Pre-school Screening, What I can't hear you!

So, I was anxiously awaiting all week for our pre-school screening. Not because I am anxious for him to go to school,my gosh I am a bundle of nerves. But because I was anxious to see how well he would do with there tasks.

I am a proud mama of my 25 weeker, and love to brag and boast, the things he can do and how fast he learns just takes my breathe away. But, (sigh) we did not even get past the hearing test, nope his left ear failed, which has been discovered at a hearing test last August, however they thought that the test itself may have not been age appropriate and that his ear canal was tiny, so lets repeat in 6 to 12 months. The Audiologist today through the school stated she saw small amounts of fluid, and again a tiny ear canal, so we wait 2 weeks to see if the fluid resolves and repeat the test. She said the fluid is not an infection that antibiotics would help, I explained that James did have a bad cold in February and she stated that fluid can take some time to clear, we will see, still things could be alot worse having had a 25 weeker. My husband and I have noticed James having trouble with his left ear, when he talks on the phone, if you hand him the phone and put it to his left ear he talks and listens for a moment then laughs and switches ears as he is telling the person OTHER EAR! So we will hopefully get this figured out and taken care of. Then they can reschedule the other test to see where to place him and what his special needs will be for school.

Other than that things are pretty good. James is such an awesome kid and I love being with him. Today was a long, but enjoyable night despite the absence of our afternoon nap. Our neighbor had her two grandchildren over whom James absolutely adores (Emma and Courtney) So all he wanted to do knowing that they were over there visiting is play. So play he did and around 8 :30pm he was asleep, in fact I gave him a bath about 8:15pm and was putting on his pj's and he fell asleep on the floor, so thanks NANCY!!! I myself took a nice relaxing bath, put some laundry away and here I sit catching up on my blog and blog reading.

Have a Great weekend!

NUEROLOGY or BUST!!!

So, Monday we went to our Neurology appointment. Which we do about every 6 months and to my understanding until James is 5 years old.

It went well, James did a great job with following through with the tasks she wanted him to do. She was very impressed with his weight gain, 24.7LBS. (YEAH) and with his overall development she said he is doing great especially for a 25 weeker.

There was also another doctor present during our visit who actually was one of the resident doctors for neonatology during my delivery. You tend not to forget faces or names of the people that helped save your child's life. He also was impressed and could not believe James was born at 25 weeks. That was so nice to hear, I welted up with tears. Not to mention our Neurologist has been seeing James since he was transferred over to Phoenix Childrens NICU on Thomas.

The Neurologist had James do some different things with blocks which he did well,he did have a little trouble with a few tasks, which I think is because he was being made to do it, because at home he does not show signs of struggle with similar tasks. She had him jump, hop which as you know from our last post we just mastered and he gets better every time. She also wanted him to jump off a little child's chair which he was reluctant to do rather it be lack of confidence or because I am always telling him to get off of the furniture and do not jump off.

She had him hold a crayon and draw a circle which he can not quite do yet , but he can draw lines. She was impressed with his speech and language and actually said it is pretty close to his appropriate age, WHAT! that has always been our biggest delay. With that being said she goes on to state that his fine motor skills are a bit delayed and not at his language level, WHAT!, that is definitely a new one. Any way all in all she was very happy, applauded me for a job well done and wants to see him back come October.

Whew, I actually left this appointment feeling good and chuckling about her new findings. I can not remember where she put him as far as age goes but when she sends her report I will post about her findings some more.

James is doing pretty well, in fact , yesterday he ate about a half of pepperoni pizza and while I began to cut it up into small pieces he shouted no cut UP!!! so the little champ ate bites while holding the whole pizza slice. I suppose since he watches us he wants to eat like us to. He has done this on several occasions, and usually does OK.

We talked to today about getting some big boy underpants and starting to really focus on using the potty, but for some reason this caused a major breakdown with tears and all, was it the word big boy or underpants that scared him. So I think I will hold off until summer when he can just be naked all the time.

Well that is it for now, because my (little) big boy is up from his late, long nap. But I am happy to report that I am just so proud and elated with the progress James is making, especially since having the feeding tube placed, I and others can tell a big difference in so many areas. of development. I never thought I would say I am so glad we did the feeding tube, But I am!

Tracy

We are Back!!!

2 tired boys

James on roller skates!

James's first snow encounters!!!

Our chocolate lab ROCKO!

