Staying Home

We stay home a lot. For someone who used to travel everywhere in the summer, this is a huge change. It's not that we don't want to go out on walks or run to the mall, or even to Target. We just can't. There is almost no time between when Adam eats, Eleanor eats, Adam throws up, I clean up and have to refeed him, and the next feeding. I guess I pictured us out on walks like all the other stay-at-home moms--strollers and iPod, taking a little tour of the neighborhood. Here it is, almost autumn, and we never went on one walk. Not one. I keep thinking this will all get easier when Adam learns to feed himself, but I don't know. Maybe it will be worse because he'll have more control. Who knows... Until then, we play on the family room floor a lot. Let me just tell you now, though--if you see any stains on the carpet in the photos, you can be pretty sure it's sweet potatoes or bananas or something. Our poor family room carpet has really been through the mill.
We have a bunch of doctor's appointments coming up. Next week Adam has an appointment with a speech pathologist for his eating issues. She works with swallowing problems, gagging, etc. I would've never known that speech pathologists did that kind of thing, but when you have a baby who hates to eat, you quickly find all the options. I'm still feeding him formula with a spoon, thickened with a little rice cereal so it doesn't just slide down his throat like he wishes it would. This cuts down on the giant air pockets in his tummy that can shoot food out of him like a cannon. You wouldn't believe it unless you saw it. People have finally stopped telling me, "Oh, my baby used to spit up a lot, too." Ugh! No...it's not like that, really. Come see my carpet. Good thing he's so cute! It's just about impossible to get upset with him, no matter how big a mess he can make. He's so expressive with those eyebrows! He can even lift just one at a time.
Both Adam and Eleanor will be at the Developmental Clinic the following week for their 8 month evaluation. Adam is just starting to sit up for short periods of time. He flops backward often, though. He's also getting up on his knees for a second or two at a time. He even did the little rocking thing today for a moment before crashing down on his little face. He's so much more sensitive than Eleanor and will cry with the littlest bump. He's just about 18 pounds. Eleanor can pull herself acroos the room at an alarming pace. She has decided that Alex's Playmobil stuff looks like fun and will shove a direction booklet in her mouth in two seconds flat. Eleanor is approaching 20 pounds! Not yet, but I'll let you know when the big day arrives. Her hair is getting longer and I'm going to try my darndest to get some barrettes in it. I've been waiting a long time for tights with ruffly butts, bows, ribbons, and black patent leather shoes. Poor thing is going to be a girly girl, whether she likes it or not. I think she's going to like it though. I couldn't imagine having a daughter who was more like me than Eleanor is. Plus I think she's just the prettiest little girl. Her smile is infectious.
I'm going to a meeting at the NICU soon for a Parent-to-Parent planning committee. I guess you can be trained to talk with other parents who have preemies in the NICU in a similar situation to your own children. I think that sometimes that perspective can be just as helpful as the medical perspecitve, so I'm really looking forward to going. There is also a reunion and fashion show to plan. I don't know what is being modeled at this fashion show--hospital gowns and blankets? Got me. My friend Elise (her son has been pictured in the blog before) is going with me, so I'm looking forward to getting out for the evening. We should stop at the bar for a drink. Crazy, crazy thought.