July 2010

Megan continues to grow and develop.  She is smiling and cooing and gets excited when you talk to her.  She also is very curious and is always watching where we go.  Her head control is getting better but we need to work on tummy time.  She only will stand to do it about 5-10 minutes.  She is a piglet - eating a bunch.  She appears to have had enough of the breast and prefers the bottle so I'm pumping but starting to phase that out so when I go back to work in a few weeks I'm done.  She is packing on the fat rolls.  At her 2 month check up last week she weighed in at 11 lbs 7 oz.  She went from the 15th percentile when she was born to the 70th at 2 months.  We got her all lined up with a daycare and I'm going to have her go a couple days the week of July 26th and then she'll start full time on August 2nd. 

Ryan continues to get better at army crawling and is exploring more and more.  He is also getting better at walking around in the walker.  We've been working on how old he is and blowing so he might be able to blow out candles when we celebrate his 3rd birthday this weekend.  We're doing it a week early to help out family that have other plans the weekend of his birthday.  Scott & I can't believe he is going to be 3.  He's come a long way and has a long way to go but we're making progress.  The bad thing about him turning 3 is we lose all our therapists that come to the house because he'll no longer be under the Infant Toddler Program.  He moves to the 3 & Up program.  We're sad to see them go.  I finally got the paperwork in for the developmental therapist and that is slated to start July 26th.  So between this therapist and the caretaker we hope to keep things moving until he starts preschool and gets new therapists.  Speaking of preschool we had our interview with JumpStart on the 29th.  We thought it went ok but thought they would tell us that he wasn't ready.  Last Tuesday they called and said he would be a great fit in the morning class and that they want him!  Scott & I are so excited.  He will be starting there in August (don't have a date yet).  The sad thing is we won't be using the school district for now and they have been so wonderful that we feel bad but the intensive therapy based preschool is a much better fit than the academic setting right now.  Once we can get done with naps we'll do both. 

He is making some progress in eating.  The caretaker has really been working on drinking from a cup, using his lips to pull food off the spoon and giving him chunky foods that he has to chew.  Ryan has been having a bit more reflux lately so we're interested to see if it is due to clogged ventricles or his Prevacid dosage needs to be increased.  We think he is on a growth spurt as the last few days he is working his mouth like he is hungry so we've been giving him more food and he inhales it.  He is starting to like Megan.  It just started in the last 2 weeks.  If Megan is in the bouncy seat on the floor or under the jungle gym he goes up to her and tries to touch her and smiles at her.  We got a couple pictures of this that are cute.  Starting this week we start seeing all of his specialists.  I'm trying to knock them all out before I go back to work.  This week we go have more Botox injections, see the eye doctor and have an MRI.  Next week we see the neurologist, neurosurgeon and pediatrician.  Last week he started swimming lessons again.  This time we are doing the special needs class that the YMCA offers.  It is just him and the instructor in the pool for 30 minutes a week for 4 weeks.  He definitely was happy to get back in the pool although he drank a bit of water that he didn't care for.  Luckily he didn't puke and cause the pool to close.

We took a mini-vacation to McCall over the 4th.  We were there for about 5 or 6 days staying at Scott's dad's place.  The drive up was a bit rough the last hour as Ryan had a meltdown.  Every time we hit a bump or Scott sped up to pass someone he'd lose it.  He hadn't had a good nap.  I got a little video that I hope to post soon that will give you an idea what we endured for an hour.  Other than that the kids did great.  They liked all the attention and Ryan spent a lot of time outside.  The grandparents put him in his walker out on the deck and he loved it.  Wanted to go on the grass but it wouldn't roll there very well so every time he was on the deck he would head towards the grass so you had to stay on top of what he was doing.  We were a bit nervous about how the kids would do with fireworks.  Last year they scared Ryan to death and he was up crying for quite a bit.  This year I took his stereo and we just played music and he was snoring so loud that he never woke up.  We were a bit nervous for the drive home but Ryan did well.  And on going up and back Megan slept like a gem.  We determined she needs noise to sleep where Ryan needs quiet.

