Hi all!

This week brought with it some new developments in the form of two top teeth on Tuesday. In addition, it seems like Dad has learnt how to add videos to my blog, so, if all goes well, you’ll be able to see me in motion! Lastly, and more ruefully, I had my ears checked out by Dr. Nicoletta on Friday. It turns out that I have fluid behind my ear drums which is a call for huge concern. Because of the number of procedures I’ve undergone on the brain, in addition to the MRI scans, this combination could have a long term effect on my ability to hear, as well as my ability to learn to crawl and walk. Additionally, this may affect my linguistic development, so keep your fingers crossed that all is in order. For the immediate future there is not much that can be done until the fluid behind my ear drums has cleared and further tests can be done. I have noticed though in the meantime that Mom and Dad are doing lots of ‘sound tests’ with me, such as calling my name and checking to see if I respond or look that way. To date, I’ve not disappointed them.

But I’m getting ahead of myself, so back to the past week. Monday Mom and I just stayed at home and enjoyed each other’s company. We’re both still fighting off the last bout of our colds so we figured it prudent to remain indoors, and have a serene time. Tuesday started off with a whole different kettle of fish entirely. I’m not sure if it was my teeth popping out, my ear ache or my cold, but I really felt altogether miserable during the night, so Tuesday, starting at 2am, I opted to get the entire house up and attending to me. Trust me, I didn’t want to, but I couldn’t manage the discomfort any longer. I figured it wasn’t too bad, as this is the first really bad night that my parents have had to endure with me, so I felt somewhat entitled to it.

So Tuesday dawned with me having two additional teeth, a right front tooth and a left eye tooth. The other front tooth is not lagging far behind, and I predict it with make an appearance in time for my next blog. Mom seemed really tired from that night’s shenanigans, so we had a brief snooze during the morning. I’m not sure how Dad coped at work, but he did come home looking haggard. After our snooze, Mom and I headed off to physio, but decided to skip out of Mom’s Club, as we didn’t want our contagions to spread to my friends and my friend’s Mommies.

Wednesday was an awesome day! I went for my first music lesson at Be Sharp Beetles. It was an amazing experience. I did some drumming and met a whole bunch of other kids. Our Mommies also enjoyed it a great deal, and they even joined in. I heard Mom comment to Dad in the evening that it was quite a work-out, racing up and down the studio, carrying me and singing along. To keep in practice between lessons I got a tambourine which, together with my xylophone piano, has become my favourite toys. I could hardly wait for Dad to get home on Wednesday evening to show off my musical skills.

In the evening Mom and I went to bookclub, while Dad got the job to go to a lecture on effective sleep behaviours in babies at Tina Otte’s place. So just before seven in the evening we bid our farewells, with Mom giving Dad strict instructions to take copious amounts of notes, listen carefully, ask questions and come home with valuable insights. Mom and I, during that time, were going to eat, drink, chat and laugh with the girls. Although it is a girl’s bookclub, I’ve been granted the status of honorary member. It was a great evening with lots of chatter and banter, but before long I drifted off to sleep. Sometime later in the evening, I recall getting home finding Dad going through tomes of notes that he took at the sleep lecture. I’m struggling to understand what Mom and Dad’s rationale is behind attending a sleep lecture, as I sleep through almost every night, and my daytime naps are also in order. I guess this is just a precaution, as I will be undergoing some more procedures, and I might fall out of my good sleep behaviour.

Thursday involved seeing Dr Sonja, my chiro. As always it was a great appointment, as Dr Sonja and I really get along well. Afterward we headed off home and mulled around the house.

Physio on Friday brought with it some excitement as Mom came to the rescue of a fluffy black cat. The physio treatments are held at Crawford Pre-Primary School in Rivonia, and on Friday they had ‘sensory day’ for the kids. As a result, there were kids in every direction, shouting and laughing at the tops of their voices, attempting to touch everything they could lay their eyes on. Needless to say, the resident cat would have nothing of this and hid under a car, with only its tail showing. Mom and I arrived, and after parking and going into the school, we spotted the unusual scene of a tail protruding from under a car. Mom enquired if anyone knew if the cat was ok, but no-one knew, so I was put into the arms of the nearest available Mommy and off Mom went to investigate. Upon reaching under the car, one seriously unhappy cat, hissing at having its hiding place revealed, bolted off to find another more suitable and more concealed hiding place. Unfortunately for the cat, a caper of kids spotted it, and soon they were in tow! I guess the cat was ok.

