Monday, December 7, 2009

In Which Connor Bundles Up

No call from the neurologist today. No seizures today either thankfully.

Today I took Connor to the store and bought him some new heavy winter clothing. I got him a new hat, as he's outgrown all of the ones we had that tie under the chin. We have several that just sit on his head (including an absolutely adorable tweed cap that makes him look like a cherub-cheeked urchin straight out of Dickens) but none of them stay on for more than about 20 seconds, which makes them rather ineffective for any practical purpose. The ones that tie under the chin stay on at least long enough to get him inside, especially if he has on his mittens, which apparently weigh somewhere around 80 pounds a piece. You put them on his hands and he is completely unable to move them until you take them off again. Every once in a while he'll forget and absentmindedly bring a hand up to his face, but when he sees the glove he shoots you this horribly betrayed look and instantly the glove weighs 80 pounds again. He refuses to sign with them on so I have a whole lot of one-sided conversations while we're outside.

He needs them on though, as we're in the middle of the first real cold spell here. It's supposed to get down to 15 degrees tonight, and so we're all bundled up. Jer's feet are really feeling the cold-- I tried to find him some slippers today but the size I got him was too small, so I'll try again on Wednesday when I have the time. It's likely that he'll be able to predict sudden weather changes from now on.

I also picked Connor up some heavy lined booties. They're supposed to be indoor only slippers, but since he's not walking on them they'll work well as everyday shoes. It was interesting to note that when I went to the store I found two aisles of warm boots for little girls in every style and size, and no little boys boots. None. Apparently little boys do not wear boots. They wear sneakers, which were either blue and red or blue and orange, depending on whether or not they had Spider-Man or Transformers splashed all over them. His temperature regulatory problems have made his feet feel constantly like little blocks of ice, and I worry that sneakers aren't going to be warm enough. So since I couldn't quite justify getting him a pair of girl's boots (even the black ones were lined with pink fur) I just got him some slippers. I'm pretty sure they'll work, and I'll keep an eye out for some more conventional footwear when I'm out looking for slippers for Jer.

The cats are noticing the cold too; they've actually called a truce and are sleeping in a little pile together, generally under whatever blankets we've left lying around the living room, which makes for an interesting guessing game. You never know whether or not the piled blanket you are approaching contains a cat or not, so all of the blankets remain on the floor as if you disturb the cats they will give you the Look of Death and you take monster steps in an attempt to avoid possibly stepping on them. It is especially fun to be right in the middle of stepping over a blanket Very Carefully and, when caught in the most ridiculous position, to look up and see both of the cats watching you with a vaguely disdainful look on their faces. Nothing like a cat to put you in your place!

They make very nice lap warmers, though, so I'll forgive them.

~Jess

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Now if you could just get each cat to sleep next to Jer's feet.

Since I only met you since Jer's injury, I don't know Connor's full past. Is there any consideration for him to stand? No need for a big explanation. Just wondering. I know you have very competent therapists working with him. Barbara

Kristin said...

There is a remote possibility that Jeremy's nerves may outgrow him being a weathervane. I could tell you hours in advance of rain that it was coming for a couple years, but now I'm back to relying on undependable weather men. My injury was a papercut next to Jeremy's, but maybe this new weather prediction system he has is temporary. I'll pray that it is.

Julia O'C said...

Jess, if you'll measure the circumference of his head for me, I can knit him some aviatar-type hats that button under the chin. Their shape is such that it makes it a bit more difficult for little guys to yank off their heads. Ask me how I know.

Your neurologist P**ses me off. What constitutes an emergency here?! I can't believe he hasn't called you back.

PS: I'm serious about the hats.

Wherever HE Leads We'll Go said...

Still no call from the neurologist? I think your doc and my doc have been trained in the same place. So frustrating when you are waiting for answers. UGH!

It is a challenge to find shoes for Emily. Yes, they have tons of choices for girls, but she has very chubby feet and they don't usually sell wide in toddler sizes. She also isn't very flexible, so getting shoes on her feet is no small feat! The stiffness and the chubbiness makes it very challenging. The end result? She spends a lot of time in socks (and her orthotics, which are made of plastic so not very helpful in keeping her poor little feet warm!).

Julia O'C said...

OOOOH, Jess - check these out!!

http://www.robeez.com/Robeez-Booties-brown-Robeez-baby-shoes/product.aspx?ProductID=832&deptid=312&PriceCat=2&Lang=EN-US&RefID=GOUS_infants_sandals

Katy said...

The boy shoe this is really a travesty--so much ugly out there. I get all of Charlie's shoes at Payless because I can stand their merchandise unlike most of the other places.

Jess said...

Barbara: Connor has some really severe vestibular and motor skills issues, so while he can stand for a little while with assistance it's not something he's going to be doing for long periods right now.

Kristin: Let's hope so!

Julia: I'll measure his head if you'll give me your correct address! And our normal neurologist is out at a training seminar for the next couple of weeks. There's only one other pediatric neuro at the hospital, and he's the one we requested a transfer from. He's also the one who would have received our message and should be calling us back. Fun.

Also those boots are ADORABLE. I don't just want to get Connor some, I want to get ME some. They look very comfy.

Dawn: Connor's got his orthotics too-- we keep them in his backpack so he can put them on inside. It is WAY too cold for him to be wearing them outside. We have th same problem with Connor, although in his case his feet aren't too wide, they're too tall! We almost always have to end up getting shoes with cloth or leather sides to them so they have more give. These get harder and harder to find as he gets older.

Katy: Payless is a great store-- I go there a lot because while I buy clothes at thrift stores all the time I can't quite make myself buy shoes there. Even if they are really cheap. So Payless, while more expensive than the thrift store, is still way cheaper than the department stores and carries the added advantage of shoes that haven't been worn by anybody else. Or at least not very much, anyway. Trying things on doesn't count.

~Jess

 
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