Sunday, October 23, 2011
Friday, September 30, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Friday, April 15, 2011
Monday, March 28, 2011
Friday, July 23, 2010
Robinson Turns 2
Has it been 2 years already??
I just can't believe that these past 2 years have gone by so quickly.
2 years ago Robinson was born weighing 1lb 7oz and 12 inches long.
Today Robinson weighs 28lb 12oz and is 36 inches long.
He's in the 50-60th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height. His pediatrician says based on his 2 yr stats that he will most likely be 6'1 or 6'2 as an adult....can you imagine? From foot long to big foot ;-)
His party was a huge success and he had a blast. Here are some pics from the fun event. I've greatly enjoyed sharing this journey with all of you!!
I just can't believe that these past 2 years have gone by so quickly.
2 years ago Robinson was born weighing 1lb 7oz and 12 inches long.
Today Robinson weighs 28lb 12oz and is 36 inches long.
He's in the 50-60th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height. His pediatrician says based on his 2 yr stats that he will most likely be 6'1 or 6'2 as an adult....can you imagine? From foot long to big foot ;-)
His party was a huge success and he had a blast. Here are some pics from the fun event. I've greatly enjoyed sharing this journey with all of you!!
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| Cupcakes for the Birthday Boy |
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| He LOVED the splash fountains |
 | |||||
| He was not so thrilled about the hat at times... |
 |
| To say that he enjoyed everyone singing Happy Birthday would be an understatement! |
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| This kid LOOOVES being the center of attention |
 |
| Mommy tried to get a picture, but the boy just wanted to play! |
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| Obviously I'm biased, but this is one cute kid! |
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| His Future is So Bright- he's gotta wear shades...with his Poppa, of course! |
Friday, July 16, 2010
The End of a Blog...
So, I've decided. This will be my next to last blog post. After this weekend, I'll post pictures from the birthday party; print out each entry to make a book for Robinson; and then Turner Table will no longer exist.
Why??
Well, first and foremost, it takes up way too much of my time. Between blogging and other social network cites, I feel like I spend way too much time on the computer. I used to be an active person, and I've found that the laptop has become a crutch of inactivity. I'm more sedentary that I have ever been and I don't like it. Plus, computer time = time away from Robinson. Yes, there are naps- but I feel I could be more productive with my time. Get caught up on housework, instead of knowing every one's status updates on T.witter and F.acebook. It's astonishing how quickly you can get sucked into an hour of just surfing the net. That is an hour that I can not get back in the day and an hour that I could have been more active. So, the laptop is being packed up and put away. If there is something I really need, I'll use the office computer. This will make me go to a different room and won't be as accessible- less tempting.
Second, I've grown a little bored with blogging. It feels more like a chore, because we have so much going on right now. If something feels like a chore to me, I don't give it 100%. Why do something if I'm not going to really engage and enjoy the process, you know?! Our lives are pretty drama free for the first time in a couple of years (big knock on wood). I'm enjoying that quiet- but it yields little to vent or write about which was the point of this blog. Plus, blogging has become extremely trendy. When anything gets too trendy, I become uninterested in said thing. I guess psychology would call me a "non-conformist". haha
Finally, I'm really starting to focus on myself and my health again. I'm starting back with yoga and meditation and really trying to move forward. For so long, I was stuck in a rut and filled with anxiety over what happened to Robinson and myself. I felt fear at every doctor's appointment, assuming that each visit would end badly. I was scared that I had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I talked to my primary care physician and he suggested I speak to a psychologist. Which I did. I'm not ashamed to say it or fear who knows about it because I believe those feelings are what keep people for reaching out and getting the help that they need. My big fear was I didn't want to be put on medication. I wanted to get to the root of the problem and work through it so that I could move forward. It has been completely and utterly life changing for me. I found that I do have a mild form of PTSD; I'm working through those issues; changing the path of my thoughts through yoga, meditation, biofeedback breathing...and just a couple of months later, I feel a huge change in my anxiety and my outlook on each day. Robinson's 2nd birthday wasn't nearly as paralyzing for me as his 1st was. Yes, I still had those bad memories creep up, but I have learned to focus on the positive and stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. I've also learned to not bottle up my emotions and/or frustrations and communicate more freely with friends and family. If you internalize your fears and anxiety, it's like an endless stream of negative energy and toxins within your body. It's amazing how much better you feel if you just let it out...the constant weight is no longer on your shoulders and the tension in your body and muscles eases.
