Monday, February 21, 2011

could potty training really be on the horizon?

Jack has started showing signs that potty training might be upon our horizon, not that I see it happening tomorrow, next week, this month or even 3 months from now, it's just barely becoming a speck on the horizon!

Jack started correctly responding to "Jack, did you poop in your diaper?" or "Jack, do we need to go change your diaper?" questions a couple months ago. Here in the last few weeks he has started moving to the corner of the room when he is doing "his business" and does not want anyone to look at or see him during this time and when he is done he will promptly walk over to you and pull you by the hand to get a fresh diaper!

We have also been letting Jack come into the bathroom with us when we go and we tell him, "Mommy/Daddy are going to the potty." it must be starting to click because tonight I asked him to take his diaper to the trash can (he has been doing this for a couple months and has never put the diaper anywhere BUT the trash can) not following him or even thinking twice about where he actually put the diaper...This was until I went into the bathroom and saw his diaper soaking in the toilet! Haha! What a stinker!

I'm definitely not in a hurry to potty train and will not push until Jack is really, really ready and I know he really understands what's going on. I look at it like the longer we wait, the shorter (and hopefully easier) the whole process will be! Just know I am starting to see the speck on the horizon!

Monday, February 14, 2011

dr. baker follow-up

Jack's ears received a B+ at his follow-up appointment at Dr. Baker's this afternoon. I mentioned that he had been pulling, tugging, and sticking his finger in his left ear for the past few days, but I hadn't used his ear drops again because I never saw any drainage. Dr. Baker said the day of surgery that unless there is drainage, then Jack wouldn't have an ear infection.

Kelly, Dr. B's P.A., checked Jack's ears and gave the right one a clean bill of health. The left he said wasn't infected, but looked like it had been draining some. He said it could have been if it has gotten wet or that the tube in that ear was still just opening everything up (or something like that), he just said to use Jack's ear drops in that ear for 3-5 days and that should do the trick!

If not, I'm supposed to call the office - if so, we'll see them in 6 months! Whoop! Whoop! Again, so easy!

Oh and Kelly didn't do any type of hearing screening today and I asked him if I should take him to Greenbush and he said if I wanted to that I should, but he said Jack is still pretty young for a true "hearing" screening. He said at his age all they are going to look for is if he responds when he hears noises/name...he asked me if he responds when I say his name? YES. He asked does he follow directions? YES. He then said, well that's about all they are going to be able to tell you at Greenbush. He said he is too young to do a true hearing screening that will allow for us to get a true sense of his hearing ability and the frequencies, etc. that he hears. Remember the test we all took when we were younger, raise your hand if you hear the "beep"! Haha! I hated those!

happy valentine's day!

Happy Valentine's Day!
We have a card that was sent out, but Walmart won't let me save a copy (jerks) so this is all you get!
xoxo

PAT visit...finally

We hadn't had a visit from Dacia (our PAT lady) in about 4 months! Our schedules kept conflicting, then visits were cancelled because Jack was either sick or the weather was nasty! But Dacia finally made it over last Thursday! Since she hadn't seen Jack in so long this visit consisted of a screening of Jack's skills! This one was a little different then the past screenings because Jack actually has to participate now, where before he was always too young and mainly she observed him and asked us questions BUT this time Jack had to do and say and react to the questions she asked!

I was thrilled because I always love getting progress reports on how he is developing! All in all Jack cooperated quite well, I was surprised! But he likes Dacia so I think that helps and he is somewhat familiar with her (even though it had been a long time since he had last seen her). She asked him tons of questions, asked me questions, asked him to do things, etc. She had a piece of paper with 5 different things on it - A dog, a cat, a horse, a man, and a bird....Jack knew everything but the horse (I'm having trouble deciding if it's a horse or a pony...as in what I call it when speaking to him). He also showed her his eyes, nose, mouth, ears, hair, tummy, pee-pee, and pooper! Haha! There was lots more involved, but those are the biggies. He is saying plenty of 2 word phrases and starting with 3 word phrases which is great especially since he was supposedly having such a hard time hearing us before his tubes.

Jack has also started helping with chores around the house, he knows where to put his laundry away at in his room, he throws his diapers in the trash, he puts our shoes and dirty clothes away (after he pulls them all out of the closet or hamper), things like this - he has even helped take out the trash a few times!

The things we are focused on next is jumping up and then jumping over something, learning colors, and putting on our clothes! Seems like a good list to me!

We have his 2 week follow-up appointment with Dr. Baker this afternoon. Dacia said that if they don't do a hearing screening then she can set us up with a free screening at Greenbush - just to make sure Jack didn't have any "permanent" hearing loss/damage prior to getting his tubes put in! I'll keep you posted!

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

that was easy

Jack's first surgery to have tubes put in both of his ears was yesterday morning and I'd have to say it was so easy, the whole process! I can remember waiting at my OBGYN's office for a monthly visit longer than we were at the surgery center!

We had to be at the surgery center (not even the hospital so no annoying admitance/paperwork to do) at 7:30am! Dr. Baker does kids on Mondays and Wednesdays and they stagger them in every 30 minutes or so, 3 every 30 minutes! We were third to arrive in our group, but it took about 2 minutes to sign the couple papers I had to sign and for them to get Jack's temp and listen to his heart!

Then I was told I had to wear these "painters coveralls", booties, and a hat since I was going to go back in the OR with him while he was put to sleep (I wasn't really excited but oh well). We waited about 30 minutes and then it was Jack's turn! I went back with him in the OR and he was put to sleep - not gonna lie watching him being put under was a bit freaky! No more than 5 minutes after I got back to the waiting room where Chris and his dad, Doug, we waiting Dr. Baker came walking up the hall, my first thought was oh crap, something went wrong! Nope, he was just finished! We were moved to the recovery waiting room and not 5 minutes later I was let in to be with Jack!

Boy he was pissed and drunk! Haha! He just didn't know what the heck was going on, but he knew he didn't like it! We were back there for 20 minutes or so then it was time to go! Once we left Jack settled down and was fine. We all came home and took a good 2-3 hour nap (Dada slept the longest). Then Jack was ready and rearing to go, he ate lunch like a champ and returned to all his normal crazy, wild, boyish activities!

Dr. said he took out quite a bit of fluid from both ears so Jack should definitely be hearing better and I think he is actually. Tonya also said she noticed him talking more and reacting the first time she spoke to him, instead of her repeating things multiple times! He also slept much better last night than he has in weeks, months! He still ended up in our bed, but he didn't wake up once crying and screaming and tugging at his ears!

All in all I think we made the right choice and Jack is feeling better and that was the outcome we wanted!