So, many of you are probably wondering if I'd forgotten about keeping you all updated and stopped blogging. To be honest, Jack has just been so much fun lately that I have trouble finding time to sit down and post, as I am spending all my time playing with him. Seriously, you should see my house ... it's never been quite this bad off!
I used to think of myself as a pretty clean person ... messy, but clean (yes, there is a difference). However, during our last beach trip, Jack really started smiling almost on command and cooing a lot more, which just really made our bond so much stronger ... and my housekeeping skills much weaker. I like to think of my poor housekeeping skills as a testament to my being a great mother (at least that's what I tell myself and tell Robert everyday when he gets home from work to a dirty house!). Jack is just so engaging around people ... no one can get enough of him! It's amazing how you can look into your baby's eyes, sing to him, and play peek-a-boo, only to turn around to realize that THREE hours have gone by! And, by this time, it's time for another bottle! So, as you can imagine, rather than blogging (or cleaning my house), this is how I have been spending my days.
I think another reason I've been so much more attached to Jack is because I head back to work next week, and Jack will be entering day care at the hospital where Robert and I both work. :( Now, I realize that many mothers go through this separation anxiety and that I'm only working part time two days a week (2 twelve hour shifts as a nurse), but it has been a tough week for mommy! We visited the day care center today and spent a lot of time with the teachers, showing them tips on feeding and playing with Jack because of his special needs. They all LOVED Jack, and I definitely feel way more comfortable with the whole idea. I think my biggest fear is that they won't stimulate him enough during the day like I am able to because there are other infants to care for in the room. However, after observing today and instructing them on how important play time is for Jack in terms of developing his skills, I feel much better. And, after all, I guess I should feel thankful that Jack is high functioning enough and has no health problems in order to be able to be cared for in this type of setting. I have to remind myself that there are many children out there with such challenging disabilities that they need special one on one nursing care, but not my Jack. Whew! My heart and prayers truly go out to all parents of children who need that extra support!
So, an update on Jack ... he's doing great! He will be 11 weeks old tomorrow, and he now weighs over 11 pounds. Jack is a great eater, although not the speediest eater. But with tips from the Occupational Therapist, his sucking and swallowing motor skills have gotten much stronger. He continues to get stronger everyday and lifts his head up moving it from side to side during "tummy time" like any typical three month old. We have had some concerns about his restlessness while sleeping, which is probably related to his difficulty breathing while lying on his back. This is most likely due to his small nasal airways and his lower muscle tone (typical in Down Syndrome) which can allow his tongue and soft palate to flop into the back of his throat while sleeping. We were actually a little concerned about possible infantile spasms (a type of seizure) for a bit because of his spastic movements while falling asleep (and mom's neurotic research on the internet!). It was enough for us to obtain an EEG, but we are ecstatic to announce that it showed no seizure activity at all! (It sure helps to have the only Pediatric Neurologist in town as your grandfather! Thanks, Pops!) Nevertheless, we're pretty sure that Jack will need a sleep study sometime in his future to evaluate his breathing and restlessness, but he will unlikely have this done until he's about 6 months old.
Thank you again to all of you for reading and staying updated. Keep us in your thoughts, although know that Jack is doing wonderfully. For those of you who have sent flowers, gifts, meals and who have visited, we hope that you have received our thank you letter in the mail and enjoyed the photo of Jack. We could never possibly thank you all enough for your support!
