It's been a while...

Wow, it's been over 6 weeks since my last blog. I just haven't had the time or motivation to write anything before now. Let's see where do I begin...
 

Dominic is doing really well. He is HUGE. He now weighs 17lbs and is really long too. I'm not sure how long because I haven't measured him, but he's long. Most people think he's about 8 months old. In fact he now weighs 2lbs less than Natalie weighed when she turned 1. I call him my beast. He is still on his acid reflux medicine because I tried to take him off it and it was a big disaster. I think I'll keep him on it until he starts solids.

Hmmmm solids. Yes we tried solids a couple weeks ago and it was an epic fail! He looked at me with disgust - anyone would think I had fed him a malaria tablet. He then gagged and spat it all out. So we shelved that idea for the time being...milk it is!

Dominic has been rolling over like a rolling fool. He rolled over a couple of times when he was 5 weeks old, but we suspect that was an accident rather than an intentional act. He is now showing a real desire to get moving. Maybe he will crawl sooner than his sister, who knows! He's a generally happy man. He's still extremely clingy so I have to carry him around about 95% of the time I have just resigned myself to marsupial life. I am often soaking wet, and so is Dominic. 'Have you been swimming?' or 'Did you fall into a fountain?' one may ask. Why no, this is the baby puke look, don't you know. It's no wonder this child is always eating, he throws up half of everything he eats. It's grim.

Natalie was really sick a couple of weeks back. She was green. Literally green. She was floppy and our home thermometer read 106 degrees. We gave her two different types of fever reducer and 30 minutes later took her to the ER where her fever registered at 104.3. After chest x-rays and a thorough examination she was sent home with some random cough syrup (???).
Her fever lasted about 5 days and on day 4 she broke out in a horrific rash. I took her to the pediatrician where they did a strep test, which came back negative, and so they diagnosed her with Roseola, or Sixth disease. She had not eaten for 5 days and on the day she started feeling better I took her out to Monkey Joes (a bounce house). She had a great time playing so I asked her if she wanted to go and get some pizza. Surprisingly she said yes, so we started to walk to the pizza place when BAM! She tripped over her crocs (oh how I hate those shoes) and bit the pavement. She cut her lip open and bust her nose. There was a lot of blood. Anyway the crocs are now banished to the garage where she cannot reach them and we have not had any injuries since we got rid of those death traps.

On a positive note Natalie is now totally out of diapers...the girl has mastered the potty! And the most amazing thing - it only took 2 days before she took ownership of it. And there I was on the second day, picking turds up off the floor and mopping up pee, cussing about "those annoying people" who potty train their kids in 2 days. And the next day we had no accidents...and the next day no accidents...and so I became one of those annoying people! Thanks to stickers and m&m's. She loves wearing pants, the first thing she says when she wakes up is "pants". She's an amazing little thing. She is also talking away now, learning new words every day and putting basic phrases together. I am so proud of her.

The timeout swing...haha

Chris has been hard at work lately. In the past month he has graduated with another degree, been promoted to Tech Sergeant and he has built the kids a swing set. A monstrous swing set that is 11 feet tall. Natalie adores it, she doesn't even want to go out anymore, she wants to stay home and swing all day long.

So there has been a lot going on here, not to mention that I have been running about 4-5 times a week to try and lose this baby flab. So far I've lost 5lbs, I have another 14 to go, but at least I'm on the right path. I managed to pick up a really great jogging stroller for $50. It's a $400 stroller in excellent condition and the kids love coming out for a run in the morning.

Natalie turns 2 in 2 weeks! I can hardly believe 2 years have gone by already. Wow! Well I have to get back to life now...until next time!

 

Eye See!

Today we had Dominic's 3 month eye check-up at the opthalmologist. Of course it would fall on a day that we both feel like death warmed-up. Little man and I picked up some sort of bad cold and neither of us have been doing too well. I squint every time I swallow because it hurts so much, and it feels like I have two balls of cotton wool shoved up each nostril. Not pleasant.
Little man has been struggling to breathe, it's so sad. He is constantly nursing for comfort, but he will unlatch and gasp for air because his nose is so congested. Poor guy, I would have this sickness twice if it meant I could take his away.
The eye check-up went OK. I wish I could be more enthusiastic about it, but I cannot. I understand that the nature of a medical university is that students are there to learn, but my 3 month old does not understand this and he does not feel the need to co-operate when 3 people try to perform the same test on him. By the time the "real" doctor came in he was fed-up and cranky, so the one person who actually has experience didn't get to examine him thoroughly. To add to my concern, the "real" doctor wanted to send me on my way before she even checked the pressure in Dominic's eyes - that was the entire point of my visit.

