Sunday, February 28, 2010
Dreaming...
Just dreaming up a future play room for Alexis...and I finally figured out how people make these displays and wanted to try it myself. (Notice that I still incorporated some pirates for Blake. Would have added something for Nicholas, but they don't make pink Transformers.) Whadaya think?
Thursday, February 25, 2010
I try not to be a "told you so" sorta gal...
...but you can call me Kendra M.D. The only thing I predicted wrong is that we go back in 10 months, not a year.
Nicholas and I just got back from the orthopedic surgeon. I really liked him. Soft spoken, kind, patient with Nicholas (not that Nicholas requires a lot of patience). Nick's curvature is more related to posture than scoliosis, although Dr. D did give him a diagnosis still of "postural scoliosis". Nicholas has had ongoing issues with his digestive tract, takes stuff for it daily, and it does seem to improve a bit as he gets older. But the doctor believes that the digestive issues cause enough discomfort that it makes Nick to stand a bit askew in an attempt to lessen the pressure.
He also said that the x-ray made it appear as though Nicholas might have one leg a bit longer than another (although this is pretty normal) but it's probably just the way he was standing for the x-ray. So in 10 months we go back for another x-ray to make sure that nothing has changed. We continue the medication Nick was already on and there are no restictions.
Whew.
Nicholas and I just got back from the orthopedic surgeon. I really liked him. Soft spoken, kind, patient with Nicholas (not that Nicholas requires a lot of patience). Nick's curvature is more related to posture than scoliosis, although Dr. D did give him a diagnosis still of "postural scoliosis". Nicholas has had ongoing issues with his digestive tract, takes stuff for it daily, and it does seem to improve a bit as he gets older. But the doctor believes that the digestive issues cause enough discomfort that it makes Nick to stand a bit askew in an attempt to lessen the pressure.
He also said that the x-ray made it appear as though Nicholas might have one leg a bit longer than another (although this is pretty normal) but it's probably just the way he was standing for the x-ray. So in 10 months we go back for another x-ray to make sure that nothing has changed. We continue the medication Nick was already on and there are no restictions.
Whew.
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Croup, Dancing, and Swordfights (Oh my!)
It's been a while. I had bragged to a friend a while ago that my kids are soooo healthy and hardly ever get sick (other than the occasional heart defect). But the day after I said that, Nicholas had to stay home from school with a bad cough and cold for the first time this year. That was a couple of weeks ago. Blake and Lexi had yucky coughs too but were still doing well.
Then, when I took Blake for his 5 year check-up (he was still coughing), the doctor said he had a double ear infection. And I didn't even know. Bad Mommy. So everyone finally recovered and seemed to be doing fine, and then when we were in Elkhart over the weekend, Alexis come down with croup. Good grief. The poor babe sounds like a barking seal. She wakes up with her little eyes all crusted shut and unable to breath...yet continues to be this perfectly content and smiling little girl. So I'm not complaining.
Nicholas finally has his appointment tomorrow with the pediatric orthopedic surgeon for his scoliosis. I'm really not worried at all and know that the guy is going to look at the x-ray and say that it's very minor and he can get another x-ray in a year to compare the two to make sure it isn't changing. (I've been around enough doctors this year that I feel qualified to say this--I expect my honorary medical diploma in the mail any day now.) I told Nick about it finally today. He's more concerned about walking to the school office by himself tomorrow when I pick him up than he is about the doctor's appointment.
Blake has his follow up appointment on Friday for his ear infections and he will also get his 5 year immunizations since they couldn't do it at his last appointment. Hopefully after Friday it will be our last doctor appointment for a while (other than Lexi's monthly RSV shots, which thankfully, the insurance company is again willing to cover).
Alexis is progressing so well in her therapy. She has a new trick (not to make her sound like a new puppy) which just makes me swell with pride. She will lay on the floor, stomach down and propped up on her arms and when you tell her "dance, dance, dance" she will sway herself back and forth. She's been "dancing" for a while now (put the jokes away), but has just recently learned to do it on command. (I really do make her sound like a new puppy, don't I?) She is also now able to pivot on her stomach, reaching things that are not directly in front of her. And I see the faintest sign of her wanting to pull her knees up under her in the attempt to move. Crawling will be the next big milestone, yet I'm in no hurry.
Nicholas has become pretty much obsessed with the Wii. For my birthday we got a new sports game that he loves, but we can no longer play the sword fighting game in front of Blake. When playing this past weekend, one of the characters lost the swordfight and got knocked off the platform into the water. Blake's lower lip started quivering and he wimpered, "He won't ever see his mommy again!" And then later, when a character named Alexis fell into the water, tears sprung to his eyes and he said, "but Alexis doesn't know how to swim!" I think we better stick to cycling and ping pong.
Then, when I took Blake for his 5 year check-up (he was still coughing), the doctor said he had a double ear infection. And I didn't even know. Bad Mommy. So everyone finally recovered and seemed to be doing fine, and then when we were in Elkhart over the weekend, Alexis come down with croup. Good grief. The poor babe sounds like a barking seal. She wakes up with her little eyes all crusted shut and unable to breath...yet continues to be this perfectly content and smiling little girl. So I'm not complaining.
