Dear Family and Friends,
Nine months to life…and now Everett is nine months old. In a funny and strange way it seems too that it has taken nine months for Zac and me to return to our old lives, or rather, our new, old lives, with Everett now at home. Nine months…life is an amazing ride. And I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Our little Everett is getting so big. He weighs 13 lbs 10 oz and is 24 inches long. His head circumference is 16 inches (which sounds and seems really big). But as far as I’m concerned, that huge noggin is holding all his beautiful brains, so it can just keep on growing :-) He is growing proportionately, which has been a major concern of the surgeons, although he’s still not on any of the growth charts. He doesn’t even have a percentile that fits him, except to say he’s less than 5th, the nice way of saying he is still really small. Our pediatrician guesses that he will finally reach normal range around 18 months. None of us are in any hurry to have him grow up, we’re just enjoying each phase more than the one before and are giving thanks for every ounce and inch he’s able to gain.
This month we’ve had only one doctor appointment :-) Other than the weekly physical and educational therapy, Everett is classified as a “well child,” so frequent doctor appointments are no longer necessary. Whew! The physical therapy is going well. He’s getting stronger every week and between Kate, our physical therapist, Marla, our educational therapist, and Grandmum, who’s watching him twice a week, Everett gets plenty of exercise and developmental activity. Just yesterday he rolled from his back to his belly! WooHoo! This is something we’ve been working so hard toward. And last night he pushed up to his hands for the first time too! Yikes…crawling may be closer than we thought! With my Mom doing therapy with him every time she’s here, it is no wonder he’s making such great strides. I laugh because when I give my Mom an “assignment” to do with him…it gets done! So far, she has helped him discover his feet (in just one week) and has him napping on a schedule (which I couldn’t accomplish myself). I guess that’s what Grandmums are for :-)
Everett had his first taste of solid food last week. Like all first-time parents, we had the video camera set up recording the first bite, only to have Everett gag and vomit everywhere. Nice video for the future J I started freaking out, with the nurse in me going to the worst-case scenario. I started crying, saying, “He has oral aversion and we’re going to have to get a G-tube and he’s never going to eat.” But thank God my husband has a cool and calm head. He very gently cleaned Everett up and gave him a second bite, which he swallowed easily. Now he’s eating an ounce of food in the evenings. It is fun to feed him…messy, but fun :-) We also completed swim lessons. For six weeks we’ve been going to a Mommy and Me swim class. Everett loves the water! Our little swimmer even fell asleep during one class, a testament to how comfortable he is. We dunk him under water, he kicks his legs, and use kickboards for tummy time. It is pretty cute.
These past weeks I’ve come to have a new respect for the working mom. I won’t lie…it is hard!!! Trying to fit everything in, sometimes there just aren’t enough minutes in the day. And sometimes I feel as if I’m not doing any of my “jobs” well. But I’m trying to keep with my “don’t sweat the small stuff” attitude and understand that if the dishes don’t get done, the world won’t end. What is important is Everett and our family. The rest of the world can wait.
We return to CHLA for a follow-up eye exam in September. We plan on seeing Everett’s surgeon at the same time. We pray that these exams will have no surprises and that Everett will continue to impress the experts with his progress. Most specifically, we pray for guidance as we consider when to repair Everett’s hernias. As he gets older, I have fears that he will be more likely to remember the surgery. And there is also the added discomfort and pain as the older he is, the more he will be moving. I plan on asking his surgeon if she feels we should repair the hernias sooner rather than later. I have a feeling she’s going to say it is really our preference. If this is the case, we are divided as to what to do. Please pray for guidance in this decision so that Everett will have the best outcome, with the least discomfort and likelihood for complications or setbacks.
My heart has been warmed again as just this weekend, while I was at a birthday party, several people came up to me asking for a new update on Everett. It touches my heart that all of you continue to think of and pray for our family! Sometimes I’m in disbelief of the generosity and love of those around us…we are so blessed!!! And I promise to keep the updates coming.
With Love,
The Bollinger Family
P.S. Pictures are attached…
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