Last night, as I added the finishing touches to our beef stew, Isabella came upstairs and said, "it's an emergency!", Isaac was bleeding and needed a band-aid. I basically ignored my ever-dramatic first-born. I wasn't alarmed because Walter was in the basement with the kids, and Isaac wasn't crying, so, no crying is always a good sign. But I did eventually wander down to see what happened. He had the tiniest pin-prick on one of his fingers. I thought he wouldn't be able to handle a band-aid, because he's like that, and doesn't like certain things touching him, but he insisted, so I wrapped it carefully around his little finger, anticipating the moment he would realize the band-aid was a death trap. As it turns out, band-aids are not death traps, and he handled the whole thing beautifully.
Walter and I searched the floor for the prickly culprit and came up with nothing, then we looked at each other, both thinking the same thought, right in that moment, this is the first time he's bled that wasn't caused by a surgeon cutting into him.
It has been a year since Isaac's last surgery, and I am looking forward to another year without any surgeries on the schedule.
This morning I removed the band-aid, and he promptly requested a new one (in his way, of course. Which is basically a lot of pointing and grunting.). I offer no shortage of band-aids in this house. When Isabella was Isaac's age, she used to have band-aids lining both legs. Strangers would ask her what happened, and if she was okay. She was fine, she entertained herself for an hour with those band-aids, so we were both happy. Then, after a week of wearing the same string of Hello Kitty band-aids, we pried them from her legs as she screamed, and found that she had a latex allergy. The result, red welts where band-aids once happily rested. Now we buy latex free band-aids.
Isaac ventured outside this morning with Isabella. He walked across the yard like Bambi, but it gave me hope that this summer will be better than last, and we just might be able to enjoy our yard again. I just hope our "hope" isn't going to get the best of us. Walter and I are excited to have a real garden this year--one that we actually have the energy to care for, and pick the vegetables before they rot--we are basing that excitement on the few times that Isaac has actually walked across the grass.
Either way, in three weeks, we will celebrate Isaac's third birthday, and last summer, we predicted that Isaac would maybe start walking when he turned three. Here he is, defying all expectations, and learning to run.
Showing posts with label learning to walk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label learning to walk. Show all posts
Saturday, March 23, 2013
Sunday, December 16, 2012
Leaps and bounds...
It is unseasonably warm, here in Ohio. The kids are outside playing and Isaac, who usually confines himself to the back porch, bravely and tentatively, put a foot in the grass, and then the next, and before I knew it, he was walking across the yard. I couldn't hold back the tears. It looks like next summer will be so much more enjoyable, and I can't wait to watch him explore.
My little man is really coming along. This week he talked on the phone for the first time. His first conversation went something like this: Ha (hi), go, ya, no, ya, go, Ba (bye). There were hand gestures that went along with it, and I'm his mom so I'm allowed to brag and say that witnessing the whole thing was ridiculously cute. And I'm going to embarrass my husband, and tell you that he said hearing Isaac talk on the phone almost made him cry while he was sitting in a lab at work. We wait and wait for these moments, which only adds to the sweetness when they do finally happen.
We're working on teaching Isaac how to get dressed. Obviously, we never had to spend a moment teaching Isabella anything about getting dressed. She's been a pro at it for way too long, and I had to give up control on picking out her outfits before she turned two. Hence the wide array of fashionable attire that you often see pictured on this blog. A tip to moms who want to maintain some control in this area: buy tops, bottoms, tights, pants, skirts, that are (relatively) within the same color scheme, and chances are, whatever your toddler happens to put together as an outfit, will look cute and not (completely) bizarre. Also, the shoes matter. They must be comfortable, they must be able to walk quickly (I say this because I don't believe in walking slowly, so she has no choice other than to keep up) and have the potential to walk for long distances in them, and they must go with just about anything. Example, Isabella's cowgirl boots. Everybody loves her red boots (they are pretty fabulous), and they just so happen to be quite comfortable. Other good shoes for kids, Robeez and See Kai Run are two of my favorite brands, as well as, Stride Rite. Oh, and no flip flops. Isabella can't stand that I have made this a rule, but they break all of my shoe rules, so I don't even entertain the idea.
