2012,  Pics

Big 24 hours in the A household!

Warning: Brag post ahead.

N is on fire the past couple days. We’ve seen it building over the past couple of months & especially this past month. It’s like a switch is going off. He’s reaching, batting, examining anything and everything he can get his hands into. He has head control (the majority of the time). He tries to pull himself up from reclining against my chest to sit (strength isn’t there but he’s trying). He turns 180° when you’re not looking. He is amazing me in every way possible all the time.

Earlier in the week during his assessment by the developmental therapist he would turn to bells jingling. Which, by the way, he will never do for me…he just keeps doing what he’s doing like he isn’t hearing it. But it was a totally different experience with her. I wouldn’t have believed it if I didn’t see it with my own eyes. His motor skills are at 4-5 month old level, which isn’t bad. He was a month early and spent a month in the hospital so it was where we were hoping he’d be. We know he’s going to have delays but remember my mantra: “Delay doesn’t mean can’t or won’t. It just means delay”. He’s trying so hard to make up for lost time. I hope the surgery next week doesn’t set him back too far in skills or weight gain.

PT started working with him on putting weight on his feet because he wouldn’t do it. Within days he was doing it and pressing with his own strength trying to stand while we were holding him. It was like “oh yea, I forgot I could use my legs and feet for things other than an extra pair of hands.” Yep, you read that right. He uses his feet and legs to get things to his hands so he doesn’t have to over extend himself of lean forward. I think it’s his defensive mechanism to counter act the Vestibular dysfunction. He can keep himself steady and has the strength unless he lurches too far forward. Plus he has J’s monkey toes.

Yesterday he popped his first tooth.

Be careful, I can bite now!

We surpassed our goal of 15lbs 6oz. He grew 1 whole inch in 2 weeks!

Celebratory Ice Cream Cake

He was a rockstar during his SLP evaluation to show off what he is and isn’t doing and what he can’t seem to do at this time.

Then today, J was playing with him on the couch and put his feet on the floor and let him lean and hold onto the couch and let go. He was standing and balancing like he was doing it all along. It was 10 seconds he couldn’t do just days ago. He seemed so proud of himself, as were we!

Check my out standing on my little feet!

Then the biggest surprise tonight, he was chilling with me on the couch and I felt him trying to pull himself up so I helped him. He sat there holding on the arm of the couch and sometimes leaning back onto my legs when he lost his balance but for the most part he was off my leg and using the couch to steady himself. He seemed so strong and determined I decided to try him out on the floor.

We spread his legs to make a V and showed him where to put his arms for balance and he began pushing up on his arms and looking up. He was almost completely upright! He was so steady and sure of himself. I’d never seen him that steady so I backed away.

Take that Vestibular Dysfunction

He continued to sit for like 20 seconds until his diminished Vestibular system kicked in and caused him to lose his balance. He recovered from the tip but then folded forwards and he was done. His body was tired. But he did it! I was amazed. I welled up and I continue to well up every time I look at the pictures.

His strength and determination astounds me. I am so proud of my little man. He has so much to show me and teach me in the coming days, weeks, months, and years.

Shock & Awe little man. Shock & awe.

 

 

4 Comments

  • Becki Henderson

    The operation this week is it for his ears? Glad to read about the great things he is doing. I’ve been following his pictorial and then that one day saw the weigh gain, I was amazed it seemed to happen over night. Love good surprises. Keep us all in the know and my best wishes for a smooth operation with a speedy recovery. Love Becki.

    • LJ

      Thanks Becki! I can’t wait until this surgery is behind us it. Ears is part of it. But they are going to put in a feeding tube (gtube) into his stomach so we don’t have to have one down his nose any more.

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