Matthew Info

I thought I'd do a little post on Matthew to let everyone know some cute little things he's done lately. This is rather a lengthy post, but part of the reason I started this blog in the first place, was to keep everyone informed on Matthew's progress. So, bare with me while I brag on my little man =) Today I had to pick him up early and take him to the doctor for a rash that had started on his neck this morning. He has eczema that flairs up normally and has since he was little. This was a bit different, and I was afraid with him being on meds that it might be an allergic reaction to them. In the last few months, we found out that he was allergic to Augmentin, and he had taken it numerous times, but the last two were the only times he showed an allergy. So...I am the kind to be safe than sorry. Bless his heart, he had simply scratched his neck and face to pieces. Our pediatrician didn't really think it was a reaction to the meds, but more like a contact reaction. I couldn't think of any differences (soap, detergent, etc.) and she went ahead and gave him a different antibiotic to be safe. She also prescribed a prescription strength Benadryl, which the pharmacist informed me was one of the best antihistamines for itching, but it was also one of the most sedating. (I got a little excited when he told me that, because I thought maybe Matthew might actually sleep a lot better...he doesn't sleep too well on a normal basis, and shoot, I thought about taking a swig myself...just kidding...it would totally knock me out, and I won't even take Tylenol much because of the fact most all meds seem to make me drowsy and with kids, that's not a good option!) Anyway, she also told me to apply hydro cortisone to the rash and to use it on his eczema when it flairs up as well. So hopefully he will be on the mend and not so itchy in a day or so. Since leaving the doctor my little brain has been doing overtime trying to figure out a trigger for the rash, and I came up with one idea. He wore a new shirt today that had not been washed before, and I'm wondering if some dye or such could be the culprit. But the rash was only on his neck and face...hummm.

Now for some of the sweet new little things Matthew has done here lately...

On Friday when I took him to the doctor, it was at lunch time, and all he could do while we were waiting our turn to be seen was ask me for a hot dog. I told him he would have to see the doctor first and then he could get a hot dog. That made him exuberant! He squealed and hollered until we left the clinic. When we got to Sonic, however, he changed his mind and asked for a grilled cheese. That's not the exciting new part. It was a tad warm in the car that day, so I unbuckled him to take his coat off while we were waiting at Sonic, and like a horribly bad mommy, I forgot to buckle his seat belt back around his booster when we left. I realized this when we are well on 31, so I pulled into a farm driveway to buckle him up. It was rather muddy and I didn't want to get out of the car, (you'd think I had on brand new Nike shocks or stilettos instead of my over-two-year-old-plain-white Nike's!) so I turned in my seat and asked Matthew to give me his seat belt....He picked up the one in the middle and handed it to me. Now that was surprising because when I strap him in I don't really make a big deal out of it because I don't want him to know how the buckle works...I'd never keep him strapped in then. After a couple of times of me telling him to give me his seat belt and pointing at the one on the other side, he politely pulls it around and gives it to me =) So in summary, Matthew knows what a seat belt is! (That may sound silly to some of you, but to others, you'll know it's a big deal!)

Today...as soon as we got in the doctor's office, Matthew looks at me in his sly and cunning way, with that most precious smile that you cannot deny, and says "Hot dog". I told him I didn't know about that today and we would have to see. Matthew knew I hadn't agreed yet, so he didn't give up on me. He kept smiling and saying hot dog and I would never say yes. He looked at me and said hot dog and smiled and signed 'yes'! Now yes is a sign Matthew doesn't use often, so this was a major deal. I told him to be a good boy and we'd get him a hot dog. When we got to Sonic, I asked him if he wanted a hot dog or a grilled cheese. He smiled so sweetly, and said AND signed, "Hot dog, grilled cheese". He said this about three times, and you know what...he got his hot dog and grilled cheese! He also said cheese plainer than he ever has. So in summary, Matthew knows how to sign and say hot dog and grilled cheese, and he knows how to use his skills and precious smile to get whatever his little heart desires from his mommy =)

Matthew has also been keeping my head on straight today. As we were leaving this morning for school, I hadn't picked up the boys' backpacks yet. So Matthew reaches over for them and won't go out the door until I had picked them up. Then when we got to school, I went to get him out of the car, and because of the rash I noticed going across the bridge was on my mind and I was worried about it, I completely forgot his backpack in the front seat. Never fear, Matthew remembered...as I'm trying to tug him out of the car, he reaches up and over the seat, grabs his backpack and wouldn't get out until I had taken his backpack out. I think this has more to do with him knowing his lunch and snack are in his backpack than anything else, but hey, whatever works! In summary, Matthew knows where the food is! =)

One last little tidbit. Matthew's class eats both breakfast and lunch in their classroom and they work on proper table manners, etc. One of the aides goes to get the meals, and they usually take one of the students with them as a helper. Matthew has been going with them to get breakfast some, and this morning one of the other students was in the doorway of the class with the empty breakfast cart as I was explaining "the rash" to the aide. Matthew walks right up to the cart, starts pulling on it as if to head to the cafeteria, and is saying "Pop Tart" all the while! It was rather funny! In summary, Again, Matthew knows where the food is! =)

This is just a few of the things that Matthew has been doing in the last few days. I am always SO proud of each new accomplishment. To some people, they would just be considered "little things", but to me, they are MAJOR achievements that are stepping stones to "bigger things"!