Finally I Get to Speak!

Hi, it's me Mendele. My Tatty finally let me show you around the blog, but "just this one time," he says. (As you can see I'm a little nervous about public speaking ...) Well allow me to start with my latest achievements:

Today I successfully got my own thumb into my mouth on my own while in a sitting position for the very first time! (Sorry, Tatty didn't grab the camera in time to get it, but here I am taking it out of my mouth - mission accomplished.) Most recently I also succeeded in holding my "sussy" in my mouth by myself.

Yesterday our neighbors gave my parents new toys for me to play with. If I may say so myself I think I have established a pretty solid relationship with these little guys.

And I learned how to get what I want!

OK, Now let's talk about me- y'know my looks.

Well the thing about me that attracts the most attention is my hair. I have a widows peek like my Tatty, see?Washed and combed right after a bath it looks like this:
But less than ten minutes later it will look something like this:
Like Totally!!

(I must say that my cousin Mirel gave me the idea for this style - and when we got home from our visit with her family I adopted it immediately. Thanks Mirel)

~~~

I was not aware when this picture was taken but I'll just tell you what's going on. This is my bed, and the Rebbe's picture with the twelve pesukim are always in it with me.

When I'm awake in my bed my parents will always make me exercise. Sometimes they put me on my stomach so I can strengthen my neck and back.

If I'm not on my stomache there will always be colorful, sometimes mobile things to keep me focused and responsive.

Now and then I'll get a bath - and although I'm told again and again that babies love baths I for one can't stand them! What I do like is the attention I get from my parents afterwards! Check it out:
(In these two I'm jut being too cute for them to dress me.) (Yeah. They love it when I pretend to talk to them - they think any sound is talking!) No seriously, the happiest moments of my life are when I am in my parent's arms.

Wait do you even know my parents? Here allow me to introduce you:

This is my Tatty:And this is My Mommy - I kinda like her better... (Sorry dad.)
Anyways, thanks for joining me in my blog I hope you have a wonderful Pesach - I am so excited! This is my first Pesach ever!! I CAN'T WAIT!!

Thanks again, I'll see ya later.

Y'gotta love 'em!

I just couldn't let the last post go without following up with some more cute pics.

Mendele is just chillin'.

Mendele is working hard .
Mendele is resting, sucking his tiny thumb.
Mendele supports his head on his arm while deep in a sweet sleep.
Y'gotta love 'em!

Today

Hi again everyone.
Well the good news is Mendele is pretty much all better from his Bronchialitis, B"H.
The rest of the news will be in pictures:

The evaluations came through - now all we have to do is wait with folded arms...... for the bureaucracy to pass.

Next time you hold a baby you'll notice that they always seem to be looking right above your head, the reason is that new born babies can in fact see the Shechina that hovers above our heads...

And yes, they really do smell like Gan Eden!

Before we get to the therapy, which may be sad to look at I would just like you all to know that despite it all, Mendele is a happy child...

(that is a smile) and that he loves his mommy for all the hard work she does to help him.

Now on to the therapies:

To help him keep his tongue inside his mouth mommy does this. Mendele bites her finger and exercises his jaw so it won't hang open.

Another way of strengthening Mendele's jaw is to run under his chin... We are not sure how this helps but the therapist said it helps so we do it.
Mendele is surrounded by colorful pictures and toys - these help him learn to focus on stuff and respond to his surroundings.
He stretches his arms and legs. He is getting stronger as he tries to hold his arms in one place while his mommy tugs gently.
Sometimes the toys and the noise are just a little too much. At such times Mendele will inevitably end up...
...on Tatty's shoulder.
Yes, it is still winter and yes, Mendele does get tired after all of this exercise.

This is the first picture you have seen on this site that has no caption.

Did you ever wonder who to turn to in case of trouble, you do now: This is one tough cookie
and this tough cookie is giving me a look that says "Put that camera away or else..."
So, till Tough Guy Mendele lets me catch some more shots of him I'll say g'night.

Yesterday

Mendele was soo cute yesterday.

He slept until 4:30 before waking up his Mommy to get his portion of milk while he watched the sunrise over smoky NY. When the sun was all the way up his Mommy put him back in his bed - a move Mendele was apparently not very happy about because he qvetched and whined. Even the music his Mommy put in his bed didn't calm him down. It was actually the music that woke Mendele's Tatty who brought Mendele into his bed where they quietly played nicely until 6:00 when Mendele fell asleep and his Tatty went to shul.

When Mendele finally woke up at 9:00 he was in such a good mood, and he was so talkative that he and his Tatty had their first real heart to heart talk since Mendele joined the family.

Throughout the day many people came to visit Mendele and he entertained them all - a real charmer!

Developments:
Mendele's new schedule is: Sleep all night (he does sleep b"H until at least 4am), when he wakes up he eats and then plays for about half an hour and then goes back to sleep with his "sussy". Then, for the rest of the day he eats as soon as he wakes up, then he has to play for at least half an hour and then go to sleep with his sussy.

