Our Family Blog: Fluids at the Plaza and a Stubborn Toddler

It was a longer day than expected today. Tyler got blood and platelets at the CentraCare Plaza, which took 4 1/2 hours. Dawson loves pushing all the buttons to open the doors for the stroller. Nurses played with him while Tyler and I sat and did his transfusions. Dawson even took a nap in the bed in the room next to us! They were pretty empty there, wasn't anyone there but us! It was nice, all the attention.

Dawson is being so stubborn. I know he can do things but he just won't. Like for his snack, he wanted more yogurt. He did his usual whining noise and I asked him if he wanted more, and signed it too. He did say "mmm", but I kept at it. He's said it before and he's signed it before too. After a good 5 minutes I just stood against the kitchen counter, not asking him anymore but watching until he said it. After maybe 10 seconds, he looked about ready to roll his eyes, and signed "more". Yay! In the past when I was persistent, he just acted frustrated and would get upset. He'd look at me like "you know what I want mom, just get it!"

Dawson has been so good about bedtime now! I change him, put him down and tell him to go to bed. He promptly runs to bed and lays down, grinning and waiting for his kisses. I leave, close the door and I don't usually hear a peep out of him. Tyler on the other hand, has been up really late. Around 6-7am, fighting sleep. I'll put him in his crib, knowing he's tired since he usually is rubbing his eyes and falling asleep on me. He wakes up and cries for a while, then usually falls asleep. Sometimes he just keeps at it until I go get him again. I do wait a while, depending on how upset he's getting. Some nights I'll just think "5 more minutes", and he'll be asleep in the next couple minutes! So it's hard to know when to go get him.

Tyler is getting more mobile by the day it seems. Right now he's playing the little piano keyboard my parent's got Dawson for Christmas. I had sat him down by it, but he moved to his knees, with his hands on the toy. Then stood up on his feet, leaning over and pushing the buttons. He'll occasionally squat by toys too. He really wants to be up though! The other day he almost looked like he was gonna stand right up by himself! He will take a couple steps while standing by toys too. He's so close! I'm wondering if he'll be walking by his birthday, I guess we'll see.

Early Intervention is going to get Tyler into their program now that Dawson is done with his evaluations. I don't think Tyler will need as many evaluations, since babies don't have quite as many things to cover. I guess we'll see what they plan on doing. The lady said his Leukemia diagnosis alone would probably get him qualified. They come on Thursday morning to see Tyler, and Friday afternoon to finish a part of Dawson's evaluation. The lady was sick and missed that part, but they had enough info to approve him anyway. I'm not sure what she plans on doing on Friday. After that, we'll get together and make out his IFSP (Individual Family Service Plan) for the year, which will be his goals that they'll work on. They will review things again when he turns 3 and probably do another one, since he will be moving into the preschool setting then.

The boys, being held by Grandpa and Auntie. Could they get any cuter?!