James building his first snowman!

James throwing a snow ball

We took James to see grave digger, all he could do was say how loud it was.

Boys and their toys!

James inside the tire of grave digger

James and daddy

and James and mommy

Wow!, I can't believe how fast time goes by. Here his a quick update, I wanted to get the pictures up. We are doing well here, James is growing in so many ways. His vocabulary has grown, he has put back on the weight he lost from being sick and has mastered jumping in place, in his crib and any where he can go, he jumps and skips. I say this because we have been working on this in physical therapy for a while. Good job baby James.

We have been busy, and in between James being sick, me being and sick and so on time just fly's by. We took James to the snow in February which he loved, and to see Grave Digger the Monster truck, which he loved but did keep telling us how loud he was. I have a few pictures to share of our trip but mostly I video taped alot of it, but I have no idea how to put that on the Internet Blog.

We have a neurology appointment on Monday and oh how I dread those appointments, because you feel your preemie is flourishing and they find areas where he is behind this that and the other, I know you mom's who experience this feel the same way. I have a neighbor who always disagrees with them and tells me to video tape some of the things he does and show them that, she feels he is right where he should be and I agree. I just go, so that I feel I am doing my part. I have to admit though I am alot better now after these appointments and just listen to what they have to say and move on.

My husband and I went to a wonderful seminar this evening put on by the Popsicle center, they had a guest speaker Marsha Dunn-Klein and the topic was about tube fed children and how to get them to trust and enjoy mealtimes. It was alot of great information and the woman who run the program are wonderful for having such an organization for us moms. I always say mom's know best. Their web site is posiclecenter.org it is great. Check it out. Well it is late and I need some sleep. My husband starts a new early schedule on Monday for work so I am going to have to change Jame's schedule around. He goes to bed way to late, but it was working fine, because my work schedule is late. So wish me luck.

Jill if you are reading this I wanted to tell you again it was great meeting you the other night and I hope you are feeling better. I would really enjoy us all getting together. I will try and post again soon.

Where have you been and What have you been doing.

It has been a while since my last post. Our computer crashed, wow you don't realize how much you miss having your computer. Plus we have all been taking turns on being sick.

James has had this horrible, nasty cough (cold) since last Wednesday. Which of course has caused little to no eating and at the beginning, vomiting. The vomiting has now stopped and he is slowly very slowly starting to eat again. Thankfully, we have the feeding tube, all though I had to cut that back some while the vomiting was occurring. It seemed pointless to give him it all and have him throw it up or make him throw it up. So of course his weight has dropped, it does not take long for him to loose, as of last night he is down to 22.65lbs. Not as bad as we thought it would be, but just last month we were almost 24Lbs. UGHHHH!

I took him in for a chest x-ray, because at first we thought we may have some bigger issues on our hands, because to us it seemed like his cough, choking and vomiting was due to his feeds, (aspiration) but thankfully the x-ray was clear. Then the nose started running and you could tell it was a cold. Oh well peace of mind knowing the x-ray was clear. However our GI nurse did mention that when children with reflux get sick it can aggravate there already bad reflux and make it worse, seeing how I think we had his pretty well controlled before, I agree.

Plus at our last GI appointment, since James was doing so well they decided to change some things, never again will I do what they say, unless we are a 100 percent sure he is ready, (parents know best) nor will we due 2 things (changes at the same time). Such as increasing his volume of feeds and decreasing a medication (reglan). All though we are anxious to get him off his Reglan, If you do it by itself so you know if he his able to tolerate it. But, increasing his amount by 150MLS was to much he started throwing up the increased amount, or was it the weening of the Reglan, see what I mean. We are pretty sure it was the increased amount. He went from 750MLS to 900MLS. Why would they do this when he was averaging almost a pound a month. The increase in volume not only caused him to vomit but he of course did not want to eat. So again we had 5 steps forward and now 3 steps back, such is the roller coaster life with a preemie. But we will eventually get back on track it just is slow, and thats OK, with a preemir everything is done slowly and in it's own time...

I think of our issues, which is eating and gaining weight, (the biggest of our issues anyway) which initself is huge, I have a child that does not enjoy food or eating, who gags and can make himself throw up just at the sight of food or even gag at the mention of food. But then I read about other families and there struggles and ours seems so minor. I guess it helps put me back into place. Not to say I pray on other peoples mis fortunes, but it just centers me and let's me know how blessed we are to have had a 25 weeker and all in all is doing very well. In respect to what could have been. With that being said.....

