Missed you...

Dear Nicky,

This morning, Mom took you to Stones so I could go get my license renewed. Took less than half an hour, which was merciful and lucky. I was due for some luck though, since the last 2 or 3 times I went to the DMV they were closed for one reason or another. You, apparently, did very well at Stones and arrived home in quite the good mood. I made you some cereal and patched you. Around noon you went to sleep. I ran some errands, then had a doctor's appointment. Ellen came and worked on your oral motor skills. When I came home you were still pretty energized. Man, I got to tell you, your sitting, your going from prone to sitting, and now your pulling to stand, all that stuff is really looking excellent. You're coming along really brilliantly!

Love,
Dad

Too beat...

Dear Nicky,

Let's catch up tomorrow, okay?

Love,
Dad

Busy, in a vague sense...

Dear Nicky,

Today was a fairly busy day, and kind of hard too, since I didn't sleep at all last night. I had terrible insomnia and today I walked around like a zombie. You did well at Stones today, especially in OT. Then we went and got a Synagis shot. Well, you did actually. I was so tired I was feeling sick, so I asked them to hurry up. They stuck you and it must've hurt bad, because you cried like the old days, where your face turns beet red and you stop breathing and become stiff as a board. My poor, brave guy; you even gave yourself a little nosebleed. But you're the noblest little trouper I've ever known.

Love,
Dad

Impressing the PT...

Dear Nicky,

You took a decent nap today, which I'm always grateful for. You ate reasonably well. At one point during dinner, I snapped at you because I thought you were just being lazy as I fed you some yogurt. Turns out you had a wedge of peanut butter sandwich stuck to the top of your mouth. I'm very sorry, pal. Earlier, your PT was really impressed when you went from prone to four-point to sitting. It is impressive how you just up and decided to do it perfectly.

Love,
Dad

New shoes...!

Dear Nicky,

We finally got you some shoes that fit you right. Up till now, we've allowed you to be the kid who hates shoes and socks, and the shoes we always gotten you have been slipons, which you slip off at your earliest convenience. But the other day your PT said it was finally time to go ahead and get you a real pair of shoes with a lot of ankle and heel support. It's our hope that the improved security in your ankles will allow you to take your focus off that area and maybe put it somewhere else, like bending your knees. So we went to s Stride Rite store this afternoon, got waited on by a nice saleslady, and got you a pair. They look good, they seem to fit you okay, and you tolerated them reasonably well. Now all we need to do is get them vetted by both your PT and the therapists at Stones!

Love,
Dad

Down the shore...

Dear Nicky,

Not that much went on yesterday except you're making continued strides with prone to 4-point to sitting, which is just great, but nothing else exciting happened that I can remember. Oh, well we went to the great swamp, too, which is a family favorite place to go. Y'know you hear "swamp" and you think gross, but this place is really nice, so full of fresh air and unspoiled. Today was really nice weatherwise, so we went down the shore to Spring Lake, which had a nice boardwalk, but not much going on. We went to this hotel restaurant for lunch after we fed June. I had roasted red pepper soup and a hot dog. Mom tried to give you some chicken fingers, but you weren't really interested. Afterward we went for a nice long walk. It was chilly, but I think you were comfortable enough. Then we came home and you had a nice big dinner and went to bed pretty easy, even though I had to suction your nose due to snottiness. And right now you seem to be sleeping peacefully for a change. So that's good!

Love,
Dad

IOU 6...

Dear Nicky,

Today we went to the Great Swamp, and then to Stewart's for lunch. Then later we had a lot of laughs in the evening. But now I'm just too tired and I need to go to bed.

Love,
Dad

Happy Thanksgiving...!

Dear Nicky,

What a nice day we all had. It was a peaceful, relaxing, very enjoyable, good-eating holiday. You seem to have a cold or sinus infection, or maybe even an ear infection. You didn't eat much or nap much, and your evening bedtime routine is comprised of a half-dozen false-start wake-ups. You just can't sleep well, and it worries us a lot. Unrelated, we had turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, rutabagas, Brussels sprouts, and pie, and it was all good. But now I must say good night, because I was up late and didn't get enough sleep and it really affects my mood and overall outlook when I don't get enough sleep. Try not to wake up at 4:30 tomorrow, okay?

Love,
Dad

Great progress...

