This is Big Boy Stuff - an Update

Asher is doing BIG things these days! First, he is just ONE ounce away from being 15 lbs! So, let's just say he's 15! That's great for him. He's struggled a bit with putting on weight fast enough, he gains pretty consistently, but still has a ways to go in percentile world. He's in the 2nd percentile for his corrected age (7mo). So, operation weight gain is in full effect. We just added more calories to his milk, so hopefully that helps. He's working on sitting, a sippy cup, teething biscuits, and using a mesh thing to explore food/flavors, AND he's been sleeping in HIS crib upstairs! AND he lays FLAT for his naps and at night after we do our late feeding. That is a BIG deal. We thought he could never sleep flat because of all the throwing up he was doing. Asher is moving so much more too! He never wants to stop moving, grabbing, reaching, or jumping. It's so fun! So, exciting things are happening here. He's currently on a little bit of a food strike, so that is why we are trying the sippy cup, and those other things so we can continue to engage him orally while he's getting a tube feeding. It is frustrating to see him struggle with understanding/liking eating and to do great with it for a while, then not, then do good again, then not. We also often wonder, in the back of our mind, if the stricture he had in his esophagus is tightening up again. That's frustrating too trying to figure that out and decide whether we need to do an esophogram or not (x-ray- not a pleasant process with strapping him down and putting an ng down his throat). Our GI doc says "we'll know" if it's becoming an issue and if we need to do that. That's another story. So, the roller coaster we got on when he was born has not stopped yet...it just looks a little different. So, some days that is challenging for me...to not get my joy or feel a day was a "success" based on what Asher does. I've been having to remind myself my joy should only come from the Lord. Easy to say, hard to do some days. And then I get a giggle or squeal of him and I forget all about, for the moment, our eating challenges.

He is such a happy boy most of the time, and pretty easy going. He's good with playing by himself or entertaining himself, and he's a pretty good sleeper, which is awesome! Sometimes when I put him down for a nap, he's so ready to nap he just turns away from me, and starts sucking on his lovey blanket. He doesn't need to be rocked or comforted much, he has learned to self soothe even though he doesn't suck on a paci or his thumb.  He sucks on his little blanket or on his arm. It's really cute. I'm pretty darn thankful for his sleeping skills too. I just love watching him learn about the world and things around him. I love watching him focus on something and then look at it like he's really thinking hard about it.

Speaking of looking and focusing...Asher had an eye exam last week and it went so well! The dr said he looks like "any 11 mo old" and "this is really a blessing" since he was born so early and had so much oxygen. So, we go back in a year and most likely his vision now is just up to genetics. That was SO amazing to hear. Another prayer answered. Thank you for following his progress and continuing to pray. We'd love prayers for protection over his health in this crazy flu/rsv season (it's scary and sickness would be devastating to his health) and also for his eating/esophagus...that he'd slowly understand eating, and would want to do it, and that we would ultimately just trust the Lord on that and what to do to help him. We need wisdom on when to move, and when to just sit still and let time do it's thing.  Thanks so much :)

Love this smile and that tooth!! 

Sitting and sippy cup practice 

Exploring new things in the mouth...sleeping in the crib...sleeping other places too. :) 

Smiles in the high chair are good!