Rex - Thirty-One Weeks Home

Today marks thirty-one weeks home and thirty-three weeks out of the orphanage for Rex. The first of these last two weeks our family was sick though I will say that Rex held up the best. He has an amazing immune system and no nonsense approach to his priorities which are playing and romping about. Little did he care that the rest of us were in dire need of some quiet and relaxation.

Developmentally, Rex is taking a little break or at least so it seems, though there is always new stuff that he learns. He got a jack-in-the-box for his birthday and can now (ever so gently and sweetly) turn the handle all by himself until the bear pops out. He also got three spinning tops and he’s working very hard to learn to use them without assistance. He’s got the concept down, but needs to refine the motorics. Lastly, he has figured out how to turn the key throttle on one of his ride-on toys. It takes quite a good pincer grasp and pressure to do that, so I was happy when one morning I heard the vehicle starting and realized it was Rex doing it. All of these things might seem very minor to outsiders, but I know that eight months ago my baby boy could not even push a button, so it is all huge to me.

Now that he is three, Rex has been introduced to organic peanut butter and he loves it. It seems like I can hide things like mashed banana and applesauce in peanut butter on sandwiches and he eats it no questions asked. A spoonful of peanut butter also helps the oatmeal go down and, boy, does he ever go crazy over peanut butter stirred into ice-cream. He got that from his Mama. Rex enjoyed his first ever chicken wings with Craig this week and ate three bowls of homemade pumpkin and roasted tomato soup. I guess he missed my cooking while everyone was sick. It’s been slim pickings around here.

Starting this week, Rex will receive 21 hours of therapy per week through the end of June. The most expensive hours are fully funded through the special needs scholarship. He is doing 10 hours of what I call play and life skills therapy with Ms. Rie, an hour of OT with Ms. Kristen, 6 hours of ABA with Ms. Tara, and 4 hours of educational intervention with Ms. Katie. Talk about an overscheduled kid! Of course, therapy isn’t so bad when it includes playing in the warm spring rain and loving it, face to the sky and arms outstretched toward the heavens, laughing out loud. Oh how far my baby boy has come with sensory integration.

Over the last several days Rex has been extra joyful and loving. I don’t know if it’s the beautiful spring weather we are having or if he is reaching a new level of attachment, but he has been so sweet to me. He’s been cuddly even outside of naptime (he cuddles with his daddy all the time, but with me mostly at nap), he has been making incredible eye contact, he is watching my face when I speak, he comes up to my legs and leans on them, waiting for his head to be patted… It’s been quite wonderful and I am soaking up every minute of it while it lasts.