Breakthrough!!

This will not seem like a big deal to most of you, but it's HUGE to me! We went to The Big Backyard today with my friend Kelly and her kids Alex (2.5 years old who is just a little bigger than C) and Anna (3 weeks older than Isaac and 7 pounds lighter than him!). It took a while for C to warm up to the place, but by the end he was climbing up ramps on the smaller play set and going down the slides by himself. (He never tried to "tackle" the big play set. I think it was a bit overwhelming for him. ) They all had so much fun running around, going down slides, riding bikes, playing with balls, etc. Isaac was a wild man, as I am sure you can all imagine. It was safe and very clean. I wish I would have known about this place sooner! Of course my camera ran out of batteries so I am not sure if I actually took any pics.

Anyway, back to the reason I am writing. When it was time to leave, I told Caleb to give Alex a hug....AND HE DID!! He has never given anyone a hug by using his arms (not even us) and he gave Alex a great big bear hug. I had tears in my eyes.

Mr Busy Body

Isaac is really keeping us on our toes these days. He's on the go ALL THE TIME. When I go and get him from his room in the AM, he's already taking laps back and forth in his crib. I am wondering how long it's going to take him to figure out how to climb out. Here is a video of what he's learned to do recently. I found him on top of the cedar chest the other day. After I caught my heart that had jumped out of my chest, I asked Caleb how he got up there. "Idick cwym up dare." (Isaac climb up there...Thanks C!!) He had climbed up onto the picnic table and then used that to get up on the cedar chest. Maybe all 11 month olds can do this, but to me it's crazy that he's already climbing up on things! (Which is probably why I almost had a heart attack when I saw him up there!) Caleb just recently figured out how to get up on the couch by himself. We're going to have to keep our eyes on this guy at all times!

He's obviously not afraid of anything either, and has bruises all over his chubby little legs because of that. And tonight when I was putting him to bed, I noticed he has a big cut by the corner of his eye, which I know wasn't there when we were playing this evening. Someone is going to turn me into Child Protective Services! I am starting to wonder if he can feel pain! He's constantly falling, banging his head, smacking his chin, etc and he hardly ever cries. Just gets back up for more. And I've been meaning to post a video of his walking skills. He loves playing hide and seek. (Once again..WHAT HAPPENED TO OUR BABY??!!)

Sick again....

Caleb has been sick again. He has had a fever for the past 3 days and is extremely stuffy. I think it's the same "virus" that Isaac had last week. (When I took Isaac to the doc last week, he was diagnosed with the Roseola virus, but he never got the red rash, so I don't really think that's what it was. He warned me that Caleb would probably get it too since that's what is "going around.") It seems to just be in his sinuses, so I am hoping it doesn't settle into his chest. He's working very hard to breathe, especially at night, but his lungs are clear. I almost took him to the ER the first night because he was retracting so bad, but now he's just breathing faster than normal (and he breathes fast to begin with.) Hopefully it's just a bad cold. Anytime he gets a fever, we are on high alert because we never know if an infection is brewing somewhere.

We gave him a little dose of Benadryl for the first time the other night because he couldn't breathe through his nose and it was making him panic and gag. I was a bit nervous to give it to him since I know it can have the opposite effect on some kids and make them wired. Since his fever was so high that night, I wanted him to sleep in our bed to keep a better eye on him. He chatted himself to sleep. It was so funny because I could tell he was SO tired, but I think the Benadryl was making him a little loopy. He was saying our phone number, (something he just started saying out of the blue this week!!) talking about birds and circles. So funny.

Now I am beginning to question myself for exposing him to other kids this winter. The past 3 winters, he had little to no contact with anyone but our family (and medical staff of course). But his docs really encouraged me to get him out and about this fall/winter. It's not like I really take him to a ton of places (speech, library, church, and Target) but he seems to be picking everything up that's "going around." He's been getting sick at least every other week. I know that he needs to be exposed to these germs and even though these illnesses have been hard on him, he hasn't gotten so sick that he needed to be admitted, which is great. But I am just worried that one of these times it won't be a virus (it will be bacterial) and he'll get really, really sick. On the other hand, I also see him in settings with his peers and he has no idea how to act. (At library last week, Caleb stood and picked his lips while Isaac walked around the other kids and tried to do the actions for the songs.) He NEEDS this interaction with other kids, and not just during the warmer months. Plus, he's at the age where being at home all day, everyday gets old too. We just can't win. I was really hoping to check out The Big Backyard and Monkey Joes because they look like they'd be great places to play during these long winter months. Maybe I could wrap him in plastic and put a SCBA mask on him....

