March 2011

March 16, 2011 - Another month has flown by and lots has been happening.  Megan's RSV was very mild - we were very lucky but we had a hard time breaking the fever and getting over the cough so I stayed home with her all week.  Ryan did get it as just a little cold but enough so that it was impacting his eating in that he wasn't hungry.  Scott & I got nasty colds out of it and I think we got it worse than the kids.  We felt horrible.  We got everyone back on track the week of the 21st and then on the 28th Megan got sent home from daycare with a fever and what appeared to be an ear infection.  I took her to the doctor that day and yep a bad ear infection in her right ear.  Went through antibiotics and back on track.  Monday of this week she got sent home from daycare with another fever and the symptoms appeared to be the same as on Feb. 28th so I took her straight to the doctor thinking ear infection.  This time nope.  We had thought over the weekend she was teething and we've had some bad nights with her.  She did cut another tooth on the bottom but also appears to have a cold.  She stayed home with Scott yesterday and is home with me today. Hopefully she will head back to daycare tomorrow.  Ryan appears to be getting the cold too as his is getting junky.  We are so tired of someone (mainly Megan) getting something every other week! 

On Feb. 15th Megan started crawling.  Ryan's caretaker was working with him on the bolster we have and her and I were talking when we see Megan crawl across the living room to her and Ryan.  We were like did we just see that.  So I quickly grabbed the camera, dragged her back across the room to see if she would do it again.  It took about 3 tries for me to get a good video.  On the 16th she started pulling up to her knees, on the 22nd up to standing, on the 26th walking along/around things and on March 1st she started getting from the floor to sitting   Our nightmare has begun!  She's a complete pain in the butt - into everything and if you tell her no she laughs at you and continues on but it is so wonderful to have this experience.  We truly are enjoying it.  But now all the doors have to be closed (she loves going into Ryan's room, knocking over the garbage can and chewing on anything she can find) and stay on top of what she is doing.  She of course is crawling faster and faster but is by no means quiet about it.  You hear her coming from far away as she slams her arms down as she crawls.  She tends to go over things instead of around things - mainly her brother and he does not appreciate it as you will see on the video.  It's pretty funny but one of these days he's going to clock her.  She has already had her share of bumps and bruises with pulling up on things.  She did one this morning that Scott & I don't know where she got it.  

We've been working on table food between daycare and home.   Outside of her bottles and cereal she is totally eating table food.  When she's been sick I've tried to give her 2nd or 3rd level baby food and she just refuses.  Pizza and fish sticks are some of her favorites so far.  She is drinking from a straw and loves it.  I leave a straw sippy cup (with handles) on the coffee table full of water and she'll play for awhile, see it and bolt to it all excited to then sit and drink.  Love it!  She's been doing so good at daycare they make her BFF Bailey sit next to her in hopes that Bailey will start eating table food too.

As I said it has been so great to go through this experience.  It has been so easy compared to Ryan.  The hardest thing has been planning our meals so that there is something in it that she can have.  I do see where we need to pick up working on words, actions (waving, clapping, etc.) and things of that nature.  I can handle that!  Can't believe she is now 10 months old and doing great.  She weighed in at 20 lbs 14 oz on Monday.  I've got to get started working on her 1st birthday as it is creeping up fast!

Once we got Ryan over his colds, his appetite came back and he's been doing pretty well.  His caretaker got him to eat a piece of cheese last week and feeding therapy the week before was one of the best ever.  I'm hopeful that the cold he appears to be getting won't impact us but we'll see.  We've been trying to empower him to get him to move and do things.  We'll make him walk to the fridge, put his hand around the handle and open it (he gets pretty proud of himself which is so cute).  School has been working on dressing skills so we've tried to work on them at home as well.  He has crawled after Megan a few times - we hoped it would happen more but not yet. 

We got approved for the walker!  At first we got denied but they resubmitted showing that he'd be able to use this for a few years and they approved it.  I'm hoping it arrives soon - it's been a couple weeks since it should have been ordered.  I have been on an equipment buying spree for him.  I've bought a small exercise ball, scooter board, shopping cart, special needs stroller, and platform swing so far.  I have to explain about the shopping cart.  I saw a piece on the evening news about how as part of Rep. Gifford's rehabilitation they have her walking behind a shopping cart because when you are holding onto the shopping cart handle it forces you to stand straight.  I thought that was a great idea and had noticed little ones for Ryan on one of the special needs equipment sites I've been shopping at.  Then when my mom was in town in February I saw one over at Craft Warehouse.  A couple weeks later I got it and at first he wasn't too sure about it but once I got his hands wrapped around the handle and gave him some support he was walking with it wonderfully.  I love it!  I have a few more items I want to get and then our home gym for him should be complete for a bit. 

We had our Medicaid review for his caretaker and we were able to keep our same amount of hours.  Big relief there - I always worry that they have changed how they assess so we'll lose hours.  They said next year our hours should go up which could be nice.  We had our 6 month review at preschool and he's doing great especially in physical therapy.  They again told us how much they love him and that this preschool was designed for kids like him.  We're hoping he'll continue to feel good so we can continue to see improvements!  We've been having problems with him sleeping past 4-5 a.m. so we have reduced his nap to an hour.  Some days that has helped some days it hasn't but the time change sure has.  Since we sprang forward he's now sleeping until 6-6:30 while still going to bed between 8:30-9.  We did get him a pillow to start working on and he's been doing really well.  He has really started to like going to sleep on his side, all tucked in.  He has been throwing some pretty nasty tantrums at least with me.  Don't know if it is still me giving Megan more time than him or we're just getting to that point where we are having behavioral issues.  We will continue to monitor and try to work through.  We know a couple kids at school started Intensive Behavioral Intervention and we may be headed there too.  Our service coordinator came over last week and was telling me about one of her other clients that have downloaded apps on the iPad as an alternative to an augmentive device (which can cost thousands).  We have an iPad but I hadn't ever really thought about what apps are out there for the special needs community so I went out and got a couple great cheap or free apps that we'll be trying.  I'm very excited about it and will continue to search for more!

As for Scott & I, we're tired of being sick, tired of the kids being sick, and tired of being exhausted.  We are so looking forward to warmer weather!  One day last week was nice enough to take the kids for a walk around the block and Megan loved it and Ryan did great in his new stroller.  Hopefully next time I'll remember to take the camera and get pictures!

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