Life

I have been told I don't post enough and that I have been leaving my very few readers hanging. Sorry!
I have a hard enough time finding time to do regular SAHM stuff- cleaning, dishes, laundry... child refereeing. I guess writing and updating my blog just doesn't take a priority. I have been so scatterbrained, and I know my choppy, hard to follow dribble-I call writing, shows it. I will try and make more of an effort to at least blog twice a month.



As for an update, I guess we will start with Zacharey.
At his three month weight in he sat at 12lbs 6.5oz. A gain of 22.5oz in 27 days. The Dr seemed pleased with his weight gain and he is starting to follow his own curve. It isn't much of a curve, but there is one. We go back to again on the 10th of December for another weight check and his 4 month needles. Exactly 28 days between weigh ins. Bring on 28+oz!
He still fights most of his feeds and is quick to lose his mind. He also 'finishes' nursing quickly and often only eats from one side. I really hope this means he is just becoming more efficient. I guess we will find out for sure on the 10th. *cue anxiety*
As for milestones, he is almost able to sit up unassisted, he loves to stand (much to my dismay... Adam thinks it is great though) he is rolling over from belly to back and back to side. He is starting to grab at his toys and holding them.
A side from weight gain and him being the skinniest little baby ever, he is doing really well :)

Nathaniel is doing really well in school and has a great time when he is there. You wouldn't know it if you judged it by his drop offs. Every morning is a battle, a frustrating, hair pulling, teeth grinding battle.
N: "I don't want to go to school"
M: "Yes you do."
N:  "No! 'Cause I'd miss you! I want to be with you!"
M: "I'll miss you too, but you are a big boy and you like school and you need to go."
N: *cue tantrum and screaming crying fit*
His teachers assure me that it is only for a few minutes and once he is inside he is fine.
When he is home he tells me about his day and belts out the various songs he learned throughout the day. My personal favourite is his personal rendition of Oh Canada...

Alex. Alex, Alex, Alex.
School is going great for Alex this year. His teacher really has a connection with him and is able to handle his behavious and quirks quite well. I have had a few notes and a few phone calls home but nothing major. The school really feels that this concoction of medication he is on is helping dramatically.
Now if we could only get him to stop stealing everything he could get his hands on...
His newest obsession is Pokemon cards. Unfortunately, this means he has been stealing electronics from home and trading them for the cards at school. *jeeze kid, at least make the trade worth while! 22 cards of the exact same one? That is NOT a fair trade for my iTouch...*
Thankfully the school intervened and we were given the iTouch and cameras back. They have also set up a random bag check. Hopefully this will deter him.
Stealing things from us is one thing. Food can be re bought, electronics are just stuff. It is the stealing from stores that really gets me, and will really get him. I don't always notice him grabbing stuff until well after the fact (laundry, room checks)
According to his psyc, this is normal age appropriate behaviour. I beg to differ, but if it is, I really hope he grows out of it soon.
We had Alex's IPRC meeting yesterday. Which is basically going over the main points of his IEP and to see if he still fits in the category of an exceptional student, which he does. There will be no changes to his IEP which is fine, no changes are necessary. At the meeting, the transition for grade 6 to 7 came up. As his school only goes to grade 6, both Adam and I are concerned with how he will handle the transition to the next school. Even though he is only in grade 5, it is important to look into what the transitional process is. It was suggested that we look into the ATLAS program. Applying Technology for Learning, Aptitude and Success (ATLAS) sounds like a really great fit for him. I am a bit concerned that sending him to a separate program instead of main stream might hinder his peer relationships more. At the same time, I know he will struggle being in a new environment with new teachers and new administration. I am not sure the same exceptions will be made for bahavious and quirks as they currently are. Perhaps keeping him sheltered from the mainstream for two years will be beneficial.

As for me, well I am.
The last few weeks have been intense. Between Dr appointments, play groups, Mother's Circle, school meetings. Trying to find a balance between stuff, appointments, house works and having time for a shower is hard. Nursing Zacharey takes up most of my day (and night). I really look forward to when Adam comes home form work, so I can pass off the baby, have a shower, do some dishes, make dinner. Have an adult conversation.
I am finding that I am anxious all the time. About everything. Stressed and overwhelmed.
Getting the kids to school on time, worrying about the grocery budget, writing out my price matching list, cutting coupons, cursing the lack of fresh produce or milk coupons, paying bills, not paying bills, going over and over the budget, re budgeting, ogling over cloth diapers I need... want, stressing over Zacharey, breast feeding, the size of my ass, pulling dinner out of thin air- and have the kids eat it, wondering if it is enough, if it will ever be enough, Christmas. When will I be more than mom?
Oh Christmas- I swear you will be the death of me. I got an idea stuck in my head. A friend of mine does an activity a day starting December 1st and lasting until the 24th. I would really like to do this with the boys. I feel like I don't do enough with them. I don't know if I have the energy to do it though. Her's aren't big things every day- some days it is candy cane day or do something nice for some one else day. Perhaps I will be ambitions and just jump in with both feet. It would give me something to write about- small daily blogs. I have been talking about re leaning how to knit. My grandmother had taught me how to do basic knitting when I was a small child. I have since lost the skill (not much of one I swear... I was really good at making scarves...super long scarves). Anyways, I was gifted needles and a ball of yarn. It is sitting in front of me as I type. I wonder if the ball would be enough to make a diaper cover or maybe some booties for Zacharey. Perhaps if I get good at it, I can gift people mittens and slippers.

All in good time I suppose. Until next time-

Awful

We received a call from the ENT on Wednesday, November 7th asking us to come in on the 8th at 1pm.  Even though I was glad to finally hear from them, my anxiety went through the roof. I had no idea if they were going to clip Zacharey's ties or just assess. I knew if they were going to clip his ties that it would hurt him and I really did not want him hurting.

Zacharey
November 7th 2012
Unknown weight

I snapped a picture of him in his diaper for reference sake- so I had something to compare to.
Adam had to work the day of his appointment, so I was on my own.

The Dr. assessed his mouth and said that his tie was too posterior to do a full clip but he would clip as much as possible today and to call him in a week if there is no change or if we are still having weight gain/latching issues. If we are still having problems, he would have to put Zacharey under general (!!!) to do the full clip as it would require a stitch or two. As for his lip tie, the ENT said that it should not be causing any issues with him nursing and it would be purely cosmetic to clip it. At most, Zacharey would have a gap in his front teeth and will require braces to correct it. No biggy.

I held him tight in my arms as the nurse held his head and the Dr clipped it. I was under the impression that they would use a topical numbing. Boy was I mistaken. I have never heard my poor boy scream and cry like that- ever. I also wasn't expecting the amount of blood. I realize head/mouth wounds bleed a lot, but this seemed like too much.

Zacharey was VERY hard to calm down after the procedure. He refused to nurse for almost 4 hours. We were bother covered in blood from our many attempts.

As of right now, Zacharey is still hard to nurse- he cries for several minutes every time I place him to my breast. Once latched he no longer clicks or has cheek puckering but he still has a small, shallow, painful latch. He also doesn't seem to nurse as long anymore. I have no idea if he has just become more efficient or if it is just too painful for him to eat.

I am uncomfortable with him going under general at such a young age (or at all!!!) so I am hoping that the small clip will be enough to help him gain properly.

We have an appointment with our family Dr on Monday to have him weighed. I will ask for another appointment for the following Monday to see if there is a significant change in his weight and decide from there if he is going to need further intervention.