We haven't been back to Virginia for Liam's ABM therapy sessions since December. We did attempt a go at a full weekend of sessions in January but Liam came down with a wicked fever within hours of getting there and we only did one session before I decided I needed to get back home with him. I knew he wouldn't get much out of the session when he was so uncomfortable and in case he was really sick I wanted to be near our Dr.

Of all the times that Liam has been sick with a high fever (only 3) was when we were in Virginia (all 3 times). So, you can imagine my trepidation as we embark this week on another trip to Virginia!

I have to go again (therapist's policy requires me to reschedule our canceled sessions or be billed for them) but I am a bit nervous about the trip. I am looking forward to going though. I am curious how Liam will do with the trip, how he will do with the therapy and... I get to go shopping!

I know Liam has changed quite a bit since we were last there so it will be exciting to see if he responds and makes any new changes. I am making sure the hotel is thoroughly sprayed down with Lysol when I get there and I plan on turning on the air to circulate the germs through a window for a bit before I actually allow Liam in.

Liam is such a good kid but when he gets to feeling bad he can be a bear! He is so difficult and he resorts to horrible posturing. Liam actually isn't feeling well today so I am hoping he is getting it out of his system before we go! We tried to go to our BFG (bible fellowship group) get together today and we didn't even last an hour. He cried the entire time and wouldn't comply with anything I tried to get him to do.

It might have been the heat that was getting to him because when we got in the car and turned on the air he seemed to feel so much better. And I think Liam is getting tired of being carried for long periods of time. Granted, he didn't feel well yesterday either, but he made a huge fit in Wal-mart and he didn't care at all for his new Ergo carrier. And since we were in the back yard of someone's house today and he was pitching a fit, my only options were to try to carry him and console him in my arms. And I think he has just had enough. He likes life better when he is stretched out on the floor.

Liam is really doing pretty good now with his side lying skills. He is much looser than when Carla first started ABM with Liam and even though Liam still isn't getting his head up and under control he is getting stronger with everything! So, I am looking forward to our trip and keeping my prayers going for a weekend in Virginia with no sickness! It would be the first time!

My week didn't go as planned but really, what else in my life has really gone as planned? And I don't say that with any sarcasm at all (wink).

After planning another trip to VA to do 9 therapy sessions with our ABM therapist, we left after only one. Why is that? Because Liam has only been "sick" 3 times since we left the NICU almost 1 year ago and all three times have been when we are in VA!

I'll explain...Liam was having a great time on his car ride, cooing and giggling. We stopped at a freezing KFC near the NC/VA border where it took 30 minutes from the time I got in my line until my food arrived. The KFC was so cold that the dude cleaning the place was wearing a coat! But Liam was a trooper. I brought his high chair in (he can't sit up so a regular one doesn't work) and I strapped him in for dinner. He ate his freezing cold peas (our food was cold before we could finish it, it was really that cold in there) and we packed him up for the last leg of the trip.

After arriving at our hotel, Liam woke up and played for a bit before falling back asleep at around midnight. By 5 AM Liam was running a 101 fever. I couldn't believe it! Less than 6 hours in our hotel and he was sick! Come on, Lord! I am trying to give Liam opportunities to help his gross motor development and everytime I try Liam has to get sick?

I went ahead and took Liam to the 9 o'clock session and warned Carla that Liam was sick again. Liam seemed to do well with it even tho he was fighting off something and I anticipated coming back for our afternoon session. Liam had other things in mind and decided that he would up the ante and get his fever higher than he ever has before (103) and since he couldn't relax and fall asleep he was wearing himself out. I cancelled the afternoon session and decided to wait it out and see how Liam did through the night.

Liam didn't get any better and continued to suffer from a high fever even while on tylenol. After staying awake with Liam off and on through the night I decided that I wasn't going to waste the money on therapy when Liam clearly didn't feel up to it. And I wanted to be closer to my Dr because he'd never had a fever that high. It's hard to take care of a sick baby when you're not in your own home.

So, after waking my mom and my girls and repacking the suburban, we got on the road by 7 Am and headed back home to NC. All that day, I kept Liam off Tylenol and he was running about 99. By that evening, while we were comfy in our own home, Liam got better and better and woke up the next day as his normal happy self.

What do you all think? I stay in the same hotel each time I've gone and Liam was not sick on any of the three previous trips before we arrived. Yet shortly after arriving he is running a fever. Is it the hotel air? Liam not traveling well? Or a sign from God? What am I missing? This is so strange!