Update on Mr. Sweetie Pants!

Wow seriously have 8 months almost gone by since Juddah has been in the USA? Boarding the plane in Addis with a tiny baby inside the baby bjorn sleeping so soundly against my chest seems like it was just last week, but the calendar and the size of my biceps from carring a growing baby around would indicate something quite different. Juddah has grown from a small, fragile, non-expressive baby to a baby whose legs you can't help but squeeze because of the little fat rolls around them, and his eyes tell a hundred different stories with all the expressions he has. In his short little life he has been thru much, and has a promise from the Lord of a hope and a future here on this earth. 


Monday, Juddah will have a follow up appointment here in Oregon with a neurosurgeon in Bend, about a 4 hour drive from our house. The doctor there has agreed to see him under charity care for his follow-ups post surgery. Juddah seems to have adjusted quite nicely to the shunt and so far seems to be working the way it should. His stitches in his head have just about dissolved and his tummy incision is all healed up and he can now swim with out a big bandage on it! 


Last week Juddah had an appointment/assessment with Early Intervention to determine if he qualified for physical therapy with them. The minute he came thru the door Juddah immediately had made a room full of new friends. The assessment lasted about 2 1/2 hours and Juddah was the perfect patient.. so happy and patient with all the things they wanted him to do. He also had his hearing tested. The great news is that his results came back great. He may only have a slight/possible problem with hearing directly ahead of him.. not sure what that means long term, but I'm sure we will learn more as we go along. 


Juddah still lacks upper body strength, and is non-mobile for now. He is itching to be on the go tho and his frustration is evident when he wants something that is at his eye level but just out of reach. He is rolling from front to back now, and boy oh boy can his little legs run in circles when he is laying on the floor. Looking forward to his first physical therapy appointment next week, and learning about the goals that will be set for him, and how quickly his strength can be built up before he starts to crawl.. oh what a celebration that day will be! Better start child-proofing the house now.


Here are some pictures of what his incision site looks like now...
this one is just behind his ear and is where the shunt is anchored to his skull

 this one is a half moon shape and is on the top of his head

This my latest big print I've had made for our home of him... I love all his expressions.

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Ephesians 3:19-21

prayer warriors still needed!