This schedule is recommended for any baby over 2 months old - this way whenever he qvetches you know what he wants - other than a diaper change - it's either eat play or sleep. and yes he does qvetch wen we don't play with him during play time.

B"H to all of this - Please, check back at around ten pm for pictures of the past week!

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Now that he's hit the 2-month mark, Mendele is becoming an increasingly agreeable companion when he's happy. He looks around the room for interesting things to see.
He focuses intently — though briefly — on whatever grabs his attention. Most of all, he really enjoys looking at his hands and stuffing them in his mouth.

You can carry on a "conversation" with Mendele now. When Mendele gurgles or coos, his mommy will say something back to him. Then wait for him to "say" something back to you. This kind of conversational turn-taking may not sound like much to you now, but it's actually the beginning of learning how to talk!

Today we met with the physical therapist who was very impressed with Mendele's ability to hold up his head while lying on his stomach. This ability comes from days of lying on his stomach!

Mendele's head is still wobbly so we're going to get a therapist who's going to help him strengthen his back, neck and chest muscles so he should be able to hold up his own head!

Happy Shabbos

OK. Thanks y'all for nudging me.
We met with a speach therapist who was quite impressed with Mendele's progress - the progress which, if I may add, he made on his own.
Mendele seems to focus very well with his eyes. He has started smiling these big huge smiles that tend to make his parents go a little googly.
On Sunday we are going to meet with a phisycal therapist who's going to check how strong he is.
Anyway, in other other news, Mendele is sounding and feeling much better B"H.

Bronchulitis

Do you know what that is? It's a cute (not acute chv"sh) form of bronchitis i guess. Well we got some medicine for Mendele and B"H he's doing ok.

Today a special education specialist stopped by to assess Mendele. Here is what he discovered:

1. Mendele is eligible for physical therapy because his head is a little wobbly.

2. Mendele needs more eye/ear or seeing/hearing stimulation.
3. Mendelel is eligible for speech/feeding therapy.
5. Although Mendele hardly ever cries the is nothing B"H wrong with his lungs. We know this because when he does cry... mamamilla!
6. Last but not least Mendele is an adorable child wit a huge smile!

Well there ya have it! Please keep up the nagging because I am at a place where crying babies get whatever they want!

Meetings

Unfortunately I must inform you all that Mendele has come down with a cold. The doctor says he'll get over it in a few days.

Today Mendele's parents met with the representatives of an Early Intervention Program. The first - our service coordinator basically told us all about the EIP services and had us sign a bunch of papers saying that she had told us everything she was supposed to.

Then we met with a second representative who interviewed Mendele's parents all about him and them too. It was a very quick meeting and Mendele slept right through the first and most of the second.

Both reps were very nice.

As soon as we know what kind of therapy he's going to get you'll be the first person we tell!

p.s. For those who have children with dissabilities don't forget to apply for SSI!

More pics on the way.

Has it been a few hours?

Hi everybody,
Check these out:

Mendele is mesmerized by he hanging turning fishees and the lights on the mechanical swing.

This is Medele:
And this is Mendele midswing - midsleep
We'll be back before you know it so don't go too far.

Purim is a fun, fun time la-la-la

So yesterday - Purim - Mendele had quite a busy day. I won't go through all of what Mendele did but I will say this: Mendele has never been so "verbal" (vocal would be more acurate)! So many people held him and talked to him that by the end of the day he was looking his co-conversationists right in the eye and vocalizing back to them with the cutest combination of facial expressions.

Even late last night Mendele had a wonderfull conversation with his Tatty before going to sleep.

If there are no pictures here yet please check back in a few hours...

For Family and Friends

B"H Mendele added quite a whoop and a holler (and a wail or two) to the noise at the sound of Haman's name tonight.
Hi, everybody. Sorry 'bout the silence - here's what's going on.
According to Mendele's aunt Mushka he actually laughed with her over Shabbos. Though we don't know this for sure (we do trust her but we can't tell all of you with certainty unless one of us actually sees it) we do know that over the past few days Mendele has been chattering away - to the absolute delight of his Mommy and aunts!

Another development (just in the last few days) Mendele grans onto his mommys shirt or shawl whenever he is being carried in the nursing position - he grabs and he holds on tight!!

This weekend at the home of aunt Nechami, Mendele experimented with a bunch of new toys. A bouncer with flashing lights and fun music and a swing with ocean sound effects. He also tried out a doll and five sided ball and some other fun, fun stuff.

*please note: We have heard from friends that they are under the impression that this is a family site. The truth is that this site is for whomever wishes to take comfort or inspiration from it. So, please, be you friend or family we welcome your comments.