Revisiting Ethan

Happy Valentines Day!

It's been an up and down, bumpy road for my oral feedings. However, it seems like my swallowing issues are almost nil. Clinically I look fine when I swallow, it's just making my swallow team at Mac believe this without subjecting me to another icky Barium Swallow Test.

I have started to take my sippy cup again over the past few days. I must mention that we have modified the top so the hole is bigger so my formula just rolls into my mouth, as I don't suck. It seems to be working great! I take between 3-4 ounces of formula orally at meal time. I am trying to work up to a full meal which is 7 ounces. I still take about 3 tablespoons of sweet potato for a morning snack, in the afternoon I am more picky and usually take only 3 infant size spoons of banana. Mommy tricked me and got me to eat apples mixed with bananas yesterday, I ate it... We'll see if I do today!

My Kidsability appointments with my PT and OT will be changed to biweekly. At my last appointment, I had better spine position sitting (I wasn't so Quasimodo). However, I have shoulder hiking! Man, I can't catch a break! Shoulder hiking, is exactly what it sounds like. Instead of my rotator cuff rotating to reach up for an object while the shoulder stays stationary, I raise my shoulder with my arm to reach up, the PT says it's because my arm is so heavy for me. As you guys know my shoulders are so weak. Also it was pointed out that my elbows hyperextend when I put pressure on them, because my arms are so weak. Moreso my left as I have been using my right to spin around in circles on my bum. Talking about that, I was content with that for all of maybe a day, now I am as frustrated as ever that I can't move straight!

On that note, I took my first plunge off the kitchen counter this past weekend. My daddy has been working long hours at the office, so I guess he hasn't seen me at my finest on my bum. He turned around for a few seconds to get my formula, and found me on the ground.... Yes folks we have CERAMIC floors in the kitchen. Mommy came running downstairs once she heard daddy yell OMG! She found me on the floor screaming! I had fallen on my side. Daddy picked me up, mommy moved my arms and legs, and checked my head. Everything looked fine, and I am happy to report that I am very pliable!

My mommy has been trying to create a new friendship with another mommy in our library group. She has a son named Theo and he was born on May 3rd! Which happens to be my Grandpy's birthday. We had our first playdate outside of the group and the mommies hit it off, but I of course wasn't making it so easy! Theo is crawling, I am not. Theo kept coming over to me and grabbing my arm wanting to play. I turned so my back was facing everyone and proceeded to try to ignore this child and played with some toys... Theo would make a loud noise and I would cry at him. Like head poke cry! I was in total distress! Do I sound like anyone we know yet? Has to be uncle Brian. Anyway we will try again despite my antics.

Barkeep please KEEP the other round!

Well, I had just reported on how well I was doing with food on my last post. So this post will be telling you that I am now having a hateful relationship with food.

I should also mention that I had a fever of 101.5 this past Saturday night, but no other symptoms. My fever broke Sunday morning, however for the last couple days I have just wanted my soother and mommy to carry me around. Lucky her! She was always complaining that I never wanted to cuddle.. well she got her wish this week! I had a clinical assessment with my speech therapists, I of course didn't want to eat anything again today. My therapist said that that they often see kids who are just learning to take food by mouth go through phases where they are not feeling 100%, start to reject food, and it takes awhile for them to start accepting it again. So be patient and keep offering food to me, however read my signs and I need to feel in control. So mommy was right! The therapists suggested giving me something called stix or crunchies, apparently kids usually start with these before mastering cheerios because they dissolve faster, so we'll try those, because they have different flavours.

I had my second appointment at Kidsability with my OT and PT. My OT says I am doing well, I have progressed from raking to pinching and palming lower in my hand. I can take objects out and put them back in, bang them together and hold my hands. This is all age appropriate!

My PT has been working on my transitions (getting into sitting, and from sitting to standing, and back down again). She has also been helping me correct my sitting, as I occasionally have a posterior sitting position, so she occasionally has to use a small wedge under my bum. I have been working on knee exercises to strengthen my hip extensors and hopefully that will help me with my four point (on hands and knees) as right now gravity is working against me!
I have learned to pivot on my right arm while sitting so right now all I can do is go around in circles, but it makes me a little happier to be moving a bit!

I had a checkup with my pediatrician this past Monday.
weight: 20.5 lbs
length: 29 inches
My weight is down to the 50th%, which makes everyone happy, this is where I should be because of my low muscle tone. She says I am progressing well, and I am such a cutie!

I have been overly cranky this week, and the only thing that has made me happy is when I found out that Katy Perry and Russell Brand are divorcing... meaning Katy Perry can be mine again!