Which brings me to another reason for less social media. I would constantly find myself obsessed with other preemie stories or of children that were sick. I could not separate those stories from our lives and would constantly worry that every bad thing I heard about was going to happen to us. Obviously, that is not healthy. I need to remove myself from my masochistic tendencies so that I can see all of the positive and wonderful blessings that are in our lives. If you constantly live in the past and in fear- you will never be able to move forward and put the past behind you. I need to remove and distance myself and live more in the present instead of revisiting the past every day.
Robinson is doing wonderfully and yes, has a way to go still with therapy. I think the start of therapy has also helped my recovery. I was always afraid of the long term effects that Robinson's prematurity might have. Sure, we might have learning disabilities to deal with along the way- but he's amazing how far he has come from that miraculously tiny 1 pound 7 ounce foot long baby. He's a fighter and a survivor and he is thriving. I need to focus on that, instead of "what might be". Because, honestly, given our past and what we have overcome, nothing is out of our reach and we can handle anything that life throws at us. I also have Faith that God will never present us with a situation that we can not handle. We have strength with Him on our side.
For those of you wondering whether I'm going to leave you with a cliffhanger of a 2nd pregnancy. Well, we've gotten 2nd and 3rd opinions from high risk OB's, my new primary care physician and my new OB. All have said that with the right interventions (medicine and lifestyle) that we should have every hope for successful 2nd pregnancy. That is another reason that I've started my health boot camp so to speak. I want to be the healthiest Jackie I can- mind and body so that we are starting a pregnancy right. We also want to wait another year so that we can give Robinson more one on one time. With his therapies and delays, we want to make sure that he is ready, prepared and excited about a little brother or sister. He will hopefully be ready to start pre-school and we will have more time to focus on another high risk pregnancy and precious baby. So- don't go looking for a big ol pregnant belly from for at least a year! haha
I would like to say farewell by saying thank you to all of the fellow preemie moms and to all the friends and family that have followed us through this journey. I don't think I would have made it so unscathed without each and every one of you. Your support has meant everything to us. We will continue to be active participants in the March of Dimes and other charitable events for preemies and pre-eclampsia. We feel so lucky and so blessed to have had the outcome that we have and we take not one day for granted. That is why I feel now is the time to re-focus on our blessings and our family and look forward instead of backwards. Even though the future may not all be roses and rewards, it is through those struggles that we build character and independence and become truly the person that we were meant to be. It is when we reach our full potential that we can make a difference in this world- if only by raising our children- the greatest legacy and reward of life.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Why??
Well, first and foremost, it takes up way too much of my time. Between blogging and other social network cites, I feel like I spend way too much time on the computer. I used to be an active person, and I've found that the laptop has become a crutch of inactivity. I'm more sedentary that I have ever been and I don't like it. Plus, computer time = time away from Robinson. Yes, there are naps- but I feel I could be more productive with my time. Get caught up on housework, instead of knowing every one's status updates on T.witter and F.acebook. It's astonishing how quickly you can get sucked into an hour of just surfing the net. That is an hour that I can not get back in the day and an hour that I could have been more active. So, the laptop is being packed up and put away. If there is something I really need, I'll use the office computer. This will make me go to a different room and won't be as accessible- less tempting.
