Farina Face

Getting messy feeding himself

We had a fun and unexpected break through this week. Connor showed interest and a little ability to feed himself!  It started with him sticking his hand in the bowl of Farina (kind of like grits) I was trying to feed him and then he licked his fingers with a little encouragement from me.  He did this several times and was quite pleased with the results!  His movements were a little jerky and his aim often off, so quite a bit of the stuff got on his face but he managed to get some of it in his mouth.  The next day at Carrie’s house he picked up the biter biscuit, put it to his mouth and licked it several times.  He’s also into holding the spoon himself for a few bites during meals.  Usually just three or four times and he’s had his fill, but he always smiles a big grin when he holds the spoon with me and we guide it to his mouth. Not sure where this little development will lead, but it’s exciting that he’s taking interest in doing it himself.

Aside from this new interest, feeding has been quite miserable the last few weeks.  With a cold right before Christmas and another one right after the New Year, his appetite and tolerance for anything but his bottle of Pediasure went right out the window.  Even now that he’s feeling better, meal times are hard.  He’ll take a few bites and then start crying and shaking his head.  There have been many days lately that he gets less than 20 bites of food all day.  He’s still drinking 2-3 bottles a day, so he’s not starving or anything but fighting to get food into him is not our idea of a good time.

So far so good with wearing the eye
patch again!

Connor has also started this strange head swaying.  He swings his head from side to side and his eyeballs roll up into his lids.  It’s a little dangerous when you’re holding him and he starts doing it as he doesn’t have a sense of where he’s swinging his head and it hurts when he makes contact with your jaw.  I’m pretty sure it is a sensory stimulation thing, but will ask the neurologist when we go next month. 

In other news, the ophthalmologist thinks it’s best to start patching Connor’s right eye again.  His left eye’s vision is worse than the right and it hasn't caught up like we hoped it would.  The doctor also thinks it’s time to introduce Connor to eyeglasses, so a pair of those will be in our possession in the next few weeks.

Never a dull moment in the Dean household!

Current requests for prayers and good thoughts – for Connor’s eating habits become more pleasant, for his leg braces to come in, for continued growth in self feeding, for an easy adjustment back to the eye patch and to the glasses.

Bonus pic of the kiddos reading together.  So sweet!