So Friday afternoon, we made the drive back down to the clinic to get Mason's helmet. As before, Mason slept the entire way, so that was quite nice!

At the helmet appointment, they tried the helmet on his head and then took it back to cut out places for his ears and air holes in the back (to help prevent it from being so hot), tried it on him a few more times, trimmed a few areas that seemed to be pressing too hard,  showed us how to put it on and take it off, and sent us on our way. I'm kind of shocked that we spent just 15 minutes with the specialist considering this is something that he has to wear all day for months and it will change the shape of his head! I don't know what else I expected though - it's not like it's complicated... just new.

Saturday was the first day of helmet camp. He had to wear it for one hour, then have it off for an hour, back on for an hour, off for an hour, etc etc. I've heard that this is the worst day - not because of the helmet itself, but because of all the on and off. It's staggered like that so his body can adjust to the pressure that wearing a helmet puts on his head and mostly for the heat - imagine wearing a thick winter hat ALL the time, even while you're inside! So each hour we were wiping massive sweat off of his head and wiping out a soggy helmet. I'm thinking short sleeves will be in his future much sooner than April at this rate.

We lived by the timer all day on Saturday. On again off again. He seems to be adjusting well - he even took a two hour nap in it, which they said to not expect ANY sleeping of any kind until day 3 (can you imagine trying to sleep in a helmet?!) so I am hoping this is a good sign. Disrupted sleep seems to be the biggest side effect of these helmets.  I definitely have been dreading the idea of losing my super sleeper.

Sunday was two hours on, one hour off and it was a nice break to have to take it on and off half as much! He napped in it again, played with Grandma, and was his usually happy laugh-y self.

Today will be his first day wearing it at daycare and the schedule for today is 4 hours on, 1 hour off, so I'll be going home on my lunch break, taking his helmet off, going home and eating lunch, going back to the daycare and putting his helmet back on, and going back to work. Hopefully when I get there, I'll hear that he's having a good day and not dripping with sweat or that they didn't try to take it off of him because he looked sad or something. Time will tell, I guess!! Wish us luck!