Second, I've grown a little bored with blogging. It feels more like a chore, because we have so much going on right now. If something feels like a chore to me, I don't give it 100%. Why do something if I'm not going to really engage and enjoy the process, you know?! Our lives are pretty drama free for the first time in a couple of years (big knock on wood). I'm enjoying that quiet- but it yields little to vent or write about which was the point of this blog. Plus, blogging has become extremely trendy. When anything gets too trendy, I become uninterested in said thing. I guess psychology would call me a "non-conformist". haha
Finally, I'm really starting to focus on myself and my health again. I'm starting back with yoga and meditation and really trying to move forward. For so long, I was stuck in a rut and filled with anxiety over what happened to Robinson and myself. I felt fear at every doctor's appointment, assuming that each visit would end badly. I was scared that I had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I talked to my primary care physician and he suggested I speak to a psychologist. Which I did. I'm not ashamed to say it or fear who knows about it because I believe those feelings are what keep people for reaching out and getting the help that they need. My big fear was I didn't want to be put on medication. I wanted to get to the root of the problem and work through it so that I could move forward. It has been completely and utterly life changing for me. I found that I do have a mild form of PTSD; I'm working through those issues; changing the path of my thoughts through yoga, meditation, biofeedback breathing...and just a couple of months later, I feel a huge change in my anxiety and my outlook on each day. Robinson's 2nd birthday wasn't nearly as paralyzing for me as his 1st was. Yes, I still had those bad memories creep up, but I have learned to focus on the positive and stop waiting for the other shoe to drop. I've also learned to not bottle up my emotions and/or frustrations and communicate more freely with friends and family. If you internalize your fears and anxiety, it's like an endless stream of negative energy and toxins within your body. It's amazing how much better you feel if you just let it out...the constant weight is no longer on your shoulders and the tension in your body and muscles eases.
Which brings me to another reason for less social media. I would constantly find myself obsessed with other preemie stories or of children that were sick. I could not separate those stories from our lives and would constantly worry that every bad thing I heard about was going to happen to us. Obviously, that is not healthy. I need to remove myself from my masochistic tendencies so that I can see all of the positive and wonderful blessings that are in our lives. If you constantly live in the past and in fear- you will never be able to move forward and put the past behind you. I need to remove and distance myself and live more in the present instead of revisiting the past every day.
Robinson is doing wonderfully and yes, has a way to go still with therapy. I think the start of therapy has also helped my recovery. I was always afraid of the long term effects that Robinson's prematurity might have. Sure, we might have learning disabilities to deal with along the way- but he's amazing how far he has come from that miraculously tiny 1 pound 7 ounce foot long baby. He's a fighter and a survivor and he is thriving. I need to focus on that, instead of "what might be". Because, honestly, given our past and what we have overcome, nothing is out of our reach and we can handle anything that life throws at us. I also have Faith that God will never present us with a situation that we can not handle. We have strength with Him on our side.
For those of you wondering whether I'm going to leave you with a cliffhanger of a 2nd pregnancy. Well, we've gotten 2nd and 3rd opinions from high risk OB's, my new primary care physician and my new OB. All have said that with the right interventions (medicine and lifestyle) that we should have every hope for successful 2nd pregnancy. That is another reason that I've started my health boot camp so to speak. I want to be the healthiest Jackie I can- mind and body so that we are starting a pregnancy right. We also want to wait another year so that we can give Robinson more one on one time. With his therapies and delays, we want to make sure that he is ready, prepared and excited about a little brother or sister. He will hopefully be ready to start pre-school and we will have more time to focus on another high risk pregnancy and precious baby. So- don't go looking for a big ol pregnant belly from for at least a year! haha
I would like to say farewell by saying thank you to all of the fellow preemie moms and to all the friends and family that have followed us through this journey. I don't think I would have made it so unscathed without each and every one of you. Your support has meant everything to us. We will continue to be active participants in the March of Dimes and other charitable events for preemies and pre-eclampsia. We feel so lucky and so blessed to have had the outcome that we have and we take not one day for granted. That is why I feel now is the time to re-focus on our blessings and our family and look forward instead of backwards. Even though the future may not all be roses and rewards, it is through those struggles that we build character and independence and become truly the person that we were meant to be. It is when we reach our full potential that we can make a difference in this world- if only by raising our children- the greatest legacy and reward of life.