Thanks to all of you who emailed me and suggested that C might have a bladder/urinary tract infection. That thought did cross my mind too. However, the only time he was wetting his pants was when he was really into something (like TV, toys, or playing the wii.) It's not that he's going more often and he's been waking up dry in the AM. It's been better this week since I have been more "on top" of taking him to the bathroom. I guess we were just spoiled that he always told us before!

And yes, he's wearing the same shirt in the picture above that he was wearing in this picture taken Sept 1, 2007!! Too bad the Vikes are done for the season!

One step forward, two steps back....

This was Caleb's motto in while in the NICU, and he seems to want it back. This past week has been very trying for us. I am not sure if it's because last week was -30 degrees (with the windchill) so everything was cancelled and we didn't leave the house, or what the deal is.

Caleb has been potty trained for 4 months now. He has never had an accident aside from the first few he had in the beginning (which I know is amazing). He's always told us when he has to go potty or at least said "yes" when we asked him and he needed to go. Well this week, he's been wetting his pants almost every day, despite me asking him several times if he needed to go. Normally, being wet would make him very upset (like if he gets his sleeves wet when he's washing his hands, we have to change his whole shirt). But this past week, he'll stay in his wet pants until I notice it. Then he gets upset when I ask him why he's wet....tears and all.

Today, he was watching Blues Clues and I kept asking him if he had to go potty. Every time he told me he didn't. When he stood up, the couch was soaking wet. He still didn't tell me he was wet until I asked him. He bust into tears and said "Baby's do dat." (I think at one point last week, out of frustration, I told him that only babies go potty in their pants.) I don't have a problem if he has accidents, I know he's only 3. But, it's the fact that he could care less if he does it or not and tells me he doesn't need to go when he clearly does. Why all of a sudden is he doing this? I guess I am going to have to make him sit on the potty more often again, even if he tells me he doesn't need to go.

And nights are back to being terrible as well. It's taking us over an hour to get him to sleep and then he's up 4-6 times throughout the night. We still aren't giving him bottles, so it takes extra long to get him back to sleep. And then it's not long before he's up again. (Last night after getting up the 5th time, the thought about giving him a stinkin bottle crossed my mind...) Not sure what's going on here either because since we took the bottles away, he was only getting up once or twice. It's SO FRUSTRATING!!

But, the step forward this past week is that his eating has been pretty good! My New Year's resolution (besides trying to lose the extra 10 pounds I am still carrying around from Isaac) is that we all sit down and eat supper together. Normally I'd feed the boys together early since Joel gets home so late from work, but now I give C a snack (if he's hungry) and we eat with Joel when he gets home. (Isaac can NOT wait that long, so he eats earlier and then eats again with us too!!) I think it's really helping C eat more. Maybe it's because he has both of us nagging him to SWALLOW. Have I ever mentioned that he'd keep food in his cheeks for hours if we'd let him?! Anyway, I also am making a meal plan for the whole week, so I don't have to sit and decide everyday what to make. I've been trying new recipes and Caleb is doing really well eating new things. He even ate some pizza the other day (supreme, and he was picking off the onions and green peppers and eating them plain...go figure!) He's also doing really well with drinking his milk from a cup, which is something that's normally a constant struggle.

Tomorrow I start "Operation Find a Preschool." Wish me luck!!

"Uh-Oh" (11 months old)

Isaac is really changing into a toddler these days. His new thing is saying "uh-oh" all day long. It's funny because he uses it in the correct context. Like after he drops his cup or a toy, or while smacking Caleb on the head (I keep telling Caleb it's payback time!) He's a walking machine these days too (so great, yet sad....) Whenever he falls, he yells "UH-OHHHH!" Have I ever mentioned how cute this little man is?! He's so much fun. Always wants to be right in the middle of whatever everyone else is doing.

Caleb always lays down when he plays with toys (probably related to his low muscle tone) and now Isaac has started to do it too. I think he wants to be just like his big brother, I just wish Caleb had the same feelings toward him. Although Caleb did tell me the other day "My wov my bwa-da Idick." (I love my brother Isaac) I guess there's still hope they'll be best buds someday!

I think I have mentioned before that I have a feeling Isaac is going to be trouble! We thought he was going to be our "easy" one, but now I am not so sure! When Caleb is "cooking" in his kitchen, he takes great pride in making everything nice and straight and in the correct place (and throws a huge fit if things aren't just like he wants them) Along comes Mr Tank and pushes everything onto the floor which a huge grin on his little face and sometimes will add "uh-oh!" I have to try so hard not to laugh. And when we tell him "no" when he's doing something naughty (like pushing buttons on the TV or hitting Caleb) he scrunches up his nose, puckers up his lips and fake cries. Can you say DRAMA?!

