NICU Follow-up

On Feb. 6, 2007 I had my second NICU Follow-up appointment. I saw Sharon, the developmental specialist, my #1 doctor and two new people. I can't remember their names but I'm sure I'll meet them again.

First I got my hearing checked and this time I passed both ears with flying colors!!! I was worried because last time I didn't pass my left ear....but they weren't too worried.

After I was all done hearing things I got to play with the hospital's toys. They were watching me closely to see if I could transfer toys from one hand to my other hand without using my mouth. Of course I can transfer things from hand to hand.....but it's much more fun to stick it in my mouth first. Don't you know that EVERYTHING goes in my mouth first? :) Well I did what they wanted to, but not before I studied that toy from top to bottom. Then this lady was holding this weird object in front of me...I didn't know what she was doing, but I did watch her. When she handed me the object I moved it from hand to hand and tasted it, but she wasn't happy with what I was doing. My #1 doctor made a joke that maybe she needed to give me directions. So she took the object away from me and held it in front of me again. All the sudden she started shaking the object and it started ringing.....mommy called it a bell. So she rang the bell for a few seconds and then handed it back to me. I finally figured out what she wanted me to do....so I shook that bell thing like mad and it rang and rang and rang! Apparently I did a good job:)

Then I got to lay on the floor. Now everyone that knows me, knows that I love being on my tummy. Most of the time, if you lay me down on my back....I will roll over. And this time was no different. Sure I played with my feet for a while and sucked my thumb, but then I rolled over really fast. Everybody thought that was great!!!

Mommy told them that I don't crawl yet....I can move my body in circles and inche towards things on my tummy, but I don't understand why I need to crawl. I mean really....when I want something I just tell mommy and she either hands it to me, or takes me to it...it's a sweet life:) No one seemed to concerned that I'm not crawling yet. I can sit up with minimal assistance and sometimes all by myself, but not for very long.

Sharon and my #1 doctor explained to mommy that my adjusted age is really only 6.5 months. Adjusted means that when I should have been born, which would have been July 21, 2006. Since I was born early, my doctors always look at my adjusted age for developmental stuff. After I was all done showing off, they told mommy that I'm functioning at about a 7.5 month old's level. I guess that's okay....but I'm going to work really hard so that in four months I'm closer to my actual birthdate. Sharon also explained to mommy that the only reason I'm having difficulty sitting up on my own is because my torso is so long. I didn't know what a torso was so mommy told me my tummy area is really long. She said that most babies don't have as long of a tummy area as I do and their arms reach the floor when they sit so they can hold themselves up. Since I'm so long, I have a harder time because I have to bend over farther to reach the ground. Sharon told mommy some different things that might help me so we're going to try those.

After everyone downstairs was done watching me perform, mommy took me upstairs to see my lovely ladies. I got to see a few of my lovely ladies, but they lavished me with attention so I was satisfied:) Do you know that I missed seeing my Fox'y' ladies by mere minutes??? I don't know if you remember...my Fox'y' ladies are three baby girls who were in the NICU part of the time I was there. I hear they are doing wonderful and wow are they cute:) Maybe someday I will get to see them in person, rather than just in a picture.