In which Mom finally understands (sometimes)

Elliott's speech has been incredibly difficult to decipher.  "Wawa" can be either "Jonah" or "water" depending on the context.  To be fair, with a very discerning ear, "Jonah" has a slightly different sound, edging toward "wowa".  Still, there is typically a lot of hand waving, pointing and context required to understand what he is saying.  I'm certain his vocabulary is hundreds of words at this point, even though I can only comprehend a handful on a regular basis.

Yes, we are seeing progress, albeit slow.  And I've lately found greater confidence in grasping his meaning on most occasions.  So although we are both still frustrated with trying to hold a conversation, the frustration/fussing is getting less and less as the pronunciation/comprehension is improving.

Who is this Kid?

Elliott has been experiencing a bit of a renaissance of late, one which was clearly illustrated today.  He has always been a very serious and overly-cautious kid.  I chalked this up to being a chip off the old block.  But recently, he's become a very silly, energetic mover-and-shaker.

Today's examples: Elliott has thus far refused to go in the bathtub, so we've been using the infant/toddler tub, even at nearly 2-1/2!  Today, PopPop and Cailin brought him upstairs for bath, and he dove right in and had a fabulous time "swimming" like a pro!  In the evening, he even jumped right into the kiddy pool with Jonah to horse around and had a complete blast.  Sure, this is behavior one might expect from a 2.5 year-old - but I have never seen it from Elliott until today!

Come, Sit!

Elliott is getting much better at telling us what he wants.  For example, pulling your pant leg (forcibly) and then patting the floor/couch means, "sit here!"  I hope he learns the words before I dragged all over the house!

Now Enrolling: Fall 2017

Short story:
After many tours and much deliberation, we enrolled Jonah and Elliott in a new school for next fall!

Long story:
We've started to have some misgivings about daycare.  Nothing serious, but it is becoming more and more clear that their bottom line comes first and the children second.  Education is a distant third.  Kids are constantly shuffled between rooms to make quota.  Our flexibility and perks have also been declining with the new administration - our sibling discount decreased and we were charged a boatload extra just for switching which 3 days the kids attended for one week.  During parent-teacher conferences, Jonah's teacher seemed particularly discontent with the way things are run.  Case-in-point: for BOTH kids' teacher conferences, we were double-booked with another family!  That gave us time to observe the 32 kids in Jonah's classroom and the chaotic play during the scheduled circle time.

In our town, preschools open enrollment for the following year in OCTOBER.  Yikes!  Add to that pre-enrollment for current families, and it starts to feel competitive to get one of the few remaining spots before they fill up!  We looked at Montessori, which I wanted so badly to love, but I couldn't see Jonah - a very social learner - working quietly by himself.  Elliott would fit right in, but what is the point in telling a toddler he can only play work with something in one particular way?  Apparently I value creativity more than I do the very beautiful and sophisticated math manipulatives.  So we found a preschool that offers play in the mud (Jonah's favorite past-time), field trips to the library (I've always thought that was a super cute way to teach responsibility), and a kindergarten curriculum.

Yes, we are those parents pushing Jonah into an academic program to challenge his little brain.  And so, at the age of 5, Jonah will start his first of two years of kindergarten, since he still won't qualify for first grade when he turns 6.  Elliott will go along for the ride to preschool when he turns 2.9 in October.  Oh, and school gets out at 2:30.  Mommy and Daddy are going to have to figure out the rest...

Audiology Part Deux

Elliott passed his second attempt at the hearing test!  Yay!!!

OW-WL

Every day PopPop asks me for the word of the day.  Sometimes it is a stretch to fashion a word out of a few sounds, but today it was very clearly: au(-e)l  Elliott couldn't have pronounced it any more clearly - which brings to question how clear the Merriam-Webster pronunciation actually is.

This was followed by a long "whoo" contest between Elliott and Jonah.  Elliott's was the soft "ooo" of a barn owl, while Jonah preferred the loud "WHOOOT" of a screech owl.

...Or From Me

EI is going well.  A total waste of higher education for the "developmental specialist" to sit and play with my 21-mo old for an hour a week, but they both seem to enjoy it.  Elliott even greets her excitedly and goes straight to their spot at the table to play.  I'm sure he relishes the 1-on-1 time I can rarely give.

