“Cause this is thriller! Thriller night!” Oct. 31

I hope you all had a spooky, candy-filled Halloween! In our house, Halloween came and went, and we’d never even know. Up here in our apartment in the woods, we’ve never had a single trick or treater. But I did go to school on Friday to meet my class and hang for a little while at their party. I got to see lots of co-workers, I really miss everyone! It is going to be SO hard to go back to work, but I kind of miss being in that “loop,” you know? My class seems nice. They were so cute in their little costumes. Tuesday is Election Day, and the kids will be off, but the teachers are working. I think I’ll stop by and crash lunch, bring Sarai to meet the Scotchtown crew!

Like I told you in the last post, Sarai seems so much more calm since the caffeine has stopped. Her physical therapist came on Friday, her second time, and she was just shocked at how different Sarai was. She said, over and over, “I’m amazed!” She said Sarai was TOTALLY socially appropriate. She was smiling, cooing, letting Vanessa (the PT) hold her and stretch her, completely different from last week. She was laying on her back and almost rolled over more than once! Vanessa couldn’t believe it! When she left she said, “I feel like I should hug you! This is so great!” Of course this is just one day, and she said she’ll really need to work with her through November before she has a real, clinical opinion about Sarai’s progress, but I’m encouraged! She also said that we should focus on stretching and massaging Sarai’s arms, they’re more tight than her legs. So I’ve been doing little bicep curls, shoulder raises and arm circles while we make donuts. She doesn’t even notice!

Vanessa has worked with several babies who were on caffeine and has seen changes when they were taken off of it, but she said she’s never seen anything so dramatic as this. But she also said, and of course it’s true, drugs have different side effects for everyone, maybe she just didn’t tolerate it very well.

Sarai is still sleeping better, during the day and at night. The past couple nights she’s been in bed around 9 or 9:30, waking up once to eat and going right back to sleep. She really seems to understand, when it’s dark out, it’s bedtime! (Of course as I write this, she starts crying!)

Next week we head to Syracuse for the weekend! Yippee! Friday morning I have my first cord blood presentation. I’m meeting with a few people (small group) from the Maternal-Infant Services Network of Orange, Ulster and Sullivan Counties. I put together a PowerPoint that I think really tells our journey, and gives lots of facts about cord blood banking. Wish me luck!

Sarai has a new cousin, Logan. Congratulations Eric and Tammie! And tomorrow is Katie’s birthday! Happy birthday little sister!! Sarai sends muchos besos!