Memorial Weekend

My last week w/out a palette

Thank you Jen for these beautiful photos!

Happy Mothers Day!

Clowning around in church!

I am sooooo proud to be a momma to my very smart, handsome and wonderful boys. They seem to amaze me very single day! I am one lucky momma!

Palette Surgery

Dominick with Cody, Isaiah and Ava Bean

So, we just got a date for Dominick's palette surgery: JUNE 2....(please pray and send good thoughts our way)

Montage

Make an on-line slideshow at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The Special Mother by Erma Bombeck

Most women become mothers by accident, some by choice, a few by social pressures and a couple by habit.

This year nearly 100,000 women will become mothers of handicapped children. Did you ever wonder how mothers of handicapped children are chosen?

Somehow I visualize God hovering over earth selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As He observes, He instructs His angels to make notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth; son. Patron saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."

"Forrest, Marjorie; daughter. Patron saint, Cecelia."

"Rutledge, Carrie; twins. Patron saint, Matthew."

Finally He passes a name to an angel and smiles, "Give her a handicapped child."

The angel is curious. "Why this one God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God, "Could I give a handicapped child to a mother who does not know laughter? That would be cruel."

"But has she patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience or she will drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wears off, she'll handle it."

"I watched her today. She has that feeling of self and independence that is so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has her own world. She has to make her live in her world and that's not going to be easy."

"But, Lord, I don't think she even believes in you." God smiles, "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect - she has just enough selfishness." The angel gasps - "selfishness? is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she'll never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't realize it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a 'spoken word'". She will never consider a "step" ordinary. When her child says 'Momma' for the first time, she will be present at a miracle, and will know it!"

"I will permit her to see clearly the things I see...ignorance, cruelty, prejudice....and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life, because she is doing My work as surely as if she is here by My side".

"And what about her Patron saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in mid-air.

God smiles, "A mirror will suffice."

This is just absolutly amazing. I know that my mind goes around in circles sometimes wondering why and NOW I feel soooooo darn lucky! I love my family!

palette surgery

we just met with dominicks plastic surgeon, dr. hurst, and now are awaiting a date for his palette surgery. we are very anxious and nervous, but feel very confident that dr. hurst will do a fabulous job. he should have it within the month. Please pray and send good thoughts...


Dominick, you are my rock and mold that keeps our family together and strong. You are my hero and my true blessing. I love you more than you could ever know.
Love, Momma

spring - april/may 2009

we are all up to date...this is present time...happy spring!

im ONE - march 2009

happy birthday my love....we all love you!

dec 2008

me and my daddy
me and momma in the snow

oct 2008

sept 2008

peace - 10 days post op

me and momma after my surgery!

lip repair - august 2008

the time has come for dominick's lip repair. he was 5 mos old and about 15 lbs. we are very grateful for his plastic surgeon, dr. collins, for taking care of him. the surgery lasted about an hour and a half...he looks amazing!

the best smile...never forgotten

this smile i will never forget and yes i miss it soooo much!

my Nasal Alveolar Molding (NAM)

before nam

week one

week 6

week 8

NAM is a non-surgical technique used to treat cleft lip and palate patients. The orthopedic appliance brings Dominick's lip and gum together by redirecting the forces of natural growth.
This is how it works:
1. Dominick's pediatric orthodontist will take a mold of his mouth.
2. The orthodontist will then create a custom-made plastic plate of Dominick's mouth, lip and nostrils.
3. Dominick will wear the plate 24-hours a day for approximately six months. The plate is held in the mouth by surgical skin tape that also helps guide the growth of Dominick's face.
4. Each week, the orthodontist will reshape the plate, reducing Dominick's cleft and reshaping his facial features.

What are the Benefits of the NAM Technique?

1. Typically, children with cleft lip and palate require between five to seven surgeries—sometimes extending into adolescent years. The NAM device reduces the number of surgeries required during a patient's lifetime, which in turn reduces facial scarring, trauma, inconvenience and cost involved in additional surgeries.
2. The NAM device dramatically improves post-surgical aesthetic results for cleft lip and palate patients. In addition, it may also have a dramatic effect on speech and overall health.
3. Because the NAM device covers the roof of your infant’s mouth, the NAM appliance also helps with feeding.

this is my cleft

dominick has a bilateral cleft lip and palette. (BCLP)
Here is a definition of what a cleft is and some info:
Babies born with cleft lips will have an opening involving the upper lip. The length of the opening ranges from a small notch, to a cleft that extends into the base of the nostril. Cleft lips may involve one or both sides of the lip.
Babies born with cleft palates have openings in the palate, which is the roof of the mouth. The size and position of the opening varies. The cleft may be only in the hard palate, the bony portion of the roof of the mouth, opening into the floor of the nose. It may be only in the soft palate, the soft portion of the roof of the mouth. The cleft palate may involve both the hard and soft palate and may occur on both sides of the center of the palate.
Babies may have cleft lips with or without cleft palates. Cleft palates may also occur without cleft lips.
The incidence of cleft lip and palate not associated with a syndrome is one in 700 newborns. Native Americans have an incidence of 3.6 in 1,000 newborns. The incidence among Japanese newborns is 2.1 in 1,000. The incidence among whites is one in 1,000 newborns. African Americans have an incidence of 0.3 in 1,000 newborns.

dominick rene ulloa is here

after a hard pregnancy and long hours of labor, HE IS FINALLY HERE! our sweet baby boy...he was born on March 8th, 2008. everything we ever worried about up to this point has been relieved...the ton of bricks our off our shoulders. me and husband and his big brother welcomed Dominick Rene Ulloa to the world. he is absolutely beautiful. 7 lbs 6 oz 19 3/4 in. what a beautiful sight. we are so blessed.
Our Hero, Our Blessing



Proud parents



Meeting his big brother, Isaiah, for the first time

the journey begins...

we found out the our baby boy, dominick, was going to be born with a cleft lip and palette on Oct 31, 2007. what do you say? what do you think? our first reaction was to cry and wonder what we did wrong. and what we realized and are still realizing it that its not our fault. the fact is that 1 out of 600 births are born with a cleft lip or palette. and the journey begins...