Jan 2008 - Busy, Busy, Busy

hello. i bet you are wondering where i have been and what i have been doing. it's been 41 days since my last blog. you can probably guess that i have been very busy. i had 8 doctors appointments with 1 hospital stay. mommy had a doctors appointment and daddy had a birthday. and . . . brad came home to meet me. he is very handsome. he's going to teach me how to play some sports. he think's i'm very cute. this is me on january 31st. i still don't eat anything through my mouth but i love to chew on my teething ring. yes, i am teething. i have the drool, red cheeks and sore ears to prove it.

anywho, let me catch you up on what's been happening here. the new year started with a . . . bath. what did you expect? mommy took the "baby naked" pictures and so i have no pictures to show you about my bath. however, i am bigger now and so i take my baths in the kitchen sink now. i have my own set of sink bath towels to keep me comfy and cozy.

then, gg pulled out her camera and i was seeing stars (in not a good way.) we went to the anesthesia clinic in preparation for my surgery. i passed and they weighed me in at 17:4. after the visit, mommy took a nap and gg and daddy found their cameras.

help.

hey, i am smiling, give me the camera, step away from the camera. (1/2/08)

the next day, we got a phone call from another doctor so we got ready for my physical therapy. i am doing wonderfully. my fine and gross motor skills are doing well. i am just having problems with rolling over and lifting my head when i am on my stomach because i don't get a lot of tummy time. let's get going daddy, i have an appoitment in my crib. gg is going to sing my song for me. i don't want to be late. (1/3/08)

auntie jan just got back from visiting baby luke. i love to tell auntie jan my sad stories. but, i couldn't think of any today, so i listened to her talk about baby luke. as you can see, "naked" seems to be the in-thing for baby pictures this month. luckily i grabbed a blanket before gg found her camera. in case your about to make a comment, i am well nourished! nuf said. (1/4/08)

okay. this is very complicated. so read carefully, because i am not going to write it twice. (i've written it several times now, and here's my final draft.)

i don't eat through my mouth, but i will need to in the future. (see old blogs for reasons and diagnosis) therefore, they are going to install a port in my stomach for feeding so that they can remove the nose tube so that my upper stomach valve can close better so that i can stop refluxing so that my mouth can have a chance at become de-sensitized so that i might be able to put food in it eventually.

that's the clif notes. call mommy and daddy if you want to know more specifics.

anyway, i am a baby and i need to soothe myself, but i can't suck my own fingers without a "big mess". so, i have resorted to having daddy suck my fingers for me while i am having a feed. sometimes, i can't resist pulling on his mouth and lips. i must remember to get my fingernails clipped soon. (1/5/08)

sadly, gg had to go home to california. fewer cameras in the house. woo-hoo!!!!!!!!!!! and now for the big unvailing.

me, sans nose tube.

this is my best friend, gina. she has a very delicious snout. she is a giraffe. (1/7/08)

i had to spend a night in the hospital with mommy. i was very brave. they told me i couldn't leave until i stopped refluxing. i told them i wasn't going to spend my whole first year in a hospital. i've got things to do, people and places to see. so, after weighing in at 17:12, they let me go home. good thing, i have more doctor appointments. (1/8/08)

two days later i went to get my rsv prevention shots. now that i am bigger, i get two slow shots in both thighs. ooowwwwwwwie. then, mommy went to the foot doctor and came home with a boot on.

so, i decided to give mommy a rest this morning and read my morning book. i do not feel so good yet, so i could not give a really nice smile. (1/12/08)

time to visit my pediatrician (weight 17:4) and get a flu shot. the "vampire" ws so quick i didn't have time to cry. i wish i could take my "vampire" with me for all my shots. she is very good.

since, i am feeling so much better and i don't have to worry so much about my nose tube. i am going to start pulling on things and let mommy know what's mine. these are my toys on my jiggly chair. (1/16/08)

back to children's hospital for a post-op assessment. i have a beautiful wound site. (weight 18:2) see you in three months for the next part of the operation for my stomach port.

over then to UW hospital for a high-risk assessment. (weight 18:4) i am very cute and very social. yes, i play with people and not toys. now, i have to start playing with toys so that fine and gross motor skills can get a work out. they have a suggestion especially for me, which they don't usually make . . . EXERSAUCER

that's right, you read it. i love these guys. oh, i can't describe in words the joy i feel. mommy calls me pop-a-matic. (1/29/08)

but, i digress . . . my 8-month birthday, daddy's ??-year birthday and then a visit to doctor lynn. she's my feeding consultant. of course, i am cute and well nourished. (by the way, accurate calibrated scales, my foot. i have never yo-yo'd so much in my entire 8 months.)

the news is that i am not going to do the normal baby feeding progression. i most likely will not drink from a bottle (fine with me) but go directly to a cup in several months from now. i won't likely eat rice cereal or pureed smush. most likely the first time i eat solid foods, i will be serving myself with a spoon.

but, i am going to be self-directed in learning my eating skills, i am starting with biter biscuits and may be fingerpainting with strained fruits and veggies in a month or two.

sara gave me her high chair and it is super-duper fancy with lots of gadgets and toys too. but, when i am learning about food, i put the toys away. (1/31/08)

so, now you are up to date. i am addicted to exersaucer and i know what is mine. everything i can reach!!!!!!!!!!

here's some really cute pictures of me celebrating new year's eve:

singing and swinging

i'm up

i'm down

i'm ready for crib

i hope to write more often in feb . . . but . . .

e