Growing King Family!: April 2011

Yep it's time to update. I have really slacked on this blog!

The last time I updated, Trig had just turned 2, ugh!

So I'll start with Grayson. He's doing great. He's still small but he's growing like a weed. He's about 16lbs now or a little over which puts him at like the 6th percentile. Whatever, I'll take it, he's on the chart! He'll have a 9 month checkup soon and we'll see where he's at then. He was almost exactly the same size as Trig at his 6 month checkup (13lbs 4oz, 24inches) and he's now about 16lbs, 25.5 inches (as measured by the dietitian that visits Trig) So that's a pound and a half more than Trig at this age, according to my records. So yay for Grayson! He's coming close to sitting up on his own and also coming close to crawling. He does get up on his hands and knees which Trig didn't do for a long time. Still, I think he's closest to army crawling. He got his first tooth today, his bottom left, and I think that the other will be here really soon! He's had two bumps there for months but now I am seeing even more swelling and redness (poor thing!) so I think that they are going to poke through soon.

I also have to say that Grayson is a really really happy baby. Nothing really seems to get under his skin and he's really easygoing! I'm lucky that way. He smiles and laughs at everything. The only thing that bothers him is being left alone for too long - he definitely likes a LOT of attention!

Onto Trig - he's doing well. He finally saw the endocrinologist which was a really big appointment. I went in with high hopes but expected to be crushed again, being told that he is just a small kid that will eventually catch up. That's what everyone has told me so far and that has been so hard to hear because I know that's not the case. Finally, my persistence has seemed to pay off. The endocrinologist DID take me seriously on his growth issues and is determined to do something to help us. He ran a bunch of tests on Trig, lots of blood and a urinalysis, and hopefully that will all come back clear (as we expect it will). I am awaiting results now and actually put a call into the office today to see if they had the results yet. SOOOOO, assuming that all comes back normal, and and based on another measure of his growth in July, he will probably start growth hormone therapy at that time. Scary, I know, but I have had a feeling in my heart that growth hormone is what he has needed all along. This is all based on a bunch of criteria outlined by the FDA, which the doctor was familiar with (yay for being up on the research!). Okay, so he is SGA (small for gestational age), premature, and has had no significant catchup growth by age 2. Results are good when growth hormone is started soon, preferably before age 3. So this was the right time for this.

So what does all of this involve? Well, again, assuming Trig gets a clean bill of health except for his growth issues, he will start growth hormone in July. This means daily hormone injections administered by yours truly or daddy, depending on who is game for it and if daddy is home I guess. It is really scary to think about but again, I believe that this is the right course of action for Triggy. We'll see where we go from here.

Now onto the feeding issues - the doctor hopes that the growth hormone will increase his appetite, meaning that he may actually eat more! I hope that happens. In the meantime, I have found a place that does feeding therapy (YAY!) and so we are starting that next week. He will have weekly appointments to work on speech and feeding. I am very hopeful that this will help, because Triggy really does not eat at all.

That said, his speech is really taking off. He says SO many things now and I actually really need to write it down sometime. He identifies most basic colors and even some that aren't so basic (he loves to call things purple). He is starting to identify shapes. He came up to me today and brougt me a toy and said "purple circle". It was pink but he thinks that pink is purple! He can identify all of the letters and tell us what they say. For example, he can say that the N is an N and make the sound. He is starting to learn the alphabet even, he has a frog that sings the alphabet and I've heard him sing through G and anticipate which letters that the froggy is going to say. Like he will hear W and then immediately say X (which is one of his favorite letters I think).

Baker is in the midst of his month of Trauma, which I think is interesting for him. He works in shifts, 7am to 7pm or 7pm to 7am. It's fewer hours that way but it is really difficult for him when he has to switch between days and nights. When he's on nights, he comes home and goes straight to sleep and gets up in the afternoon. He actually gets to spend more time with the kids when he is on nights because when he is on days, he doesn't get home until 7pm, and the kids go to bed shortly after that so daddy is just there for bath and bedtime. Which of course he enjoys - Trig particularly is cuddly and fun at bedtime.

I am just busy being a mom. I know, I never have any particular updates on me. My life is consumed by all that I have written. It's my job and it's a good one! I do get overwhelmed sometimes but I have to have perspective - so what if the house doesn't look perfect (though I do a decent job keeping it up if I do say so myself), I am doing a good job being a mom and trying to find a little time for me. Reading a book here, cross stitching there, having a glass of wine when Baker is on nights and watching recorded TV - not all that interesting but fun for me to wind down. I have started going to the gym more often which is nice. Trig loves the kids club and they take wonderful care of Grayson. They're always holding him and playing with him. I am also keeping busy with the Alliance - my group of residents' wives. The group is always doing fun activities. Baker and I do go on dates when we can and when the grandparents are willing to babysit :). So we are trying to lead as balanced a life as we can given the circumstances. Only a few more months of intern year for Baker!

Here are some pictures for ya!