This post is slightly overdue, but I’ve spent so much time just enjoying Sol that I haven’t had as much time to sit and write. I can’t believe our little muffin turned four months old this past week! He spent it in the best way – being loved on by his grandparents, Bebe and Gramps, and his Auntie Jenn.

Unfortunately, turning 4 months old means vaccinations, so Sol had to go to visit the pediatrician. The good news is that he is continuing to gain weight and grow, even jumping percentiles in height. Mike was out of town for work, so I dragged Sol’s Bebe along with me for moral support while Sol got his shots. I didn’t need it – Sol barely let out a cry when he got two shots in his legs and he was a happy camper most of the day.

Over in therapyland, we still have many of the same goals, but we are making great progress and are adding to them. In PT, we are working on strengthening Sol’s core muscles to help with his low tone and also balance out his very strong back muscles. We’ve been doing lots of tummy time, rolling, and exercises on a medicine ball for his core muscles. He’s doing a great job of engaging his core, particularly since he’s now always bringing his hands – and toys – to his mouth. These muscles will also help him gain even more control over his head, which he is starting to hold up on his own for short periods of time. We’ve just begun working on a supported seated position, which will continue to improve as Sol gets stronger.

In OT, we’re very focused on Sol’s right hand since it is his weaker side and he naturally holds it in a fist more often than his right. To help relax his hand, we’ve started using a Mckie Splint, which encourages him to hold out his thumb, relaxing the entire hand. Once his hand is open, we encourage him to use it to hold toys, reach, grab, and stretch.

Next week, we’ll be adding Vision Therapy to the mix, twice a month. I’m happy to report that Sol’s eyes are consistently moving to midline and to the right, and he’s starting to watch faces, toys, and other movement – a really positive step!

While I’m so excited by Sol’s progress in PT and OT and with his vision over the past month, I’m feeling even more accomplished because I have learned how to sit back and enjoy my baby. Previously, I was amped up by all the therapy we need to do and focused on milestones and where Sol was – and wasn’t – that I realized I was forgetting to enjoy my time with him. This is so unfortunate because he is one stinkin’ cute baby. Now, I am taking more time just to sit and chat (ok, more like “coo”) with him, which helps me realize what an amazing and handsome little guy he is. Life is good.