Catching up

It's been a busy Fall and Winter at our house. The big news is I'm pregnant! We are expecting another son in March and we're all excited. I think Seamus was more excited earlier and just wishes it would be over already. When I ask him to come feel the baby kick, he rolls his eyes and says "Mommy, I don't need to feel the baby again." Mommy also wishes it would be over soon. This is hard work for a "mature" lady like me.

Seamus was sick the entire month of November. He started the month with an endoscopy because an x-ray showed a piece of his old g-j tube stuck in his stomach. They went in to remove it but then couldn't find it. However, the breathing tube used for anesthesia seemed to stir up gunk in his lungs because two days later he ended up in the ER with pneumonia. He stayed for a week and then went home on IV antibiotics for another two weeks. After that, he still wasn't better and has been on oral antibiotics hoping to finally kick his cough that he's had since July. He finishes on Christmas Day and hopefully he can get a Christmas miracle and have it be gone for good.

He's been enjoying school a lot this year. He's a big Kindergartner and is really learning a lot. He told me today he can't wait for Christmas break to be over so he can go back to school. We're having a very difficult time trying to find a school for him next year. His current school is just Pre-K and K. Our local elementary school has class sizes of 30-35 which would definitely not work for him because of all the germs.

He's still taking dance class, tap and ballet, and even though he's not the most coordinated, he still loves it. And of course, he still spends hours each day drawing and cutting his "paper dudes". I think art is going to be his thing.

Seamus is very excited about Christmas but I think he's catching on about Santa. He keeps talking about how the Santa he saw this year didn't look like the one from previous years. He's too smart for his own good. Yesterday, he ran around the house and collected all the tissue boxes and drew family portraits on all of them. Then he wrapped them up for Christmas presents and said "Now when they blow their nose, they can look at pictures of their family." He's very thoughtful.

Oh boy

My sweet darling angel hit a boy at school today. He was playing superheroes and the other boy was the bad guy. This whole superhero thing is getting out of control.

It's weird because his teacher told us at the beginning of the year it wouldn't surprise her if there was some kind of physical altercation at some point between Seamus and this boy. This little boy was not in the class last year so he didn't know that Seamus was the "Alpha Male" and everybody followed his lead. Seamus wasn't used to sharing the spotlight. I was appalled when the teacher told us this.

When we told her all the girls loved Seamus last year, she said "Well, maybe the 2 year olds.." Again, I was annoyed. My little boy is perfect and charming so of course, the girls would still love him. Well, my charming little toddler has turned into a rough, tough boy always on full speed. It's no surprise the girls in their princess costumes and nail polish want nothing to do with him anymore. Okay, Miss Anne, you know your stuff.

Here are some pictures as promised...

I haven't posted pix in a long time so here are some of the highlights from Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's (notice the hats and the "dudes").

Last week was looong. It started out with James being stuck in bed for two days with the stomach flu which he then passed on to me. Seamus may have also gotten it but it's so hard to tell if it was a bug or his GI stuff acting up. He never really complained, but he never does. He's had a runny nose all week so we're crossing our fingers it doesn't turn into a cough.

Tuesday was pajama day at school and Thursday was picture day. On Friday, he had a Wii date with his friend Zoe. It's like a drug he wants to share with all his friends.

Saturday night was the big Poker tournament for Seamus' nursery school. I've seen poker on tv but have never played so I wasn't expecting too much. Guess what? I won the whole thing!! Seamus was so impressed and loves the trophy.

Sunday we went to a birthday party with all his friends from school at "Pump It Up", one of those places with all the moon bounces and slides. Seamus absolutely loved it but I spent my time being a nervous wreck chasing him around with hand sanitizer.

I guess I'm a little down today because being in those situations is always a reminder to me that Seamus is different than most kids. He can't just run and play without worrying about germs and he couldn't have the pizza and cake because of his food allergies. Also, parents were talking about summer camp at the nursery school and I don't think Seamus can do that either. They stay out all day playing in the sand box and water table which are both breeding grounds for mold. And forget about getting dehydrated and running around in a bathing suit with his feeding tube sticking out.

I'm sorry, I've said this blog is supposed to be about recording the good times but for some reason today, I'm having a hard time with that. I really do recognize how lucky I am. Seamus couldn't be a happier little kid and once I get home and see him, things will be better. They always are.

So Proud

I know I brag a lot about Seamus, but hey, it's my blog. Today, James and I met with Miss Terri for a parent teacher conference and now I feel like I'm not just a biased mother.

