Ate Peaches

Dearest Gifts~

Up and at 'em!  I had an early wake up call at 3:05am from Grace.  I was sooo tired!  I changed her diaper and then nursed her.  Once she started to doze, I held her against my chest and leaned back in the bed against the headboard and rested my eyes.  I fell briefly to sleep and then startled myself back up at 3:45am!  I put Grace back in bed and went back to sleep by 4am.  But, I was back nursing again at 6am.  :-P  Joshua woke up at 7:38am, so I didn't get to rest after I nursed Grace.  :-P

After I got everyone ready for the day .... breakfast, teeth brushed, new outfits, clean diapers, packed the diaper bag .... I loaded you all up and made it to Joshua's speech therapy appointment a little before our 10:30am time.  Kim was impressed at how well Joshua opened his mouth for her with the vibrating teether (just started doing that for me a few days ago).  Instead of trying a dry spoon for our exercises, she dipped the spoon in peaches.  You ate a lot of peaches for Kim!  Yippie!  However, when we switched and I tried the spoon with peaches, you weren't as cooperative!  Grrr!  We're suppose to keep practicing at least two times a day at home.  Kim gave me an evaluation for the OT to look at.  We ended up making an appointment for a consultation to see Michelle (the Occupational Therapist there) next week.  From what I understand, it's pretty common to have speech therapy and OT working together.  

Did I ever tell you, little man, what your diagnosis is?  You have 'oral dysphagia' which means you have difficulty swallowing.  The act of swallowing occurs in different phases, and the oral phase if when the food is still in the mouth (vs the pharyngeal and esophageal phases).  I have a confession little one .... I have trouble as well .... I can't swallow pills.  I have to crush or chew them.  My trouble is in the pharyngeal phase.  You, on the other hand, won't even let things go near your mouth some times.  :-P

We got back home just in time for lunch.  Kim's office isn't that far from home, but it was so hot out today that you two were already sweating when I pulled into the garage!  Plus, I had the air on in the car to level 3!  There are no air vents in the back seat and you two both ride rear facing (children have to stay rear facing until age 2 now), so it's hard for the air to get back there to you all.  I'm going to look into getting a fan to help cool you all off when driving.

Needless to say, I changed your outfits when we got home and we spent the whole afternoon downstairs since the play room was hot.  I rearranged the downstairs to make the living room a 'small play room' for us to hang out in.  I also vacuumed and Joshua did ok.  He was still apprehensive and stayed in the kitchen when the vacuum was on, but there was no crying!  I also baked some potatoes for lunches this week as I cleaned.

Joshua took an afternoon nap as I nursed Grace.  At dinner, he ate a lot of macaroni and cheese!  Yeah! 

We all played in the bonus room this evening.  It was still warm, but felt ok under fan.  We hadn't been upstairs since 9:30am except to grab one thing up there when we got home!  

Daddy read to us in bed this evening.  Grace was trying to talk and it was so cute!  I was so tired that I was ready for bed though!  

Tomorrow I head to work but Penny will be here for her first full day with you all!  I should have enough milk in the fridge for Grace.  I'm sure you all will have fun.  I miss you both every time I leave. I promise to hurry back as soon as I can!

Sleep tight!

I love you both!  :-)

~Mommy