It's been one crazy week. We spent the first half of the week in a vicious nap/staying up late/sleeping-in cycle with Tommy thanks to jet lag. I think we are done with it, but it was not fun for anyone, especially in the morning. We started up all of our activities this week, and that went well - the kids were very excited to see their friends and get back to their schedule.
Nic had his first "speech" appointment, which might be more appropriately described as his first "sign language" appointment. I have nothing against baby signs. We used them a bit with Tommy, and have used the very basics with Nic (eat, more, please, thank you), but we are apparently moving into a more hard-core use of signs. I'm not entirely sure why, in fact I am positive that I read somewhere that extensive use of signs delays verbal expression, so I am a wee bit skeptical about this approach. That said, I am doing everything that they ask and Nic is now using all but one of the signs that were introduced at this week's session. This has been frustrating for Nic, because he had a fairly good system in place for communicating what he wanted and that has now been disrupted. However, since he picked up on his signs so quickly it hasn't been horrible. The therapist was very pleased with Nic's participation at the session, but not happy with his lack of vocalization, since he made almost no noise the entire time except a few "neutral sounds." Right now I am supposed to be training him to mimic adults so that when the therapist asks him to try a sound he will respond. Interesting story: we were reading one of Nic's favorite books, and I asked him to make a "Baa" sound. He looks at me and does a perfect "Baa." So I clapped and encouraged him and tried to get him to do it again. He looks at me, smiles smugly, and turns his head away, then points for me to read the book again. He is such a stinker! (Yes, Nic has a known "smug" smile...the child totally knows when he is being mischievous). I am really hoping he doesn't decide that the stubborn game is one he wants to play continuously...especially with the therapist. It's so funny because Tommy is dying to participate in Nic's therapy. He keeps trying to sneak in and answer the questions and play the games; he just loves showing off his skills. Nic, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care about performing, he just wants to do what interests him. (I love how different my kids are - it really is fun to get to know them as such different people).
I had another appointment with the OB and I brought the boys. This time no one asked me how I managed to have a family without giving birth. Mission Accomplished! I kept them strapped in the stroller for the whole time, so they didn't cause much of a commotion. Second mission accomplished: I totally gained weight and I don't have to worry about it anymore. They started measuring my uterus this time, and it is completely on track, so that seems good. Next appointment I have all my blood tests and my shot for having a negative blood-type. Ugh. I hate shots. I turn 25 weeks on Sunday, and after that I will officially be the most pregnant I have ever been (Leah was born at 25 weeks to the day). Tomorrow (snow permitting) I get to pick up my newly hemmed maternity pants, and it will be good-bye jeans and belly band combo. Hopefully the new pants will be more comfortable. I also got all the paperwork sorted out so I can have my follow up ultrasound for my low lying placenta in another six weeks. Apparently I had a referral to the high-risk doctor for more visits than anyone could need, but they were all in relation to SRPS. Since he has ruled out SRPS, I needed new paperwork for this new complication, but it has been procured and everything has been arranged.
Nic has an appointment with his hematologist in early February, so it is time for yet another big blood draw for the poor guy. Despite having done this before (twice) it has required a number of emails, phone calls, faxes, and paperwork, and it is probably only half-way to happening. Please pray that his insurance is willing to approve the tests at the facility that our hematologist prefers, and that the approvals will come in time so we don't have to reschedule our appointment. If we have to do the tests at the lab our pediatrician/medical group usually uses then our hematologist won't get to review the slides himself, and the state of Nic's blood on the slides tells him useful information (and is not an official test that the lab records). We really want our hematologist to have as much information as possible when he reviews Nic's case. Between my medical paperwork and Nic's I feel like I have spent half the week on the phone! In reality it was probably like 30 minutes total...
Now it is snowing like crazy. I have time to blog because Jeff got sent home from work early, which is always a treat! He and Tommy are having an awfully good time reading books and playing cards while Mum has a break...in the afternoon...it's crazy! Yay for snow!
Nic had his first "speech" appointment, which might be more appropriately described as his first "sign language" appointment. I have nothing against baby signs. We used them a bit with Tommy, and have used the very basics with Nic (eat, more, please, thank you), but we are apparently moving into a more hard-core use of signs. I'm not entirely sure why, in fact I am positive that I read somewhere that extensive use of signs delays verbal expression, so I am a wee bit skeptical about this approach. That said, I am doing everything that they ask and Nic is now using all but one of the signs that were introduced at this week's session. This has been frustrating for Nic, because he had a fairly good system in place for communicating what he wanted and that has now been disrupted. However, since he picked up on his signs so quickly it hasn't been horrible. The therapist was very pleased with Nic's participation at the session, but not happy with his lack of vocalization, since he made almost no noise the entire time except a few "neutral sounds." Right now I am supposed to be training him to mimic adults so that when the therapist asks him to try a sound he will respond. Interesting story: we were reading one of Nic's favorite books, and I asked him to make a "Baa" sound. He looks at me and does a perfect "Baa." So I clapped and encouraged him and tried to get him to do it again. He looks at me, smiles smugly, and turns his head away, then points for me to read the book again. He is such a stinker! (Yes, Nic has a known "smug" smile...the child totally knows when he is being mischievous). I am really hoping he doesn't decide that the stubborn game is one he wants to play continuously...especially with the therapist. It's so funny because Tommy is dying to participate in Nic's therapy. He keeps trying to sneak in and answer the questions and play the games; he just loves showing off his skills. Nic, on the other hand, doesn't seem to care about performing, he just wants to do what interests him. (I love how different my kids are - it really is fun to get to know them as such different people).
I had another appointment with the OB and I brought the boys. This time no one asked me how I managed to have a family without giving birth. Mission Accomplished! I kept them strapped in the stroller for the whole time, so they didn't cause much of a commotion. Second mission accomplished: I totally gained weight and I don't have to worry about it anymore. They started measuring my uterus this time, and it is completely on track, so that seems good. Next appointment I have all my blood tests and my shot for having a negative blood-type. Ugh. I hate shots. I turn 25 weeks on Sunday, and after that I will officially be the most pregnant I have ever been (Leah was born at 25 weeks to the day). Tomorrow (snow permitting) I get to pick up my newly hemmed maternity pants, and it will be good-bye jeans and belly band combo. Hopefully the new pants will be more comfortable. I also got all the paperwork sorted out so I can have my follow up ultrasound for my low lying placenta in another six weeks. Apparently I had a referral to the high-risk doctor for more visits than anyone could need, but they were all in relation to SRPS. Since he has ruled out SRPS, I needed new paperwork for this new complication, but it has been procured and everything has been arranged.
Nic has an appointment with his hematologist in early February, so it is time for yet another big blood draw for the poor guy. Despite having done this before (twice) it has required a number of emails, phone calls, faxes, and paperwork, and it is probably only half-way to happening. Please pray that his insurance is willing to approve the tests at the facility that our hematologist prefers, and that the approvals will come in time so we don't have to reschedule our appointment. If we have to do the tests at the lab our pediatrician/medical group usually uses then our hematologist won't get to review the slides himself, and the state of Nic's blood on the slides tells him useful information (and is not an official test that the lab records). We really want our hematologist to have as much information as possible when he reviews Nic's case. Between my medical paperwork and Nic's I feel like I have spent half the week on the phone! In reality it was probably like 30 minutes total...
Now it is snowing like crazy. I have time to blog because Jeff got sent home from work early, which is always a treat! He and Tommy are having an awfully good time reading books and playing cards while Mum has a break...in the afternoon...it's crazy! Yay for snow!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment