Becoming 3reillys When 2reillys add one to the team.

Leaps and bounds

Surrounded by wonderful, colorful toys — Jack would rather play with the phone.

Jack’s mobility and strength has progressed amazingly fast over the past two weeks — and today he really put on a show for his physical therapist. It was wonderful to watch. I was so proud of him and his accomplishments. And I was glad to see him starting to warm up to the new PT (the one he had from October to April moved to Central America, and he was very fond of her).

So here’s my brag list of Jack’s latest tricks:

• He can push up on his hands and knees, and from there push back into a sitting position
• He can pull, push himself up from tummy to standing using my leg, arm, and shoulder when I’m sitting on the floor
• He pulled himself up to standing using the furniture for the first time today
• He’s an accomplished cruiser
• He drops things on the floor and bends over to pick them up from standing
• He loves to put things in a box and then take them out, and put them in, and take them out
• He walked for a while, a bit wobbly, holding just one of my hands, not two

Two weeks ago, he wasn’t doing any of these things. He’s learned all of it so quickly. And the strength is coming to him. Two weeks ago he didn’t have the upper body strength to pull himself up. It takes all his effort, but he can do it now. And I must admit I’m a bit — relieved isn’t the right word, because I was never overly worried or concerned, but something akin to it. Since his surgery last September, Jack’s upper body has lagged a bit, thus our decision to enlist the PT. Today was a great display of how his good health, the physical therapy and time have helped him build up that strength.

Something new every minute

Jack is learning at the speed of light these days. Yesterday he learned how to drink from a sippy cup. Today he made up a game to play by himself using a laundry basket, a couple of socks and a tshirt. A couple of days ago he mastered pushing himself up from the floor to standing using my leg. I feel like I can barely keep up with him and all the new things he’s discovering.

One of the undesirable side effects of all this learning is his lack of naps. He’s just to busy to slow down for a nap or two, and by the end of the day he’s exhausted and pissed that he’s tired when he has so many things to do! Today he actually took two naps, for the first time in at least a week, and I don’t know who was more relieved — me, Jack, or Jay!

I sometimes wish I would have kept a written journal of Jack’s progress… but I supposed that’s what I have right here. :)

Thank You!

Jack and Jay after the Walk, June 8, 2008.

Jay, Jack and I want to thank all of you for your support of us in the Walk for Children’s Hospital Boston. As a team, we raised $850 for CHB and the children it serves so well. We appreciate your generosity and support of an organization that is so near and dear to our hearts. 

Happy Birthday Jack!

One year ago, Jack joined our family. He wasn’t too keen on cameras.

(That’s Jack’s very first photo, taken a couple hours after he was born.)

Since then, he’s gotten used to the cameras. And he’s grown. And he’s become an amazing little boy with his own personality and sense of humor and likes and dislikes and demands. I’ve been staring at him all day, in amazement over how he’s changed, all he’s been through, what he’s become over the past year.

Today Jack created his first real masterpiece with crayons. We’ve put crayons in his hands before, but this was the first time he really got it. He saw the marks he made with the crayons and he knew he could make marks on the paper with the crayon in his hand. He doesn’t have much control over the crayon yet — but he understands. And the result was beautiful:

Aside from the half a dozen or so times he heard the Birthday Song (which he LOVES), today was a normal weekday to Jack. But it was a very special day for his mama.

The Tequila Face

This is Jack’s “Tequila Face.” It is accompanied by a little body shake, as well. He makes it when ever he tastes something new or something unexpected or cold or tart — even if he happens to like the food.

We get classic Tequila Face when Jack gnaws on pieces of pineapple core. You wouldn’t guess it from the photo, but he LOVES pineapple core.  More Tequila Face photos here.

Milestones

“Sorry mama, I’m booked that day. How about Tuesday between my 1pm playgroup and my 3pm bottle?”

I found my old Palm pda in a box from my office. It’s the perfect toy for Jack right now. It’s a real thing that adults want and use, it works, it’s not a toy for babies, and mama won’t cry if he breaks it. When I first gave it to him yesterday, he didn’t let go of it for half an hour.

