Mateo, the Cool Karate Chopping Break Dancer!

So, it turns out Mateo might have asthma. Just add that to the list of medical issues he will be self-conscious about during his most vulnerable years (namely, middle school). Seriously, the boy is on the fast track to geek-dom. Between the cleft palate scars, the allergies, the eczema, and the asthma, he's a walking target ready for wedgies and swirlies. Do they even do those anymore? Maybe I'm in the wrong generation. Let's see, blog-bashing and compromising pictures on facebook?That's why I am preemptively taking action to make sure Mateo has something that makes him cool that other kids don't. So, as soon as next year, he will be starting either martial arts (that way if kids mess with them he can just kick their ass) or hip hop dancing.

But seriously, he did have an asthma attack on Monday morning. It was pretty scary, for me anyway, Mateo could care less. It didn't slow him down much. I noticed he was coughing constantly Monday morning, then he started breathing funny and getting lethargic and sleepy even though it wasn't nap time. So I called the doctor, unsure of whether I was being paranoid. I do call a lot. That may be an understatement. Let's just say the receptionists know me by voice.
And we are in the office, probably, every other week. But every time is legit, I swear. My biggest fear is that the nurses will start thinking I have Münchhausen's or hypochondria.

But they told me to bring him in right away, which I did. By the time we got there, Mateo had perked up and was running around, screeching and playing, like his same old self. Clearly he didn't look sick and the nurses almost called social services on me.

But once we were in the office for a while, things got worse and worse. By the time the doctor came in, Mateo was breathing really fast and really heavy. When the doctor lifted his shirt his chest was caved in and his ribs were showing (not normal with Mateo's Buddah belly) from straining to get air. I was panicked and started saying to the doctor, "Do you see that? That's not normal. Do you see it? Should we bring him to the hospital?" I wonder why the doctor kept giving me funny looks.

So Mateo got a nebulizer treatment and now we have one at home we give him every 4 hours for the next 5 days, and an oral steroid. The sad thing is Mateo is so used to being poked and prodded by medical people, he doesn't give me a hard time with the nebulizer or any of his medication. And believe me, he has a lot! It's taken over my entire kitchen cabinet. And doctors always comment on what a good patient he is. It's just a testament to the strength he has going through all this so young.

Now for good news! Since having surgery a week and a half ago, Mateo's language has improved. So far he has added 3 really cute expressions to his vocabulary. While apple picking he started saying, "ah-bop" for apple. He also said "goo-gur" for good girl to Luca (our dog, who incidentally is not a good girl most of the time). He also said, "no kiyee" after he had been chasing around my in-laws cat for the entire 2 hour visit and heard me say at least 22 times, "NO KITTY!" This cat is not kid friendly yet no one seems willing to put the cat outside or at least locked in a bedroom when we visit, so I spend the whole time going out of my mind keeping Mateo away from it. Hence the term "no kiyee." Normally I wouldn't be that concerned, it's a cat, what harm can it do? But then I heard a story about a foster child who was scratched on the face by a cat and needed to see a cosmetic surgeon for stitches so it didn't leave a scar but Husky insurance wouldn't cover it, and since then I've been pretty paranoid about animals. My biggest fear is an animal will suddenly attack him and leaving devastating scars all over him. Mateo doesn't need anything else against him in this world and certainly no more scars on his face. And I do realize I say "my biggest fear is..." a lot in my posts and I guess I have many fears for my child. But isn't that all parents?

Mateo nebulizing while watching Elmo


"Ah-bops"


How cute are these little Tommy Hilfiger sneakers I got Mateo? I got them brand new at a Stride Rite outlet in New Hampshire this summer but they only fit him now. I think these are one of the first pair of shoes I've bought him brand new. Not that I don't buy him shoes. I'm actually kind of a shoe-whore. At any one time Mateo has 4 or 5 pairs of shoes that fit him for different outfits and occasions. I just believe in getting high quality name brand shoes for really cheap from consignment stores. That's why my son always wears Nike's and other fabulous footwear! You can never have too many pairs of shoes, that's what I always say.