Dear Nicky,

The day after your PT was saying we should help you move into four-point and then backward into sitting, you go and do it by yourself. In the last few weeks your gross motor skills have really moved to another level after having being plateaued for a dispiritingly long time. It's really been amazing, the progress you've made and continue to make. We look forward together with renewed excitement and expectation to see what's going to happen tomorrow, what you're going to do next. The only thing that's never improved, unfortunately, has been your napping ability. That's been the same since day one: you get tired, you go down for a little nap, you can't make the transition to deeper sleep, so you wake and cry. At least you sleep pretty well at night. But, oh, my boy, if you slept like your sister sleeps during the day, four to six hours, in addition to sleeping at night, you'd be a foot taller. Give it a try, won't you?

Love,
Dad

Good to be home...

Dear Nicky,

Boy, it was a delight to see you last night, how happy it made me, and I think it made you happy, too. I missed you terribly and I think you're old enough to have missed me, too. This morning we slid into our Tuesday routine smooth as always, even though you were rather pukey this morning. You threw up three times. Not a lot, but quite a bit, and it was all that half-curdled milk goo you tend to spit up in the morning. We went to Stones, and it was parents' group day, so you guys were left to your own devices with the therapists, who said you did fine. Later you worked with your PT, who's pretty pleased with you indeed. Then you had some chicken and avocado for dinner, with some yogurt with fish oil. That should lubricate your insides pretty good, pal.

Love,
Dad

Good Stones day...

Dear Nicky,

So today we went to Stones and we were the only ones from our group there. It was just you and me, which is always okay with me. You did well in PT, but really great in OT and your fine motor skills were well displayed. Then we came home and you took a nap while I ran a bunch of errands. Later, your home PT came over and worked you out well, too. He finally saw you sit up and he was very happy for you. He also worked with you for a bit while I was out of the room. I was only around the corner at the computer, by the way. The purpose of this was to eliminate my distracting presence from you. Later still, Mom and I went back to Stones for a review of your eval from a couple weeks ago. Frankly, it was pointless and didn't give us much if anything new to think about. They mean well, though, so I guess that has to count for something.

Love,
Dad

Tummy ok...?

Dear Nicky,

Your appetite seems fine today, but you spit up three or four times over the course of the day. Rob says your standing is ten times better than it used to be. Rock on!

Love,
Dad

A pleasant little Sunday...

Dear Nicky,

Our morning began with bagels. Actually, yours began with milk, which you're now drinking entirely with a straw; no more bottles for you. So you had some milk, then Mom got us bagels, and you had a little of. It was a chilly, gray day, so we went nowhere. We just hung out and had some laughs. You sat up twice by yourself, and whenever you do that you give yourself a hand, and we join in. You took a fair nap in the late morning. Then you ate a nice cereal lunch loaded with nutrition and supplements. We snacked and laughed throughout the day, nothing spectacular happened. Mom got a lot of work done today. I did all my yardwork yesterday, and this morning my lawn was covered with leaves again and under assault by squirrels. Granny called wanting Doc Mock's number because Aunt Za's boy Noah, your cousin, has the croup, which means his lungs are very easily irritated, resulting in a terrible cough. They say it's not contagious. I sure hope so, since he was over here yesterday gumming all your toys. I shouldn't worry, though. You almost never have a cough. Your healthy lungs and fine-working ticker serve you well. Your snotty nose, on the other hand could use a draining...

Love,
Dad

Busy Saturday...

Dear Nicky,

So this morning Granny and Aunt Za came over for a little while. Aunt Za made quite a fuss over you and your sister, and you played well with your cousin N. After your nap, Mom took you guys to Granny's for most of the day, where I heard you ate eggplant parm and a bunch of other stuff, and where you were the center of everbody's attention. While this was going on, I really attacked the leaves on the lawn and made the yard look very nice. It'll probably last less than a day. Then I tried to reduce the noise of the pouring water in the sump pump by using some rubber and a couple rocks from outside. Then I cut some panels to hopefully try and fit up on the sump pump closet ceiling. This is all being done to make that room as quiet as possible. It ain't easy. I'm still not done. Then you all came back around six-fifteen or so. We all ate and now it's time for bed.

Love,
Dad

DMV argh...!

