That’s the first thought that goes through your mind when you are told that your son has “severely delayed motor skills”. I mean, I’ve never had a baby before, so I’m not sure exactly what to look for in terms of motor skills development but I was aware you weren’t crawling very much until about your first birthday (this past Saturday).
I was given a bit of a heads-up by your Grandma Nancy that there might be some “issues” based on the video I provided everyone on your first birthday. She said she noticed some things, including your flapping arms.
Well, the pediatrician confirmed those fears this morning and recommended we take you to see a neurologist and enter you into an early intervention program. All that means is that they want to check and make sure your motor skills catch up to your age level.
So, I just placed a call to the early intervention program to get you going as soon as possible because we really care about you and your development. I’m sure everything will check out OK, but it’s just the initial shock that has to wear off. Hence, this blog post.
We had a great time celebrating your 1st birthday yesterday! We really enjoyed introducing you to your new best friend, cake. You see, babies don’t get too much candy, as a matter of fact your mom and I let you nibble on some chocolate for the first time on Halloween. (I’ll have to go back and insert the pictures from your first Trick-or-Treating experience). So we knew that introducing you to cake would be fun!
The following is a little back story…since your first word is “hat” (you really like hats) we decided to get your first official birthday cake with “hats” all over it. However, the local grocery store didn’t have the best artist working on that particular cake so we had to do some repairs here at the house. Grandma Saundra came up with a nice solution to that problem, but there was only one solution to your first “smash” cake…complete, total and utter destruction!
In the following video, you will see that the cake had no chance to survive your destructive powers! Looks like you and cake will be great friends.
Exactly one year ago, you came into our lives-which means that it’s your 1st birthday today! We’ve got a great day of activities planned at Uncle David and Aunt Marilyn’s house in Uptown Charlotte. They are kind enough to host all of us at their sprawling condo on top of the Trademark Building.
Ralphie in "A Christmas Story"
Your mom and I couldn’t figure out what in the World we should get a one-year old who has everything he could possibly ask for. So, this year (you wouldn’t remember unless I wrote this down) we decided to give you pajamas with the little footsies because you are very adapt at taking your socks off.
Momma likes your feet to stay warm at night and since it’s the first week of November and starting to get pretty chilly at night, we decided to give you no choice. Hey, at least we’re not sticking you in the infamous bunny costume that Ralphie had to wear in “A Christmas Story”. (We really hope you grow to love that movie as much as we do!)
Anyhow, reviewing all the posts from this time last year has been a lot of fun and I’m going to make an effort to share your stories throughout the day!
“What’s up, dad? No updates for a MONTH?!?!” Yeah dude, I gotcha. Like I said previously, I’ve been trying to get a job here in the Charlotte area and since nothing was really happening, I went out and made my OWN job.
Actually, I’ve created a company to help businesses and individuals learn this new phenomenon called “Social Networking”. A number of businesses are using it as a way to communicate with their customers and I think it’s pretty neat, so I want to help!
I need to post some more pictures because you’re really growing like a weed. Those teeth are coming in four at a time on the top row, and your two middle bottom teeth are just as cute as can be sticking out of your gums.
I’ll get to those pictures as soon as possible, but right now it sounds like your mom might be fixing a brownie…I better go check. Oh, that reminds me that you tried some brownie for the FIRST TIME tonight and you said, “Mmmmmm”. I agree.
Sorry for the delay in updates, but a LOT has changed in the last month!
Since, losing my job (as explained in an earlier post) your mom got a WONDERFUL promotion within her company!
So, we’ve packed up and moved to Fort Mill, SC which is actually a suburb of Charlotte, NC. We are currently living with your Grandma Saundra and Grandpa Ben while we wait for our home in Atlanta to sell! That’s going to be a VERY difficult task, seeing as we are in the midst of the worst recession in the United States since the 1920’s (actually, that was a DEPRESSION, but RECESSION is close enough).
I am still trying to find a new line of work here in the Charlotte area and have been networking as much as possible.
However, things have been difficult for you over the last few days! Your two front bottom teeth are already in, but your “K9’s” are coming in and BOY are they giving you trouble. We’re trying though!
Since you turned 9 months old today, we wanted to show you a little bit of what you’ve been doing. First and foremost you have NOT disappointed us in the eating department! I believe at your last doctor’s check-up you were in the 70% for your weight, which simply means that your getting enough food. You’re also in the 80% for your height-which is NOT surprising since your dad and uncles are all over 6-feet tall.
Coen grabbing breakfast
OK, so this eating thing. You’re doing a great job! Recently, you started holding your own bottle, and today (since you didn’t want to nap) we brought you down to try some hand-to-mouth eating.
This OK for me to do?
Your mom and I made eggs and turkey bacon and you did an excellent job taking the food off the plate, moving it towards your mouth and then finally, devouring the egg like nobody’s business.
It’s always really special to watch you grow up and start to do the little things that us adults take for granted.
Today you are 9 months old! Things have been going by pretty quickly. Let me try to get you up to speed.
OK, your daddy lost his job about a month ago-TV stations all across the country are looking at ways to decrease spending and increase revenue. Actually, it’s what ALL businesses in America are doing and I had about a year-long “heads-up” so, it wasn’t totally unexpected.
The “flip” side of that is your mom got a GREAT promotion within her company! She’s going to be taking over the Charlotte territory, which means-we’re MOVING! Remember, your mom is FROM Charlotte, so it’s going to be nice to be near family once again. So, the house you were born in is now on the market and we hope people start taking a serious look pretty soon because we need to be in Charlotte by September 1st.
I think you’ll really enjoy growing up in Charlotte and hopefully, your daddy can get a good career going so we can bring you a little brother or sister into the World!
OK, sorry for the long layoff in updates Mr. Coen-Bud. Daddy lost his job about 2 weeks ago to the continuing downturn in our Nation’s Economy which has greatly effected the line of work I trained so hard for. These days I’m trying to take my skills and transform them into doing something new and equally important and FUN as sports broadcasting.
Coen in Charlotte with his grandparents!
Now, about you. You’re the man! Your little “teefers” are coming in real nice, as of today 7-20-09 you have two little chompers on the bottom of your mouth. They are right there in the front and give you some pain every once-in-a-while, so we have to give you some medicine to help you.
This weekend, you were a very good boy.
We spent time and Grandma Saundra and Granddaddy Ben’s house in Charlotte enjoying their company. We also spent time at your mom’s high school reunion festivities.
This week’s big milestone: Mommy and Daddy let you have Cheerios for the first time and the results were hilarious, as your trying to get that whole, food-in-hand-to-mouth thing down.
Coen misses the big black hole.
Needless to say, you missed a few times.
OK, well Daddy has to log off and go back to job-hunting but I will try to do a better job keeping up with your blog. We are really enjoying your company and you continue to be such a good baby.
Grandma Saundra brought you this gift! It’s a little giraffe that is safe for children to chew on and helps to massage your gums while those little teeth are coming in.
Things are picking up now as you move into another food category. Meat. Well, kinda. You see, it’s still “liquid meat” for lack of a better term, but now that you’re 7 months old you can have meat instead of just fruits and vegetables. So, yesterday your mom fed you some liquid chicken and you LOVED it. You can see the empty bowl, which proves you liked it very much!
