No News is Good News...Right?

Let's see...where to begin...

It's been a while!  I can't tell you everything that has happened in the last month or two, but I'll try to give you the highlights.

Like most toddlers, Samuel has spells of horrid tantrums as well as remarkable sweetness.  Right now we are in a sweet phase and I'm eating up all of the kisses, the giggles, and his hilarious sense of humor.  This must be the best age (I realize that I have declared this several times throughout Samuel's short life, but surely THIS is the best!  Until next month...)

A few weeks ago, we made the long trek to Little Rock to be seen by ENT and his follow up clinic at Arkansas Children's Hospital.

The appointment with ENT went well.  The doctors were happy to hear that Samuel is communicating easily despite his paralyzed vocal cord and that he no longer requires thickened liquids to swallow correctly.  They will continue to follow him over the next two or three years to see if he qualifies for a surgery that will help improve his 'breathy' and 'coarse' vocal quality.  I was quite surprised that they considered him a candidate for the surgery (as I feel that his speech is clear and acceptably loud) but I'm warming up to the thought of giving Samuel the opportunity to sound more 'average.'  It's only when he's throwing a tantrum in public that I remember he doesn't sound like a typical toddler...especially his hoarse cry, which inevitably attracts the attention of every person within a three mile radius!

No problem with thin liquids...or a big-boy cup!

His appointment at the follow up clinic went especially well too.  They were so pleased with his eating, growth, and development that they chose to discharge him from their care.  Certainly BIG, exciting news and a wonderful confirmation that our little man is healthy and thriving!

During the checkup, he received quite the collection of stickers.  Given the choice of monsters, cars, aliens, and Dora....my son knew exactly what he wanted.  For a child who loves all things boy, he certainly has a soft spot for Dora...

It has undoubtedly been a month of milestones.  Samuel was recently discharged from speech therapy.  He is making some long-awaited progress with physical therapy - he can now throw/catch a ball, propel himself forward on a rolling toy, and occasionally jumps with two feet.  Now to conquer the tricycle!  His feeding continues to improve, and I have very little to report about it.  No news is good news right?


He's just a typical 24 month old.  Ohhh yes, I know he's actually 28 months old but I've not yet come to terms with the whole 'catch up by two' thing that most doctors proclaim over preemies.  Despite his remarkable development, Samuel continues to possess qualities better known of children in his adjusted age range.  The child is not lacking intelligence - he knows how to spell his name, count to twenty, count objects to three, all of the shapes, body parts, animals, and animal sounds, etc - but he does seem to be a smidge behind in maturity.  (Regretting those months and months of isolation to keep his fragile lungs protected?  Mostly no.  But a little, yes...)  He'll catch up, but I have to remember to shrug off that unrealistic 'by the age of two' standard.

He doesn't care much for the splash pad anymore, but I caught one happy moment. 

'Driving' PopUp's tractor.

He enjoys swimming much more than I expected him to.

Water slide!  What fun!

Blowing bubbles out of the wand and his mouth...lol.

The sandbox was the best gift we could have given him for his adjusted birthday!

He loves it.

Well that's it, until next time...which will hopefully be more timely than this post was!