He's the Boss

Have I mentioned that my son is in occupational therapy? He just started, this week. He receives it three times a week, on Tuesdays at 10 a.m., Wednesdays at 10 a.m. and Thursdays at 8 a.m. Guess what time he wakes up usually? Around 7:30. Guess what time he takes his morning nap usually? Around 10:30. So, he is no good for his 10 a.m. appointment and even worse for his 8 a.m. appointment. I think that a 9 a.m. appointment would be ideal, but of course, it is not available.

For those of you who are familiar with taking a 15- month old to occupational therapy, it is relatively painless (or so one would think). The focus is eating and playing, sounds pretty sweet to me. My son also had physical therapy for 2 months, which was much more intense, and much harder. There he was forced to do things like sit up, roll over, get into four-point, and eventually crawl. He cried and cried, but he worked while crying.

The thing is, he had physical therapy first, which made sense since he was further behind in large motor development than fine motor development, and therefore, this was more of a concern. Now, though, it is time for occupational therapy. It is at the same facility, with therapists who wear the same outfits as the PT's, they wear scrubs. So, guess what happens? My son doesn't even give OT a chance. He is so traumatized from PT, that as soon as he gets in there, he cries. And cries and cries. He doesn't settle enough to allow himself the time to realize that the OT's are not going to make him crawl, or get on his knees. All they want to do is play and help him eat (two of his very favorite things, and two of the things he is REALLY good at while at home).

The poor guy does cry the whole time. The problem is, he can't cry and eat, or cry and pick up small toys and play with them, the way he CAN cry and crawl. It is very different. The poor occupational therapists. They both have questioned what the physical therapists did to my poor son to traumatize him so much. He has had three sessions so far. The first session he cried. The second session he cried on and off, but definitely did better. The third session he cried even harder than at the first. Unfortunately, the third session is the only one my husband has been able to attend thus far, so he is not feeling encouraged. And, time is not on our side. We only have 60 consecutive calendar days of therapy (not 60 consecutive sessions, but calendar days. Which comes to be less than 2 months, which is why we bring him three times a week. Insurance really sucks sometimes!)So, by the time he is comfortable with the therapist and understands that OT is different than PT, it will be time for his therapy to end.

The therapists are very kind and compassionate to my son. I really feel for them, too. Today's therapist said that my son is very sensitive, and my husband agreed. I tend to think that rather than sensitive, he is very smart, and expressive. He is the one who is dominating the sessions, and he lets us know how he feels about it. As soon as we leave the room, he is feeling better and by the time we reach the car, he is all smiles. Guess what he did when we got home? Ate breakfast and played with his toys! Can you imagine? What we asked him to do was so terrible, he wanted to do it at home, immediately! I have always said, he is strong-willed, and will do what he wants, on his time. Just like at physical therapy, they would try to get him to turn or crawl, and he would REFUSE. But guess what he would do at home while playing? Turn, crawl, and whatever else he has just refused to do in physical therapy.

Sensitive? Naw, I say he is just exerting his authority. That's my boy.

Lemonade

Things are looking better around here! First, my son, who is 15 months old, is finally crawling! Is he ever, he is all over the place, just as it should be! He had been behind, due to what was labeled being "a late bloomer" (which works for me, over the alternative - other, more severe diagnoses). He started crawling on July 1st and hasn't stopped ever since. This kid is busy! I love it!

Also, I had my D & C yesterday. It all went well, and the doctor found a polyp, as she suspected she would. My blood pressure has been normal - slightly high only. So, while I continue to work to control it, I feel much less worried about it, and about the surgery. We have to wait one cycle and then we can start to try to get pregnant again.

My sister, who moved here last weekend from Lansing, has two houses, and has been paying two mortgages for some time now. She just got an offer on her house that she can live with, and pending the inspection, she sold her house. This is a big relief to her and makes her feel happy. I am happy for her. Plus I love having her here full-time. Once she gets her new house all set up, my son will be spending a lot of time there with her, I really want them to be close. Plus, a sleep-over for them will be fun, and it will be fun for Mom and Dad, too, when our boy sleeps at his Aunt's house! ;O)

So, even though things could be better, they could really be worse. I love lemonade!

World's Meanest Mom

I feel like the world's meanest mom. As I mentioned in my previous posting, we went to a birthday party this afternoon for my friend's little boy. As soon as we got there, my son noticed the balloons and wanted one. So, he got a red balloon and kept it with him the whole time of the party. He even held the balloon in the car, while he slept, on the way home. So, once home, he held that balloon, and even took it into his bedroom at bedtime. However, once I put him in his crib, he got VERY upset with me when I tried to take it away. He was so mad, and he cried and cried. So, what did I do? I gave it back to him, of course, because we all know that is the right thing to do! But I kept thinking of how dangerous it is for him to have this balloon with the long string with him in bed. I kept picturing him rolling over and strangling himself with it. So, I went back in and took it away from him, AGAIN! He got upset then too, but not as much. I think it is very sweet how much he LOVES his balloons, but it is really hard when we have to take them away, it is like breaking his heart each time. I can't help but wonder if it is worth it for him to have a balloon at all? My husband says no. Me, I say yes. I feel if he gets that upset, he must love it as intensely. He gets more minutes of loving it and therefore of pleasure, than he does sadness and anger. I will always think that some sadness and anger is a small price to pay for pleasure and happiness. But to my son, I say, Sorry baby, for upsetting you.

Great News!

Okay, you may not know this, but my son has been in physical therapy for the past two months, he is behind developmentally, in regards to physical milestones. He hadn't started crawling yet, had showed no interest in walking, wasn't pulling up, was barely rolling over. Since then he has made huge progress with rolling over, with extending outside of his comfort zone and out of his favorite, most comfortable position of sitting on his bottom with his legs spread out in front of him, his tush seemingly planted to the floor. It has been pretty amazing to watch him develop, and to learn about all the steps that are involved in getting to something like crawling. So, while we have been very pleased with his progress, we have still be awaiting his crawling. With one week of therapy left, thanks to our health insurance, we have been told he is SO close to crawling, and should do it any time. I believe this, but the thing is, "any time" can be a week, or it can be seven. I know it will happen, but of course, I hope it is sooner rather than later. And, we have seen him get into position, but he always kept one leg bent to the side, and wouldn't push past it. So, we wait and try to encourage him. But tonight, HE DID IT! We were at my friend's son's birthday party, and he was getting cranky, he had hardly had a nap today. So, I took him into her den (a nice, large, open, carpeted room) to get away from all the noise and commotion outside. He was sitting on his tush on the floor and saw an orange ball he wanted (he LOVES balls). He saw the ball, went from a sitting position to his hands and knees, but then, instead of giving up after a little bit, he moved! He went for it! He crawled at least 6 feet, if not closer to 10 feet, to get this ball! Then, when he got to it, he sat back down on his tush! I was so happy and SO proud! Everyone in the room clapped. My baby is growing up! I was so impressed, I had nothing to do with it. He did it all on his own. All the times I put him in position and tried to get him to crawl, tonight, he did it all on his own, and then sat back down! I am SO happy and so relieved. I got tears in my eyes. My girlfriend saw this and said "Are you crying?" I said "I am". She said to the other people in the room that I am one of those moms who love their kids with all of their being. Guilty as charged!