Baby Iggy update and a bunch of pictures!

Achievements he's made in the last month:

-Pushing himself up on his hands
 -sitting up on his own for a few minutes
-better hand coordination
-FOOD!!!
-uncurling his left hand and using it a little
-rolls over
-efficient at crawling on his back by digging his heels in and pushing back



At his last doctor's visit I was asked a bunch of routine questions. Then I was yelled at.

Apparently I don't stimulate baby Iggy enough.

 I already kind of knew that, but he cries whenever I put him down and doesn't like being alone, and I thought I was allowed to cut him a little slack after all he's been through.

At the time of the visit (almost a month ago) he had just started pushing himself up on his forearms and lifting his head.

The pediatrician reminded me what a miracle he was to be doing so well despite what he should be like statistically and told me we have a real shot of him meeting his milestones, if I help him.

The only problem I have is by helping him I have to hurt him a little by giving him independence. The pediatrician recommended 8 hours a day of tummy time.  It's so much harder to hear him cry than it ever was with Anna. Anna gets screamy and angry, baby Iggy just wells up his eyes with big tears and pouts and has a pitiful little wail like I've hurt his feelings.

I tried both lying down with him and leaving him alone and he doesn't like tummy time either way but he's come a LONG way in the 1 month of increased tummy time (I'm not going to lie, it's still no where near 8 hours). He started pushing himself up on his hands two weeks into tummy time, and rolling over efficiently after three weeks. I feel really bad rolling him back onto his tummy after he goes through trouble to roll onto his back though haha.

He's also been sitting up alone better, only falling after a few minutes or when he overestimates his reaching abilities.

I do notice he prefers to use his right hand a lot more than his left, but I started uncurling his fingers and splaying them out on my hand when I hold him and he's been uncurling it more on his own, but I can still see he's stronger and more confident with his right hand. If I put toys on his left side hoping to coax him into using his left arm he just reaches over with his right arm getting on his belly for a split second then rolling back onto his back to play happily with his toy.

He definitely has strength in his left arm/hand, because when I push him to grip something he will, and obviously he can use his left arm and hand to push up when he's on his belly, but I'm not sure if a little physical therapy will help with that, or if he will be officially diagnosed with cerebral palsy in a few months. I might call the Developmental Team before his appointment just to see what a physical therapist means.

I want to help him do as much as he can, and obviously I'd like for him to have full capabilities, but  I also feel soooo blessed and lucky just to be able to have him completely off machines and able to do all that he does already so I just want to hold him. Some of the doctors and nurses had told me I would have to get a special needs van to cart him around because he was going to be so mentally disabled he was going to need a special wheel chair, oxygen tank, and a feeding machine hooked up to his belly 24/7 so that was a grim outlook I had for a little bit, and now, to have this little happy boy is every wish I had come true.

When Iggy and I would discuss our fears all Iggy said he wanted was to be able to make his son smile and we can definitely do that, if not get some uproarious chuckles from belly kisses =)