I still cannot believe he's going to be one soon. Where has time gone?

Jesus loves the little children!

You'll need to pause the music (in the green box on the right-hand side) before you play this adorable video of Caleb.

"Jesus loves the little children. All the children of the world. Red and yellow, black and white, they are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children!!"

I probably don't need to "translate" anymore!! His words are getting easier to understand every day. Isn't he amazing?!

Overheard at our supper table last night:
Joel and I saying our table prayer: Come Lord Jesus, be our guest. Let these gifts to us be blessed. A....
(we paused to let Caleb help us finish the word Amen)

Caleb: B!
Such a little joker!

Look what Caleb did!!

Yep! He went 5 nights without drinking a bottle! It wasn't easy, but he did it!! The last couple nights, he's only gotten up ONE TIME!! He really doesn't get the concept of his "Night-night chart"(which he named and help make) but he was really happy to finally have 5 stickers and get his big "pwyse" this AM!
Joel helped him make a "10 night" chart, so lets hope he can continue the trend! (We're still letting him have a bottle before his nap and when going to bed....baby steps, right?!)

Preschool!

Yesterday was his first day of speech therapy preschool. Nope, there is not not one picture to document his big day. He was throwing a fit that he had to go and there was no way he was going to let me take his picture. I didn't want to get him more mad, so I skipped it. I was lucky that I got him there on time and the school is only 2 minutes from our house. He never seems to be able to take his shoes/boots off when I ask him to, but yesterday every time I put them on, he took them off. (Of course a crazy picture taking lady like myself was sad since I wanted to have pics of him with his back pack on, going into school, in his classroom, with his teachers, you know, "my baby is growing up" kind of pics)

He started off kind of rocky once we got there too. The teachers were having a little "meeting" with the parents about how the class would be structured, the schedule, what to look for in their back packs, what to talk to them about at home, etc. The kids were supposed to be sitting at the table playing with play dough (which is not C typically will do for longer than about 2 minutes). I looked up, and I didn't see him. No one noticed that he left the classroom and was down the hall!

When I came back to pick him up, one of the teachers told me he had a pretty good day. She said he only cried one time and it was because they told him that he had to put his art project in his back pack (I have mentioned before that he's very protective of this things). I am glad that she made him leave it in there though, because at his previous speech therapy they always gave in to him when he threw his fits. And he had to sit on one of the teacher's lap for their circle time and during their music time since he didn't want to participate, which is fine. At home, he couldn't stop talking about it. He made a little book about bears and already has it memorized. He gets so proud when he "reads" to us.

And now I am in the process of looking for a preschool for him to attend in the fall. I didn't realize it's such a big deal to find a preschool. If I hadn't run into one of the boys from Caleb's old speech therapy, I never would have thought I had to start looking now! (And should have started a long time ago!) Most schools are holding their open houses in the next couple weeks, and their registration is at the beginning of February....for the FALL! Apparently for some of the schools (obviously the better ones) parents line up 4-5 hours (so 4 AM!!!) before registration starts so they get a spot for their child!! I realize it's "only" preschool, but there are a lot of things we have to think about when choosing one for Caleb. They need to be willing to "take on" a child with an extensive past medical history and who has chronic health conditions. (I am not sure how much this will be an issue yet) I want him to be in one that will help him academically, but at this point he needs more nurturing and socialization than anything else. That being said, he's also very smart and loves to learn. So, do I put him in a little "church" preschool (where they mostly play and academics aren't priority) or at one of the "known" schools (that build a "well rounded child") where the parents line up for spots? My head is spinning just thinking about it!

Seriously...

Who stole my baby and replaced him with a toddler?!

He actually plays "correctly" with the kitchen. He LOVES to cook food for me!

Now he thinks he needs a "nackie" too! He kept trying to grab C's bowl, so I got him his own and he sat on the floor and fed himself goldfish and drank his milk. (And yes, his hair is getting curly and is out of control most of the time!!)

AND he's taking 6-7 steps alone and has been walking between things without hanging on (no more cruising). I think we're in trouble!!!!

Side note: Yes, Caleb went another night without any bottles! YAHOOOO! We're doing the "cold turkey" method since I am so tired of giving him "bobbies" at night. He got another sticker on his "night night" chart....3 more and he gets his surprise. It was much harder this time and I really thought Joel was going to give in to him.

