out and about

After 2 days at home I decided to take the boys into wellington to get Malachi weighed, buy a few bits in ASDA, get some photos printed and hopefully run into some people we know from school, preschool etc while we were there.  Not literally run into, although with Jeremiah pushing the buggy it was fairly likely!

We got Malachi weighed and measured at the childrens centre (8.77kg, 73cm).  He'd lost a tiny bit of weight and his length had slowed down a bit but as he'd eaten quite a lot just before the last weigh in and hadn't this time I wasn't worried.  He is now following the 2nd centile for weight and is 2.5cm below the 0.4th centile for height.  Nicola and the dietician are still convinced that if he puts on loads of weight he will catch up in length but so far that hasn't happened.  But as he is no longer failure to thrive the various professionals aren't panicking about his weight so we will carry on with the small amount of infatrini he is on and keep weighing him every month.

While we were in the childrens centre the builders at the school next door set off the smoke alarm so we all had to troop outside to the park and wait to be let back in.  Isaac in particular wasn't impressed until the fire engine turned up!

On the walk back into town one of the front wheels of Isaac's wheelchair fell off going up a kerb and Jeremiah ran over a piece of glass and a thorn with the buggy which proved to much for the slime filled inner tubes.  I managed to get the wheelchair wheel back on.  It's the 2nd time it's happened so I knew what to do but I'll be phoning the engineers today to get them to come and have a look as it's not very safe and if the bolts fell down a drain when the wheel flys off another time we could end up stranded.  We were only a little way from the bike shop by this point so I pushed the buggy while Jeremiah pushed the wheelchair, trailing slime as we went.

So it was an eventful trip out but we did end up meeting 4 friends which was nice.  Getting out and about is hard with all 3 of them and the wheelchair etc but I'm glad we did it.  Internet shopping is all very well but I think we all needed a change of scene and to talk with different people.  We're off to the hospital on Tuesday which will be a good opportunity for Isaac to practice self propelling on the shiny floors.

Wheelchair appointment

Isaac had his wheelchair appointment on Monday which went really well.  He has chosen a red wheelchair with spiderwebs on the spoke guards.  Just got to wait until it comes now, should be just in time for school in September.

Some photos of the smallest one at the children's centre who is now 17 months old!

On Tuesday we had another milestone, 17 months breastfeeding.  This time last year I was pumping and freezing while Malachi had neocate formula.  I thought this would be the end of breastfeeding but a year later I am still breastfeeding him.

Isaac has been really tired lately and struggling with all the appointments.  Going to Exeter really wiped him out and he spent a lot of the pre-school session on Tuesday lying down.  So I cancelled the occupational therapist appointment on wednesday and hopefully he will still be awake this afternoon for the school visit.

Update on the breastfeeding group saga

This tuesday was the relaunch of the breastfeeding group.  I went to the childrens centre in the afternoon for the time to chat group and the staff there said there were loads of mums and babies there.  So no chance of the health visitors ringing me and begging me to come back then.  On wednesday I swallowed my pride and went to Isaac's preschool to ask if I could change his days so that I can go to the breastfeeding group with Malachi while Isaac is at pre-school.  On the way I met one of the peer supporters and we had a bit of a chat.  She said that all the other people who had been thrown out weren't happy about it either which was comforting to know as I thought it was just me.  The peer supporters in particular have made a big effort running the group.  The preschool were fine with me changing Isaac's days so I will be back at the breastfeeding group after half term.

I went to see the health visitor and she said that it had been decided that the group will be for mums with babies under one year only, regardless of how mobile they are.  So Malachi and I will be out on our ears again in January.  Apparantly seeing mums successfully breastfeeding babies over a year old will make the mums struggling feel inadequate.  I will carry on going to the breastfeeding group until we are chucked out again but I won't be getting there early to set up or staying late to pack away and wash up.

Jeremiah's special award

Jeremiah got the special award cup at school on friday.  Simon and I went to watch him get it in assembly.  When the teacher announced his name there was a big gasp and spontaneous applause, the teacher had to tell them to stop clapping!

Malachi has a cold.  Which means he is puking a lot.  I rang Nicola's secretary to see if he needs his medication increasing again or if we should wait it out.  I put him on the scales at the children's centre today when we were in for the baby group and he was 7.4kg so still following the line between the 2nd and 9th centile.

I had another attempt at getting my blood taken on friday.  It was not a success.  I have to make an appointment at the dr surgery for another go.

Tomorrow Isaac has an appointment with surgical orthotics to be fitted for new piedro boots.  I was chatting to another mum at the school gates today and she said that if I'm ever stuck at the hospital she is happy to pick up Jeremiah from school for me.  It's so hard to make friends with people when you see them most days but only for 5 minutes or so.  I feel like I'm getting there now though.

Two more weeks until half term.  And the tumble dryer man is coming!  I'm very excited which is a bit sad really.

That friday feeling

It's Friday and Simon is off work next week thank goodness.  We've had a busy week this week.  Tuesday we went to breastfeeding group.  Only 4 of us this week and one is going back to work on monday.  Then in the afternoon it was the time to chat group.  It was just Mel and I (again).  We decided to make sensory bottles next time for one of the physios who has recently had a baby. Wednesday was preschool and so was Thursday.  Today was my "day off" so I started blitzing the boys room.  I've also been tie dying some white cot sheets and some other bits ready for when Malachi moves from the moses basket into the cot.  I don't think the cot bedding will be dry in time for tonight but we should be putting away the moses basket at some point this weekend.

This afternoon Jeremiah was in a special assembly at school.  He was one of 2 children with a speaking part and he did really well, he spoke loudly and clearly.  Unfortunately Malachi was also speaking loudly and clearly lol so once Jeremiah had done his bit we left.

Next week Malachi has appointments with Nicola and his physio.  Isaac has an appointment with his occupational therapist (I'm hoping she will discharge him).  I have a parents forum meeting at the childrens centre so it's going to be another busy week.

Wednesday weigh in

Today I went to the childrens centre to see the health visitor and get Malachi weighed.  He weighed in at 7.2kg which is 15lb 15oz.  His head lag is improving too which was encouraging.  He has been nearly sitting for over a month now so it's nice to know he is improving in other ways.  I had a chat with the health visitor about the breastfeeding group and it was suggested that the mums of older babies could meet in the new room at rockwell green.  One of the staff at the children's centre has asked me to be a case study for the childrens centre that they can show to ofsted as an example of how the childrens centre helps individual families.