Remarkable Robbie

It was brought to my attention today that I haven't updated in forever. My apologies!

Thanksgiving was very low key and lovely. I somehow managed to contract the plague and spent most of the weekend obsessively washing my hands in an attempt to keep it away from Robbie. I think I've succeeded since he's not sick (yet.)

He did get yet another double ear infection. By Wednesday night before T-day it was pretty apparent, but of course, there wasn't much I could on Thursday. Friday we saw the covering doctor and she confirmed our suspicions. She wrote the script for the antibiotic to continue past the 10 day course, so that it should take us right up to his next attempt at ear tubes.

That attempt is scheduled for this Wednesday the 9th. Keep your fingers crossed! He needs to be healthy, specifically with clear lungs, so they can use the anesthesia. This is take #4, and I swear if it doesn't happen, I will cry. He's had at least 2 ear infections a month since August, I believe. I've honestly lost count at this point.

Other than ears, though, he's doing amazingly. His therapists are blown away, we're blown away. It's great to see.

He can now "answer the phone" (put the phone, or any object really- even his hand) up to his ear and say "Hello?", he waves hi & bye, he can give you five (though high-five still confuses him. He wants to clap his own hands together), play "so big" & "Peek-a-boo", he claps and conducts for almost anything. He's still signing "more" and "all done" though he prefers to say "all done" (though that one is a little annoying since he wants to be all done eating when he really should be eating more). He can point to his hair & his nose, and yesterday he pointed to his eye once, though that one he hasn't repeated yet, so maybe it was a coincidence.

He's moving a TON. I think he's finally hit the point where he's crawling more than he's butt-scooting. He's cruising a lot, climbing over things along the way. He even stood unassisted for about 10 seconds in physical therapy last week. Now he's started to let while standing. He clearly wants to walk, but his skills haven't quite caught up to his desires yet. This, of course, has let to a ton of falling down.

We put a mat in the living room to help cushion him a bit, but he still manages to knock his head really well at least once a day. Tonight he somehow managed to stumble while crawling and gave himself a very large bump on the forehead. I was only a few feet from him when he did it, but didn't see it happen. I think he must have hit the corner of the wall because it broke the skin and left a HUGE welt. Even David gasped when he saw it. The swelling did go down a bit about an hour later, so hopefully it's not too horrifying in the morning.

Eating is pretty steady. The Wednesday before Thanksgiving, he suddenly decided he didn't want to eat at all (and this was after 2 1/2 or 3 weeks of continually eating really well- as much as 7 oz of solids on particular day) and it continued all of Thanksgiving weekend. I assume it was because his ears were so awful. By Tuesday it picked up a bit and has improved a little bit most of the week. He hasn't had any superior eating days, but he's close to normal for him. (averaging about 4 oz of solids per day.)

Along with all of his great new skills, he's also learning a bit more independence. With that has come the dreaded Temper Tantrum. I'm trying to focus on the fact that it's normal and expected, but man, he will ball up his fists and grit his teeth and just shake in anger. He's so serious that it really is funny, but we don't dare laugh. For the most part, we're just ignoring it. He hasn't lashed out (yet) so for now, that's working.

All in all, he's doing really well. And of course, he's cute as ever!