Back to Isaac...I never really gave any thought to having to teach someone to get dressed, but Isaac firmly believes that getting dressed is a form of torture. On the off chance he's in a good mood and I can make the whole thing a really funny game, it works out well. Otherwise, he says, "Ow, ow, ow, OW!" for the duration of dressing. Not only does he think it is torture, but he will not sit up, stand up, move an arm or leg, during the process. Think, jello. So, we've been trying to teach him to help push his arm through sleeves, and lift up a leg so that it can go in his pants, or show us a foot for his sock. If you're in the same predicament with your child who has special needs, verbal cues really help. I talk him through each step, encourage him to help me by moving his body parts to appropriate places, tell him he's a big boy and can put his arm through the hole, and stuff like that. He's getting much better. Now he will help zip and unzip his jacket (we're working on lessening his tactile defensiveness--basically, this means he doesn't like to use a strong grip to touch things), and he will lift up his foot for a sock, and will periodically give minimal effort in pushing his arm through a sleeve, all the while saying, "Ow, ow, OW!"
This morning was one of those morning in which my kids played together beautifully. They entertained each other for hours. This allowed me to get a bunch of research done for a project I'm working on, and it was nice to see Isaac follow Isabella all around the house, excitedly following her every command.
She "read" about thirty books to him...
...in various places throughout the house...
I am almost done with our Christmas shopping. Isabella was very excited to wrap presents for Stella, Lucy, and daddy.
My little man is really coming along. This week he talked on the phone for the first time. His first conversation went something like this: Ha (hi), go, ya, no, ya, go, Ba (bye). There were hand gestures that went along with it, and I'm his mom so I'm allowed to brag and say that witnessing the whole thing was ridiculously cute. And I'm going to embarrass my husband, and tell you that he said hearing Isaac talk on the phone almost made him cry while he was sitting in a lab at work. We wait and wait for these moments, which only adds to the sweetness when they do finally happen.
We're working on teaching Isaac how to get dressed. Obviously, we never had to spend a moment teaching Isabella anything about getting dressed. She's been a pro at it for way too long, and I had to give up control on picking out her outfits before she turned two. Hence the wide array of fashionable attire that you often see pictured on this blog. A tip to moms who want to maintain some control in this area: buy tops, bottoms, tights, pants, skirts, that are (relatively) within the same color scheme, and chances are, whatever your toddler happens to put together as an outfit, will look cute and not (completely) bizarre. Also, the shoes matter. They must be comfortable, they must be able to walk quickly (I say this because I don't believe in walking slowly, so she has no choice other than to keep up) and have the potential to walk for long distances in them, and they must go with just about anything. Example, Isabella's cowgirl boots. Everybody loves her red boots (they are pretty fabulous), and they just so happen to be quite comfortable. Other good shoes for kids, Robeez and See Kai Run are two of my favorite brands, as well as, Stride Rite. Oh, and no flip flops. Isabella can't stand that I have made this a rule, but they break all of my shoe rules, so I don't even entertain the idea.
Back to Isaac...I never really gave any thought to having to teach someone to get dressed, but Isaac firmly believes that getting dressed is a form of torture. On the off chance he's in a good mood and I can make the whole thing a really funny game, it works out well. Otherwise, he says, "Ow, ow, ow, OW!" for the duration of dressing. Not only does he think it is torture, but he will not sit up, stand up, move an arm or leg, during the process. Think, jello. So, we've been trying to teach him to help push his arm through sleeves, and lift up a leg so that it can go in his pants, or show us a foot for his sock. If you're in the same predicament with your child who has special needs, verbal cues really help. I talk him through each step, encourage him to help me by moving his body parts to appropriate places, tell him he's a big boy and can put his arm through the hole, and stuff like that. He's getting much better. Now he will help zip and unzip his jacket (we're working on lessening his tactile defensiveness--basically, this means he doesn't like to use a strong grip to touch things), and he will lift up his foot for a sock, and will periodically give minimal effort in pushing his arm through a sleeve, all the while saying, "Ow, ow, OW!"
This morning was one of those morning in which my kids played together beautifully. They entertained each other for hours. This allowed me to get a bunch of research done for a project I'm working on, and it was nice to see Isaac follow Isabella all around the house, excitedly following her every command.
She "read" about thirty books to him...
I am almost done with our Christmas shopping. Isabella was very excited to wrap presents for Stella, Lucy, and daddy.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Snot
Are you running low on snot? Isaac would be happy to share some of his. He's not feeling well, and when Isaac isn't feeling well, we all pay the price. Walter and I have been trading time laying in bed with Isaac and reading books to him. Of course we went over to my parent's house and he played for the first time since Friday. Kids, they make us out to be liars.
Last week felt long and tedious, hence my first post in several days.
Isaac wanted me to open a "na" (banana) for him. I dared him to take a bite. He preferred waving it around. You've probably noticed that Isaac spends a fair amount of time sitting on our kitchen counter. That's his happy place if I actually want to accomplish anything in the kitchen.
Wednesday we had his Craniofacial Team appointment. Isaac was amazing during the three hours we were in this room. Unfortunately, nothing productive came of the appointment. The ENT did call yesterday, and said we may push up the date for orthodontics (who knows when. I'm sure it will still be a few years.) and we will probably try a CPAP for sleep.