I returned the pump to the hospital supply store yesterday. It made me sad. Don’t get me wrong, when I was pumping seven or eight times a day, I dreaded the pump at times. I longed to have those three hours back every day. I hated washing so many dished so many times a day. But it let me feed Jack after I reluctantly admitted to myself we weren’t going to breastfeed successfully. And I’m surprised how bummed I am that our machine assisted nursing relationship is over.

Also yesterday, Jack said “ma-ma” for the first time ever! It actually sounds more like, “meh… meh.” But it’s definitely a M sound, and Jay claims Jack said it in reference to me. Which is very, very cool.

I’m typing this at Java Jo’s, a nearby coffee house with good sandwiches and free wifi. Jay and Jack went down to Norwell to see Jay’s folks and give me a bit of a break and a chance to clean house. It’s an odd feeling being away from Jack, even if it’s only a few hours…

But it’s a chance to blast cheesy pop music around the house and not bother anyone. :)

Cupcake

When a cupcake is almost as big as your melon — life is good.

We visited Sammy again today. Much has changed in just two days and he’s doing well. He moved from the CICU to the cardiac floor. The chest tubes are gone. And he’s walking around a bit and wearing his own clothes. The little man is still not near feeling like himself… but he’s getting there, and he sure is looking like the Sammy we know and love! :)

Like on Saturday, when we visited Sammy in the CICU, it was a bit of a flashback, some hospital de ja vu, for me. Today we walked past the room where Jack stayed in September. (It was just five or six rooms down from Sammy’s current room, and right next door to the playroom.) But instead of walking the halls with a tiny 17-week-old  baby, Jay and I walked down the hall with almost one-year-old Jack, each of us holding one of his hands, as he made proud grunting and giggling noises as he toddled confidently past each room.

Jack also amused himself in the playroom for a while. He loved the train table — it was just the perfect height for him. He pulled the tracks apart, pushed cars and trains around, ate a wooden tree.

Not everyone knows what it’s like to have a child go thru heart surgery. Jay and Erika know. And they were such a comfort for us back in September. It’s hard to explain what they meant to me then… they were solid… they had gotten thru it (twice! at that time) before… they knew the logistics of the hospital, how things worked… they gave me confidence where and when I needed it from them.  On Sammy’s third go around, there’s nothing I can tell them to help them with their stay at Children’s.  I hope my hugs are enough.

Jack the librarian

Today Jack decided to take after his grandmother, volunteering in the circulation department of the library.

Mama decided it was time to get right with god the library. The last time I used my library card was six years ago. The two books I checked out six years ago… yeah, they were returned last month. (I’m not a good library patron. I realize this.) Ready to write a hefty check, I begged for a new card so Jack and I could borrow books — and $11 (only $11??) and a touch of guilt later, we had a shiny new card.

So we put the new library card to good use. Jack picked out a couple books for Jack. I picked out a couple books for Jack. Jack had fun pulling books off shelves. Mama tried to keep up with him, putting them back up on the shelves. We brought home a dozen books — and we’ve read only two of them, 42 times each.

Sammy update

A couple of you have asked about Sammy — who is doing well. Apparently the surgery was “very routine” which is good. Sammy is off the ventilator and off sedatives, which is good — but now his folks, Jay and Erika, are coping with a frustrated, sore, angry two-year-old who is used to running around at a million miles an hour, every hour he is awake. I think Sammy’s energy can only help in his recovery. (Now if there was only some way to share that energy with J&E!)

Erika is posting updates here. And here is a sweet story about Sammy (and Keegan!) from Alisa.

We love you, Sammy!

Tomorrow, our dear, little friend, Sammy, is having his third heart surgery. Sammy is only 27 months old. He is a sweet, loving, funny, energetic little boy. But he needs this surgery. Please pray/ think positive thoughts/ send good vibes to Sammy and his parents, Jay and Erika. See you soon, buddy!