Well, hey there! Feels like forever since I've been here with an update. 3 or 4 weeks have flown by since my last blog and I failed to jot down all the little things I'd usually share, so I'll stick to the big stuff. I will also be assaulting you with videos because Jr. has been doing some really cute and funny stuff.
First off, Sam finally had his appointment with the pediatric neurologist in mid March. We were concerned about the risk of cerebral palsy due to the minor stiffness he has in his legs. I'm happy to report the neurologist believes there's no way he'll have CP. She said he may not be the most flexible guy in the world, but big deal! She added that he's doing fantastically well for a term baby, let alone a 24 weeker. So, a glowing report and a HUGE sigh of relief for us. It was the last major physical preemie hurdle we needed to get over. We'll still continue to do stretches with him to increase flexibility in case he decides he wants a career with Cirque du Soleil. We will hopefully also soon get an appointment with a physical therapist to see if they have any tips for his in-home treatment. Btw, the boy weighed in at 19 pounds at that appointment. He's just a chunk.
So, our world is about to chance dramatically. Here's why:
Since that video was shot last week, Sam's started using his knees more and is getting around faster and faster. It will soon be time to break out the baby gates and fences. And everything that ain't bolted down, will have to be moved out of reach. Parents, you feel me, right? It's about to hit the fan in a major way. Exciting that our boy is doing that whole growing up thing so well, but terrifying is the prospect of having to chase him down. This should be fun! We already knew Sam had a perky personality, but we're seeing just how much energy he has. A lot. I see a little maniac developing. He absolutely LOVES to jump up and down, check this out:
Another funny little thing....Sam's hair is growing in blonde! Brown at the tips, blonde at the roots and he looks like he has a weird dye job and bald spots. We wondered what the texture of his hair would be. I always envisioned a boy with big brown curls, but it's been pretty straight. Now throw in the blonde and it's going to be extra fun to see how it turns out! Guess it shouldn't be much of a surprise since Daddy looked like this:
On a bummer note, Sam got his first cold a couple of weeks ago! Boooooo! I was always so worried about him getting sick, given his compromised immune system. Poor little guy had a snotty, stuffy nose and couldn't breeve very well. The first night, he was up and down around the clock. We had a routine - suction out nose, put boy down, boy sleeps for an hour, boy can't breathe, boy wakes up. Repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat. And let me tell you, he HATED getting the snot sucked out of his nose. I had a pretty good method for holding him down while doing it, but his whole face, no wait, his whole HEAD turned completely red and he screamed his fool head off. He would usually stop his fussin' and be pretty happy as soon as I stopped, but for the times I had to go at it for awhile to get a ton out, he cried and seemed pretty pissed at me afterwards. Really seemed to be holding a grudge! Anyhoo, over all, his cold wasn't that bad and I'm starting to think his immune system is pretty damn strong. Aside from the snot and a fever that lasted about a minute, he did just fine. By the way, Steve & I both got sick too. It was loads of fun. Fortunately, we're all better now!
Here's the last of the videos. Sam hasn't seemed to like meat much. Or maybe it's the chunkier texture of the food? I decided to give beef stew a whirl the other day. Here's how it turned out:
I tried again the next day:
It was right out of the fridge and cold, but he chowed down!
So, now that we're all pretty healthy, we are looking forward to lots of celebrating at the end of the month! Happy Birthday, Anton! Happy Birthday, Santiago! Happy Birthday, Matty! Happy Birthday, Franklin! And Happy Birthday, Sam! April is going to rock!
