Birthday Cake

These pictures say it all....

Smile!

Patrick can smile again. In a fraction of the time we were told to allow, Patrick smiles almost like his old self again. The BP is still there but very subtle. All that in only a week. I would have pictures for you all but our camera is on the fritz. We are still going to get a second Lyme test as these things are so darn inaccurate. The first was inconclusive and the second was negative but that's only with an 80% accuracy rate. Not good enough for our Little Pat.

Note to grandmas: there won't be any pictures for a while until we either get the camera fixed or buy a new one. In the event we have to buy a new one, it could take quite a while.

Bell's Palsy

Wednesday night was quite scary for our little family. I noticed throughout the day that Patrick's smile was a bit crooked but thought he was just smirking. One of his eyes closed more than the other but thought he got a bit of Bette hair in it. I almost thought it was something more serious but then everyone tells me I worry too much.

Right before Jesse got home, Patrick was crying about something -- totally ordinary cry.

Except that...

Only one side of his mouth was moving and only one eye was closing. One side of his face was paralyzed. Jesse walked into the house, saw this and we told each other. ER. Now!

So we get to the ER thinking our baby is having a stroke or has a brain tumor and they usher us into a room. The doc comes thought not as swiftly as I would have liked (okay, Patrick was acting happy).

Turns out it's Bell's Palsy. At some point here recently, Patrick contracted a virus (or maybe Lyme disease) without us knowing. He had some elevations in temp and had been a bit fussy but the ped and I both thought it was teething as neither was severe. She did take a throat culture and it was negative. The inflammation from the virus caused swelling of cranial nerve #7 which is housed in a small, bony canal. When that happened, the myelin sheath, which protects the nerves, was damaged. In adults this is treated with steroids but in peds that doesn't work and therefore the benefits do not outweigh risks.

85% chance he will recover completely. 10% this will show up when he is tired or stressed. 5% that it will not go away. I wonder what the recovery rate is for infants/children is because they are not treated. This does not have anything to do with the brain. I have seen it reported that children recover well from this. Guess 'cause they are still growing and regenerating more than us geezers.

Truly this is such a small thing but my heart breaks a little more each time I see him smile or cry and only one side of his face moves.

You are being watched

After many months of stressing, I have a job. Two small, yoked parishes south of our town. I'm excited and scared -- just a healthy, respectful understanding of the responsibility of leading congregations, nothing truly neurotic. Start date is August 1st. AND, we found child care for Patrick -- Children of America. Jesse and I took a tour today and loved it. On top of everything else, we can access Patrick's classroom via a secure web connection and see what he is up to in class. So cool!

Be Patient!!

I am the type of parent who expects the child to follow the book.

Life says to me: BWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

Patrick will do what he will do when he is motivated to do it and not in the sort of timely manner that makes it easy for Mommy to chill out.

Thankfully, he has mastered two milestones in the last week.

Patrick now feeds himself with his fingers. Nice to see since he hates to eat. And, he has exchanged sliding around on his back or rolling over and over for slithering around on his tummy. He also gets into an almost hands-and-knees position from sitting so maybe he will crawl someday.

And for weeks he's been pulling himself up on the furniture and his crib and the pews at church. He also likes to walk holding on to our hands.


Oh, and he's getting top teeth.

McDreamy vs Bill Gates

Jesse's hair has Patrick Dempsey potential. Full, very wavy. He let it go way too long between haircuts and I started seeing how great it would be if someone just trimmed it up a little -- it would look like McDreamy. Jesse even said he would ask for such a cut. So, off he goes to the stylist this morning.

(Just so you get an idea that this is not a Hair Butchery, I went to this place last winter and my cut cost $72.)




Does the stylist know who Patrick Dempsey is?? (FYI: for some of you, he is one of the stars of Grey's Anatomy and is known as McDreamy on the show....he is pretty dreamy.)




Or did she look through Jesse to know that he has, er, a more mathematical mind?


Sigh. Maybe next time. (yeah, like when I find the stylist for him and give them the third degree -- oh, and pay for it myself)

Teeth!

Yes, finally. At almost 10 months, Patrick's two lower front teeth are starting to poke through. I have heard that babies who teeth late have healthier teeth. Or is that something nervous mothers tell each other? Oh, and he has started to self-feed with finger foods. But why oh why won't he hold a bottle and give me a break? I know, I should just be glad he is finally taking bottles. Don't have pics of the teeth yet (see below).