A New Activity

Last Friday one of Larkin's good friends, Price and his mommy invited Larkin and me to go try out a Gymboree class for free.  Larkin LOVED it!

 Larkin and buddy Oliver

 "Look mommy!  I'm doing it too!"

It was so encouraging to watch him be able to do things like help the other kids roll a mat across the room and climb up a vertical mat.  You could tell he loved being able to do the things the other kids were doing too.  By the end of class he seemed very happy and proud of himself.

On that note, therapy is going well.  We had another session today and Larkin is doing so great.  We are working on isolated standing right now and on leading with his right foot when pulling up on things.  It's a lot more difficult for him to push his weight off that right leg so we've been practicing building up that strength.

 Otherwise Larkin is crawling great and he seems to love his therapist.  Whereas last week he was grumpy with her, this week he went right up and hugged her, laying his head down on her leg.  It was so cute. To be honest I think he's sick of being stuck indoors with me (we both were a little under the weather and had to miss playgroups and outings with friends) he was so thankful to see someone besides mommy.  It was as if he crawled over to her, laid down his little head and thought "Thank the Lord!  Another human being!"

Guess who?!

An old email pic I just found :)

And so it begins...

The past few weeks we have entered into a new season in parenting.  No longer is Larkin content to remain a dependent little baby, following along wherever mommy goes.  He is beginning to assert his opinions, frustrations and his own little will.  Of course he's been frustrated or upset in the past 13 months but it wasn't until the past few weeks we've seen a new level of independence and an awareness in him that he will work to get what he wants.... I think we are entering into the season of DISCIPLINE!   Yikes... this momma is not ready!

My little cutie

Jordan and I were doing all we could yesterday morning to not burst into fits of laughter.  Larkin has started throwing a little tantrum (which is not uncommon this past month).  We decided our method would be, unless he was in pain or genuinely needed something, to (at this point) try to calmly tell Larkin why we wouldn't acknowledge him and then ignore the tantrums.

Larkin has realized we don't concede to his screams, and with dramatic gusto has started to bury his little head into the floor, taking up the yoga "child's pose" as if the world is coming to an end.

Yesterday though as he screamed in the hall for Jordan and I to come pick him up we waited in the den encouraging him to crawl to us instead.  Little guy would scoot a few feet towards us and bury his head with loud wails.  As he approached the den and again buried his head, he turned it to the side with a little smile and (I swear) a little look on his face that said, "Do I have their attention?" and then when he saw us looking at him turned that smile to a frown buried back down his head and went right on screaming!

How do they learn these things?!  You always hear that you don't have to teach a child to misbehave but watching sweet Larkin do just that knowing he hasn't (yet) seen mommy throw such a tantrum or daddy behave that way makes you realize how incredible it is that they are that smart to try and get what they want.

Oh Lord please help us!  Excited for all phases of development and above all we are asking the Lord for wisdom in parenting, but I feel like a switch was flipped, a new season has begun in his little development!  We LOVE you little Lark!  Bad mood and all!

A much less dramatic show of his "child's pose" :)

What we've been up to these days....

Busy busy busy month 13!  We've been so busy I haven't documented Lark's milestones recently so there is much to catch up with.

First of all, Lark now has 4 teeth!  The first 2 bottom came right at month 12 and he now has a top middle and side tooth- with a little snaggle hole in the middle... it makes for a super cute smile!

Though Larkin began rolling over pretty early, other milestones from sitting to pulling up to crawling and even getting his two front teeth have been slower than other toddlers his age.

This never really worried me, perhaps because cognitively he seemed pretty much on target and I have had it so ingrained in me that "each child develops at their own pace". So I felt comfortable with where he was at developmentally. Although at one year he wasn't crawling, he sure was scooting around everywhere.  Then, at his one year dr appointment when the dr said she was concerned with his progress, it brought me to tears. All of a sudden what I had considered as just a "bit behind" was a concern to a health professional and I started to feel guilty that the efforts I'd made to work with him on his physical development were not enough. The doctor noticed some asymmetrical development and recommended we visit a neurologist and start physical therapy.  I had noticed Larkin scooted with one foot but it wasn't until the dr said this I realized when he walked behind his walker he leaned over on his "weak side" as well.

A bit overwhelmed and confused we were fit in with a neurologist the next day. After a few exercises with Larkin she ruled out severe muscle disease and was "cautiously optimistic" it was something that could be improved with therapy but she wanted to run an MRI to check for anything in the brain that could cause the asymmetry in his muscles. Hesitant to put Lark under anesthesia completely and wanting to see how therapy improved his development before moving forward with an MRI, after lots of prayer Jordan and I decided to wait and see how therapy helped first.

At the neurologist - he was covered in prayer by sweet friends that morning

The Lord gave both Jodan and I a real peace and confidence that this was a struggle that, with a little work, will be nonexistent in a matter of months . . .In the meantime as we've awaited the evaluation by a physical therapist Larkin has started crawling this week! He doesn't do it everywhere, but he definitely will craw several feet at a time.

What a blessing from the Lord! The Great Physician and Therapist kick-started Larkin's little legs and arms and has him slowly creeping forward on them as a reminder to mommy daddy and all who are praying for Lark that He hears our prayers.  We will still move forward with therapy in the hopes that we will learn more techniques to work with him on to help him progress and catch up developmentally and if there is continued significant delay we will move forward with the MRI later.

"I'll crawl when I want to crawl!" ;)

In other news, Larkin is still waking around seven.  And going to bed around 7:30.

His current schedule is:

7:00 Milk and Breakfast

9:15-11:00 Nap

11:15 Milk and Lunch

1:15-3:00 Nap

3:00 Snack

6:00 Dinner

7:30 Bedtime!

This month we've enjoyed playing with all kinds of birthday toys this month!

We've still been enjoying our playgroup dates at all kinds of places.

We are enjoying our morning walks with Piper

 We watch Piper clean up our food messes.

And contrary to what this picture portrays, we are NOT liking our carseat.  Almost every time I put him in it, we have a little fit.

 Speaking of fits, he is beginning to have them.  He puckers his lips and gets pretty dramatic, burying his head in the floor as if the world is ending.  Sometimes mommy and daddy try not to laugh. He is also having a very hard time at the church nursery these days.  As soon as we walk down the hall he knows whats coming and starts crying and trying to scurry up daddy's shoulder to safety.

He still sleeps with a paci

And he is a genuinely happy little boy.  Mommy and others comment on his sweet disposition.  He has a smile that makes others feel special and important and his eyes sparkle when he's happy.

 When he's playing with toys and wants to share he holds up the toy and has a soft little squeal and he walks behind his walker and gets stuck he raises his hand to ask for help.  It's pretty cute!

Happy 13 months Larkin!  And while we are on milestones, Larkin's grandmother Mimi is a few months older than Larkin!  Happy Birthday Mimi!  We love you!"

A picture from the past...

Little Allie Key

Welcome to the world, Allison Elizabeth Key!  "Allie" was born this past month on July 18th at 5:25 in the morning weighing 6lb 13oz to dear friends Lindsay and Randy Key.

Mommy, Lindsay is doing wonderfully and enjoying spending time at home both with Allie and big sister Morgan.

Our community group came over to give Allie a little love right after she was born... I had already forgotten how to hold a new born- so tiny!!!

Larkin is excited for all of the fun times to be had with his new little buddy, Allie!