“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.” (Jeremiah 29:11)
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Update
I apologize. With adding therapy sessions, continuing The L.ittle Gy.m and starting Story Time at the local library, I have ZERO time. I'm thinking that I might just retire the blog after Robinson's 2nd bday (which is next Tuesday!!)
To update, though. Therapy is going well. The occupational therapist categorized Robinson's sensory delay as "moderate". Not mild, but definitely not severe. He tested anywhere from an 11 - 18 month old as far as sensory issues were concerned. Fine motor skills he tested well beyond his actual age, so we were very pleased to hear that.
In summary- gross and fine motor skills he's advanced for his age. Cognitively, although, not a true test since his language is behind, but all of the therapists feel that he is at his actual age or beyond in this area because he seems to understand pretty much everything and can figure out how toys work without assistance.
Our main area of focus will be the sensory and speech delays. Although, they feel that the more improvement he makes sensory wise, the more language explosions he will have. He is already way more vocal than he used to be. He uses jargon all day long now. He also says "go" pretty consistently and "hey" or "hi". Overall, we've been very pleased with his therapists and feel like he'll be caught up very quickly.
His birthday party is in a couple of weeks, so I'll make sure to post pics and then I really think I"ll retire the blog. It was mainly for Robinson, and the older he gets, the more active we become. This yields a lot less computer time. So, we'll see...
To update, though. Therapy is going well. The occupational therapist categorized Robinson's sensory delay as "moderate". Not mild, but definitely not severe. He tested anywhere from an 11 - 18 month old as far as sensory issues were concerned. Fine motor skills he tested well beyond his actual age, so we were very pleased to hear that.
In summary- gross and fine motor skills he's advanced for his age. Cognitively, although, not a true test since his language is behind, but all of the therapists feel that he is at his actual age or beyond in this area because he seems to understand pretty much everything and can figure out how toys work without assistance.
Our main area of focus will be the sensory and speech delays. Although, they feel that the more improvement he makes sensory wise, the more language explosions he will have. He is already way more vocal than he used to be. He uses jargon all day long now. He also says "go" pretty consistently and "hey" or "hi". Overall, we've been very pleased with his therapists and feel like he'll be caught up very quickly.
His birthday party is in a couple of weeks, so I'll make sure to post pics and then I really think I"ll retire the blog. It was mainly for Robinson, and the older he gets, the more active we become. This yields a lot less computer time. So, we'll see...
Friday, June 11, 2010
Therapy, Therapy and More Therapy
As I discussed in the last post, we are having Robinson evaluated by PT, OT and ST to determine if he has any developmental delays. We have completed the PT and ST evaluations and the OT will be next Thursday. It has been so interesting and informative, and I've learned a lot.
Physical Therapy (PT) - This one went as Rian and I suspected; Robinson has absolutely no delays in gross or fine motor skills. He's actually ahead of his age in the majority of motor skills. The PT said that we definitely need to sign him up for soccer and gymnastics. Apparently our boy has skillz! We did discover that Robinson has flat feet- I mean, completely flat, no arch whatsoever. The therapist said that if they aren't delayed or hindered in any way, that it usually means it is just hereditary. I have the highest arches known to man, so it's not from me....Family members- anybody have flat feet?? ;-)
Speech Therapy (ST) - The one went better than expected. His receptive speech fell right in the average category. That means that Robinson is doing as well as the average 22 month old as far as listening, following directions and understanding words. His expressive speech was below average, but surprisingly only by a few points- he barely qualified. I learned that certain consistent sounds and gestures that he makes are considered communication tools. His therapists feel that he should respond very well to therapy and we will start going weekly. His vocalization has improved so much in just 2 sessions that I'm very excited to see where we can go from here.
