his, it can often cause headaches, eye aches and fatigue.  After about a half an hour break, he would happily put them back on.  We have not seen him squint once at the same things that used to give him trouble and he comments regularly about how much easier it is things.  Part of me feels terrible that he went this long seeing that poorly before getting help.  The other part is thankful we caught it early on so that his physical hindrance doesn't not contribute to mental blocks (for lack of a better word) later on.  Samuel needed glasses in grade school, but it wasn't recognized until middle school.  As a result, he does not enjoy reading and finds it physically difficult even with his glasses since it was so hard for him for so long.  I'm glad to be able to provide the best for my Bubba in this area.  Love you handsome boy! xoxo