From Medication Weaning to Podcasting: What's Good in the Rogers' Hood.

Izzy's health progress, her milestones, our struggles and victories, and our exciting new endeavor into the world of podcasting.

1. Triumphs and Trials of the Medication Weaning Journey

I'm delighted to share that our little fighter has finally weaned off her seizure medications! The journey was an uphill battle that started last September and continued till mid-June this year. In the early days, the regimen comprised 5 different medicines, administered via syringes, twice a day. Jenn, the stalwart mom, took up the mantle and, more often than not, was met with shrieks of protest at every attempt.

The medicines were gradually decreased, with the most effective (and unfortunately, the most vile-tasting) being the last to go. Don't ask me how I know how they tasted - let's just say we empathized wholly with Izzy's struggle. As the saga drew to a close, a twist of irony emerged. Jenn, exhausted, asked me to step in, and lo and behold, Izzy's distaste seemingly disappeared overnight. Out of nowhere, she greeted her once-dreaded medicine with an enthusiastic slurp, leaving us both perplexed and relieved.

2. The Nightmare of Sleep Regressions

For those of you unfamiliar with the ebbs and flows of baby sleep – sleep regressions are periods where a baby or toddler, who's been sleeping well, suddenly starts waking at night and skipping naps. Our sweet Izzy underwent a testing period of sleep regressions, waking up incessantly for about two months. The situation necessitated some major reshuffling of parental responsibilities. Jenn, with her soothing secret weapon (you guessed it, breastfeeding), took on the daunting nights while I managed the day shifts, juggling care for both our girls and job hunting.

However, the game changed when an exhausted Jenn broke down one night. We came up with a new game plan: I took over the bedtime rituals and night shifts. The most surprising part? The moment I stepped in, Izzy's sleep regressions ended.

I am not trying to cast a magic dad spell here - it just seems that we often test the ones we love the most.

3. Juggling Therapy, Chiropractic, and Toddler Weightlifting

Life for Jenn currently looks like a whirlwind of therapy sessions, chiropractic appointments, and the unforeseen challenge of 'toddler weightlifting.' Izzy now has four therapy sessions per week to aid her recovery. Moreover, we also decided to opt for chiropractic intervention to address Izzy's tightness and posture issues.

On top of it all, Izzy remains at the 99th percentile for weight, despite shedding the steroid-induced swelling. While this puts an adorable chubbiness on her, it’s become a significant strain for Jenn, who now finds herself battling persistent neck and shoulder aches. She’s opted for chiropractic intervention for herself and we've begun exploring various decompression devices to mitigate this literal pain in the neck.

4. The Creepy-Crawler: A Milestone Moment

Despite the challenges, Jenn's relentless dedication has been yielding dividends. Izzy, our little creep, has begun to crawl! While her crawling style is technically categorized as 'creeping' (as both her arms lead the way before her legs), it's nothing short of a miracle for us. We're hopeful that soon she'll start standing on her own, granting Jenn a well-deserved breather.

July 2nd was the first day she ever “creepy crawled”. Izzy’s 3 days shy of 14 months here.

This is how much she improved about 20 days later. She loves to make out with the drink fridge 😂. (Sidenote: These prison-uniform-colored PJs were gifted to us and we appreciate them for their breathability…)

5. A Picky Eater No More

A shift in Izzy's eating habits is another triumph we've celebrated. Initially, we had concerns about her solid food intake as it lagged behind her sister Emmy's. We had to delay cutting out formula, but now, a few months later, Izzy shows surprising enthusiasm for eating, sometimes even outpacing Emmy. Watching her munch away with her mouth full of new baby chompers is the cutest thing ever.

6. Exploring the World of Baby Communication

Communication with Izzy continues to be a fascinating journey. We're still encouraging her to use sign language and are slowly learning to interpret her unique 'arm-flailing' language. Izzy's comprehension has shown significant improvements, especially when we tell her "no." However, the adorable, sad little frown that follows often makes it difficult to maintain a stern face!

7. Exciting Endeavors: Starting a Parenthood Podcast

Grace, Giggles, & Growing Pains. On YouTube and Spotify.

Finally, in a thrilling turn of events, Jenn and I have decided to embark on a new adventure together: a podcast on parenthood! While we're still in the process of shaping the concept, the prospect of creating content together again is incredibly exciting. We would love it if you join us on this journey and ask for your patience as we find our footing in the podcasting world.

Navigating the twists and turns of parenthood is a doozy, made all the more meaningful with you along for the ride. Cheers to more tales, updates, and shared moments ahead!

Thank you for loving me!