GOOD STUFF

It's February. We're in the middle of respiratory season. We have had extremely cold weather for being Colorado, and lots of snow. I have learned after living 17 years in Colorado that I don't like cold weather despite me living most of my life in Sweden. I miss my Colorado sun!

Despite cold weather and respiratory season we have a happy healthy boy! Jacob looks really good right now. I am always afraid I'll jinx it saying it out loud, but he does. He does look good. This is what happens when Jacob has been able to stay home from the hospital for almost 3 months. Sure, he has had a couple of ear infections, minor colds, and a flare up of his colitis, but we have been able to manage it all from home.

Jacob trying out his birthday therapy swing with sister:

Every Sunday, I'll write up Jacob's schedule for the week on his white board. It is getting a little boring. School and therapies are happening every week. There is no cancelling due to illness. If something is cancelled it is because one of his therapists is sick. I plan out my own week, and it is happening. We have been able to catch up with our friends, not just having them deliver food to us in the hospital. Sarah has a large commitment to volleyball this year playing in a club. As we decided to have Sarah follow her passion, Joakim and I knew it would be tough with six hours of practice a week and tournaments all over Colorado taking over our weekends. It has been so great for Sarah, and Jacob has stayed home with one of us throughout her whole volleyball season so far. Yeah!

It is amazing to see Jacob thrive when he doesn't constantly have to fight an infection or a flare up of his colitis. Jacob is out biking when the weather allows. He is in his stander multiple times a week. He loves, loves school. We're busy doing homework with Jacob as often as we can in between his home schooling. He always enjoys his special time with his friend Selina. To have her and her sister over for Valentine's day made it all very special.

I have always been told I am direct. I guess we can say the same about Jacob. The other day I got a text message from Jacob's speech therapist while at work. The message said: your son is something else. He asked me to give him a kiss twice. After I gave him his kisses, he told me to get out of here. Yes, that is our boy! We love his directness and all the things he is willing to communicate to us. We're frustrated with all the technology issues we have had with Jacob's new talker. He constantly has to go between his own talker and a loaner as we're trying to figure out software bugs. The nice thing is that the technology issues are not stopping Jacob from communicating. Here Jacob is once again beating me in the game Bumper cars. It is amazing what you can do with technology these days. He is activating games with his communication switch using his right foot, and he is good at it!

In a week's time, we also welcome Gemma back part-time from her maternity leave. We have been extremely lucky to have had yet an incredible nurse join Team Jacob. Brenda is excellent, and she does so much fun things with Jacob. This spring, we will have both Brenda and Gemma work with Jacob as Gemma eases back into work again. Here Jacob is meeting Gemma's boy Derek for the first time.

This weekend, we have good old friends arriving from Sweden for a week. We're looking forward to catching up, and making good memories.

Til next time!


Love, Maria.