So Big

My mom babysat for Brandon today when I was at work. I came home and she told me that he had been doing so big with his arms all day. Whenever she said, "How big is Brandon?" he put his arms up in the air. I didn't even know he knew so big. Apparently she has been teaching it every Monday when she babysits. Once I found out he knew it I had him doing it and he kept doing it until he got sick of it.

Brandon also does wash hands. His speech teacher has a book with a baby washing its hands that she shows to Brandon each week. She showed him how to rub his hands together for wash hands and everytime he saw the picture in the book last week he rubbed his hands together. Now if I say wash hands he automatically rubs his hands together.

Duggar Special

I just finished watching the Duggar preemie special on TLC. Their 19th child, Josie, was born on December 10th at 25 weeks. She was born only a week earlier than Brandon was at 26 weeks, 1 day. Josie weighed 1 pound, 6 ounces when she was born. Brandon only weighed 8 ounces more than Josie did when he was born. Nobody should have to go through having a baby born so early.

Watching the special brought back so many memories of Brandon being born early that I thought I had forgotten. I hope that this helps bring awareness of micropreemies to the public. That they aren't just cute little babies but babies that are struggling to live from being born so early. I hope that Josie has as good of an outcome as Brandon has.

I think the hardest thing for me while watching tonight was seeing Josie born through a c-section. I had an emergency c-section so I was completely knocked out and wasn't able to see Brandon right after he was born. The first time I saw him was about 10 hours after he was born when I was wheeled to the NICU and he was in an isolette. I have always wondered what he looked like when he was first born and now I know. I also had a hard time at the end of the special when I saw Josie in her isolette.

Climbing on the Couch

Unfortunately Brandon has figured out how to climb up onto the couch. He thinks it is so much fun to be up on the couch. He runs on it and jumps on it.

Wearing the Sweater that Grandma Knitted

My mom knitted a sweater for Brandon. He was finally able to wear it yesterday since the temperature was close to 20 degrees. We got a little snow last night but not enough to even play in.

ENT appointment

Brandon went to the ENT today. After he had his fourth ear infection in two months the pediatrician suggested we go. Brandon has been ear infection free now for a month and Dr. Tavill, the ENT who we saw today, said his ears are nice and clear. He thinks he should be okay now. At this time Brandon doesn't need tubes. He wants to see us back in two months. Brandon did have a small cyst inside his left ear that Dr. Tavill removed while we were there. Brandon was hysterical the whole time the doctor was looking in his ears and removing the cyst and continued to be when he was done. After Brandon saw Dr. Tavill he had a hearing test done since his ears were clear. He passed it with no problem. He sat on my lap in a sound proof room and the audiologist made different noises on three different speakers (one on Brandon's left, one on his right, and one in front of him). He had to look towards each speaker when he heard the sound which he was able to do. She also tried to put something in his ears to test his hearing but he wouldn't let her have anything to do with that.

Brandon has been sleeping through the night again the past two nights. I think putting him back on the prevacid was a good decision. Dr. Tavill also said he should stay on it because a lot of babies with reflux get ear infections.

A Visit from Stu's Aunt, Uncle, and Cousins

Stu's Uncle Billy, his wife Marilyn, and two of their kids, Christa and Meghan, came to visit on Saturday. Christa had a cheerleading competition at the community college near us on Sunday morning so since they were going to be staying so close to us we got together for dinner. They had never met Brandon and really wanted to meet him. We had a really nice visit with them.

Tunnel

Last weekend we went to our friends house to watch the football games. They had a tunnel with a tent that attaches to one end that Brandon loved. I went to Kohls to buy it for him since he loved it so much and bought the last one that they had. Brandon LOVES crawling through the tunnel.