Please if you would add my blogging friend Shannon and her little man Ashton to your prayer list, I would refer you to her site but it is a private one. They live in Canada and have been in the hospital for well over a month and though have had some success they are still struggling with some pretty big issues.

Hope my readers are doing well and till next time, Peace.
Tracy

HAPPY NEW YEAR 12 days into it!!!!

Here is how we rang in the New Year, eating ice cream sundaes!!! Boy how having a child will make you mellow out! He made it until 11:30pm alomost big guy.



Heres after the big guy left!

We had the Merriest of Christmasses, having a child at Christmas time makes you feel like a child all over again. I had that same feeling I remember from when I was a kid at Christmas time the anticipation. I could not wait for James to get up Christmas morning and see all his gifts that Santa left, He still is talking about the cookies and milk we left for Santa.

Gramma and Pa Pa Santa Claus got this for James, now if he could only ride it! He tries but wants to push the pedals backwards which puts on the brakes. My back is killing me from pushing him around.

On the g-tube end of things, James is doing terrific. The surgery site has finally healed with no more ugly GRANULOMA'S to deal with, a little red at times, but no leakage. It also no longers seems to be painful or tender to him so connecting him to the tube is no longer a battle. He even says tube now. He is now as of last week 22.05lbs and his reflux seems to be better. Our surgeon at the time of our consult stated that 25% of kids with tubes get better, 25% stay the same and the remaining 50% get worse, I tell you I am so pleased with our outcome and so proud of James he is such a trooper and a great kid. I feel we are the 25% that have gotten better! We still have our off days with eating, but, I no longer need to stress over it, because I know that later he will get in his needed calories not to mention I can even bump the caloric intake by adding baby food. It really is easy once it heals and you get the routine down and adapt. We go back to our GI January 29th, so lets hope for another pound.

I see great things to come in 2008 for James and us, I finally feel at ease. Hope everyone is off to a great 2008!!!!

Until next time, Tracy and P.S. James has gone poo poo on the potty a total of 5 times now, still not really recognizing the urge but sometimes during diaper changes or between bath time he will say ca ca and by golly he goes. He goes pee pee to but still just when we initiate it. But hey at least he is interested and has been introduced to the idea. I need to get more serious about it but I feel we still have some time. Or should I go for it since he is interested?????

We have POOP in the POTTY & PICS to prove IT!

So here it is the proof that is James' little poo poo in the POTTY! I am so excited, we have been going pee pee for a little while, but not always on his cue mostly just randomly I place him on the potty and he pee pees but tonight while my husband was bathing him, he said ca ca and my husband asked do you want to go on the potty he said ya and went. I almost missed because I had just got home from work and was changing my clothes when it happened. We made a big to do about it and he got to have some pez candy from his pez dispenser that I just bought tonight on my way home, woo hoo!!!! I hope this is the beginning of more to come. What's my new year resolution HMMMMM! NO MORE DIAPERS SOON PLEASE.

I must recommend a video I heard of through another mom's blog that I think really helps during potty training time. It is called Elmo's potty time and we have been watching it repeatedly so much so that tonight after Mr. James pooped he said ELMO. Oh I must thank ELMO. What a guy.

I know he will not appreciate this photo when he is a teenager but I could not resist.

I hope all who read have a wonderful Christmas and the best for a GREAT NEW YEAR!!!!

James 2007

TIS THE SEASON

James with Santa, I can't figure out why this picture will not cooperate.

James with his OT Rosanne

James in the box.

James and his new robe.

James on a cold day in Phoenix.

James with his license to be so adorable.

James with his steelers garb.

Well my little man has had a cold. I took him to his pediatrician this week and his has a mild sinus infection with the beginnings of an ear infection more so in the left ear. So we are now on amoxicillian for 10 days. His eating of course declined and I never thought I would be so thankful for our feeding tube. He kept his weight and when they weighed him at the doctors he was 22 1/2 LBS of course that was with his clothes and shoes but still they can't weigh more than a pound.

As of today he is feeling well and his appetite is on the mend. This weekend we are going to decorate for x-mas, James first tree here at home, we skipped the last 2 years just because, but I am so excited to see his reaction. We saw Santa this week and as always James was a happy little lark. I leave you with some pics and will talk again soon.