I try not to get too cocky about these things because I am clearly not a doctor, but I have done enough research to know what they should be looking out for. I asked if she was at all interested to know the pressure in his eyes and she said she was, but at his age it is difficult to check the pressure. What I wanted to say was "Well this is a children's hospital so how about we give it a try?". What I actually said was nothing, I just stared at her, but I think it had the same effect because she called the nurse in and instructed her to check his pressure.

After some numbing drops the pressure reader was placed on Dominic's "stained" eye and spat out the reading of 21. I knew from the last visit that "normal" is anywhere from 10-20, so of course this concerned me greatly - at his last visit the pressure was 14 in this eye. He was squirming a lot so the nurse took another reading, this time the machine decided the pressure was 19, and on a third try it spat out an 18. Hmmm, maybe the doctor had a valid point when she said it is hard to get an accurate reading on a baby his age. Anyway they recorded the reading of 18 as his actual pressure, because it would not read lower than his actual pressure apparently. It's within normal, but on the higher end. I asked the doctor if she was concerned and she said she was not concerned. She said everything looked great and she would see him again in November. If the doctor is not concerned, I know I should not be, but this jump from 14 to 18 does concern me. I think everything will concern me until that MRI comes back normal in January.

Dominic is a wonderful little trooper and he has such a beautiful character. Despite all the poking in his eyes and his awful cold, this little man still had a smile for every doctor who examined him. And he had a chuckle and a smile for his big sister, who was as good as gold throughout this appointment. She certainly charmed all the nurses as I caught several of them taking photographs with her and she left the hospital with quite a collection of stickers. What a lucky mama I am to have these two precious treasures!

Living in Paranoia

You know that expression "Some days your the pigeon and other days your the statue"? Well today I definitely feel like the statue. I don't get down very often, but the uncertainty of Dominic's medical condition is starting to wear on me. The past week he has been crying a lot. Nothing I do seems to console him. He cries while feeding and often throws up during and after feeds. His voice is often hoarse and he sounds congested. Classic acid reflux symptoms.

Of course my first instinct was to take him to the doctor and have him put on medication, but I decided to do a bit of research before resorting to pharmaceuticals. Everything I read said that unless there is a failure to thrive, excessive crying or the acid reflux is causing feeding issues it is best not to medicate an infant under 12 months and to try and solve the problem with positioning and changing the mother's diet. Yesterday that seemed like a good idea, but after another day of inconsolable crying regardless of positioning I decided to take him to the doctor. She said his symptoms could be one of two things - severe acid reflux or a lactose intolerance. She prescribed an acid neutralizer to see if there is any improvement in his condition and if that does not alleviate his symptoms then I need to cut all dairy out of my diet - quite a feat for a vegetarian.


When I took the prescription to the pharmacy, the pharmacist asked for my date of birth. I told her the day and year, 1979, to which she said "1969, ok m'am". What the?? I know I have been under stress the past few days, but seriously, do I look 41? Yep, I'm definitely the statue today.

To top off my week Dominic's foot has been shaking - much like a dog's leg when you tickle it's belly. It doesn't happen for long periods of time, and it seems to mostly be due to positioning and pushing on certain nerves, but with the fear of seizures constantly hanging over my head this has been worrying me. I googled "infant shaking foot" and read a few threads where people have had similar experiences, but I decided to contact the neurologist to see if this is normal infant behavior or if I need to be concerned. I'm waiting for his response. I feel like I am becoming neurotic and stressing over every "unusual" movement Dominic makes. It's exhausting and I have another 8 months of this before we can get his MRI done. *sigh*

I really hope this acid neutralizer helps so that Dominic can be a happy little man again. It's so sad and frustrating to have a baby who cannot be consoled, and it breaks my heart that he is in so much pain. Hopefully when he feels better he will let me put him down sometimes so I can do things with Natalie because up until now he has been held by me, or in a baby bjorn, 22-23 hours a day.

And maybe tomorrow I'll be the pigeon!

My Parenting Style - Only Partially Crunchy!