The OT (occupational therapy) will be next week and I'm looking forward to the eval. Both the PT and ST feel that Robinson may have some sensory delays. I'm still learning about these and am therefore not as knowledgeable as I would like to be before discussing on the blog. It's very common in preemies, because neurologically the sensory system forms at 38 weeks gestation. Robinson was born 12 weeks before that, so it's no surprise that he may have some delays. The types of things that are red flags are the fact that certain buzzing noises bother him; he screams when he gets his hair cut or if I try to brush his hair; he's okay with a bathtub but clung to me and wouldn't let go in a pool; he freaks out when brushing his teeth. Finally, they think his inability to self soothe and sleep in his own bed could be sensory related. Time and time again, friends and family members have told us to just let him cry it out. We've tried several different methods and our problem with CIO is that it's not a whiny/angry cry. Robinson lets out a panic/frightened cry and he is visibly afraid. Even when sleeping in our bed, he HAS to be right next to me, touching me in order to sleep peacefully. They said this is most definitely spatial and/or tactile sensory related. And I was so relieved to hear that they told me to never let him CIO, because we could do further damage to his delay and cause more issues. Phew- listening to your instincts is always a good thing! I am very excited, though, that therapy might help us with this issue. Any of you know that sleeping with a toddler does not provide the most restful sleep- I wake up every time he moves, which is a LOT. I miss feeling rested and look forward to hopefully making positive progress in this area.
So...to be continued. Overall, I love the people that we have met, thus far and am really excited to be starting this journey with Robinson. I think since Robinson has always been so advanced in motor skills and so caught up physically, that most people (our pediatrician even said she did this) brushed off the speech delay and other quirks as just something he needed to grow into developing. I'm glad that I kept pushing the issue. Even though we are SO very fortunate in most areas, there are still areas that Robinson needs help. I don't want to be one of those parents that sticks their head in the sand and just ignores the issue. I not only want to get him the therapy he needs, but I also want to be there with him and learn about how I can help him at home. It's a team effort and I look forward to see how far he can go!
Physical Therapy (PT) - This one went as Rian and I suspected; Robinson has absolutely no delays in gross or fine motor skills. He's actually ahead of his age in the majority of motor skills. The PT said that we definitely need to sign him up for soccer and gymnastics. Apparently our boy has skillz! We did discover that Robinson has flat feet- I mean, completely flat, no arch whatsoever. The therapist said that if they aren't delayed or hindered in any way, that it usually means it is just hereditary. I have the highest arches known to man, so it's not from me....Family members- anybody have flat feet?? ;-)
Speech Therapy (ST) - The one went better than expected. His receptive speech fell right in the average category. That means that Robinson is doing as well as the average 22 month old as far as listening, following directions and understanding words. His expressive speech was below average, but surprisingly only by a few points- he barely qualified. I learned that certain consistent sounds and gestures that he makes are considered communication tools. His therapists feel that he should respond very well to therapy and we will start going weekly. His vocalization has improved so much in just 2 sessions that I'm very excited to see where we can go from here.
The OT (occupational therapy) will be next week and I'm looking forward to the eval. Both the PT and ST feel that Robinson may have some sensory delays. I'm still learning about these and am therefore not as knowledgeable as I would like to be before discussing on the blog. It's very common in preemies, because neurologically the sensory system forms at 38 weeks gestation. Robinson was born 12 weeks before that, so it's no surprise that he may have some delays. The types of things that are red flags are the fact that certain buzzing noises bother him; he screams when he gets his hair cut or if I try to brush his hair; he's okay with a bathtub but clung to me and wouldn't let go in a pool; he freaks out when brushing his teeth. Finally, they think his inability to self soothe and sleep in his own bed could be sensory related. Time and time again, friends and family members have told us to just let him cry it out. We've tried several different methods and our problem with CIO is that it's not a whiny/angry cry. Robinson lets out a panic/frightened cry and he is visibly afraid. Even when sleeping in our bed, he HAS to be right next to me, touching me in order to sleep peacefully. They said this is most definitely spatial and/or tactile sensory related. And I was so relieved to hear that they told me to never let him CIO, because we could do further damage to his delay and cause more issues. Phew- listening to your instincts is always a good thing! I am very excited, though, that therapy might help us with this issue. Any of you know that sleeping with a toddler does not provide the most restful sleep- I wake up every time he moves, which is a LOT. I miss feeling rested and look forward to hopefully making positive progress in this area.
