Fourth Months - Yee--ouch

I wrote the following blog on January 15th...and then didn't post it.   oops.  So I decided to go ahead and post it.  Why not right?



Well, I guess it would suffice to say that after the loss of our unborn baby I probably was a little depressed. I blogged about it and thought I was good and during the time I thought I was fine.  Looking back, probably not so fine.  The way I can really reflect and come to that conclusion is b/c the months of August, September and even October have hardly any pictures in their file folder on my computer.  It is what it is.  Good news is that things are much better!

Another valid reason for very few pictures taken during those months is that we are pregnant with our third baby and I was ill, ill, ill.  I have yet to throw up but was constantly nauseous all day and then developed vicious migraines.  I was going to bed when I got home or immediately after Samantha.  I was barely a human being, let alone a mom, wife, teacher, or friend.  Good news is.... things are much better! (sound familiar?)

So during the 4 month hiatus from blogging Samantha has had some things occur....

She was evaluated by the Birth to Three Program (state program) for her speech development.  She tested higher in her intelligence and comprehension but her lack of communication via actual words was months behind.  She then was recomended to see a ENT (Ears, Nose & Throat doctor).  That was quite the ordeal.  She didn't like him from the beginning, but in her defense she had missed nap time b/c of the visit.  He wore the "old-time" metal disk on a band around his head.  I think it "weirded her out".  They ended up papoosing her (tieing her down) and running a scope down her nose.  He was trying to watch the "flap" in her throat.  This is the flap that closes off your nasal passages so that liquid/etc doesn't go up when you swallow and is also very important in speech.  He said that it appeared long enough to be completely closing but from what we've explained to him he doesn't think she is closing it.  He recomended speech for at least a year. 
My research from the national cleft pallet organziation and speech therapists and specialist led me to believe that there was structural issue in her soft pallet (the roof of her mouth behind the hard pallet).  The ENT refused to look in the roof of her mouth, which is really why I had made the appointment.  But he was the doctor, so I went home happy that surgery wasn't really an option at this point but a little confused.
After talking with the Eastern Illinois speach specialist/therapist, my doubts were once again confirmed.  She didn't reall agree with him saying that "regardless of the roof her mouth, speech therapy would need to be exhausted before anything of substantial action" would be done.  She talked with the Eastern speech department who has their own diagnosis specialist.  He said that he really didn't need to see us but would like a video of her speech to look at and then if he felt the need he would pass it on to his friend on the cleft pallet team in Champaign.  That makes me feel better.  However, since this has occured Eastern has been on Christmas break so I haven't heard anything back yet.
In the meantime, she has been having visits from a developmental therapist who works on speech things with her.  They do a lot of games and have a lot of fun.

She babbles all the time and attempts to say words just not a lot of progress.  She figured out on her own to do a sign for "one more".  After a favorite show she turns to you and holds up one finger and either tries to say something with one eyebrow raised or she just gets really excited.  Most times it's hard to resist "one more".

She has became infatuated with saving coins by putting them in her piggy bank.  She scours the house for coins I think.  Anytime she finds one, she gets very excited and we have to immediately go get her piggy bank of her dresser, set it on the floor, wait for her to put them in and then return the piggy.  I started to apply this "saving" concept to church.  During church she gets 1 or 2 quarters to put into the collection plate.  She is very excited to put them in but most times gets a little frowny when she watches her coins in the plate  get passed down the row.  I remind her that it is for the church's piggy and usually that helps.
Also during church, I have started taking her to the children's room after the first 20 minutes of music, communion and collection.  She really enjoys the singing.  What has become pretty funny, is that she knows after the collection that the music is usually over and she has starting trying to go down the aisle to go back to the children's wing.  Pretty cute.  She just can't wait. 
Originally I wanted her to learn to sit through church with quiet toys but she doesn't get to play with other kids ofter so I know this is better for her.  And like I mentioned, she CANNOT WAIT to get to go back there.  Too cute!