Peter - Carepage - July 28th, 2009

For all the Peruvian's out there - Feliz 28! Today being Peru's Independence Day!!

Peter has been busy!! He is doing great - over his cold and his appetite is getting better. He has been drinking a lot and while still has some spit up seems to be holding things down better since Dr. McCaffery put him on antibiotics for the yuckies in his throat and tummy. I think we are in for a long haul of this happening on and off as he is putting a lot in his mouth lately.

Speaking of putting things in his mouth - I think Peter started seriously signing this last week! First - he seems to suck two fingers when he is thirsty. It has been quite hot lately but he did it on several occassions shortly before feeding time and in those instances drank as if we had not given him liquids in days. When we feed him and he starts getting a little picky - usually because he lost interest in solids - he tends to get real fussy. Well, we will stop and do the sign for "all done" and "more". The first sign involves bringing your hands together and then seperating them off to the sides in a flip sort of way. Well, Peter was not bringing his hands together but as I asked him if he wanted "more" or was "all done", he would hang his hands over the side of his high chair and flip his little hands. It is the coolest thing to watch!! I met a little girl with DS this weekend who signs over 350 words....wow.....so now John and I are totally on fire to learn more so that we can continue to teach Peter and enable his communication. We had one book I picked up while pregnant - but the signs they teach are different from what our therapists are using - so we need to pick a new book up. If anyone has suggestions please let us know!

Ever have one of those days that you know you should just crawl into bed and hope the next day is better? Well, last Wednesday was one of those for the Krause family. We headed off to John's softball game - and despite our luck - the team WHOOPED the other team - way to go guys!! But, first I was talking to my friend Mindy. Alexandra decided to jump into the conversation - literally - she ran along an ledge, took one wrong step and did a very uncomfortable fall to the ground and was sore for a few days. During the game, Tommy decided to take on the same little wall and fell face first and split open his lip - and bled all over my white shirt. I don't think I've worn white in years - and now I know why. Anyway...let me set the stage - summer night, slightly dusk, summer breeze....ok....strong wind that makes it hard to hear the person next to you. Well, I was sitting in the bleachers talking to my friends Anne and Mindy. Peter propped in my left arm as usual - obviously I need my right hand for all the expressions that match my story at the time. Then I feel a breath taking, shocking, piercing pain in my arm - and I close my eyes to gather my breath. I sort of hear voices around me - including Anne telling me to give her Peter. Peter??!! Oh my goodness - it hurts right were Peter sits in the crook of my arm. I open my eyes to figure out what is going on.....Peter is surprisingly in front of me instead of his normal sitting position and I just got nailed by a softball - in the wind having missed the call of the umpire. Mindy - in all her wisdom - pointed out Peter's Guardian Angel was watching out for him....and was she right! I swear that Angel gently moved Peter over in the nick of time because that ball missed Peter by an inch at the most. One more amazing miracle for Peter!! Of course, as soon as the game was over we headed home because I dare not go anywhere else....my Guardian Angel must have been on a Starbucks break!

Love to all!

catherine