I like to think of my parenting style as a Pad Thai...crunchy peanut pieces amongst regular rice noodles but a delicious spicy and sweet sauce covering it all. I have some crunchy tendencies, but I would definitely be outcast by those considered "all natural" parents. I think that is true of my life in general: as a vegetarian people expect me to be hippie-ish but I am really far from it. The truth is I am a hybrid! And so is my parenting style!

 Of course I always consult with my husband before making important decisions concerning our children, but he also knows I wouldn't suggest anything without being well informed and researched on the topic.

I love some aspects of attachment parenting. I carry Dominic everywhere in a carrier, I feel like a marsupial. He is so calm when he is close to me so I hold him and keep him close to me as much as I can. Whenever any mammal has a baby the mother keeps the baby close by - I don't believe humans should be any different. I believe in always consoling a crying baby - I do not believe in the "crying it out" method. I don't believe babies are capable of being manipulative, they cry because they are scared, need something or feel lonely. I believe that depriving a baby of your touch and closeness creates a nervous or hopeless child. I want my children to know that whenever they are sad or need me I will be there for them. I will never leave them to cry it out to "teach them to self-soothe". I think nothing is more destructive in breaking the trust between parent and child and destroying a child's self-confidence. Now if Natalie is just fussing or faffing I will let her be, but if she is really upset and crying that is a different story.



I believe in co-sleeping with an infant. I don't personally like the idea of a family bed long-term, but for at least the first 6 months I want my baby close to me and within arms reach at all times. Co-sleeping also makes breastfeeding much easier as I don't have to get out of my bed to feed the baby during the night. I can feed the baby while lying down, and because they are close to me they go straight back to sleep, which means my sleep is only minimally disrupted - everybody wins! Natalie has been in her own bed since she was 6 months old and she loves it in there. It just felt right to move her. We never had issues with her crying in her bed or feeling lonely and she has been sleeping through the night, roughly 12 hours every night, since she was 8 months old.


I believe everybody should try and breastfeed - woman have boobs for a good reason and it has been proven over and over again that nothing is better for a baby than good old FREE breastmilk. I understand some people cannot breastfeed for medical reasons or they panic because they have a rocky start, but I also think people give up too easily. It's a personal choice every mother makes, but I can't help but feel a little bit of sadness for people who choose not to breastfeed. It's so wonderful to have a way to instantly calm a sad or fussy baby, it's a great feeling to know you are sustaining your baby and packing them full of anti-bodies and it provides wonderful bonding time with the baby. Not to mention there are no bottles to prepare or clean and it is free!

I believe in vaccinating my children but I can definitely understand why some people are skeptical about it. However if everyone chose to stop vaccinating we'd have a huge problem on our hands, much like they have in certain African countries, so I think the non-vaccinators are playing a bit on the fact that most people do choose to vaccinate. I do think we overload babies' tiny bodies with too many vaccines at one time so I am happy with my decision to put Dominic on an alternative vaccine schedule with single shots. IF (yes, if) we have another baby some day I will probably do the same thing with that baby.

 
I only use all natural non-chemical shampoos, body lotions, sun block and bug repellents that are also paraben and pthalate free. I think all the hormones and chemicals we put on and in our children are a big factor in why we have girls going through puberty at 7 years old. This is the same reason I only give Natalie milk that is free from artificial growth hormones.

I use disposable diapers (*tut *,*tut*). This is a sore point for me. My husband and I are dedicated recyclers and we try to minimize the amount of waste we put into landfills. I tried to cloth diaper - my experience lasted about 3 days. I just couldn't stand revisiting the poop and having stinky diapers sitting in the house so I'd wash them daily - and they needed to be put through 3 cycles and then took FOREVER to dry. I think I used up more electricity and water in those 3 days than I normally use in 2 weeks. I found it stressful and way too much extra work. So I hung my head in shame and returned to disposable diapers - sorry Earth! And sorry to my babies for putting your butts in all those chemicals :-( I take my hat off to all the mommas who cloth diaper.


