October 2010

October 26, 2010 - Finally I have managed to find time to update the website!  Here's what's been going on in our world...

Saturday, September 25 Scott & I ran down to watch the last hour of College Gameday in person.  It was neat to see.  Later that afternoon we tailgated and went to the game.  We did take Megan & Ryan and it wasn’t bad until we got into the stadium.  It was so warm that Megan got overheated so we had to get her cooled down.  Luckily I brought one of those misting fan things and that helped.  Ryan was pretty quiet during most of the game and we also attribute that to the heat.  By the 4^th quarter it had cooled off quite a bit and he got wound up.  In all both did great.  I just felt like I didn’t watch the game because I was too busy making sure they were ok.  On the way home Megan melted down and I stuck my finger in her mouth and found out she cut her bottom two teeth!  I knew she had been teething earlier in the week but when I had checked her gums there was nothing there but there sure is now!  She looks so cute with them!

On the 29^th I took Ryan to the pediatrician because he was congested and having nasal drainage.  It seemed like he got back whatever he just got rid of.  Yep the doctor said he had a pocket of fluid by his left ear.  She put us on antibiotics and said come back in 3 weeks to get checked and talk about going to see an Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) doctor.  We think his adenoids may be too big and causing problems with him being able to drain.  My plan had been to take him this week but he finished his antibiotics on the 10^th and by the 12^th he was congested and having drainage again.  We saw the pediatrician last Thursday and yep same pocket of fluid by the left ear - sinus infection.  Not an ear infection luckily.  She has referred us to the ENT that Ryan’s buddy Carter went to to have his tonsils & adenoids taken out.  We assume we will be having surgery to have them taken out as well but we’ll see what she has to say.  We do know from talking with Ryan’s general surgeon in the past that she knew of this ENT having to go in and clean out kid’s sinuses that had been on the NG tube too long.  Maybe that is all it is.  Whatever it is we’ll be seeing the ENT on the 28^th and we want whatever needs to be done before the end of the year and before cold/flu season really kicks up.  We’ve got to get this to stop because it just keeps coming back.  He finished this round of antibiotics on Sunday but it seemed like last Thursday that his congestion, drainage and snot increased. I called the pediatrician Monday morning and we've started antibiotics once again.  Really looking forward to seeing the ENT on Thursday.

We picked up the SWASH brace on the 4^th as well has had Botox injections.  Ryan wears the SWASH when working on standing, sitting and walking.  We had the doctor only do one area of the calves instead of both with the Botox to see if we could get the tip toeing to improve and so far it has.  We had a meeting with JumpStart to review how Ryan is doing in preschool and he is doing wonderfully.  They are getting him to do things we didn’t even know.  They said he is the kind of kid this program was intended for and are very pleased with him and enjoy him.  We were very happy about that.  He starts going 4 days a week beginning November 1st.  Feeding therapy has been going well – mainly because between the caretaker and JumpStart they have made some great improvements.  He’s taking chunks, he will drink a little better out of the cup, he’s using his lips more, he’s chewing on a carrots, string cheese, graham crackers to name a few.  It is great.  We’ve been making more of an effort to blend up table food and give him tastes of our food and that also has been going well.  One problem we are having is he won’t eat or drink for me – throws a complete fit.  We think this is him trying to get my attention since Megan gets more of it these days and to tell me he is mad about Megan.  The kids and I stayed home from the game tonight so he had to eat for me and did so without any sort of problem.  Stinker!  About 2 weeks ago he broke one of his hearing aids so now that is off for repair.  He is starting to say please and it is pretty cute.   He’s back in swimming lessons and had been going good but the last two sessions he starts crying towards the end.  We’ve determined it is either the life guard bothers him when he walks by or the teacher is dunking him and he is getting scared.  We’re going to ask her to not dunk him at the next one and see if that makes a difference.  We’ve got Megan in the pool a couple times now too.  We're done with lessons for now until after the holidays and after we see if we're going to have another surgery.

Ryan is going to be on one of the St. Luke’s Christmas Cards again this year.  We were so excited to be asked again.  I didn’t think we had many great photos of him smiling to use this year but we sent in a couple and let them decide what one they liked best.  We’re interested to see what photo makes it.  The cards appear to be on sale and if you are interested in purchasing any you can go to www.stlukeschristmas.org.  The one he is on is called Bishop’s House.  Of course we hope everyone will buy some!

Now for an update on Miss Megan.  Besides cutting her bottom teeth we think she is working on others as she does appear to be teething.  She is now rolling completely over from back to belly, doing great on her belly - gets those little chubby legs going like she wants to take off crawling although she doesn't get up on all fours yet.  She is getting dimples, loves to laugh and smile, really likes the jumperroo, is scooting when she is on her back, getting good at sitting up with short periods being unsupported, growling, and we’re working on cereal and 1st level baby foods.  She was doing ok and then one day it was like she just got it and it has been going better but still a work in progress.  We’ve tried her on teething biscuits lately and she appears to really like them.  Sunday night when I took it away from her it sent her into meltdown.  I gave it back to her and she was a happy camper.  She is quite a Chatty Cathy and definitely loves her mama – has to know where I am – doesn’t like it when we’re home and she doesn’t know where I am. 

Both kids will be dressing up for Halloween this year.  Megan is going to be a lady bug and Ryan is going to be an astronaut.  We'll post pictures and I still need to get a picture of what the SWASH brace looks like. 

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