What's Been Happening...

So here's a little update on what's been happening around here lately. First Kyle. His big excitement the last few weeks was the arrival of his new swingset (or "little tiny playground" as he calls it). He definitely likes it, but in typical Kyle fashion hasn't really "let loose" with it yet. He likes playing in his "downstairs fort", and he'll go down the slide (but in a very cautious/weird/sideways position), and he LOVES when I push him and Luke next to eachother in the swings. He also really likes playing with his water table, and pushing around his new lawnmower, and just running around the yard now that we have grass!

Overall, I feel like I'm in a somewhat better place with him these days. I've really tried to find effective tools/strategies to fend off those awful, miserable spells he was having. One thing that has definitely helped is the new timer I bought...it's an old-school 60 minute analog timer that turns red when you move the timer hand (so if you set it for 20 minutes, the space between 0 and 20 would be red). I primarily use this for meals, like when he'd be demanding dinner at 4:15. I now have something tangible to default to instead of "too early"...now I can say "dinner when the red is all gone". And he definitely understands the concept of it and likes watching the red get smaller and smaller. So that's the scoop with Kyle. And his favorite activity is still "playing" with Luke :)

Now for Luke. I'll start with the negative, which I'm sure you have already guessed. He just REALLY does not like to eat or drink! I'll try to leave it at that, but it is just so hard and feels like it consumes my entire life...I'm always either trying to feed him, or trying to think of new ways to interest him in eating. But he does show some preferences, which is a good thing. And contrary to what I would expect, he definitely prefers non-sweet food...he takes the veggie/meat jars much easier these days than he takes the sweet fruit ones. And even though he isn't 12 months yet, I have started trying to give him cow's milk. I talked to the nutritionist and for the few ounces that he may drink a day, she said it's absolutely fine. And I'm encouraged because he actually seems to like milk, even though he doesn't drink very much of it (probably only 3ish ounces the entire day). Maybe he knows he's not one yet and shouldn't have it so is holding back :)

And as of about a month ago, my illustrious nursing career came to a merciful end! He clearly wanted to be done with it months ago, but I was still waking him up a couple times at night to do it (when he was too half-asleep to realize what he was doing). I kept this up because it was the only way he'd get liquids (other than through food). But it got to the point where he was barely taking any so it just didn't feel worth interrupting both our night sleeps for it. And once I stopped, he started sleeping 12 hrs straight through at night (as he's probably wanted to do for a while). And I'm actually able to get a pretty normal night's sleep now too, which is WONDERFUL!

I did have Luke evaluated by Early Intervention a couple weeks ago for his eating issues and overall slightly delayed development. And he does qualify for services, although they felt he was within the realm of normal for everything which was good to hear (I had also brought him to the UMASS Pediatric Feeding Clinic last month where a team of specialist observed him and they saw no physical/developmental issues that could be causing his eating issues, with was also great to hear). So anyway, an OT with feeding experience has been assigned to him through Early Intevention, and I'm REALLY hoping she can help us move forward with the eating/drinking.

But Luke is certainly moving forward with everything else on his own! He sits up well now, readily goes from sitting to crawling and vice versa, and is becoming more vocal. He's also been getting up on his knees a lot lately, wanting to stand. And as of today (on our Skype with Nonnie), he is pretty regularly pulling himself up to standing! I looked back in my journal and this is basically the same age as Kyle was when he started pulling himself up (Luke might have him beat by a couple weeks). I think Kyle was probably stronger at his age, but Luke is definitely more motivated! I call him my little rascal. When he wants something, he finds a way to get it, and he has a good nose for what he shouldn't have and that's what he goes for! But he is just so darn cute :)

Here are some pictures from the last few weeks...