back tracking in speech skills

For thanksgiving we had a wonderful time with lots of family.  Before I joined the family every Thanksgiving was celebrated with Chris' mom's family.  Since it had been a long time we all decided to get together this year (minus a few cousins and one aunt and uncle who were sick).  It was a wonderful trip until Chris and I noticed that Caleb was stuttering.  On Friday he was fine but on Saturday he would stutter.  Not every word and not every phrase but often enough to worry that something was wrong.  So we went to the ER where we learned nothing, other than a CT scan on someone so young can have harsh side effects as an adult, lower IQ and linked to adult cancer.  But the doctor said he wasn't showing signs of a serious brain injury.  Today our pediatrician said not to worry too much but to watch it and let him know if it worsens.  Lots of internet research revealed that this is not an unusual (I hate to say normal) developmental stage that will most likely go away in a month or so.  However that doesn't stop me from worrying, and I'm not a worrier. 

I think of my son as a bright kid. He has a large vocabulary, understands almost everything I say and puts together words to form a sentence.  So when I hear my bright boy start to stutter and have difficulty spitting out what he could say in less then a second the day before it breaks my heart.  I know he is still the same bright boy but I couldn't help but think that people will look at him differently now.  Today he was trying to say 'Mommy open this' but he got stuck on open and gave up.  This from the kid that repeats the same phrase over and over again, louder and louder until you acknowledge him.  It makes me so sad.  I am trusting in the Lord that this is just a phase.  I'm praying about it and speaking a bit slower to help him out.  

Last night my mind was racing with what his life will be like if this never goes away.  Will kids make fun of him?  Will he talk less?  Do I tell all of his teacher or the nursery workers?  You know the things that moms worry about.  And when you start down that path of worrying about the near and distant future it is an all consuming worry.  So I will worry no more and pray instead. 

Left Behind

No I have not read the book series of that title, although we do now own those books so maybe.  But I thought I would provide you with a list of items that I left in North Carolina.  Micah's play mat and Caleb's medicine.  Both important items that get daily use.  But here is the best one.  I left my keys.  Yeah you heard me right, I left my keys.  The only good news is that I discovered this fact while on the way home and not after Chris had left for the morning and I went to go to the doctor (more on the doctor trip later).  So if you are keeping a running tally of how  many times I have lost my keys (not inside my house) we are at 3.  At least this time I knew exactly where they were.  Oh one day I will get my brain back

4 months old

Can you believe it.  Micah is 4 months old.  It is about time that I had a post about only him.  Which I must admit is a bit harder since most of my time is spent with both boys, I don't have as many memories of just Micah.  But I have had a few days in the past two weeks where it was just Micah and I for the day (or a few hours) and I must admit I feel like I can conquer the world with only one child.  This is a stark difference from how I felt going places with Caleb, lets just say I was overwhelmed.

I couldn't decide on just one.  I know the lighting is awful but the subject is delightful.

If I was going to describe Micah in one word it would be sweet.  I can't talk about him without using the word sweet.  He is such an easy going and well sweet baby.  This has been true every day except the day I realized he was sick.  I took both boys to the doctor last week to discover that big brother had strep (again) and Micah tested negative but my mommy sense said he is still sick.  I kept probing the doctor for what could be wrong and she gave me a prescription for an antibiotic just in case.  I reluctantly filled the prescription and was waiting trying not to give it to him, since he was not officially diagnosed with anything.  But after a day of disasters (both boys sick, Micah crying inconsolably for hours and the garbage disposal backing up and a mini flood in the kitchen) I gave him the medicine.  Within an hour he was back to his sweet self. 

I won't have the official stats til his doc apt in early December but he is 14 lbs and some change.   A nice big healthy boy.

Lets see what is new.  He has the cutest giggle.  His smile lights up his whole little face.  He is way more smiley than his brother was at this age, which is so much fun.  Maybe that is because his mommy smiles more and is much less stressed out.  He is very alert right now and follows me and my voice where ever I am.

He has mastered rolling from his back to his stomach and will occasionally roll from his stomach to his back.  All this rolling action has cause some restless nights.  Poor guy has taken a while to adjust to liking being on his stomach and would roll over and wake himself up at night.  He still does it a few times a week. He is getting good at laying on his stomach and lifting his head up, arching his back and taking in the sights of the room.

Max is not so happy about his picture.

He is so alert now.  His eyes will survey the room until he finds something interesting.  Oh and he grabs stuff to play, or gnaw on.  I think the poor guy is teething with all the drooling and gnawing.  I should get him a Sophie giraffe. 