Practicing running...
Also, we got Isaac's orthotics, which is a drawn out drama that I'll try not to complain about too much. Finding shoes to fit these darn things in was nearly impossible. Isaac refuses to stand while wearing them, and until Friday, refused to even scoot while wearing them. This is especially frustrating because he just started walking and I feel like we are going to go backward until he gets used to them. I think we'll just take it slowly, and still enjoy the fact that he is walking, but hopefully get enough use out of them before his foot grows and he has to be casted again for a new pair.
Isabella has been the best big sister. She cheers for Isaac when he has his braces on, and tells him how cool he is. He has yet to agree with her.
We have so much to look forward to this week! My grandma is coming for Thanksgiving, and my brother is coming home from college, and my parents are getting their new dog. It should be a great week! Next time, I'll share Isabella's list of things she is thankful for.
Goodnight,
Sierra
Last week felt long and tedious, hence my first post in several days.
Wednesday we had his Craniofacial Team appointment. Isaac was amazing during the three hours we were in this room. Unfortunately, nothing productive came of the appointment. The ENT did call yesterday, and said we may push up the date for orthodontics (who knows when. I'm sure it will still be a few years.) and we will probably try a CPAP for sleep.
Practicing running...
Also, we got Isaac's orthotics, which is a drawn out drama that I'll try not to complain about too much. Finding shoes to fit these darn things in was nearly impossible. Isaac refuses to stand while wearing them, and until Friday, refused to even scoot while wearing them. This is especially frustrating because he just started walking and I feel like we are going to go backward until he gets used to them. I think we'll just take it slowly, and still enjoy the fact that he is walking, but hopefully get enough use out of them before his foot grows and he has to be casted again for a new pair.
We have so much to look forward to this week! My grandma is coming for Thanksgiving, and my brother is coming home from college, and my parents are getting their new dog. It should be a great week! Next time, I'll share Isabella's list of things she is thankful for.
Goodnight,
Sierra
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Story-time adventures...
As I crawled into bed...
"I hope you have the heat set high enough that the pipes won't freeze."
"Well, that all depends on the temperature that pipes freeze."
"Below 40." According to a quick search, your home should be at 50 degrees or higher.
"Oh, don't worry then! I keep it at 58 at night! And Babe, just so you know, as a special treat just for you, I turned up the heat to 68 before you came home from work. We don't want your little toes to get cold!"
Wimp.
As you all know, Isaac has taken off and is walking everywhere! I love it, and he's doing so well. He even tries running and jumping, which makes me laugh every time. He's starting to feel like one of the big kids, which I think is helping him make progress in areas where we felt stuck for a long time. Our goal for walking, was age three. So we are still in that, "oh my goodness you just walked into the office and found me!" stage. It's a lot of fun.
With Isaac's therapy schedule, we miss out on regular story-time for him, so last month I decided to take the kids to an evening story-time offered by Isabella's preschool director. After we walked in and the kids started playing, and parents were sharing their child's ages and stages, I quickly started to feel a little down. There were three other two and a half year old boys, and those situations are hard for me. The differences become more apparent, and my instinct is to just grab my child and go so that I don't have to see how behind we are. I wanted to leave, and I probably would have if Isabella wasn't already engrossed in a craft and Isaac was already attached to train table.
I'm so glad we stayed, because Isaac amazed me. He did every hand motion; he stood up and took part in the dancing and pretending; he listened to every story. It was the best night I've had in a long time. I watched him follow along with the other kids, and couldn't stop the tears from coming. The pictures in this post are from story-time at the same place, but during the day. Once again, he did a great job, and I am so proud of him.
His job was to hold a hat for one the songs they acted out...
Kindergarten is going well. Some days are good, other days I want to drop her off at the nearest elementary school. Here we are doing a science experiment with water, oil, and food coloring.
Watching and waiting...
I love when we come home from the library with a pile of books, and they sit down and go through all of them.
Lately, my house has looked like that scene in Toy Story 3, where the daycare class runs into the room and the toys basically explode everywhere. Except, in my house, there are only two kids. This is an example of very purposeful toy distribution. A parking lot. And if anyone dared to touch it, well, then we had a very angry five year old on our hands.
We love reading any book by Mo Willems. Walter doesn't understand why we think they're so funny. Truth be told, we just have a better sense of humor. Blarggie! Blarggie!
With the new furniture, we have new house rules. One of those rules is: NO DOGS ALLOWED on the furniture! Stella acts very pathetic, and saunters off to our room when we tell her she isn't allowed on the couch. Then I find her there in the middle of the night. Bad dog!