Dear Nicky,

So I go to the DMV again today. I went twice yesterday. Once I forgot my passport and had to leave. The next time I left because it was taking too long and the electrician and your speech therapist were coming. My whole day spent running around, accomplishing nothing. Today was no different. This morning you and I went to our music group alone because June was sleeping so soundly it was a shame to wake her, so she and Mom stayed home. After we came back, Mom went out for a while. We just hung out a little, then I gave you a yogurt shake, which you pounded, then you went down for a nice long nap. As soon as I put you down, your sister woke up. Then Granny came over and foisted this silly chore of hers on me, really kind of annoying. I went to the DMV yet again, but they were closed for Veteran's Day, which is tomorrow. Mom gave you some great avocado while I was gone. So I got some stuff from Target, then came home. Mom took you guys out for a walk, then I joined you once everything was put away. Then we fed you, put you to bed, then Mom went out with some other mothers we know from Stones. Tonight, I'm doing the smart thing and going to bed early. Maybe if I catch up on my sleep I'll be more productive and less scatter brained during the day.

Days like this...

Dear Nicky,

There was no Stones today, due to a teacher convention, so you were here all day with your nanny. You really seem to like her, and she adores both you and Junie. Anyway, I went off to try and renew my license. Turns out I needed more ID than I had, so I came home, after first taking the wrong ramp off the highway and thereby being forced to take the slow way home. Then I thought I'd be smart and head farther west to another DMV office, thinking it would be better run and less crowded. It did look better run, but it was still crowded so I left early because I was expecting the electrical guy, who was on time and did a nice job fixing the light fixture I broke last weekend, and after he left it was almost time for your speech therapist, with whom you did very well today. You guys also went for a walk today, which was great because it was a beautiful day. Then I went to the dermatologist and had a couple weird spots on my pelt biopsied. It's most likely nothing, but one must be sure of things on one's skin. Then I came home and made you some dinner, but you wouldn't eat it from me, only your nanny. So she fed you while I took out the recyclables. Shortly thereafter Mom put you to bed. So that's it. It was a good day for you, and for me it wasn't as productive as it should have been, but hanging with you makes every day a good day.

Love,
Dad

IOU 5...

Dear Nicky,

I owe you a journal entry but tonight I can't see straight from tiredness.

Love,
Dad

Another day, another IFSP...

Dear Nicky,

So two of your therapists and your case worker came over today for that thing we do every six months. It's just paper pushing and cover-your-butt mindless bureaucratic mumbo-jumbo, but it has to be done.

Love,
Dad

Monday...again...?

Dear Nicky,

Despite it being Monday, the most challenging day of the week, today wasn't so bad. Both you and your sister were pretty good, and quite honestly, she's at the stage still where she wants to sleep most of the time. You ate decently over the course of the day (till dinner, when you wanted nothing). You took a couple naps and you worked out okay with your PT. You and I had a lot of laughs, with me tossing you in the air and you just going nuts and laughing so hard. Music to my ears!

Love,
Dad

Good weekend...

Dear Nicky,

Hi pal, sorry I haven't been writing very much lately. It seems like I'm always tired. I know it's a lame excuse, but it's true. Today was a good day, better than yesterday in some ways. Lemme explain. Okay, so yesterday for me was a tiring, frustrating day because I was trying to do some soundproofing in the house, but because of the cockeyed nature of everything in that room, all I really managed to accomplish was to wreck a light fixture. Mom had a lot of work to do and was anxious to get started, so things were tense. But then she came downstairs to say you had sat up, all by yourself, and in exactly the right way. That made me so happy, and I was even happier when I saw you do it a number of times later. So that was yesterday.

Today, Mom finished her work and gave you guys both a bath, then took you out for a while. During this time I cleaned some mold and mildew from our bathroom and did a bunch of yardwork, then you came home, got fed and put to bed, after first sitting up one more time. It was great! The weekend turned out to be very nice and productive for everybody. You are my champion!

Love,
Dad

Sitting at last...!

Dear Nicky,

Congratulations! You finally went from prone to getting into sitting all by yourself with no furniture assistance. I so happy and proud of you I almost cant think straight

Love,
Dad

Quick summary...

Dear Nicky,

Today we went to music class together, all four of us. In the past you've a little quiet, somewhat overwhelmed, but today you seemed more relaxed and into it. Then home for a nap, then we all went to Doc Mock's for your sister 4-month checkup. She's doing great. Afterward, Mom took you to get your glasses fixed and get a haircut. You came home and were starving so we fed ya. I don't want to jinx anything but for a while now you've been refusing all food. But today you were much better. Your haircut looks good. Then we hung out, then we all had dinner. You played impressively on the floor with your toys, and then it was bedtime for you. And now it's bedtime for me.

Love,
Dad

IOU 4...

Dear Nicky,

I owe you a post, but I'm too tired right now.

Love,
Dad

Long days...

Dear Nicky,

Monday and Wednesday are the hardest days for me. They really tire me out.

Love,
Dad