20 month update

'Our normal life'

Life has been really busy with these two little rascals and so normal, with only a few blips with Cameron, that time seems to have raced away on us. Which of course is a great thing as personally I thought it would never get this way during all the “rough patches”.

Cameron and Michael are now 20 months old. Both continue to grow and grow within a blink of an eye and are becoming very independent and mischievous. Many people comment on how well Cameron seems and how you would not know that he has a serious heart condition – I too must admit that sometimes it is very easy to forget and put that to the back of your mind especially as we have always treated him as though he is “normal”. It is only when you give him his medication or he goes “bluish” from the extreme heat or cold that you know, also his breath can get “puffy” if he is rushing around – which is most of the day. He doesn’t seem to know what getting tired is and would probably go all day and night if you let him.

Over the Winter, Cameron (and thinking about it Michael too but not as many times) has been on about 4 – 5 lots of antibiotics, as he doesn’t seem to shake his flus or colds off very well. He had a suspected case of Tonsillitis at the end of November which was scary as he was having Febrile Convulsion in the morning and was sleepy most of the day and had a very very high temp off and on … but luckily after a couple of days of antibiotics and Ibuprofen he came right. We have not seen the paediatrician since November when they were 18 months old.

At that visit Cameron weighed 9.02kg and Michael 10.80kg – so there is a slight difference – also at Dec 24^th, Michael was slightly taller at 81 cm, while Cameron is 79 cm. Although looking at them you wouldn’t know it.

They are both saying these few words - Mum, Dad, many animal noises (cow, dog, cat, lion, chicken, duck, snake), dacta (tractor), bite (bike), milt (milk), bott (bottle), bubb (bubbles), bubby (baby), nan nan, (nana), dad, dad (grandad), nana (banana), up, don’t, dat (that), no (of course), num num (yum yum), bong (boing), luck (yuck), all dawn (all gone) and a few words that they only they know what they mean.

Both love to dance and listen to music, turning “around and around” and have great fun running after and terrorising the cat. They love playing “boo” with each other (and anyone else who will take notice); Michael also loves to chase after his brother and say, “Roar”, with his hands up like a lion! So you quite often hear giggles from them both as they each run out of the bedroom to “hide” and then “boo” when they find each other. Their favourite pastime is moving the furniture to get up on to the table – either the kitchen or the coffee table. Like most typical boys they love playing with tractors, bulldozer, cars, trucks and trains and in their sandpit, they both enjoy reading books and playing ball - especially Cameron. They really like brushing their own teeth (well biting on the toothbrush) and also like to feed themselves and Cameron likes spoon-feeding Michael. They love waving “bye bye” with Cameron having a different wave for Bye, See you later and Hi. They also love to go on the farm bike with their Dad!

The boys are quite protective of each other, and love to give each other “loves” – hugs and kisses and wave each other “Goodnight” each night before they go to bed. If one is asleep or sick, or not with them, they seem to wonder where each other are but they can play OK by themselves in most circumstances. The boys have stayed at their Aunty Sonje’s 2 – 3 times and their Nanas’ twice overnight by themselves. This has been so great for them as they are getting used to not only being with their Mum and Dad. Aunty Lish has looked after 1 or the other a couple of times when I have has appointments.

We have started to attend the local “Playgroup” on Wednesdays – and they boys are slowly getting used to other kids and being in a completely different environment - and it’s great for me to meet other Mum’s who are the district that I will be living in.

The boys started “Kidstart”, a home-based childcare on the 17^th Jan. They are looked after by a lady called Karen, she has 3, 5, and 7 year old children and so the 3 yr old will play with them while they are there. I have decided Mondays and Thursdays from 9.30am – 1.30 pm – so as not to upset their sleep routine and also to get them used to other people/children and also to give me a break. They love playing with the other kids and Michael’s apparent “shyness” to others is changing. We will see how this goes, and see if it will continue after we shift to the new farm.

The past few months have of course been busy now that they are so mobile and at times tough (especially when they both aren’t sleeping at night)– but they are both such fun and have such different personalities, which I think is great. They are full of hugs and kisses for both of us, love to find out and learn new things and of course get up to mischief. They are really inquisitive and love being outside and playing with their cousins.

Life couldn’t be more fulfilled at the moment and it’s so nice not to be “obsessively” concerned about Cameron’s Heart, (and have constant hospital visits), even though we know that he has a lot more work ahead of him and inside the collaterals could be causing havoc. It is less of a focus and we are enjoying “him being him” more instead of watching him constantly for “signs” something is wrong or going to go wrong.

Although I must say I still check on him in the night if I wake up or are going back to bed after being up with Michael to make sure he is OK and of course I worry if he gets sick or is around people who are sick – but he loves life (and he has also taught everyone who know him or of him – to treasure life) and we have always said he will be treated like any other child, and I think this has helped both us and him.

Cameron

Cameron says many of the words Michael does with the addition of ball, loll (lollies), oh no and baye baye (Bye Bye). He calls Michael “dat” and points to him. Cameron is really good at his fine motor skills and of course his ball handling – he has a mean left throw and god help anyone in the way of it. Cameron loves watching his “Love to sing” DVD or videos, about 10 times a day if he could – he tries to do the actions for “Incy wincy spider” and “2 little dickie birds” and really loves watching the kids on it – his favourite song to sing is Old McDonald and has got the “eio eio OOOO” down to an art form and will say this until we all go nutty – in fact he was a hit at A BBQ we went to and many of the guys copied him in a rendition similar to dogs howling.

Cameron is very social and loves playing and being with other kids, and will go to most people without a problem. He is very inquisitive and you will find that he is willing to check things out first before others and be a bit more courageous. He is trying to jump (like his brother) but doesn’t quite lift the second leg, but easily runs around. If there is mischief to be had, you can be sure that Cameron will be around – he has a real twinkle in his eye and a love of all things fun and mischievous.

Cameron’s eating is improving and he is drinking really well, if he is sick or tired you will notice his eating drops a bit but it soon picks up – he generally has one really good meal a day and the others he will pick – but he loves pasta and tomato sauce, so I disguise a lot of stuff under the tomato sauce. He still doesn’t like a lot of fruit – only bananas, and still is very sensitive to hot/cold food. He still has 2 cans of Pediasure a day, along with drinking his water. Both are in a sippy bottle/cup.

Cameron sleeps well through the night – most times and it is generally only if the is over heated or cold, or thirsty or sick that he will wake up. He generally sleeps through to 6 – 6.30am.

Michael

Michael is getting really talkative and is starting to mimic and say many words, in addition to the ones above he says – Man Man (Cameron), lacht (light), bokt (book), two, bye dad, away away, and a few others I can’t remember, but says these quite freely himself. Michael likes to play games and you can show him an action and he will play the game along with you.

Michael although not a socially forward as Cameron is a real laugh and has a wicked sense of humour, in social situation he likes to “suss” people out first and then once he is sure they are “OK” he comes to his own. Michael likes to see how others react first and then once he is seen how they react he is happy to follow.

He is a very good eater and eats/tries most things first – especially fruit. He still isn’t a great meat eater – but I try to hide it in their pasta or give them it hidden in vegies. He drinks really well also and “loves” Coca-Cola and drinking from a cup or a straw. He still has 2 – 3 bottle of formula as well as his water – both in sippy bottles/cups.

Michael loves to climb and be up high and teaches his brother bad habits – also because he is taller he can reach things for Cameron if he can’t quite reach them. He loves running (and chasing his brother), jumping and skipping.

Michael is getting better at sleeping and I now put him to bed awake at night – most nights and he will awake 1 – 2 times a night, and then sleep through to 7.00am.