Scott & I continue to do good.  I'm basically back to my pre-pregnancy weight and now need to find time to work out to try to lose more weight since everything has adjusted in different places.  Scott got 30 lbs off while I was pregnant and has taken a little hiatus from  his diet so we need to get him back on track - both of us back on track.  I had to have surgery on Friday and that went well.  It was nothing major but the cerclage was still in (they had only been able to cut it so they could get Megan out) and they had problems finding it.  It was seen via ultrasound so it was determined they should go in with outpatient surgery and get it out.  They said I could have a general anesthesia or a spinal.  I opted for the general so I could have a nice nap.  I got a 40 minute power nap (I love anesthesia) and then we were out the door and heading home less than an hour later.  I can't believe I only have 3 weeks of leave left.  Part of me is sad but part of me is ready to get back to work and get the kids going in daycare and preschool and get on with life.  We now are looking forward to our trip to DC for the BSU vs Virginia Tech over Labor Day.  As fast as time is flying it will be here in no time. 

July 12, 2010 - Just heard from JumpStart and Ryan starts on Monday, August 16th!  So exciting!  And starting the 22nd he'll be going to the JumpStart facility for outpatient OT, PT and speech in an intensive 3 hour block.  Now I've got to change up the developmental therapist.  Things are falling into place!

July 20, 2010 - We celebrated Ryan's birthday this past Saturday even though his birthday is not until this coming Sunday.  Grandma Connie came down Thursday and Ryan's Aunt Sherri & Uncle Pete came down Saturday and they all left yesterday.  We had a nice visit but unfortunately Ryan came down sick Friday night.  When he got up from his nap Friday afternoon he was very fussy - didn't want to eat and just wanted to snuggle with me.  We did for awhile but then I had stuff to do to get ready for his party and we had errands to run.  He did ok with the errands and then when we got home he still wanted attention but we still had stuff we needed to get done so we had Great Granddad come over and play with him.  Ryan seemed to not have as much energy as normal but we thought it was because he was overheated.  I tried to get him as cooled down for bed as I could.  A couple hours after he went to bed he woke up crying and went in there to find he had puked in his bed and it was all over his face and hair.  We got him out of his PJs and into the tub.  He tried to sleep through it and whined when he was awake.  He didn't seem to feel good and didn't want to be put down.  I rocked him for a while and then thought he was about to puke again so I headed us for the bathroom, he threw up all over me and I think me moving him scared him so then he locked his mouth shut and wasn't breathing so Scott & I tried to get him to open his mouth, breath and get the rest of the puke out.  It was a little scary.  Luckily we didn't have to give him another bath because he nailed me with the puke this time.  We finally got him back to bed around 1 a.m. and then Megan was up wanting to eat.  Luckily Grandma Connie helped us out with that.  The way he acted Saturday was that he was just tired and not like he was sick so we thought maybe he got heat exhaustion.  He didn't care about his party and wasn't up for much but we had it anyway.  He got lots of clothes, a few toys and some money.  He has been having a low grade fever since Sunday and has been acting like he does not feel well.  You could see it in his eyes.  Yesterday he slept a lot and still didn't feel well.  Today he still isn't feeling great but the fever has finally broke and we think he feels a little better than yesterday.  Hopefully he'll get better soon as we start a 3 hour block of OT, PT and speech on Thursday so we need him better.

We saw the neurosurgeon this morning.  The MRI basically shows no change.  The right side still has all the cyst like spaces and the left side looks a little better.  Based on what the neurosurgeon saw he said he expected Ryan's left side to worsen - that he could lose mobility/functioning of it.  Obviously we'll keep up exercises and therapies to try not to let this happen or happen very much.  That bummed me out.  Truthfully it more than bummed me out, it put that dagger right back in my heart.  I didn't think at this point things could get worse but I guess they can.  He did say we're at a point where we don't have to come see him every year unless we want to and we won't be scanned every year.  He only needs to see us if we think there is an issue or when Ryan grows a foot taller we should probably scan his belly to see how much tubing we have left.  So we may not have to see the neurosurgeon for a few years.  That will be nice!

