Another Nice Day

It was 62 degrees again today. My dad babysat for Brandon this morning since Brandon's babysitter is out of town this week. He took him for a wagon ride around the neighborhood. Stu had a job interview this morning so he was off. When he got home my dad left and Stu took Brandon outside to play in the backyard. When I got home from work that is where I found the two of them and Hershey. Brandon had so much fun running around the backyard. He kept squealing with delight and running all over the place with a smile on his face. We have a climbing toy with a small slide and swing in the backyard that one of our friends gave us. Brandon was a little unsure of it at first but I sat him at the top of the slide and helped him down and then he couldn't get enough of it. He figured out how to get himself on his stomach at the top of the slide also and go down on his stomach.

Ear Tubes

Brandon got his ear tubes this morning. We had to be at the Shrewsbury Surgery Center at 7:00 am. We got there and I had some paper work to fill out and then they called us and brought us to our room. When we got there a nurse put a thermometer sticker on his forehead, had me change Brandon into a gown, and then gave him some medicine that made him really loopy. The medicine was so he would separate ok and also so they would be able to give him the gas for anesthesia without him fighting it. He kept looking at me and smiling at me. A few minutes later they had me bring Brandon as far as they would let me and then I had to hand him to the anesthesiologist. That was the hardest thing...handing him over and walking back to our room to wait. Brandon laughed when I handed him over. The whole surgery took about 3-4 minutes, then Brandon was in recovery for about 5 minutes, and then they brought him back to the room and gave him to me to hold. He was hysterical and there was nothing we could do to calm him down. They said that is very common because of the anesthesia. After 10-15 minutes of him crying he finally calmed down so we got him dressed and left to came home.

The morning home was tough. He fell asleep in the car on the way home and I put him in his crib when we got home and he slept for almost an hour. When he woke up he only wanted to be held but was crying hysterically when I was holding him. We did a lot of cuddling and he finally calmed down enough to have some puffs and drink some milk. He was finally starting to walk around and then it was time for his ear drops. He was hysterical when I gave him his ear drops and then wouldn't stop crying. I finally got him to sleep at 11:50 and he slept until 1:30. He then woke up and felt a lot better and ate some chicken nuggets and had a lot of milk.

It was 62 degrees here today so this afternoon I decided to take Brandon for a walk at a park near here. It was nice to get out but he fell asleep for the last half of the walk. He was in a good mood the rest of the afternoon and this evening.

He just went to sleep about 10 minutes ago. I am hoping he sleeps well tonight. I am not sure if he will wake up because of his ears. They said they are sometimes uncomfortable.

Brandon's New Favorite Place to Sit

Brandon started climbing a few weeks ago. Mostly onto the couch. Earlier last week he realized he can climb onto the coffee table. It is right in front of the tv so he likes to climb onto it and then sit and watch tv.

A Nice Day for a Wagon Ride

The weather was in the 50's today so I brought Brandon on a wagon ride in the neighborhood in the wagon that he got from Grandma and Grandpa Newman in December. It was the first time Brandon got to ride in it and he enjoyed it. He liked looking around at everything.

Show Us Your Life- What Is Your Typical Day Like?

I have been following Kelly's Korner blog for over a year. The topic for her Show Us Your Life today is about a typical day. Here is what my typical day (Monday-Friday)is like.

5:45 wake up and shower

6:00 bring Hershey out and start making my breakfast and Stu's breakfast and our lunches for the day
I also try to have my cup of coffee before Brandon gets up for the day and check facebook, my blogs, and thebump.com

sometime between 6:00-7:00 Brandon wakes up- I get him his milk and bring him into the living room to give him a nebulizer treatment while he watches Sesame Street or Nick Jr.

7:00-7:30 get dressed for work while Brandon plays or follows me around

7:30 put Brandon in the car and bring Hershey out one more time

8:00 drop Brandon off at the babysitter

8:20 arrive at work

8:40-3:15 teach kindergarten to 19 students

3:45 pick Brandon up at the babysitter

4:15-5:30 play with Brandon

5:30 feed Brandon his dinner and cook dinner for me and Stu

6:00 eat dinner, Brandon is either watching Nick Jr., playing, or eating his dessert/ snack with us

6:30 bath time for Brandon

6:45-7:30 play time, watch the rest of Yo Gabba Gabba

7:30 Stu reads Brandon his bedtime books while I put water in Brandon's humidifier and get his clothes ready for the next day

7:45 Brandon goes to sleep

sometime between 9-10 I go to sleep

20 Months Old

Brandon is 20 months old today. I can't believe in 4 months he will be two. The last 20 months have been the fastest of my life.

Brandon is at such a cute age right now. He has such a personality. He is a happy little boy but does have his share of tantrums when he gets frustrated. His receptive language has improved a lot but he is still not saying a lot of words. He does say Elmo (many times a day), mama, yaya (Dada- he has a hard time with the D sound), more, and tries to say milk. He also has said baa for the sound a sheep makes and mmmm for the sound a cow makes.

He can point to his eyes, nose, hair, ears, feet, and hands when you ask where they are and stick out his tongue when you ask where his tongue is. He fake coughs if he hears someone else cough, does wash hands (rubs his hands together) if he sees you washing your hands, claps when you sing If You're Happy and You Know It, put his hands in the air for how big is Brandon, So big, and play peek-a-boo. He also makes kissing sounds with his lips.

He's Definitely Part of Our Family

Brandon is definitely a part of our family. He loves Girlscout Cookies as much as we do. I got my first two boxes of cookies that I ordered yesterday and gave Brandon a thin mint last night after he finished his dinner. He ate it and then came to me signing more and pointing to the box of cookies. I gave him another one which he also ate right away. The nice thing is Girlscout Cookies have a lot of calories (nice for Brandon, not for us).

Brandon had his pre op appointment for his ear tubes on Tuesday. I have to call today to see what time his surgery is scheduled for on Monday. It seems like it is a relatively easy and quick surgery. The ENT said it only takes 5-10 minutes to put them in. They will probably stay in for 8-12 months and then he will probably need them put in again. If they don't fall out within 2 years he will remove them. Brandon will need ear plugs when he swims this summer.

Brandon's cold finally seems to be better. He is still on the pulmicort on the nebulizer once a day to prevent anything from coming back. He hasn't been sleeping great. I am not sure if it is because he hasn't felt well or because he is going through separation anxiety. Last night was a little better. He only got up once at 11 and I had him back to sleep within an hour and he slept until 6:20 this morning.