So...to be continued. Overall, I love the people that we have met, thus far and am really excited to be starting this journey with Robinson. I think since Robinson has always been so advanced in motor skills and so caught up physically, that most people (our pediatrician even said she did this) brushed off the speech delay and other quirks as just something he needed to grow into developing. I'm glad that I kept pushing the issue. Even though we are SO very fortunate in most areas, there are still areas that Robinson needs help. I don't want to be one of those parents that sticks their head in the sand and just ignores the issue. I not only want to get him the therapy he needs, but I also want to be there with him and learn about how I can help him at home. It's a team effort and I look forward to see how far he can go!
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Doctor Appt and Video
I took Robinson to our pediatrician to discuss the developmental appt. She said that she had received their report and quite frankly thought it was crap. She said she didn't feel like they got a good evaluation at all and she said she also feels that it is impossible to evaluate a child in all 3 areas (OT, PT and Speech) in the span of 30 minutes in an unfamiliar environment for the child. She referred us to Ki.ds Kou.nt which is a therapy group close to our house. Dr. L said she would like him evaluated in all 3 areas. She doesn't believe he's behind in gross or fine motor skills, but she still would like to see what level he is testing. She does believe that he is delayed in Speech. She said boys are interesting. A lot of them are just late talkers, but with Robinson being a preemie, she would feel more comfortable that we go ahead and start therapy and try to encourage his communication skills. I totally agree with her recommendation.
We have the OT eval scheduled for June 17th (yes, these things take time and there is a waiting list!). I'm waiting for the Speech and Physical therapist to call me back and hopefully we will have eval dates scheduled with him soon. I love our pediatrician and I really trust her opinion. Hopefully we can get him started with Speech Therapy soon- although, I can't wait to see what he actually comes up with when he starts talking.
Other stats for 22 months: I used on online chart to get percentiles so this is an estimated percentile by me. We will have a more definitive percentile in July at his 2 yr appt.
Height - 35.5 inches- 85th-90th percentile for his Actual Age
Weight - 27.5lbs - between 40th-50th percentile for Actual Age
Head - 48 cm - around the 40th percentile for Actual Age
Now for a video- this is typical Robinson, climbing all over the couch. He is really into Diego right now, so it's pretty cute to hear him try to say "Go Diego Go"...the 'where is your nose' game is still apparently quite boring to Robinson b/c he refuses to play!
Go Diego Go
We have the OT eval scheduled for June 17th (yes, these things take time and there is a waiting list!). I'm waiting for the Speech and Physical therapist to call me back and hopefully we will have eval dates scheduled with him soon. I love our pediatrician and I really trust her opinion. Hopefully we can get him started with Speech Therapy soon- although, I can't wait to see what he actually comes up with when he starts talking.
Other stats for 22 months: I used on online chart to get percentiles so this is an estimated percentile by me. We will have a more definitive percentile in July at his 2 yr appt.
Height - 35.5 inches- 85th-90th percentile for his Actual Age
Weight - 27.5lbs - between 40th-50th percentile for Actual Age
Head - 48 cm - around the 40th percentile for Actual Age
Now for a video- this is typical Robinson, climbing all over the couch. He is really into Diego right now, so it's pretty cute to hear him try to say "Go Diego Go"...the 'where is your nose' game is still apparently quite boring to Robinson b/c he refuses to play!
Go Diego Go
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