The Speech Continues!

Anyone who knows me, knows that it is no secret that Nathaniel has had some serious speech issues (and serious speech issues is a total understatement). Now granted, now knowing that he wasn't/isn't hearing properly did not help. Two sets of tubes, an adnoidectomy, several hearing tests,  and almost three years of speech therapy later- HE HAS CAUGHT UP!
Words that I'd never thought I would hear from the pathologist's mouth. There are a few minor corrections still needed, his lisp and his confusion of word sequencing. All minor in comparison.
Going back through old videos, I have really come to realize just how bad his speech was. I knew it was bad, I knew he had serious issues. I just didn't realize it was that bad.
His pathologist finished his assessment on Tuesday and will be keeping him in the Early Expressions system until she is forced to discharge him as he will age out of the program. He will be thrown into the Limestone District School Board's system but, like most things, is totally over booked and he will more than likely be forgotten about.
I am so happy that all the hard work he has done, we have done has finally paid off.

:)

Photo Credit: Kimberly Wood

A Year In Review

 I feel like I should do a year in review.
The good, the bad and the ugly.

Yesterday was my birthday.
Adam bought me breakfast and coffee at Tim's. And a donut that he put a candle in. A number five candle. It works right? haha
We got a sitter and left all three boys with her. Clearly she is super brave. It was really hard leaving Zacharey. I was bawling by the time I made it to the van. I obviously knew he would be okay, and I had more than enough pumped milk for him if he was hungry. It was just hard.
Adam scored some free movie tickets at work so we went to see This Is 40. Hilarious. We spent 98% of the move laughing our asses off.

In the past year, 25 to 26 were quite eventful. (so not in chronological order)
I met two of the most amazing women (my midwives)
I reconnected with some old friends and established strong relationships
I drank a lot of coffee
Alex was assessed for Autism after being on the waiting list for YEARS
We bought a van (in case you were curious, buying a van the month before you are due to have a baby is a bad idea. It is also stupidly stressful)
I was thrown a beautiful baby shower
We had a baby
Nathaniel started Kindergarten
Zacharey has had loads of weight gain successes and not so great gains
Zacharey had his tongue tie partially clipped (I am sooo so so so sooooo sorry!!)
I drank a lot more coffee
I discovered I can comfortably live off of 4 hours of sleep
I have a love hate relationship with breast feeding- but am 5 months in and there is no end in sight!!
I said some things I can't take back
I have texted some things I can't take back
I need to learn how to swallow my pride and let go of things
We lost Adam's mother and miss her dearly
I got the opportunity to meet several of Adam's family members, some I thought I would never meet.
I discovered drinking coffee with a neighbour at 11 at night is really fun, way more fun than sitting up alone with a very awake baby. Plus he would usually conk out on the walk home.

I need to learn how to not sweat the small stuff, and that no matter how hard I try, I can't plan for everything.


Until next time!

What is "Good Enough" ??

Zacharey had his 5 month weigh in today. I had a really hard time sleeping last night, and not because he was up every two to three hours eating. I really hate weigh ins. Almost as much as I hate the nurse who we have had twice now.

Adam had to work today so I had to bus down to the doctor's office. I was about thirty minutes early, so I did a few errands- went to the bank and got a new bank card and change to get home, went to Terra's and picked up some more Fenugreek and Blessed Thistle and stopped into Starbucks to get a coffee I knew I couldn't technically afford. The coffee was totally worth it for the record.

We walked back up to the doctor's office, I gave our information to the receptionist and we waited. There was another little boy baby in the office, a few months younger than Zacharey but twice the size. I really tried to not let it bother me, but who am I fooling? Naturally Zacharey started to get hungry and I figured as it was already fifteen minutes past our appointment time, we probably still had a while to wait. As soon as I started to feed him, we got called in. I probably should have fed him sooner, he could have used the extra numbers.

Anyways, we get called in and before she has a chance to say anything I requested that she use the scale that he is normally weighed on, not the one he was weighed on last time. She gave me a look, so I made a point to tell her that a change of scale really makes a difference. I am 98% sure she rolled her eyes at me, but I was too busy trying to keep Zacharey from rolling off the table as I undressed him to really notice.

He is much too long for the scale now, but too small to use a 'real' scale- I am not sure how the next few months are going to play out. At 5 months old, Zacharey weighs 6.51 kg- 14 lbs 3.5 oz. Which puts him up  1 lb 1.5 oz from last month. She said she was concerned that it wasn't enough of a gain and asked if I had started him on formula yet. I flat out told her that formula is NOT an option and I would rather used pumped milk if it is really necessary that I supplement. She insisted that formula "isn't that bad" and that she would really like to see him "gain better." I told her that if anything feeding him formula would cause me to have supply issues as it would mean that he would be fuller longer and not want to breast feed as often. The nurse then told me that it "would not cause any supply issues at all and a little bit of formula wouldn't hurt him. That it would help him sleep better at night."
I am not concerned with him sleeping at night, or not sleeping. He is five months old he isn't supposed to sleep all night. In fact, frequent night waking greatly decreases his chances of SIDS.

As much as I would love Zacharey to gain weight, to be come a complete chunk, I just don't think it will happen. I told the nurse that I really am not anti formula. That formula defiantly has its place. I just don't think it is best for him. I don't have supply issues, he is settled and happy after feeds. He is thriving! If he wasn't thriving and wasn't gaining or losing weight I would consider it. I really would. Zacharey IS gaining, he is just gaining slowly.

She then went on to tell me that she is really all for breastfeeding (just not for me apparnelty).
I made a point to tell her that not every baby is meant to be in the eightieth percential as we were walking out the door. I was hopeful that I would get the last word but no, she called out after us that although that may be true, and she does prefer leaner babies, she would just rather them to have a bit of fat on their bones.

Zacharey 5 months- 14lbs 3.5oz <3

I really want to call the doctor's office and ask how much of a gain will be good enough for them. When will my boy be good enough for them?