After being at physio, Mom and I headed off to see my heroine, Dr Nicolleta, as my cold wasn’t getting better, and my ears were really bothering me. It was during this appointment that we received the concerning news about my ears and my hearing. Mom was very sombre during the drive home, and pretty soon Dad, after hearing the news, arrived home to offer some support. The house was very solemn as we weighed up the options and the next steps, and pretty soon we came to the conclusion that my hearing is not impaired at the moment, and that once the fluid had drained from behind my ears further tests will be conducted. We opted to remain positive and upbeat and in the evening we then went to Karma in Greenside for dinner.

On Saturday we got off to a late start, after which we chose to shrug off our sadness at the previous day’s news. Although I was still pretty sick, Mom, Dad and I headed off to Sandton City at midday to do some shopping, after which we headed back home for afternoon snoozes. Sunday was a really lazy day at home, as we didn’t even leave the house. Dad and I spent some time at the pool, and in the afternoon we chilled in the family room watching TV, reading and playing. The evening brought with it a tremendous thunderstorm which had Roxy in a frenzy, but pretty soon it blew over, heading toward the north west.

Well, that’s it for another week.

Lots of love, hugs, kisses and little nibbles,

Jarrod

Figure 1 Mom brushing me to desensitise me from the sensory defences I developed in hospital

Figure 2 In my Vikings outfit, from Uncle Oliver & Aunty Gillian

Figure 3 Getting to grips with a rugby ball

Figure 4 Exercises to get me crawling

Figure 5 Hellllooooo!

Figure 6 With Mom at bookclub

Figure 7 Checking out Tiger Woods and his family on TV

Figure 8 Giggles

Figure 9 Footsie

Figure 10 Afternoon snoozes with my bunny

Figure 11 Snoozes in my car seat, with my bunny

Figure 12 Having a wolf at Karma in Greenside (note how I’m clutching my ear, which is bothering me)

Figure 13 Passed out at Karma

Figure 14 Testing out my new hat for winter

Figure 15 Me and my Daddy

Figure 16 Daddy kisses

Figure 17 Supervising Dad as he writes my blog

Figure 18 Dad and I concur on the blog contents, as Maple looks on

Video 1 Giggles with Dad (click here to play or click on image)

Video 2 Playing the tambourine (click here to play or click on image)

2 Comments on More Fangz

  1. Bronwyn says:

    Boy it is amazing to see how big you are getting, such a handsome little boy!!!! Really hope your ears get better soon, not nice at all to have sore ears. Just love reading your blogs, always puts a smile on my face to read about all the things you are getting up to.

    Love to you all

    Love
    Bronwyn, Gary, Brannon, Rhianne

  2. Gillian Lederer says:

    Got to love the Vikings outfit.

    When we arrived here in 1998 the Minnesota Vikings had a South African flair. Their kicker – sort of the Naas of the time I guess – was an ex Durban boy by the name of Gary Anderson. They did pretty good that season but Gary quickly fell from grace when they went into OT leading up to the superbowl and Gary who had not missed a kick all season – missed a kick. So sad. So now he teaches fishing in Alaska. A far way to travel from Durbs 🙂

    So good to see how you are growing, teeth and all. We hope that the ear thing is just a comination of your cold, teething etc and you will soon be given an all-clear in that department too.

    Loved the clip of your musical talents. I can remember your cousin Ryan trying to imitate a rock star some 22 years ago when he got hold of a keyboard. Pretty funny stuff. Maybe you two could jam together some day. We also know a lead singer in the form of your other cousin Kirsten. Oh what fun you could have 🙂

    Rock On Jarrod

    Love
    Gillian, Oliver and “The Band”

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