July 29, 2010 - About the time of my last posting Scott became sick.  He wasn't throwing up but had a fever and a really bad sore throat.  He actually went to the doctor thinking it was strep but it wasn't.  Ryan was about 100 percent better by Thursday.  Just in time to start OT, PT, & ST at the JumpStart facility through outpatient services.  We had JumpStart orientation and then evaluations for the 3 therapies from 8:30 to 12.  Scott was sick in bed and unable to go so I got to do it alone.  Ryan at times was a handful and then trying to explain all that has gone on and what we've been working on - it was a bit much.  It didn't help that I'd been up since 3 a.m. with Megan.  (She didn't want to go back to bed after eating - thought it was play time until she crashed at 5 and it was time for me to get ready for the day.)  By 11:45 as we were finishing up OT Ryan fell asleep but then by the time we got home he was awake and ready to go.  Swimming lessons on Thursday went great - he was blowing bubbles in the water and floating on his back really nicely.

We saw the neurologist last week on the 21st.  He was happy to see where Ryan is and doesn't want to see us for a year or more.  Ok by me.  Friday we had his 3 year checkup with the pediatrician.  While we started talking about how things were going Ryan fell asleep in my arms.  I put him down and she checked him out and he never woke up until she was done.  A good 15 minute nap.  We were able to get him to say a few words and show her where some of his body parts were.  She was blown away by where he was in terms of eating, speaking and gross motor skills.  She gave us big compliments.  He weighed in at 31.3 lbs and 37" long.  Roughly 40th percentile in both.

Last weekend Scott got the clippers out and shaved Ryan's head.  He did much more than last time.  We thought this would help keep Ryan cool since he is such a warm body.  We might have gone too short on the top but it isn't bad.  Last Sunday was Ryan's actual birthday and we didn't do much.  Just hung out with the kids.  We did get him a little cake to play with and as usual he didn't really care.  Scott & I thought the cake was good. 

This week we picked up Ryan's new glasses and after getting the nose pieces adjusted they look pretty cute on him.  We were to start the developmental therapist Monday but it looks like that will start tomorrow.  Keeping fingers crossed.  Ryan is back up to par with eating and has been working out ok for the caretaker.  His new word this week is yellow. 

Megan continues to eat well and is such a cute little chunk.  She is totally on formula now and Scott & I are taking turns getting up with her at night.  She is rolling on to her side, starting to suck her thumb and making even more cooing/laughing noises.  We've been working on tummy time and she is getting better at it.  She loves to sit upright so she can see what is going on.  Her other new thing is if you are on the floor with her she likes to straddle your leg and then she will stand up and sit down and then stand up and sit down.  She will do this for quite a while.  And she loves to watch her brother, especially when he is playing with someone.  The look on her face is like 'I want to play too'.  Soon enough Megan.  She started daycare this week.  She is actually there right now as we speak.  I put her in two days this week just so we could try to get a little settled.  I was not one of those mothers that cried leaving her.  I know it is a good place and it will be a good thing for her so I was more excited than anything.  I cannot believe she will be 12 weeks tomorrow and I cannot believe I am on my last couple days of maternity leave.  Where did the time go?  I feel  like I never had time to stop and smell the roses with all the stuff we've had to do with Ryan but am very thankful that I got to have a true maternity leave this time.  This whole birth/maternity leave experience has helped me work through some grief I still had from when Ryan was born. 

Next week will be a big change for all of us as we try to get our schedules set.  It is going to be busy but we're excited for Ryan to get into preschool and Megan into daycare and see how they develop. 

The countdown is then on for football season.  We leave for DC for the Virginia Tech game in just over a month!

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