Jackson's follow-up appointment

I took Jackson back to the doctor on Friday morning for his follow-up appointment from the week before. Jackson is getting better, but he is still not 100% well.

Like a true momma in denial, I walked into the appointment with the breathing machine to return. My pediatrician politely told me it was ours - to keep - and that's we'd need to use it as needed to treat Jackson's wheezing or next flare up.

Then he checked Jackson's ears and they still had fluid in them. After a weeks worth of antibiotics, he would have liked them to be better then they were.

At this point I brought up the fact that Jackson really doesn't talk. I mean he says a word or two, but nothing consistent. Not even momma anymore:( Jackson is stubborn and spoiled. He doesn't have to talk or ask for anything. Half of me wonders if he can talk, but chooses not too. And the other half of me worries it's because of his ears. {Sometimes it is very hard to get his attention, but that could just be a boy thing?}

Either way, I was sent home with a referral to a speech therapist. They also did an ultrasound on Jackson's ears and discovered they were far worse then the doctor thought.

So, poor Jackson is on a heavy duty dose of antibiotics for 10 days to clear up the infection. If his ears aren't clear after this round, then we're off to the ENT. He'll likely need tubes, which makes me so upset.

Don't get me wrong, I know that we are beyond blessed. I just hate that my baby is sick. I thank God for our health everyday, and pray for those babies {and parents} that are much sicker than Jackson.  I know in the big picture, this is really nothing to worry about.

Oh and as a note for my records, Jackson lost a pound from the week before and was an inch shorter. The nurse just got a more accurate measurement for his height, Jackson weighed 28 pounds and was 32 inches tall.

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Deja vu

Halloween was another gorgeous day in South Louisiana.  It was the type of day that makes me crave being outside all day. Crisp fall air, no humidity, blue skies and sunshine. These are the days that I live for and can't get enough of!

We tried to keep Jackson inside and quiet, but he wasn't having it. We ran to the market and decided to go to my parents for dinner and see the trick-or-treater's in their neighborhood. We were going to eat outside and let Jackson "hand out" more candy:) When I went to grab Jackson's monster costume I realized just how sticky it was from all of his suckers...hmmm, Jackson couldn't go to Loli & Pop's without a costume on Halloween.

So, I went through Jackson's closest and found that Captain Jackson Sparrow still fit Jackson from last year! So, we had a little déjà vu. My 16-month-old toddler wore the same exact costume from his first Halloween. Yes, do the math. Jackson was 4 months last year. Absolutely crazy, I know, but he was just as cute the second time around:)

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How to get your toddler to do a breathing treatment?

If you read this post, then you know that day one of Jackson's breathing treatments were terrible. Seriously, I felt like a failure as I sat in the pediatrician's office giving Jackson his first test treatment.

The nurses had me practice giving Jackson a treatment to see how we "handled it". I mean, how hard could it be, right?!? WRONG. It was a test, and we didn't do so hot. I'd say we failed, but they let us go home, so I guess we passed with a D.

I was not able to keep Jackson calm or even console him what.so.ever. When I say that Jackson lost his shit, he LOST IT! It took me and TWO nurses to hold down all 29 pounds of toddler. Talk about the longest 10 minutes.  I don't know who was more red at the end of it - me from utter embarrassment or Jackson was being so pissed off. When they turned the machine off, Jackson buried his head in my chest and passed out.

I thought for sure that Jackson would do better at home. In the quiet, with just me. We could do this, I can get my kid to do a breathing treatment, I know I can. Once again, WRONG. Mr. came in for back up, and well you saw that picture. It was torture. And I'm not sure why.  It's not like the treatment hurts in anyway.

So I called in for help, and help I got! Here's what worked:
• We let Jackson play with the machine, he turned it on and off. He played with the tube and pointed the air on us. He got comfortable with the loud noise the machine makes. I guess this made it all less scary.

• Instead of sitting quietly in his room, we sat on the couch and watched a show for distraction.

• Elmo was an awesome distraction, and we turned up the volume to drowned out the machine.

• We ditched the elastic strap around his head. It did nothing but piss Jackson off, so I just held the mask over his face.

• After the medicine was out, I let him play around with mask. He made the cutest fishy faces for us and thought he was such a big boy!

And with those little bits of advice, we had a happy boy that could breath again!

THANK YOU!!!

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Our lil monster/trick-or-treat

I can't begin to tell you how happy I am that Jackson was well enough Saturday night to dress up for Halloween. Yes, I said Saturday night, Halloween eve. Our neighborhood decided to do trick-or-treat on Saturday instead of Sunday.

Sunday nights are just too hard being a school night for most. Not to mention, there's just something about being home and nesting on Sunday nights that I need in order to function during the week!

Mr. and I were relieved when Jackson started to tolerate the breathing treatments.  I can't begin to tell you what a difference they made.  However, since Jackson was still sick we didn't take him trick-or-treating.  I don't think he knew the difference, and had just as much fun being dressed up as a monster!

The weather was cool and beautiful so my parents came over and helped decorate the outside of the house.  Mr. cooked a delicious chili and Jackson handed out lots and lots of candy to our trick-or-treater's. Truth be told, I think he ate more candy then he actually handed out.  I lost count after his 5th or 6th sucker of the night.  Before we knew it, our house was full of neighbors coming in from the cold to have a bowl of chili and visit.  I love these kind of nights, there's nothing better than a house full of life and laughter!

Jackson needed an extra breathing treatment from running crazy with all the sugar, but it was so worth it!  This little monster of ours just melts my heart:)

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