Micah started sleeping through the night very early, but has had a rough couple of weeks. Lots of things were causing him to wake up around 3.  But if i fed him he went quickly back to sleep until morning.  Not  a big deal but is startling when your body readjusted to a full night of uninterrupted sleep.  I think I am going to have to let him cry it out for a few nights to get him back to sleeping for 12 hours uninterrupted.  I'm just not ready yet.  That sounds so weird to say. I was so desperate for little man to sleep that I was willing to try anything.  But with Micah I am okay with taking the hit on sleep for the moment.  I know letting him learn to sleep without needing my comforting is a good thing in the long run.  I know that he is waking up in the middle of the night, is startled and thus starts to cry.  I know that it is a valuable skill for him to learn how to fall back asleep on his own.  But for some reason, I'm just not ready for that "battle" yet.  I am going to wait till after Thanksgiving to start that one.  We are still swaddling but he is too big for the swaddler and I don't want to buy a bigger size so we are being a bit inventive to make it work.

It looks like Micah is going to be a thumb sucker like his big brother.  Except Micah has found his left thumb, big bro uses his right.  Does this mean Micah will be left handed like his daddy?  Yet to be determined but I'm holding out hope for him.

Micah is quite a talker.  He babbles, well it is really more of a loud coo, when he is playing.  He talks the most in the mornings, like his mommy.  I wake up ready to talk but his daddy is not so much a morning person.  At least I know someone will chat with me while I fix breakfast, I'm invisioning five years from now on a Saturday morning.

He is a smiley baby.  I know I already said that one but I feel the need to say it again. I was enjoying watching look around the room at everything this morning.  We had a little party on the floor everyone laying down, even Max the dog.  Micah would look from one person (or dog) to the next and just smile and coo.  So very very sweet.  See I told you it is impossible to talk about him without using the word sweet.

He eats every 3 hours.  Always has been a good eater.  There is a bit of ambiguity with breast feeding as to whether or not your child is getting enough.  You can't quantify how much they eat, only how long they eat.  But each child is different so you can't compare how long one child takes to eat to the other and say one is more healthy than the other.  Some children are efficient and quick eaters, others take their time enjoying the comfort of mommy.  I started to get a bit concerned about this the other day (note: I'm not a worrier so I was a bit alarmed when my mind is racing as to whether or not my child was healthy) then I remembered he was 90% at his 2 month check up and when we went to the doc for his sick check up he had gained weight.  So he is doing well and all is still fabulous on the nursing front.  I really enjoy nursing him because that is the time when it is just he and I.  Micah doesn't get my undivided attention as often as his brother.  So I treasure that time.  And when Micah is done he usually looks up at me and grins (sometimes with milk dripping out the corners of his mouth).  Just precious.

I would love to tell you that he is on a consistent schedule and that we do these things at this time, but that isn't true.  I am a very routine person but I like to change it up from day to day.  If we are at home for the morning then he eats 2 hours after waking, then naps for 2 to 3 hours, eats and plays for 2 to 3 hours, then naps for 1 to 2 hours, eats and plays, eats again keeps playing, bath time, eats and goes to bed at 7:30. I usually put big brother to bed first so that I can have time alone with Micah and not feel rushed.  But I think Micah would actually prefer to go to be at 7.  I may try to switch up who goes to bed first.  The only problem is big brother is super loud at this time of night and can get super clingy so it is easy to get him contained and in bed then give Micah my undivided attention.  If we are out and about in the morning his morning nap is much shorter and he falls asleep in the car every time, then his afternoon nap is 2 to 3 hours with bedtime remaining the same.

It is really a treat for me to see how Micah adores his brother.  How he watches him play and enjoys the adoration and kisses from his brother.  Sometimes a bit to rough to display love but Micah rarely cries over these strong hugs.  I think they will be good friends, and I hope it lasts through the teenage years.

Micah is starting to look more and more like himself.  You can tell he is a Mardis but he doesn't look exactly like his brother anymore.  And he has his own personality, if that is not obvious by now from all the previous stuff I have said.  I am excited to watch him grow and develop into his own little person. 

Elmo and a little cow

Trick or Treating was a big hit with Elmo.  Totally unexpected. After the second house he had the routine down pat.  There was a group of big kids ahead of us and I think he was trying to keep up with them.  He ran from house to house with Chris in tow holding his bucket (which is an Elmo face bucket).  He even knew to say trick or treat.   45 minutes after his bedtime we called it quits and had to tear him away.  Next year is going to be so much fun.

my sweet little cow.  I didn't like any of the 0-6 month costumes so I bought a 6-12 month one. A bit shocking that it wasn't as huge as I thought it would be.

There's Elmo, a bit tight but he stayed warm.

This was my view for most of the night.  You might notice a change in lightness from us leaving the house to this picture.  That is because we went to a neighborhood pizza party before trick or treating.

Me and my cow.  Don't mind santa in the background.  One of these days I will crop and edit picture before I post them.