 I believe in playful parenting. My friend Sarah is a children's play therapist and she definitely inspired me to look into this style of parenting. It just makes sense that children communicate through play, they heal through play and the best way we can communicate with our children is by playing with them. I found myself yelling at Natalie way more than I would have liked when I was about to have Dominic. I was finding it hard to move around and started getting nervous about having a baby and a toddler - if she didn't listen to me when I had a new baby I may not be able to run after her and I was scared something may happen to her. So I became quite strict about her coming to me when I called her - well she was 18 months old so obviously she ran away when I called her thinking it was a game and I would get mad at her. I quickly realized how sad she became when I would scold her for 'playing' and I felt like I was somehow breaking her beautiful playful spirit. I started reading up about playful parenting and positive discipline and decided to change my approach to disciplining her. I love the idea of teaching her why she shouldn't do things and creating an empathetic human instead of a human with a broken spirit who has been told no or yelled at and has no idea why. I love the idea of communicating with her through play and diffusing tantrums and other negative situations with playfulness. It really works too!

I don't believe in circumcision - it is an outdated practice that has no medical benefit. It is often performed without anesthesia (just sugar water) and takes away a fully functional and very sensitive part of the male anatomy. Even medicare and medicaid have wised up to this now and will not pay for circumcisions to be performed as it is considered purely cosmetic. In 2005 only 37% of boys on the west coast were being circumcised and the numbers keep dropping.

I started off only feeding Natalie organic and natural food, but as she became pickier and pickier I found myself sneaking in boxed mac&cheese and hot dogs. We aim for a balanced diet but unfortunately we can't make her eat what we offer her, so to prevent her starving, some days she eats cheese, apples, hot dogs and fruit snacks. Some days she is a lot healthier and will eat what we give her. It's hit and miss but the last thing I want to do is to force her to eat anything and cause long-term food issues. I give her candy, cake and chocolate in moderation but I do limit her intake of unnatural foods and food coloring. Aspartame is a big no-no in our home. On a day to day basis we we only give her water and milk to drink, but from time to time she gets to sip some soda or fruit juice. I think balance is important.

We face new challenges with every phase that Natalie goes through and we are learning as we go and constantly changing how we deal with things. Dominic is still so young but I want to do all I can to make sure he also grows up well-rounded and happy! Natalie is just such a sociable, friendly and fun child and one thing I know is that I don't want to do anything to change that. I want to encourage her to play and be happy, I never want to break that beautiful spirit of hers.

Can a Heart Really Divide Love?

I am a nervous pregnant woman - I realize how fragile the whole process of cell division is and it makes me nervous. I get more anxious than excited when I have ultrasounds done and I sit by the phone waiting to get my results back when I have screenings done. The whole experience is stressful to me.


However, when I got pregnant with Dominic the thing that worried me the most was whether I could love another baby as much as I love Natalie. Could I really divide my love between the two children? I have often heard people say, when speaking of their children, "I love them all equally, but in different ways". Would this be true for me?

The simple answer I have found is 'No'. I have found that it is impossible to divide up my love amongst Dominic and Natalie. I love both of them with all my heart with the sort of love that only a parent can truly understand. The sort of love where I get sick and tearful at the mere thought of anything bad happening to them, the sort of love where I would not hesitate to tear apart anybody who harmed them. The sort of love where I think about them before I sleep, when I wake (because they are usually the ones waking me) and before I make any decision, be it big or small.

Do I love them differently? Absolutely not. I like different character traits in each of them but my overall love for them is the same. They both drive me crazy sometimes and they both make me laugh. They are both silly, mischievous and beautiful. My body built them and sustained/will sustain them for their first year of life - I find that so incredible and amazing. They are truly my greatest craft work....and I must give kudos to my husband for his small, yet essential, contribution ;-)

Natalie adores her little brother, she often tries to pick him up and play with him. If he cries she says "uh-oh" and takes him a pacifier or a clean diaper. She kisses him and hugs him and not once has she acted nasty toward him. Several weeks back I had both kids downstairs and I was changing Dominic's diaper. I had to run upstairs to get him some new clothes so I asked Natalie to look after her brother while I was gone. When I came back down he was covered in cocoa butter! This morning I caught her putting make-up on his head and trying to comb his non-existent hair. As if the poor boy didn't have enough marks on his face!

I was so worried she would be jealous of her little brother but that sweet little girl has done nothing but welcome him with big open arms and a big smile. I am so excited for them to grow up together and  despite it being difficult for the first few weeks, I couldn't be happier that we chose to have our babies close in age.

