Giggles

This week has been a big week for Payson, here is why:

On Wednesday, our boy weighted in at 17 lbs. 15 oz. Yup, you read that right! Our 6 month old is 10 lbs. away from weighing the same as his 2 year old sister! He is one big boy whose cheeks seem to get chunkier and chunkier! I need to post a recent picture b/c those cheeks just keep on givin!

On Friday, Payson was getting some belly time and managed to move his head side to side! Okay, so this is little, but it is a good accomplishment in his development! I was so proud of him! Little by little, bit by bit we will get caught up! Today he even spent a good hour in his excersaucer! He kept playing with the toys and rolling the ball on it! This was a good long period of him keeping his head up on his own without resting his head on the side of the saucer! (It cracks me up when he rests his head on the side of the saucer b/c it is as if he gives up with his head, but his eyes keep watching what is going on). He is making progress every day and will be running right behind Margaret Ruth soon!

After being couped up with cabin fever for the last couple of months, God gave Pa. a little break of nice weather...50-55. I wrapped up Margaret Ruth and the boy, put them in the stroller and the family took a walk. I am grateful Todd was there to push the stroller b/c the vent would have been hard to push up hill! When we came back from our walk I decided to keep the kids outside so that Payson could have some fresh air! I took him off the vent and put his HME on so we could walk around free of cords. Within a few minutes he ventured onto the swing which caused smiles that lit up the back yard! It was too cute! As Margaret Ruth played in the swing I just held him on my hip allowing him to look around and see the world. It was his first real glimpse/view of the world outside! It was a very sweet moment to be able to take the kids on a walk and play with all of them outside! Finally, all together doing normal family things! I will never be able to put into words the pure joy I felt watching all my kids play outside...I mean all of them!!

Finally, the highlight of the week:

We can hear it, we can hear it! Ahhhh, the joys of sweet, (almost silent), belly laugh giggles coming from our sweet baby. His laugh is so faint and resembles his cry that on Friday night we thought he was really upset. That is until I looked over and saw he was laughing at Margaret Ruth's red ball. So, as normal parents do we have to try and replicate what he thought was funny just to hear his sweet giggle again. Little did we think our smiling boy would be so difficult to get a laugh from! Seriously, he will smile at anyone or anything, but laughing is a whole different matter. You have to work for it and you have to work hard! He won't just give giggles away for free! It was great fun to know we can hear not only his cry, (when he is really mad), but we can also hear his sweet faint laugh! (: Trached kids aren't supposed to be heard, but it seems as if Payson is determined to have a voice. When we are looking at each other he tries so hard to find a voice so he can babble at me. It is so precious and stains my heart with sweet memories!

This week we have a few doctors appointments, but nothing big PT, speech and a pre-op appt. Next week is going to be difficult since we will be out 5 days! I think I better start resting up now!

Don't panic he isn't having surgery, just a sedated ABR (hearing test)! Speaking of hearing, he can hear us! Praise Jesus! I know he hears us! He will turn his head towards sound, he hears faint songs played by toys and will get scared over sudden noise. Next week we will get the offical hearing status, but he can most certainly hear! Praise Him!!!!!