12.15.2010

Boys


The other day I caught Kai happily sitting in Dan's briefcase, playing with some cords.   You can see how delighted he is that Bei has come to join him. 


For the first 2 months of Bei's preschool, Bei would either cry and/or the teacher would have to physically take him off of me...break my heart!   The teacher kept reassuring me that he was making progress and she guided me to create a dropoff routine...she has been such a saint!  Well anyway, several weeks ago, I dropped Bei off and expected the same drama and instead he said 'bye mom'.   And there has been no more drama.  I am so very proud of that little boy!    Recently I asked him why he doesn't cry anymore and he said 'because I know you are going to come back'.    I am amazed that he is that in touch with his feelings and can articulate it.  However, it makes me so sad that he really worried that I wasn't coming back...that has been his reality already in his short life.   I can't change Bei's past, but I can build a future for him and Kai where they can trust me no matter what the circumstances are, I will be there for them. 

Another big change for Bei is that he now LOVES Kai Kai Sweetie Pie!   If you would have asked Bei several weeks ago if he liked his brother, he would give you a straight-up 'No'.   We have not been overly pushy about 'forcing' him to like his brother.   We believed it would come when Kai could interact and engage more with Bei.    About a week ago, Bei announced out of the blue that 'I love Kai'.   He ran up and gave Kai a hug.   I was skeptical, but I have to admit, he has pretty much changed his tune.  Everyday, he is loving on Kai and plays and interacts with him.   I haven't put the pieces of the puzzle together that created the change in Bei, but at this point, it doesn't matter.   I like it! 

Remember mid-November, I wrote that Kai is walking?  Right after that he had the febrile seizure, he regressed in his developmental growth significantly.     He became all wobbly and shaky again.   The best way to describe how Kai looked when he moved or tried to walk is to compare him with those dolls that have those round joints at the elbows and knee's and their legs and arms twist and turn in places that are not humanely possible.   Sometimes he would be trying to walk and his legs would be going in directions that I thought would not only be impossible, but it should hurt most people.  He is like a gumby doll, the Neurologist said he would make a great yoga instructor some day.   Anyway, that has all changed this past week.  It is like a switch was turned on and he is standing up all by himself in the middle of a room, he is walking along walls, standing for long periods of time and attempting to walk again.   He is my miracle baby!   Is it wrong to admire your child?  Everyday I am blown away by the feats and accomplishments of this child.   And then on top of his strong little work ethic, is the sweetest, most loving personality.  I fall deeper in love with Kai Kai Sweetie Pie everyday!

12.01.2010

More Medical...

 I love this picture of Bei and Grandpa Builder Bob!
What a beautiful face!

When I looked at my calendar tonight for the month of December, it wasn't full of doctor appointments like the past two months.   Some of the doctor appointments were scheduled, but many of our doctor visits have been unplanned visits.   Kai has had chronic ear infection that appears to be resistant to the normal amoxicillin.   He was treated with 3 different antibiotics each one stronger than the next with the last being an IV.   Hmmm...are you thinking what I am thinking?    That the reason why Kai (and me) can't get a good nights rest is because of this chronic ear infection?   So, I scheduled an appointment with an ENT doc and Praise the Lord, they are going to put tubes in his ears!   I am so excited for him!   I'm just thinking that the fluid in his ear is affecting so much of who he is, balance? sleep deprivation?  babbling/talking?   They also told us he has a mild hearing loss and that they can only test his good ear.   The doctor said they won't know if he has true hearing loss until the tubes are in.  To be quite honest, I was really impressed with how well he did during the hearing test because he was hearing alot better than I thought previously.   The other concern with Kai has been his teeth.  He has what is commonly called bottle mouth.   It is where they leave the bottle in the mouth of a baby whose teeth are developing and the teeth don't form correctly.   We were at the cabin the other weekend and all of a sudden I noticed that Kai now has a big gap between his two front teeth.  Dang!  His teeth are disingrating in front of my eyes.   Kai is missing the enamal on his two front teeth and then the next two on either side didn't develop properly.  As he is put under for his ear tubes, a pediatric dentist will come in and cap his 4 teeth and check for cavaties.   Hurray!  I know it is crazy to be excited that your child is going under anesthesia but I think these are such important things that will change his life.   So please pray for our little Kai Kai Sweetie Pie that his surgery that is planned for mid December goes well.