Heads Up!

Look how big my little guy is getting...

He is already 3 1/2 months old and just this week started rolling over from his tummy to his back. Not too shabby for a 6 1/2 week preemie, huh? He did it for the first time a few days ago... then it took until today before he did it again. And of course, I got it on tape! YAY! Just need to figure out how to upload it. Then maybe I'll share... :)

Miss Independent

Ya gotta love 3 year olds.

My middle kid turned 3 in December. About a month before that, she FINALLY potty trained.

And wow. What a difference that has made. Overnight, she's gone from my baby to a big girl. A big independent "I-can-do-it-myself" and "Mommy, (insert VERY high pitched scream!) I didn't want you to help me!!!!!" girl. It all started when she decided she wanted to be the one to put her panties on. Ok, fine. But please just let me lay them out so all you have to do it put your legs in. No danger of getting them on wrong that way, right? Sure. Of course. I guess there's nothing wrong with underwear put on upside down. Once she figured out the panties, pants were next. It might take ten minutes to get them on, but dernit, she is doing it herself.

I *was* still allowed to help with the rest of her outfit. That lasted a couple days.

Then she figured out how to put on her shirts. Ok, so most of the time they're on backwards and/or wrong side out (ironically, it's the same with the pants and panties) but she does it. And next came socks. Socks are a little hard to get on unless you're holding them just right. But I'm still not allowed to help her. And shoes.... yep, not allowed to help there either. Thank goodness for velcro.

If I even attempt to help while she's getting dressed, even a weensy teensy bit, off come all of her clothes and she starts all over... all the while throwing a hissy fit. Sure does make for an interesting time when we're in a hurry to get somewhere.

The ONLY thing I am allowed to do is fix her hair. And, seeing that she has unmanagable curls, thank goodness for that. I imagine soon, that job will be taken away from me too.

It sure is fun watching her grow up. Although, sometimes it's hard to sit back and be patient with her as she donning her (one of many) outfits for the day. But I find that the more patient I am, the more proud she is of herself when she is done.

And isn't that what it's all about? Giving them the independence they crave... and seeing those proud little smiles when it's all done...

I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Countdown

I got this off of someone else's blog (can't remember who?!?!) a while ago and saved it in my drafts to do later.

It's later....


10 Firsts

First best friend - Lynne Byrd
First car - 81 Plymouth Horizon... total clunker.
First love - some jerk in college
First vacation - (that I can remember) camping in Canada
First job - Working at my dad's office while I was in high school
First piercing - my ears when I was 12 or 13
First concert - I have no idea?!!? I'm sure it was someone country
First record/cd bought - Again, don't remember, but I'm sure it was country!
First real love - My hubby


9 Latest

Latest alcoholic beverage - Sex on the Beach
Latest car ride - to my moms' group yesterday
Latest movie watched - Napoleon Dynamite
Latest phone call made - to my hubby at work today
Latest jacuzzi bath - years ago
Latest played cd - Carrie Underwood
Latest time you cried - when my son was first diagnosed with a hearing loss
Latest meal - Pizza~ Freschetta's
Latest curse - Shit!


8 Have You Ever

dated one of your best friends - No
been arrested - No
fallen in love at first sight - No
been in a TV program - Not that I know of!
had your heart broken - Yep
said you love someone without meaning it - No
made a prank phone call - Yeah


7 Things You Wear

1. t-shirts
2. jeans
3. sweatpants
4. mother's necklace with my kiddos birthstones on it
5. sweatshirt
6. bra
7. my wedding ring


6 Things You've Done Today

1. Slept in
2. Made macaroni for lunch
3. Washed bottles
4. Did a couple loads of laundry
5. Fed and snuggled with Nicholas
6. Surfed around on the web


5 Favorite Things

1. My kids (that's a given, right?)
2. My friends
3. My mom and dad
4. My computer
5. My hubby :)


4 People I Can Tell Anything
1. Sheila
2. Jill
3. Melody
4. Chris


3 Choices

Black or white? White
Summer or winter? Summer
Chocolate or chips? Chocolate


2 Things to do Before You Die

1. Raise my children to be productive members of society
2. Watch my children get married


1 Thing You Regret
1. Waiting till I was 29 to get married for the first time (not a huge regret but...)

The Next Step

I realized I never posted an update after we went to see the ENT specialist to discuss Nicholas' hearing loss. We were able to get an appt at the end of December and I kept meaning to post about it but didn't manage to.

Anyways...

We met with the doc and decided the next course of action is to repeat the test that he had in November (the ABR- automated brainstem response) that determined the hearing loss. Only this time, Nicholas will be sedated. :( This second test will give us a clearer picture of the amount of hearing loss he has. With the first test, he was sleeping in his daddy's arms and did a lot of stirring. Being sedated, he won't be.

Admittedly, I am hoping that this second test comes back and tells us it was all a huge mistake and Nicholas' hearing is just fine and dandy. Realistically, I know that is most likely not going to happen. In fact, the results could actually come back worse.

He'll be doing the test in mid February when he is 4 months old. Around six months, they'll start doing booth testing which will require Nicholas to interact with the speech pathologist.

The ENT has said that at this point, he does not think it is necessary to fit Nicholas with hearing aids. Most of the talking we'll be doing with him will be face to face and he can (supposedly) hear us just fine up close. Once we get the results of the second ABR and the booth testing, I imagine we will begin discussing hearing aids at that point. I guesstimate he'll have them before his first birthday.

Is it getting easier to cope with the fact that he has a hearing loss? Yes and no. I've accepted that it is what it is... and I fully intend to do everything I can to help him grow into a *normal* child. I love him just as much as I ever have. And I know that he will be just fine.

But on the other hand, like I mentioned earlier, if I could, I'd make this all go away like a bad dream.

Since we're sorta in limbo land until the next test, it's been easy to *almost* forget that he has a hearing loss. But I can't help but look into those tiny eyes and wonder what the future holds for him... and when I think of the challenges he'll face, I can't help but feel sad. I imagine that feeling won't go away any time soon.

GO BUCKEYES!

And last of all, plum tuckered out from his photo shoot...

~~~~~~~
Ok, so maybe they lost. But he still looks cute, right?!