Nicholas finally has his appointment tomorrow with the pediatric orthopedic surgeon for his scoliosis. I'm really not worried at all and know that the guy is going to look at the x-ray and say that it's very minor and he can get another x-ray in a year to compare the two to make sure it isn't changing. (I've been around enough doctors this year that I feel qualified to say this--I expect my honorary medical diploma in the mail any day now.) I told Nick about it finally today. He's more concerned about walking to the school office by himself tomorrow when I pick him up than he is about the doctor's appointment.
Blake has his follow up appointment on Friday for his ear infections and he will also get his 5 year immunizations since they couldn't do it at his last appointment. Hopefully after Friday it will be our last doctor appointment for a while (other than Lexi's monthly RSV shots, which thankfully, the insurance company is again willing to cover).
Alexis is progressing so well in her therapy. She has a new trick (not to make her sound like a new puppy) which just makes me swell with pride. She will lay on the floor, stomach down and propped up on her arms and when you tell her "dance, dance, dance" she will sway herself back and forth. She's been "dancing" for a while now (put the jokes away), but has just recently learned to do it on command. (I really do make her sound like a new puppy, don't I?) She is also now able to pivot on her stomach, reaching things that are not directly in front of her. And I see the faintest sign of her wanting to pull her knees up under her in the attempt to move. Crawling will be the next big milestone, yet I'm in no hurry.
Nicholas has become pretty much obsessed with the Wii. For my birthday we got a new sports game that he loves, but we can no longer play the sword fighting game in front of Blake. When playing this past weekend, one of the characters lost the swordfight and got knocked off the platform into the water. Blake's lower lip started quivering and he wimpered, "He won't ever see his mommy again!" And then later, when a character named Alexis fell into the water, tears sprung to his eyes and he said, "but Alexis doesn't know how to swim!" I think we better stick to cycling and ping pong.
Saturday, February 6, 2010
10 months
Superbowl Sunday! Colts! Colts! Colts! Love the Colts, ache for the Colts, but since the Colts couldn't win it, then I'm happy for the Saints.
Today is also Alexis's 10 month birthday. Lexi! Lexi! Lexi!
For months I've thought that she was ready to cut a tooth: the little white spots on her gums, the doctor thinking she would be ready any minute, the drool rolling down her chin... But this time, I mean it. The drool, the gums, the fussiness. That tooth will be poppin' through any minute now. I love this next picture. No, she doesn't have medical tubing down her front. That's just some impressive drool.
And here's a video showing one of her rare displays of moodiness. I love how she stops fussing the minute I start singing but then it's right back to cranky baby status:
Alexis is finally able to sit up for a very short amount of time all by herself. We have to be right there because she still tips easily, but it's coming. She has to put a hand out to prop herself up. Babies who have Down syndrome are often very flexible because of low muscle tone. Alexis can put her legs totally out to the sides in a split, but the OT told us to keep her legs in closer so that she has to use her trunk for strength and stability, instead of her arms. So many things to remember. Here's a video of her sitting up:
We had a pretty good snowfall here on Friday. The roads did get a bit slick, as evidenced by our mailbox that got taken out by a teenage boy who lost control of his minivan. Of all the days for us to not have Jason's minivan parked out on the street. But the snow is beautiful! I love that we have all these trees behind our house--I think it's my favorite thing about our house. It's beautiful to look out there at any season:
And yesterday, after Jason put up a new mailbox, he took the boys our for some sledding. But first, a snowball fight:
My biggest kid:
Today is also Alexis's 10 month birthday. Lexi! Lexi! Lexi!
For months I've thought that she was ready to cut a tooth: the little white spots on her gums, the doctor thinking she would be ready any minute, the drool rolling down her chin... But this time, I mean it. The drool, the gums, the fussiness. That tooth will be poppin' through any minute now. I love this next picture. No, she doesn't have medical tubing down her front. That's just some impressive drool.
And here's a video showing one of her rare displays of moodiness. I love how she stops fussing the minute I start singing but then it's right back to cranky baby status:
Alexis is finally able to sit up for a very short amount of time all by herself. We have to be right there because she still tips easily, but it's coming. She has to put a hand out to prop herself up. Babies who have Down syndrome are often very flexible because of low muscle tone. Alexis can put her legs totally out to the sides in a split, but the OT told us to keep her legs in closer so that she has to use her trunk for strength and stability, instead of her arms. So many things to remember. Here's a video of her sitting up:
We had a pretty good snowfall here on Friday. The roads did get a bit slick, as evidenced by our mailbox that got taken out by a teenage boy who lost control of his minivan. Of all the days for us to not have Jason's minivan parked out on the street. But the snow is beautiful! I love that we have all these trees behind our house--I think it's my favorite thing about our house. It's beautiful to look out there at any season:
And yesterday, after Jason put up a new mailbox, he took the boys our for some sledding. But first, a snowball fight:
My biggest kid:
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