The Eighth Week

 
Yesterday our sweet little man turned 2 (healthy) months old. He has been doing fabulously - smiling, alert, rolling around and reaching for and grasping toys. However, this celebration of 2 months of great health was tainted by the knowledge that today he would have to get vaccinations - a day I have been dreading.

No mother likes to watch her child get hurt, but the actual moment of needle hitting skin (followed by tears and screaming) was not what I was dreading. Vaccinations have been known to cause seizures in infants with Sturge-Weber syndrome, and while Dominic is currently free from diagnosis, I cannot help but go on high alert and become a nervous wreck whenever he is subjected to something that may cause seizures.

The doctors visit went as well as I could have hoped. Dominic is now 12lbs 8oz and 23.5 inches long - in the words of the doctor "he is thriving". She also commented on how much the stain across his forehead has faded. He is alert, smiling, rolling over, his eyes are tracking and all in all he is very strong. Our pediatrician and I decided to put him on Dr. Bob's alternative vaccine schedule where vaccines are split up instead of being administered all at once. The controversial MMR vaccine is also split up and given as single shots instead of a combined shot. The benefit of this is that it puts less strain on the immune system and he is less likely to get a high fever which could cause a seizure.

Dominic only cried briefly when getting his first shot but he has slept most of the afternoon, which is really unusual for him. He is clearly feeling a bit grim but he still managed to give me several beautiful smiles when he woke up and I even managed to catch some of them on camera.

Little man will be going for shots every month due to the alternative schedule and his next specialist check-up is with the opthalmologist in mid-May. Let's hope he continues to thrive and get good results from all his appointments.

Surviving Two Under Two

I must say having two children under the age of two was quite a shock to the system. I never really appreciated just how easy having one baby was. I have always prided myself on being quite a punctual person and now I frequently find myself apologizing for running late.

Having said that, I feel like 7 weeks into having 2 babies I am really getting into the swing of things - thanks to four key ingredients. Together they make up my survival kit:

1. Espresso Machine
I can honestly say this is one of the greatest purchases we have ever made. Before Dominic was born I was quite addicted to Starbucks coffee. I was spending between $12-16 per week on coffee - easy to do when they cost $4 a drink. With one baby, running into Starbucks to pick up a coffee was fairly easy to do, but with two it was not even worth the stress and hassle. However, all new moms know that coffee is an essential component for daily function. Having my espresso machine at my fingertips, with Starbucks grounds and syrups, makes every sleep-deprived morning a happy morning. Plus we are saving a small fortune!

2. Baby Carrier
I think I have used my baby carrier more in the 7 weeks since Dominic was born than the whole time I have had Natalie. Boys - or at least my boy - seem a lot more clingy and needy than girls. Natalie seemed quite happy to sit in her swing or bouncy chair and observe while I got on with things. Dominic, on the other hand, needs to be held constantly. As long as he is close to me in his carrier he is happy. It not only allows me to get things done - like making breakfast or lunch for Natalie - but it also allows me to take Natalie out and about and have my hands free.
I have used the Bjorn, Infantino, Ergo and Belle Baby Carriers. I think it is essential to have a carrier with a strap that goes around the waist/hips and not just over the shoulders. I got terrible back ache using the Bjorn and wouldn't recommend it. I love the Belle Baby carrier. It folds up into a small bundle that easily fits into my diaper bag and Dominic can face in, toward me, or when he gets better head control he can face the world. The Ergo is good for cold climates because the baby is very snuggly in the infant insert. If you live somewhere warm I would only use the Ergo for an older child. It's extremely comfortable though and I have never had back ache with it, even carrying a 19lb-er around.

My Belle Baby carrier and the Espresso Machine

3. Good Girlfriends
There is nothing like a good support system to get you through anything. I feel like whenever I venture out into public with my girlfriends I have an extra pair or eyes and hands with me. In the absence of family I have also relied heavily on my girlfriends to watch Natalie for me whenever we have had to take Dominic for doctors appointments. But best of all if the kids go crazy and have meltdowns at the same time, I know my girlfriends and I will end up laughing about the madness. Nothing seems as hard or as bad when they are around. Much love to you Christina and Bethany!

4. Nickelodeon Jr.I always swore I would never be the type of parent who used the television to babysit my children. I also swore I would never use a pacifier. It's amazing how things change when all you want is 20 minutes of peace and quiet. Thank you Olivia, Dora and Diego for entertaining my 20 month old while I feed, change and console her newborn brother.