Miss Terri says Seamus is very independent and figures things out on his own. There is not a puzzle in the class that he has not mastered. He is always willing to help the other kids and Miss Terri, and he is great friends with all of them. If someone is hurt or upset, he's the first one there. He is especially popular with the girls because he is so caring and gentle, unlike most of the other boys. They fight over who can hug him and sit next to him at circle time. (We discussed the germ issue and she's already on it.) He can also count backwards from 10 and knows all his letters and numbers.

I'm so proud of him I could burst. Because he's an only child, I'm especially happy that he can make friends and get along with others so easily. That will be very important growing up. But I'm most proud that he is so caring and kindharted. CF is a horrible disease, but I believe a big part of who he is today has come from all that he has gone through in the past three years. Being in the hospital so much and seeing other sick kids has given him a different perspective than most kids.

I love you, Seammy Doo, so so much and I can't believe how lucky I am.

Ladies' Man

At first I thought this was cute, but the more I thought about it, I think it's a real problem.

Seamus is so cute and charming that all the girls at pre-school keep kissing him. They fight over who can get his coat for him when they go out to the playground.

I'm no prude so the kissing itself doesn't bother me and I'm glad he's so popular but they are germy little three year olds! We've fought hard to get the school to understand the importance of hand washing and keeping Seamus shielded from sick kids but I don't know what they can really do about this.

He's too young to understand and he likes the attention. I can see this is just the beginning for my little ladies' man.

I just found out that Seamus' teacher, Miss Terri, lost her son yesterday. He was just a teenager with several health problems who apparently had an asthma attack and died. I can't even imagine what she's going through. It makes me realize how very, very, very lucky I am and I want to run home and hug my baby right now.

Tomorrow, he has a CF appointment. I think he's starting to get another cold so we'll see what Dr P says about nursery school.

BTW, thumbs down on Chihuahua from me but big thumbs up from Ga and Seamus.

The Dance Craze Sweeping the Nation

Other big news, Seamus got into nursery school last week! He's gone twice and it's been great. The teacher has had another CF student a few years ago so she knows the basics but Seamus isn't your average CFer with all his food allergies, feeding tube, and vomiting/pooping issues. We have our fingers crossed.

Here's two pictures of Seamus on his first day.



Please keep Seamus in your thoughts. He's in the midst of one of his "down" times and may need a clean out in the hospital soon.

Making Strides

Saturday was a big day. James graduated with a double Masters degree, an MBA and a Masters in Informational Technology Management. He had to deal with a lot these past few years while working, taking care of Seamus and going to school. Seamus and I are so proud of him.






It was also the Great Strides Walk for CF. Our Team, Go Seamus Go!, raised almost $3000! Thanks to everybody who came out to walk with us and for everyone who contributed. It was a beautiful day and the Kentlands, where the walk was held is a gorgeous place to walk. Ga and Pa joined us this year. Ga was able to finish the walk which is something she never would have been able to do a few years ago before she lost 93 pounds. We are proud of her too!

Random stuff

Seamus has probably 100 "friends", little plastic animals all over the house who have lots of conversations with each other and with him. Sometimes I overhear some funny stuff.

Camel: "Hi Polar Bear"
Polar Bear: "Hi Camel, nice humps"

Froggy: "Seamus, you're not supposed to color on the toy box. That's naughty."
Seamus: "I'm sorry"
(I've heard of kids reprimanding their toys but never the toys reprimanding the kid)

Seamus didn't feel very well today. I think his tummy is hurting. This morning after his bath he said he wanted to go back into his crib to "relax". He stayed up there awhile and when I asked him how he was feeling he said "Sick". Later he heard me sniffing because my allergies are acting up and came over and sat next to me and said "How are you feeling?" It was very sweet.

We started taking a music class this weekend. There's a lot of dancing and jumping and playing instruments, Seamus absolutely loves it. He has so much interaction with the other kids, much more than gymnastics. There is a little girl, Isabelle, who is a female version of Seamus. They hit it off right away.

We've also started investigating pre-schools for the Fall. We found one we like that is pretty small and has experience with kids with CF so we're trying to get in there. It's only 2 days a week so we're hoping it's enough time to socialize but not so much time that he'll start picking up lots of colds and other things. We've kept him healthy (lung-wise) so far and we don't want that to change but he's so excited about going to "school" and playing with other kids, we have to do it.