At the end of the session, we often discuss the progress Elliott has made in new sounds and words, following directions, etc.  His therapist is quick to take credit, even when I've seen a behavior at home or at school before.  Ah, enjoy your success!  I do hope your hour a week is making a difference.

A First Foray into Audiology

To check things off the list of possible factors for speech delay, Elliott had a hearing exam today.  Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as checking the box for hearing impairment:
     o NO

The hearing exam was well set up for a little guy, so I was glad to have chosen the children's hospital over the local audiologist from the town rehab hospital (who, I am sure, excels at hearing aids).  They had a special room for Elliott to sit in my lap and play with toys while speakers played at various frequencies and volumes.  When he looked up to see from where the sound was coming, he was rewarded by a TV screen or animatronic pig turning on.  It was enough to keep my interest, let alone a toddler!  Add to that the technician, who played with toys to keep him focused between the audio distractions - but not so focused he would miss the cues from the speakers.  Not a very controlled scientific endeavor, but well orchestrated to minimize the random chaos inherent in the test subject.

So the troubling part was that Elliott appears to be missing some mid-to-high range of sounds in both ears.  Possibly a fluke, whim or the day, fluid obstruction, etc... but left the results inconclusive.  Even more strangely, I remember having similar results at a hearing test when I was young.

Now because his ear drums were restricted we have to follow up with our primary to check for water in his ears (why no one at a children's medical center is qualified to do this is beyond me).  And we get to do the hearing test again in a couple months.  Sigh.

Early Intervention

We took the pediatrician's advice (or rather, accepted his confirmation of my concern) and set up an evaluation for Elliott with Early Intervention.  Sure enough, he qualified for services for his speech delays.  This took four highly-educated staff members 2 hours and reams of paperwork to evaluate.  Surely, any 20-mo old who doesn't even say Mama or Dada would?

I hate that I'm that person who thinks the whole thing is ridiculous and a total waste of resources, while at the same time taking the free help being proffered.  I'm certain Elliott will be fine and just doesn't have interest in speaking at this time.  Everyone reminds me that Einstein didn't speak until he was 4.  Probably didn't find anything worth saying until then.

Who's the toddler?

I hate that I keep looking over and wondering who that kid is toddling through the house, playing by himself, and being so awfully good!  The squeaky wheel definitely gets the grease in this house (hmm... Jonah!)  Elliott is so self-sufficient.  He plays quietly, stacking blocks to knock down and rebuild, trying hard to fit puzzle pieces, and driving trains over bridges and through tunnels.  Some of these skills I hardly knew he had until I started taking a moment to watch him play.  And I can leave him in his crib, high chair, or stroller and he makes not a peep to let me know he's done or wants to come out.

His development seems to be passing right under my nose, as I keep looking for the "milestones" of walking and talking.  Well, he is finally walking with some confidence and will choose to walk instead of crawl in most cases.  And he is trying to talk, but most of the sounds are incomprehensible and frustrating for him when I don't understand.  It's hard to say he really has any words in his vocabulary, since I haven't even heard "Mama" in a while.  But he knows what he wants, and is happy to shake his head "NO" with great emphasis at almost every suggestion!

Speed!

Elliott loves speed!  (I would say he's a daredevil, except walking seemed to scare him a little.)  We were out riding bikes, and he loved to race Jonah on his Big Bobby Car.  Thanks to PopPop for the tip to add a tow rope!  It was still a lot of work to keep him moving sufficiently quickly to garnish a smile.  When we did stop for a rest, he got off and climbed on the scooter!  Jonah reluctantly gave Elliott a turn, and he thought he was hot stuff cruising down the street!  I hope I haven't set an unreasonable expectation for my 15month-old that he can ride the scooter at will...

Family Teethbrushing Party

I finally gave up on the finger brush and gave Elliott a kids' toothbrush (for the safety of my finger).  He has been loving to climb up on the stool at the sink and brush his own teeth beside his brother!  I have to fight for a turn to help make sure his teeth get brushed... he takes great ownership and pride in his little green toothbrush!

Up up up!

Who knew Elliott could climb a ladder so well?  He's suddenly shown great interest and ability to climb the 2-step stool in the kitchen so he can help at the counter.  I still like to be right there to catch him off-balance, so my ability to cook has decreased with his help, but I'm still proud of him ambition!  Today we were playing in the yard, and he climbed the 4 or 5 steps up the slide pretty independently!  We're well away from letting him negotiate without a spotter and help reorienting him at the top so he doesn't faceplant at the bottom of the slide, but he seems to excel at the climbing!

