Physical Therapy (better known as Daddy play-time) and update

We continue to be see evidences of God's protective hand upon John for these past nine months. His Grace and Mercies are definitely new each day.

Last night was a much better night for us. John slept for a 4 hour stretch before he woke up to nurse and then went back to sleep another 3 hours. This was good for Mom since she is still in the recovery stage. Dad hasn't gotten to the place yet of light sleeping. I used to wake up with my others but I guess it has been so long since I have had to wake up in the middle of the night. I am sure that I will soon learn.

Last evening was the first time that I have had the opportunity to get down on the floor with him and spend some one-on-one time with John. I love to get them on their belly early on as I have done with all of my children when they were this age. Wiggle time is and will be crucial to him as this is the time to stretch and learn to maneuver his head against gravity. This is also great bonding time for John and myself as most of this play time occurs on my chest. This only last for about 30 minutes before they wear out but it is a great time.

Fortunately for John, he has been blessed with good tone and movement. At this point, he has full range of motion and is able to move all of himself well with the exception of his head which is normal for this age. Although, as you can see in the pictures, he is hard at work on lifting his head off of my chest and turning it to either side. Lots of outside stimulation such as craddling, moving him in space, brushing his face with my hand and with his are all used to motivate him to move. I also like to use the stimulation of music while we "play". This really helps get his senses to working. He is learning to like the Newsboys as we move and dance to the beat.

Another issue that we continue to work on is breastfeeding. He continues to do well with this and has great coordination of suck/swallow/breathe but he sometimes gets very anxious for his meal that he forgets what to do with his tongue. We just work with him through this by giving him a few tongue exercises to remind him of what he is supposed to be doing. But overall, exercise time prior to breastfeeding has decreased and his time at the breast has increased. He appears to be gaining weight and being more satisfied.

His hearing is intact as far as we can tell at this point. When I call his name from across the room, he turns and looks my direction. His eyes open wide as he continues to try to focus them.

Our friends at the church that we attend have started bringing meals by which has been a big help to us as Joy is unable to move around much. Even if she felt good, she has been occupied with John. I am busy with my school as I continue toward finishing a degreee in Business Management.

Thanks to all of you who have stood with us for the past nine months and continue to do so. Your support whether it be prayer, cards, emails, etc. has been uplifting and encouraging for us both as we journey down this unpredictable road. Without the support and love from you, it would be difficult for us to continue. It has helped to keep us focused on the things that we have and not the things that are absent.