2/28/10 Well, here they are in one swell foop... almost an entire month of pictures added!
2/27/10 Dude & I went to The G&G and Melissa joined us after her hair appointment ("Melissa, what
happened to your hay-ah?")
Then I went to the Celtics game where I had the rare opportunity to witness them lose to the Nets.
Now, losing to the Nets in general isn't necessarily rare, but losing to them when they're 5-52... now
that's not something you see every day!
Tonight, Melissa & I went out with Dave & Joyce. Paolo came to babysit and was somewhat
disappointed when Dude decided to call it an early night and head right to bed. Remember, this is
something I think he does as a coping mechanism to help him deal with both parents being gone. We
think he needs a little more practice having a babysitter with the two of us out for a bit.
2/26/10 Thursday night I got home at about 1:00 am after playing basketball (and going out for a bite). It had
been a very windy and rainy day and as I drove into the neighborhood, I saw several fences had
been damaged. So I went into the back yard to make sure our fence was still standing. It was, but I
did notice something else... THE METAL SHED HAD BLOWN OFF THE GROUND AND WAS
LEANING AGAINST THE FENCE! Needless to say, this caught me by surprise.
And now back to something that has to do with Dude... The latest big development is his ability to
count. He can say all ten digits and a couple of two-digit numbers. He can also count to ten with
some success - usually forgetting a few but getting there. He can also count objects (up to 6 and
beyond).
2/23/10 OK, it's been a little while since I updated this blog (hence several entries, including today's).
Interestingly, a kidney stone (since passed) takes a lot of the fun out of late night typing.
2/22/10 Today is my thirty-fourteenth birthday and I continue to enjoy my (very) late 30's.
Rebecca (who runs one of Dude's Early Intervention groups) suggested "promoting" him to the "next
group" - a two-hour group that cuts back on parent participation (and presence) and will help him get
ready for preschool next fall.
Melissa again is upset that her baby is all grown up.
2/20/10 If you get a chance, ask Dude to say, "Banana Puffs". His version ("nana puffs" with the accent on
the "puffs" is a keeper).
We took Dude to a petting zoo at the Shriner's Auditorium. As soon as he heard we were going to see
animals, he mentioned "Mamie".
At one point he was petting a donkey. And thus it was with complete appropriateness that I had him
say, "nice ass".
We saw some baby sheep with their mothers, suckling on teats! Just to be clear, I said, "suckling on
teats".
Also, Dude & I took a couple of rides on a carousel that was there.
I have a kidney stone (which caused me to spend last night in the hospital). I don't like it. I want it to
be gone.
2/18/10 Dude was a bit on the noodgy side today.
He helped Melissa make chocolate chip cookies (always a good thing when c. c. cookies happen).
Earlier in the day, Dude & I joined Paws & Zo (Paolo & Lorenzo) at Sunrise Bagels. The two of them
read to Dude and did a great job of getting him to identify things in the pictures.
read to Dude and did a great job of getting him to identify things in the pictures.
As soon as I set it, I realized how cool this particular shade of blue is!
Dude says "bear" with a real Boston accent - "bay-yah"
In general, he's continued to raise his verbal game to the next level with a lot of two-word phrases
(me too, Dada up, Mama up, Dude home, cake yummy, more bubbles, etc.)
2/17/10 While Dude seems to be about 95% better, I still resisted the urge to take him outside last night in
the heavy (and very fun-looking) snow (which totalled about 6-8 inches).
Dude got his first piece of junk mail (not email) - a "special offer to Dude Pruslin" (which, as you
might've guessed, is how I've had some things addressed to him)!
A couple of nights ago, or maybe it was before an afternoon nap, but "recently", Dude was having
some trouble falling asleep and called me in a couple of times. During one of my "visits", he sat up,
reached behind his Boppy pillow into his stash of pacifiers, and very caringly placed one next to each
of the four stuffed animals that inhabit his crib.
A particularly huggy & cuddly "hang out in bed" time this evening.
2/15/10 First of all, happy VD yesterday!
Dude's virus (as it turns out to be) is running its course. Temperature has been going down steadily
and he certainly seems to be himself (which he has been for the most part throughout).
2/13/10 Two new PhotoDude pictures
Dude was still coughing this morning and had a temperature. We called the doctor and he had us
take him for a couple of tests (which he tolerated but didn't exactly enjoy). The blood test would've
been uneventful except he was strong enough to pull his other arm free just in time to pull out the
needle and contaminate the first sample.
None of the tests involved a fluoroscope or a diathermy machine. Or a sphygmomanometer.
We'll hear the details tomorrow (Sunday, 2/14) but he seems ok (although still coughing quite a bit).
One possibility mentioned was "walking pneumonia" which apparently would be a preferred diagnosis.
As with many things, it's apparently not as bad as it sounds when toddlers are involved.
I was going to list some updated words on the lexicon but I realized that at the moment I'm sitting
here, I can't remember most of them! To make a long story short, he can now repeat most one-
syllable and some two-syllable words when asked.
Yesterday (Friday, 2/12), Hunter Maxwell Weiss arrived to proud but exhausted parents, Charlene &
Larry!
2/12/10 Before today's blog, let's first go over some helpful vocabulary words.
fluoroscope: a tube or box fitted with a screen coated with a
fluorescent substance, used for viewing objects, esp.
deep body structures, by means of x-ray or other
radiation
diathermy: the therapeutic generation of local heat in body tissues
by high-frequency electromagnetic radiation, electric
currents, or ultrasonic waves
sphygmomanometer: an instrument, often attached to an inflatable air-
bladder cuff and used with a stethoscope, for
measuring blood pressure in an artery
basement: a story of a building, partly or wholly underground
Dude's had a cough for the last couple of days and it seemed to be getting a little worse. So we went
to see Dr. Gleyzer. The doctor was repeatedly amazed at how well Dude listened and did exactly
what he asked.