It took me close to an hour to put together this Lego airplane. Isaac sat and intently watched the entire time.
Making music for our dance party.
And lastly, some cute kids I know...
"I hope you have the heat set high enough that the pipes won't freeze."
"Well, that all depends on the temperature that pipes freeze."
"Below 40." According to a quick search, your home should be at 50 degrees or higher.
"Oh, don't worry then! I keep it at 58 at night! And Babe, just so you know, as a special treat just for you, I turned up the heat to 68 before you came home from work. We don't want your little toes to get cold!"
Wimp.
As you all know, Isaac has taken off and is walking everywhere! I love it, and he's doing so well. He even tries running and jumping, which makes me laugh every time. He's starting to feel like one of the big kids, which I think is helping him make progress in areas where we felt stuck for a long time. Our goal for walking, was age three. So we are still in that, "oh my goodness you just walked into the office and found me!" stage. It's a lot of fun.
With Isaac's therapy schedule, we miss out on regular story-time for him, so last month I decided to take the kids to an evening story-time offered by Isabella's preschool director. After we walked in and the kids started playing, and parents were sharing their child's ages and stages, I quickly started to feel a little down. There were three other two and a half year old boys, and those situations are hard for me. The differences become more apparent, and my instinct is to just grab my child and go so that I don't have to see how behind we are. I wanted to leave, and I probably would have if Isabella wasn't already engrossed in a craft and Isaac was already attached to train table.
I'm so glad we stayed, because Isaac amazed me. He did every hand motion; he stood up and took part in the dancing and pretending; he listened to every story. It was the best night I've had in a long time. I watched him follow along with the other kids, and couldn't stop the tears from coming. The pictures in this post are from story-time at the same place, but during the day. Once again, he did a great job, and I am so proud of him.
His job was to hold a hat for one the songs they acted out...
Kindergarten is going well. Some days are good, other days I want to drop her off at the nearest elementary school. Here we are doing a science experiment with water, oil, and food coloring.
Watching and waiting...
I love when we come home from the library with a pile of books, and they sit down and go through all of them.
Lately, my house has looked like that scene in Toy Story 3, where the daycare class runs into the room and the toys basically explode everywhere. Except, in my house, there are only two kids. This is an example of very purposeful toy distribution. A parking lot. And if anyone dared to touch it, well, then we had a very angry five year old on our hands.
We love reading any book by Mo Willems. Walter doesn't understand why we think they're so funny. Truth be told, we just have a better sense of humor. Blarggie! Blarggie!
With the new furniture, we have new house rules. One of those rules is: NO DOGS ALLOWED on the furniture! Stella acts very pathetic, and saunters off to our room when we tell her she isn't allowed on the couch. Then I find her there in the middle of the night. Bad dog!
It took me close to an hour to put together this Lego airplane. Isaac sat and intently watched the entire time.
Making music for our dance party.
And lastly, some cute kids I know...
Friday, October 26, 2012
What are you going to be for Halloween?
I'm going to be a mom. Let's just get that out of the way. Totally creative, right? Just so you know, I completely fail in the Halloween department. If society didn't create all of this build up over the holiday (is it really a holiday? I don't know), my kids probably wouldn't know it even existed. So when Isabella announced in the car what she wanted to be for Halloween, I was shocked, because we never even mentioned it. She wants to be a ballerina fairy. This is the best costume ever. I don't have to do anything! She already has her ballet performance leotard and she has wings. Check and check. Done.
I was with Isaac at his appointment for his orthotics, and the orthotist asked what my kids are going to be for Halloween and I said, "Well, we're not really into to Halloween." He said he was surprised because apparently, I look like the kind of mom who spend a lot of time making costumes. Hmmm. It looks like I'm unintentionally giving off a crafty mom vibe. That is so not me. Alas.
On the other hand, I have a daughter who is very creative in the clothing department. Exhibit A:
I have a dog who is creative at fitting in spaces that are much too small for her. Exhibit B:
I have a husband and small child who make very creative sounds when snoring. Exhibit C:
I mentioned taking Isaac to get measured for his orthotics. He did amazingly well. Mainly because he slept almost the entire time, including the casting of one foot, which meant casting the second foot was a bit unpleasant. In about two weeks his AFOs should be ready and we should be on our way to even stronger legs and proper foot and ankle alignment.
Playing in the leaves...
Stella wanted to play too, which meant she practically pounced on Isaac, and as a result, Isaac had this face...
And, as promised, a picture of our new furniture. I'm working on new prints to hang over the chair, and after a lot of deliberation at TJ Maxx, Isabella and I chose the blue lamps and the throw pillows.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Sierra
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)