I was up most of the night with Isaac. He had a terrible night. He was a little off today, but really cranky tonight. He's had a runny nose the past few days but has been acting fine until last night. I am starting to wonder if his ear infection is coming back. I don't think it's because he's getting teeth, because it didn't bother him when he got the first 2 (and I don't see/feel any new ones anyway). We'll see how he is in the AM...

I gotta write this down!

Caleb DID NOT HAVE ANY bottles last night!! He threw a huge fit when I wouldn't give him one at around 2AM, rolled around and complained for about an hour, but then went back to sleep! He slept until 7:15! (Normally after a night of getting up 4-6 times, he's still up at 5:30!) He's in such a good mood this AM. I hope he continues this trend!
And Mr Isaac slept in his crib ALL NIGHT too! (Normally he gets up at least 2 times thinking that he's starving and won't go back to sleep unless he's in our bed. He has the loudest cry I have ever heard, so after 30 min of hearing him wail, I cave and give him what he wants!) He woke up around 7, and was playing in his crib. I could hear him on the monitor talking to his toys. So stinkin cute!
I hope they didn't get together and decide to tease me with this great sleeping!

Whole Milk Bandit

Isaac has gone from our sweet, innocent baby to a sly little stinker! Caleb has a habit of leaving his sippy cups laying around. Isaac seems to watch him like a hawk and when he puts it down, Isaac swoops in and steals it. He usually just takes a sip and then throws it down, but I have noticed recently, if it's whole milk, he'll drink the entire thing! The other night, I was making supper and he crawled past me with something in his hand. Since he loves to "drive" cars around, I didn't think anything of it. It was actually Caleb's sippy full of whole milk. He took it in the other room (like he knew he had to be out of my sight) and chugged the whole cup! And now when Caleb is eating at his picnic table, Isaac is constantly trying to reach for C's sippy. He even stands on his tip-toes to reach farther! When I try to give him his own, he doesn't want it! Such a stinker!
Our ped said to start introducing whole milk at around 11 months, but Isaac just couldn't wait I guess! I was so worried that he was going to be allergic to it, but so far, so good. I haven't purposely given it to him yet though, but who knows how much he's stolen from his older brother. And it wouldn't surprise me if Caleb actually gives it to him sometimes, because he doesn't like to drink anything from a cup!

Christmas Recap

We've been busy around here, so there hasn't been much time to post. We finished the last of our Christmas celebrations and the boys were spoiled once again! I didn't think there was a toy they didn't already own, but boy was I wrong! Caleb's "theme" this year was John Deere. He got tons of clothes, tractors, "shows," trucks, books, and bedding. He also got a Fisher Price Cool School for the computer and he is very proud that we let him play the computer by himself now. I think he'd stay on it all day if we'd let him. He got some "big boy" games (cootie, Candy Land, and Shoots and Ladders) that we play with him when Isaac is asleep. It really tests our patients when we play with him, since he still has a long way to go with waiting his turn and following directions! And he got the Cars movie, which is the first "real" movie that he's ever seen, although he hasn't watched the entire movie from start to finish yet. (The only "shows" he wants to watch are John Deere, Elmo, Blues Clues, Barney, and Little Einsteins)
Isaac also got a lot of cool gifts, although he prefers to play with the old stuff. Go figure! He is the new owner of lots of cute little (well, size 18 months!) outfits, a ride on bulldozer, books, a guitar and maracas, a Fisher Price shopping cart and stage, DVD's, and lots of trucks and cars as well. Since he inherits all of C's toys, he was also given money that we will put in his savings account.
We celebrated Christmas Eve with Joel's mom's side of the family and with his Dad's side on Christmas day. My parents came to WI the day after Christmas and spent a week with us. They offered to watch the boys for us so we could go out for New Years Eve, so we took them up on half of their offer. Its been a tradition for several years that our close group of friends get together and celebrate New Years Eve. At first it was just "adults", since no one had kids but now we all bring our kids along. I think there are 10 kids under the age of 4! Anyway, we decided that it would be a nice "break" to leave our kids behind this year. But Caleb threw a fit that we were both going to leave (we usually aren't gone at the same time). Since Caleb rarely gets to spend time with my parents, I gave him the option of staying alone with them or leaving Isaac home too. Of course he chose for us to take Isaac with us. He had a "party" with my parents while we were gone and Isaac had a great time playing with his buds at the Herda's.
We hope everyone had a blessed Christmas and that 2009 will be a happy, healthy year for you all.