We Are Family!

Jonah LOVES the "We Are Family" song!  Not that he knows or has even heard the original.  I once started singing, "We are family.  I have all my boys with me!".  He took a liking, and not knowing any more of the lyrics, I started making up additional lines to the chorus.  Now Jonah helps invent lines, so our song goes something like this:

"We are family!  I have both my boys with me!
We are family!  Jonah is wearing his PJs!
We are family!  Elliott is getting his diaper changed!
We are family!  Daddy is home from work!
We are family!  Mommy loves all her boys!"

The One with the Fire Truck

Jonah has been getting better at describing things, so rather than "that one" we get complex, if vague descriptions... seemingly always beginning with "the one with...":

"the one with the fire engine" = children's museum we visited over summer vacation
"the one with red and green and blue balls" = ball pit
"the one with the train that goes [hand motions here]" = mindscope race cars
"the one with the red man and the blue man and the green man" = avengers

And he's off!

Elliott did it!  He got up on all fours and crawled forward!  So far he had only nudged slowly backwards by repeatedly pushing up into cobra.  He never quite mastered an intentional scoot or army crawl.  I guess he wanted to master the proper form.  It is so amazing to watch the concentration as he thinks about moving each arm and leg.  And you can tell he's reached his destination by the plop down to his tummy, as if to say, "I have arrived!"  He's so proud, and so am I!

Puffs

Elliott enjoyed some sweet potato puffs for dinner tonight!  First non-liquefied food!  He appeared to like the puffs, and had a good time smacking the tray until they all stuck to his hands.  Yet, he never associated picking up the puffs with moving them to his mouth for consumption.  Maybe next time.

At least!

Finally, at seven months old, Elliott has decided that he will sit on his own!  And roll tummy-to-back and back-to-tummy.  AND scoot backwards.  All that progress was made in the course of one day visiting his big cousins.  They attribute it to the "magic crawling rug".  I need to get one of those!

1.  Elliott has been choosing not to sit.  He'd much rather push back to a reclined position and chill out supine.  Couldn't care less about trying for more than a few seconds, or less if he isn't restricted from lying down.  Yet, when we put a ball down in front of him today, he was more than happy to sit and play with it with both hands and both feet!  As if he could have done this all along, there just wasn't enough incentive in the books, teethers, take-alongs, electronics, blocks, stuffed animals, towers, cars, etc. I had been giving him.

2.  Really, I think Elliott has been rolling for a couple weeks now, but not very prolifically.  He would rather fuss when he's done with tummy time, and if I don't help him roll over, he just falls asleep in place on his tummy.  He doesn't seem to realize that he can fix it himself!  I have noticed that he will roll over at night, but in the morning he always seems in the same spot I put him when he went to bed, (he rolls onto his side to sleep).  But from the vantage of a bed right beside his, I would awake to find him in a new position all night long - and back where he started by morning!  Stealthy.  And here I thought he would be fine without a confined crib, since he doesn't move around much at night anyway!

3.  The scooting thing is also new in that it is intentional.  Elliott has made some progress before in translational movement, but always as an accident of repeatedly lifting up to cobra.  This time, he seemed to understand that he was making himself move and got very upset when a couch or ottoman snuck up from behind to halt his progress.  Such freedom!

First Tooth!

Elliott was making lots of cute faces with pursed-lips today.  Then he was uncharacteristically upset and the usual distractions didn't hold his attention long.  I finally found the culprit: a new tooth emerged!  Bottom left.  His lips were puckered up as he felt it with his tongue!

Within a few hours we received a photo from cousin Cailin - she had just lost her front tooth!  The world is in balance with respect to the total number of baby teeth.

A Hopeful Improvement

Today was Elliott's ultrasound to check up on his hydronephrosis.  We were hoping to see that things hadn't gotten more swollen over the last few months.  To our great surprise and joy, it looked like his kidney and ureter are actually improved!  The ureter wasn't even visible on the ultrasound (which it shouldn't be, but it was so enlarged that it previously appeared more prominently than the kidney).  So we assume that the ureter isn't ectopic, as it seems to be draining. The nephrosis of the kidney also showed improvement, and more than was expected in such a short time.  We're going to keep watching and waiting, but the signs are good that it is self-correcting and we he may not need surgery after all!