Now that we've gotten him well and his reflux is under control, for the most part he's a happy little boy. He smiles all the time and is making lots of cooing, lots of ohh's. He has even started making what we think is a little giggle. The best way to describe it is that it sounds like he's sucking in air. We were on the go so much at Christmas but Collier did GREAT! He loves his bouncy seat and will fall asleep in it, but doesn't really care for the swing, which surprises me because Noah LOVED his swing. He loves his passy and when it falls out, Ill find him sucking on his fist or thumb. He is always kicking his little legs in the air, especially his right leg... we joke that he looks like he is kick-starting a motorcycle.
Until mid-last week, Collier was still waking every 3 hours to eat. The night he turned 2 months, he slept almost 7 hours. The following 2 nights, he slept 7 1/2 hours. I was ecstatic with what I thought was going to be our new sleeping schedule. However, he's now going 5 hours (from around 8/8:30 - 1:00ish) and then is up every 3 hours following that to eat. He really spoiled me with the 7 1/2 hours of sleep but having a 5 hour stretch is much better than waking every 3 hours all night. He still isn't taking good daytime naps. He'll take a few 30 minute cat naps, but that's about it. We haven't had his 2 month well check yet, but I know he's weighing around 13lbs. He has recently began watching Noah and smiling at him. I'm really looking forward to how much he changes in the next month and watching them interact and play together!
The whole purpose of my blog was to record Noah's progress and I haven't really done that in a while. First of all, he's adjusted to Collier just fine. He really loves him and wants to hug and kiss on him all the time. I really have to keep an eye on him because he tries to touch his eyes, mouth, etc. Noah is no longer a "sympathy" cryer... being around Collier helped him get over that pretty quickly. He also is doing much better at school and at home playing with toys that make noises or are loud. In the past, they used to scare him and make him cry, but he enjoys them most of the time now. He's doing GREAT in his walker and can manuever it all over the place. He can now stand on his own for at least 5 minutes.
However, I'm not going to sugar-coat it...it's been hard caring for a special needs child and a baby. Alot harder than I would have imagined. Noah still isn't walking or talking, but he is cruising. On top of that, he's so tall, that he can reach and get into EVERYTHING. It's like having an almost 4 foot tall 9 month old. He gets into all my drawers and pulls things out; he can get anything off the counters in the bathroom or kitchen; he can reach the ice/water dispenser of the fridge and will press it, spilling water and ice all over the floor; he can touch the top of the stove and grab pots and pans so cooking is VERY challenging. Nothing is without reach of him. On top of that, he doesn't communicate so there is alot of crying on his part out of frustration. If I walk out of the den with Collier (to change a diaper, etc) he cries. I can tell him what I'm doing and that I'm coming right back, but he will still cry and crawl after me. My patience is tested daily... no more like, hourly! I KNOW he understands some of what I say because just this morning, he stood up in the recliner (which is a big no-no) and I told him that I was going to count to 3 and if he didn't sit down, he was getting a spanking. I counted to 3 and he sat down but started crying. I didn't even spank him! So that just showed me that he understands me but really tests me alot of the time.
I recently came to the realization after conversations with Jamie and my parents, as well as one of Noah's pediatricians, that he probably will always have some sort of delay and require special ed classes. For the longest time, I was convinced he would overcome everything and live a normal, productive life. Having yet to receive ANY diagnosis, I convinced myself this was possible. However, I now realize that may not be the case. All of our doctors have really sugar-coated things for me and been very vague whenever I've asked about his future. But finally his pediatrician was upfront with me... which I needed to hear and probably wasn't ready to hear until now. It took a couple of days of me mourning the news, but I'm okay with it now. I realize it's the path God has chosen for us and for Noah and I'm willing to walk that path He chose for us! I'm not lowering my expectations of Noah and I will always push him to do his very best. I do believe that he'll walk and I do believe he will begin communicating with us at some point. He may be different from others but this I know for sure... Noah is the most loving, sweetest little boy. He would never hurt a fly and he has the kindest heart!
Lastly, we will be going BACK to Birmingham in February for Noah to participate in Children's Hospital's Intensive Physical Therapy program again. All three of us! YIKES! Just like this time last year, we will be there for 3 weeks living with my aunt while he gets therapy 3 days a week for 3 hours each day. Since a parent has to stay there and participate while he's getting therapy (and Collier would make that difficult) Jamie will be taking off the latter part of each week and joining us. One of us will stay at my aunt's with Collier while the other parent goes to the hospital with Noah. Noah will be getting therapy on Mondays, Thursdays, and Fridays. Jamie will be there for the Thursday and Friday sessions but I will be on my own each Monday. Right now, we aren't sure what we will do with Collier during those Monday sessions. I may find a church (possibly my aunt's church) and put him in their day care... we'll see. Please pray for us during this time as it will be hard to be out of town, without my husband for 1/2 the week, with 3 year old and a 3 month old. Also, please pray for Noah's progress! I would love to bring him home walking!!
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