Also, a word of advice. If your husband is planning to take a month off work, like mine did, please encourage him not to. Men are not built like women, they can't deal with the stress and multitasking that comes with 2 under 2 and you will find yourself worrying about 3 people instead of just the 2 kids. I have found it a lot easier to get into a routine with my husband back at work. Men are not that helpful ;-) Plus instead of being permanently stressed out, he comes home from work happy, I am happy that I don't have to worry about his mental health - so all in all everyone is happier. I should probably list that as survival tip #5...make sure daddy goes back to work asap ;-)

Things Fall Apart

The birth of a baby is supposed to bring tears of joy and happiness. On Feb 4, 2011 I learned that the birth of a baby can also bring on other tears. I cried almost non-stop for a week after my sweet boy was born.

My pregnancy with Dominic was harder than my first pregnancy, but I have heard this is not unusual. I had more sickness and more achiness, but other than that it was fairly uneventful. All of our ultrasounds came back completely normal as did all my bloodwork. We expected a perfect, healthy little baby boy, just like our perfect little girl we had 2 years earlier.

After an 11.5 hour labor and very short delivery Dominic Joshua Cook was born. A beautiful 8lb 4oz baby boy, Dominic was born with several marks all over his face. It looked like half of his face had bad bruising and he also had a dark mark under his nose.

At first we were told it was bruising but it soon became clear the mark under his nose was some sort of birthmark. Typically, I consulted Google which told me it was a "stork bite", a mark commonly found under the nose which fades in time. While upset that his newborn pictures wouldn't look as perfect as I had imagined, I was relieved that Google diagnosed him with something that would fade in time. Little did I know that Google isn't always right.

The day after Dominic's birth the pediatrician at the hospital diagnosed him with Port Wine Staining. Not only was the mark under his nose not going to fade, but the "bruising" across half of his face was not going to fade either. The pediatrician referred us to a plastic surgeon. This news was devastating but, nothing could prepare me for what followed. The pediatrician said that the staining of the birthmark could indicate "staining" on his brain, a condition called Sturge-Weber syndrome, a disorder characterized by seizures, glaucoma and developmental delays. Dominic would need to undergo an MRI to rule out this syndrome.

A week after his birth we were at the plastic surgeons office. He said he did not want to begin laser treatments until Dominic was cleared of Sturge-Weber syndrome as he would have to be sedated for each treatment. He referred us to a pediatric neurologist and pediatric opthalmologist. A week later we had appointments with both these specialists.

Dominic's eyes checked out well, he did not have increased pressure in either of his eyes. He'll return every 3 months to get them checked. The trip to the neurologist wasn't quite as straightforward. At first he wanted to do an MRI right away, but after doing a lot of research I discovered that any MRI done before the age of 1 would be inconclusive. Dr Comi at the Sturge-Weber Center up in Baltimore suggests doing an EEG in infants under the age of 1 and an MRI at age one. If the MRI at age 1 comes back normal the child is cleared of having the syndrome.

Dominic had an EEG on March 11, 2011. They connected 26 electrodes to his head and shone a strobe light into his eyes. 

The EEG results were normal. I wish this meant something but unfortunately all it means is that at this very moment his brain activity is normal. It is not a conclusive test and does not give us any indication that it will remain normal. All we can do while we wait for the conclusive MRI is monitor him for "strange" or seizure activity and carry on with life as normal. Easier said than done.

I find that the more time that passes, the easier it is becoming to lead a normal life. However, every doctors appointment we attend brings back intense stress and worry. Sometimes I think it would be easier to bury my head in the sand and pretend nothing is going on. The thought of something being wrong with my beautiful boy is something I am not willing to accept. He has to be OK. No matter what happens I know we, as a family, will be fine and Dominic will always be deeply loved and cared for. But he, like any child, deserves to be healthy. He has already seen more doctors than any 7 week old should ever have to see.

Dominic started smiling at 6 weeks old. His smile lights up my day. He is a wonderful little man and a real mommy's boy. To my great surprise he also started rolling over at 6 weeks. The reason this was such a surprise is because Natalie, his sister, did not roll over until she was NINE MONTHS OLD!!!! So far Dominic is meeting all his milestones and doing really well, but we still have a long road ahead of us. All we can do for now is have hope and faith that he will be fine.