A Caleb Update

Somewhere today a baby was born much earlier than expected. His parents are overwhelmed and afraid. They can't begin to imagine what life might be like a year and a half from now.

They don't allow themselves to think past tomorrow.

The photo above was almost 17 months ago. Daddy's finger in that tiny hand.

I couldn't do anything but try to pray my way through each day.

And now...well, I could never have imagined...

Trouble in a box!

This child keeps us hoppin'! He climbs all the way up the stairs, stands on top of toys, scurries behind the couch, climbs up on anything he can, throws blocks and "wrestles" with big brother. Yesterday I found him sitting on the floor in front of the clothes dryer with the lint trap in his hands, eating the lint. Yum. At least he wasn't IN the dryer.

Caleb weighed in at seventeen pounds four ounces today, on target to reach the growth curve by the age of two. We get to let him start growing out of his acid reflux meds. That is the last medication other than his vitamin. He still drinks Pediasure, and he'll eat almost any table food we put in front of him. Sloppy joes, mandarin oranges and pork roast are his faves so far. Oh, and the dryer lint.

Now if I could just get him to say "Ma-Ma". He says "Da-Da" and a few other consonant sounds like g, n and b. Our early intervention specialist said yesterday that we may go ahead with a speech evaluation to see if he qualifies for speech therapy. We continue with physical therapy for gross motor skills with the goal of "being mobile, including cruising". He is a star crawler, pulls up to standing and takes a few steps if we hold on to him.

The challenges we had with Caleb a year ago were so much more difficult than those of today. I still worry every day though, what his life will be like. We're still working with the ENT doctor to make sure Caleb can hear well. We still have to check in with the eye doctor. The four funny little teeth Caleb has are so yellow, most likely from medications or liver issues - will his permanent teeth be yellow? Will he have learning challenges when he gets to school? Will he have problems breathing again this winter?

I remind myself that I'll take the yellow teeth - he can breathe without a ventilator. I'll take his small size - he doesn't live at the hospital anymore. I'll take the expensive Pediasure - he doesn't have to eat through a tube in his nose anymore. I'll take all the appointments and therapists and doctors - I get to snuggle with him every day when he comes crawling towards me and climbs up in my lap.