Here we go again...

Matthew using my pumping equipment on his belly button.

Matthew climbed in Andrew's crib and wanted to sleep with him for nap. It was really cute, but I wouldn't let him sleep in there. Someday though...

Matthew had a bad case of croup last week and while I was at the doctor's office I was told that he had fluid behind both ear drums, but it wasn't infected yet and to keep an eye on it. Matthew seemed to be doing good until late Saturday night into Sunday morning when he screamed for about four hours. He wasn't running a fever nor was he tugging at his ears (which he rarely gets either symptom anymore most likely because he is used to the pain) and finally went back to sleep. When he woke up Sunday morning his left cheek and ear were covered with dried blood and wax. His ear drum has ruptured. From what I am told when the pressure build up it is extremely painful, but once it ruptures the pain is relieved because the pressure is gone and the ear can drain.

I called his ENT on Monday and they could get him in on Tuesday. Sure enough both ears are full of fluid again, but the left one is slowly draining because of the rupture. Since this is his second infection in less than six weeks (he had another infection right before Andrew was born) it was decided that he will receive a second round of tubes. While they are in there, they are also going to remove his adenoids and most likely his tonsils too. We have to make the final say on the tonsils before the surgery, but are pretty sure we will take them too. He is a heavy mouth breather and a bit of a snorer and both should be helped by removing them. I also don't want to have to go back in a year and have them removed.

His surgery is scheduled for Friday, March 19th. Figures...it is the week I go back to work. We are on a cancellation list in hopes we can get him in earlier and while I am still on maternity leave. We also have gotten the ball rolling with speech and language services. We were going to go through KRESA, but based on his age he would fall between two services and the time it would take to get him in would be longer that we like. Luckily my insurance will cover speech and language services (should he quality...which he will) through Bronson Rehabilitation. My speech and language pathologist at school came from there a few years ago and speaks highly of them, so does our ENT. Once the referral goes through they can get him in. We are not sure if they are going to screen him before the surgery or wait until after he recovers.

Andrew is doing well and starting to eat and sleep more. Just last night we...I mean I... got six and a half hours in between feedings, which was nice. We are feeding him more from a bottle (about two a day) to get him used to it for daycare. He is getting better at pacing himself with the bottle. He was chugging it so fast that he would get horrible gas and be irritable until his next feeding. He is much better and will slow down when eating. I think he is growing; it is hard because I see him everyday. His cheeks are filling out just like Matthew's did and his eyes are lightening up to a bright blue too. We are now just waiting for that smile! You can see a few more pictures at our photo site.