Life Is Good: 4-Year-Old Check-Up

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

4-Year-Old Check-Up

Today I took this amazing kid to the doctor for his 4-YEAR-OLD check up. Wow it still doesn't seem right that he's already 4. In some ways it seems like just yesterday we were standing by his incubator bed hoping and praying he would survive. Now look at this kid!

Weight: 32 pounds 10%
Height: 3 ft 4 in 50%
BP: 86/52
O2: 100%
Pulse: 106

Yeah, yeah...I know I don't usually give such precise details but it's been a long time since I've had such precise details. They really don't matter that much. He's healthy, strong, and everything checked out just fine. The doctor was pleased with everything about our little man.

The biggest concern I discussed with the doctor was the potty training issue. She has recommended we see a urologist. Why? Well after I discussed all the "methods" we've tried for potty training (star chart, goody box, cheerios, wearing big-boy pants all day, etc., etc.), the fact he's never yet had a "dry" night, his poop is still greasy (like an infant) she was a wee bit concerned. She said that *something* out of that mix *should* have made an impression on him. We also discussed him being strong willed and she agrees but she also feels that this "strong-willedness" ought not be so strong that he would wear the same underwear all day and long and never use the toilet...for 3 days in a row. These issues being discussed we (the doctor and I) decided checking in with a urologist might be the next best step...just to be certain all the plumbing is as it should be. In the mean time we will be continuing our "plans". We are introducing Evan to the toilet several times a day in hopes that a little sibling competition might ensue. Ryan picked a "grow-up-day" for next Wednesday. We will continue with that. We're hoping that continuing our original plans (especially the grow-up day since Ryan picked the day) will overcome the strong-will thing if that is the problem. So that's where we are with this topic.

Now as for my wonderful, amazing 4-year-0ld little man:

He's smart
He knows all his colors
He knows most of the letters
He recognizes what words start with what letters for the letters "a" and "b" and probably a few others.
He loves his family...even his little brother.
He is so incredibly sweet
He loves being outside
He loves taking a bath and thanks to him my bathroom floor gets a nightly shower
He's cautious although he's starting to take more risks
He is an incredibly picky eater but I've been surprised at some of the new things he's tried
He still loves cars but he isn't as consumed with them
He still takes a nap daily but the naps are getting shorter and shorter
His bedtime is 8 o'clock but sometimes it gets moved back to 7:30 and sometimes he gets to stay up until 9
He loves dirt and I'm super excited about gardening with my boy this summer
He knows one speed...fast
He tells me he loves me
He is a good helper
He's wild
He's crazy
He makes me laugh
He loves to make people laugh
He is so much and so special that I can't even begin to describe him here...you just have to know him!
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...
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I LOVE THIS BOY!
TO PIECES I LOVE THIS BOY!

Ryan, my wonderful 4-year-old little boy you delight my heart and just knowing you is one of the greatest blessings in my life. I'm so blessed by you...your sweet smile...your contagious laugh...your tender hugs...your gentle kisses...your stories...your everything. I love little buddy!

1 comment:

mimi and Grampy said...: As long as your Child is healthy, you can over come any problem in raising them.; March 14, 2011 at 1:24 AM

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Brandy Danielle

Brandy is our firstborn, our precious angel baby girl. Her entry into this world wasn't without excitement. At 26 weeks I started preterm labor with contractions 5 minutes apart. With 10 weeks of strict bedrest, most of which were in the hospital, she made it to 36 weeks.
Brandy was diagnosed with "possible/probable" heart defect around 28-30 weeks gestation. After her birth she was whisked away to the NICU for monitoring and after a few days her defect was formally diagnosed and labeled...atrial septal defect and a cleft mitral valve.
Brandy, upon indications of failure to thrive and pulmonary hypertension, underwent her first of 2 open-heart surgeries at 4 months of age. A week after her surgery on the day of her anticipated discharge home Brandy coded for 13 minutes...a stoke.
From that point on Brandy's life was full of doctor's visits, endless crying, pain and suffering. She underwent another heart surgery, fundoplication and g-tube surgery, treatment for infantile spasms, and a mountain of tests and procedures. Her brain damage was extensive.
Upon counseling of our wonderful, most amazing heart surgeon, Dr. Christopher Knott-Craig, and many hours of prayer, we finally called in hospice and called off all of the extensive medical interventions and surgery needs that would prolong her suffering while possibly prolonging her life. Brandy, our precious baby girl...our angel...passed out of our arms and into the arms of her Saviour, Jesus at the tender age of 17 months.

Ryan Andrew

Ryan, our micro-preemie miracle, is a ball of life. After nearly a year of trying to conceive imagine our delight when we finally knew he was on the way. My pregnancy with Ryan was uneventful at first. It seemed perfect and with all of the precautions for preterm labor being taken and monitored we entered this pregnancy with cautious anticipation covered over by a whole love of naive excitement.
At 20 weeks we discovered our "Baby Peanut" was going to be a little boy. We began to make plans and began dreaming about the day we would meet our son.
Almost 2 weeks later everything changed in our lives. It wa a whirlwind of fear and emtions as I began to bleed, was sent for monitoring in L&D and eventually had an appointment with my OB only to find out that it was serious. I had incompetent cervix with hourglassing membranes. The doctor admitted me to the hospital immediately and an emergency cerclage was placed. The statistics were grim, but the hope was to keep our son inside for at least 10 more weeks. We only made it 10 more days.
Early in the evening of February 11, 2007 our son, Ryan, came into this world in emergency fashion at only 23 weeks 5 days gestation. He weighed 1 pound 8 ounces and was 12 ½ inches long. He was so tiny. All I could think of was “oh my goodness is he really that tiny? And is there any way he could actually make it?” I tried to hold on to hope, but in all honesty I had never met anyone with a baby born that early and that small that ever made it.
Ryan did make it! It was a long, hard road, but in the end he spent 90 days in the NICU. He was on a ventilator for 2 months. Finally on one fine glorious day in May we bundled up our 4 pound 4 ounce baby boy and went home...May 11, 2007.
Ryan is now a spunky, lively, strong-willed little boy. His laughter is contagious and his spirit is compelling. He is our miracle. There are no words strong enough to share our delight and joy that God has blessed us with this little boy.

Evan Alexander