He was also amazed (as well as bewildered) by the fact that my Grampy had a fluoroscope and a
diathermy machine in his doctor's office "back in the day"!
This came up in conversation because of my fascination with Dr. Gleyzer's sphygmomanometer and
the fact that I think I might have Grampy's in my basement.
But I digress. Dude had a bit of a temperature tonight.
2/11/10 The last few days have included the regular trips to Sunrise, lots of cuddling & reading, and an off-
schedule visit to The G&G (tonight).
While there, we had two Monolith Moments, both related to reading.
First, and I realize this is "cheating", he read sentences where each word consisted of a single letter
(such as "I C A B" which comes out sounding like "I see a bee.")
Secondly, he sat on the couch with Gramma and Grandpa and as they were reading "The Foot Book"
and "Hop on Pop", they would pause and give Dude time to fill in the upcoming word. For example,
G or G: "Pup, Cup, Pup on..."
Dude: "Cup"
Dude caught us all by surprise with how well he did this. It was almost like he'd been practicing when
no one was looking and then sprung it on us!
2/8/10 Two nights ago, I went into Dude's room just before I went to bed (as I do every night). I whispered,
"love you" (as I do every night). He must've been just at the end of a sleep cycle because as I was
tiptoeing out, I heard the faintest (but unmistakable) "Dip Da"! It was so cool!
Yesterday (Sunday, 2/7) was an interesting day.
Dude was playing around in the morning, generally having a ball. When Melissa went to
change his diaper, he kind of went nuts. He seemed irritated and after she put the new
diaper on, he was walking uncomfortably (like a penguin). Just to make sure he was ok, I
gave him two test tickles. He giggled. Now that the fun part of this paragraph is over, I'll
just say that we went to Winchester Hospital where we were told his issue was simply a
skin irritation.
We came home and he hit the sack for a bit (sorry; couldn't resist one more).
We then went to Gary & Jacqui's house for the annual Super Bowl party. If the Patriots
couldn't be in it, it was good at least that the Saints beat the Colts.
Dude charmed the ladies (several girls from Brandeis, friends of Gary & Jacqui's daughter
Jessie) and seemed to have a lot of fun.
As for today, Dude had his Monday EI class. Then Katie came to DudeSit while Melissa & I went to the
Beanpot (B.U. didn't win, which is newsworthy). It turns out the guy I got the tickets from on CraigsList
wound up being a kid I coached in Wilmington Summer Basketball back around 2001.
Dude was great with Katie we were told. He wanted to go to bed early (7:45 ish) which is interesting
because he's done that a couple of other times when we had babysitters. It actually seems like a very
well-developed coping mechanism for dealing with both parents being gone.
2/6/10 Added pictures for February 1st-4th.
Melissa went to Foxwoods and was away from Dude for the longest block of time since he was in the
NICU - perhaps the longest time ever (at least since he was born)! She was out for just about twelve
hours!
Dude came with me to the basketball game I was coaching. He was pretty good - the mother of one of
my players "watched" him and kept him from trying to enter the game without substituting properly (or
at all, actually). We had gone out to dinner with them last night so Dude could get to meet them first
(the player, Will, won a couple of stuffed animals for Dude from the stuffed-animal-grabbing machine).
After the game, me, Dude, and the team went to Papa Gino's. Several players worked the stuffed-
animal-grabbing machine until they succesfully plucked a Curious George. We then all ate as Dude
traveled between the kids tables and our parental "oasis".
He & I hung around the house for a while and then went to China Cuisine for a Dude/Dad night out.
We stopped at Lowes where we encountered a sign that said to pardon their appearance while they
renovate. I'm not sure how I'm supposed to tell when Lowes is renovating - all the tools & equipment
everywhere? That's how it always looks!
Anyway, we then went to Dave & Joyce's apartment for a bit. On the way there, Dude did say, "Joyce"
for the first time (and quite clearly, too).
We went home, read, and then Melissa returned ($8.00 + change richer) for some end-of-evening
Dude time.
One last note about taking Dude out to eat... For some reason, people think it's a good idea to let kids
play with butter at the table to stay amused. Auntie Amy introduced the concept to Dude, although I've
heard it from other people as well. Why don't we let him just play with motor oil? It's probably not much
less toxic than a wad of butter, and 10W-30 is similar in feel. So here's Dude, covered in butter, and
his toy sketching thing now has a new shine to it. The next day (today - Saturday 2/6) when I took him
out of the car to go to the gym for the basketball game, he wanted to take it. And so it was that I had to
utter the phrase, "Oh, no, we can't take that - it's covered with butter." First time I've used that phrase.
2/5/10 Added pictures for January 2010 (from the 18th through the end of the month).
Fairly uneventful last few days.
We did get new sneakers for him (which have flashing lights, in case we ever need to not lose him in
the dark).
2/1/10 Dude and I read our first book TOGETHER (meaning that we both did some reading)!
You see, I read an ABC book where each page says something like "Big A, Little A, What begins with
A?" So I'd say, "Big" and he'd say, "A". Then I'd say, "Little" and he'd whisper, "A". And so on. We did
this for most of the book!
Note: Final January blog entry for 1/31/2010