Megan has been repeating words/phrases the last few days. One day when I asked her if she was all done she said "ah un" immediately afterward. If I had heard it out of context I am not sure I would have recognized it but it was definitely clear.
Yesterday in the car she said "anta" for Santa (Sam was talking about it).
She has answered "nah" to questions a couple of times this week.
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Feeling great, gaining weight and granny
Last weekend we spent the afternoon at granny's house. At one point Megan pointed at her and said "anneee". There was no g or r but the sound was perfect. As per her usual self, no repeat on it. But it was awesome to hear her say it.
Megan has been feeling so great lately. She is still waking up every night but typically for less than 30 minutes and you can tell that she isn't struggling with digestion or exposure on a daily basis. Her coloring is better and she feels GOOD. She had an appointment with Dr. B. yesterday and she commented on how great Megan looked. She said, "you know I wouldn't have known that her coloring was off before, but compared to how she looks today man she was ashen/pale looking before. You can tell she feels so much better". Megan weighed 29.6 pounds and the scale jumped up to 30.2 a couple of times. Woo-hoo - go Megan go.
We have gotten to where we are today with her by removing all "extra" supplements. We just started taking them away one or two at a time until she stopped reacting. Each time we would take something away she would have 1-2 good nights and then go right back to struggling so we would take away something else until we got to the point where she stopped struggling. She needs all of the supplements we have removed so we are starting them back, one at a time, and spacing them out. So instead of getting iron every day she is going to get it every 3rd day and we will see how it goes. Once we have her established on it, or determine she just can't handle it then we will move on to the next item.
I have an appointment later this week to go over Megan's latest lab results which will tell us what else we need to get her going on - but hopefully these will help fix the problems so she stops having issues with the current supplements.
Megan has been feeling so great lately. She is still waking up every night but typically for less than 30 minutes and you can tell that she isn't struggling with digestion or exposure on a daily basis. Her coloring is better and she feels GOOD. She had an appointment with Dr. B. yesterday and she commented on how great Megan looked. She said, "you know I wouldn't have known that her coloring was off before, but compared to how she looks today man she was ashen/pale looking before. You can tell she feels so much better". Megan weighed 29.6 pounds and the scale jumped up to 30.2 a couple of times. Woo-hoo - go Megan go.
We have gotten to where we are today with her by removing all "extra" supplements. We just started taking them away one or two at a time until she stopped reacting. Each time we would take something away she would have 1-2 good nights and then go right back to struggling so we would take away something else until we got to the point where she stopped struggling. She needs all of the supplements we have removed so we are starting them back, one at a time, and spacing them out. So instead of getting iron every day she is going to get it every 3rd day and we will see how it goes. Once we have her established on it, or determine she just can't handle it then we will move on to the next item.
I have an appointment later this week to go over Megan's latest lab results which will tell us what else we need to get her going on - but hopefully these will help fix the problems so she stops having issues with the current supplements.
Sunday, November 9, 2014
Independence!
Megan has seriously got every adult at her school fooled. When I picked her up on Friday they told me that she did so great at recess and for the second time this week went down the slide by herself. What? She has been refusing to even slide and they have been buying it and sliding with her. When I told them she had their number she started laughing and put her hand over my mouth. "stop telling on me mommy".
Today we took the kids to the playground at Megan's school so I could video her sliding, on their equipment, by herself. We got SO much more than we bargained for. She had the time of her life. One of us followed her on the equipment (up the stairs, over the bridge, to the slide) and then slid beside her or stayed behind her while she slid down the slide. After doing this a few times and not having to assist her at all I decided to try it from the ground.
Megan has NEVER, NEVER, NEVER been on any playground equipment without someone behind her. She won't climb more than a stair or two without us right there and we won't want her on her own since she will just stop and start coming back down the steps without holding on which she isn't capable of doing yet.
Anyway, I let her go and I stayed on the ground and she did amazing. Will was on the other side of the equipment protecting the openings and together we had her covered. She climbed the steps, climbed up onto the bridge, walked/ran across the bridge and slid down the slide 100% by herself 10-15 times. On about the 10th time I took out my phone and videoed her (which she wasn't completely thrilled about); because she wasn't happy about me having my phone we had to encourage her along, but she still did it.
I shed some happy tears as I watched her do something for the first time; something that was a broadening of her independence.
Today we took the kids to the playground at Megan's school so I could video her sliding, on their equipment, by herself. We got SO much more than we bargained for. She had the time of her life. One of us followed her on the equipment (up the stairs, over the bridge, to the slide) and then slid beside her or stayed behind her while she slid down the slide. After doing this a few times and not having to assist her at all I decided to try it from the ground.
Megan has NEVER, NEVER, NEVER been on any playground equipment without someone behind her. She won't climb more than a stair or two without us right there and we won't want her on her own since she will just stop and start coming back down the steps without holding on which she isn't capable of doing yet.
Anyway, I let her go and I stayed on the ground and she did amazing. Will was on the other side of the equipment protecting the openings and together we had her covered. She climbed the steps, climbed up onto the bridge, walked/ran across the bridge and slid down the slide 100% by herself 10-15 times. On about the 10th time I took out my phone and videoed her (which she wasn't completely thrilled about); because she wasn't happy about me having my phone we had to encourage her along, but she still did it.
I shed some happy tears as I watched her do something for the first time; something that was a broadening of her independence.
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Doing well with lots to say
Megan has been doing well. She still isn't sleeping through the night but she is getting enough sleep that she is feeling good during the day.
She is contributing a lot more to conversations. She will shake her head or say something else in sign language in response to conversations that are being had in her presence. Today her nana was complimenting me on being a good mommy and Megan stood up and gave me a big hug and kiss. She was saying thank you or agreeing with her nana. It was very sweet.
She is doing this type of thing a lot and it is so fun to watch.
She is contributing a lot more to conversations. She will shake her head or say something else in sign language in response to conversations that are being had in her presence. Today her nana was complimenting me on being a good mommy and Megan stood up and gave me a big hug and kiss. She was saying thank you or agreeing with her nana. It was very sweet.
She is doing this type of thing a lot and it is so fun to watch.
Saturday, November 1, 2014
Carnival
Megan's sleep is progressing in the right direction - so she is coming off of the exposure from Wednesday's & Thursday's doctor's visits.
This afternoon we went to a carnival at a local church. Megan had so much fun on all of the rides and there were several she was unhappy to get off of when they stopped. She loves her rides and will likely be a roller coaster lover when she is big enough.
She is walking so well now you would hardly be able to tell that she ever struggled with it. She is confident and strong and balanced. She is doing tons of jumping just holding onto one hand - especially when she is super excited about what is going on. Needless to say there was lots of jumping at the carnival.
This afternoon we went to a carnival at a local church. Megan had so much fun on all of the rides and there were several she was unhappy to get off of when they stopped. She loves her rides and will likely be a roller coaster lover when she is big enough.
She is walking so well now you would hardly be able to tell that she ever struggled with it. She is confident and strong and balanced. She is doing tons of jumping just holding onto one hand - especially when she is super excited about what is going on. Needless to say there was lots of jumping at the carnival.
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Update and Incredible day
Megan's sleeping has been off/on since the last update. She will start doing better and then something happens. We have been pretty good about identifying the source and getting her back on track quickly. She had good days at school last week - she was there almost 4 full days and handled it well.
Today - she had an 11 doctor appointment that would require her to be picked up from school by 10 due to the location of the appointment. She was up last night and slept in so instead of sending her to school for an hour or so I kept her home and boy am I glad I did.
Megan hasn't been using her talker to say much lately. She will request an item if we require her to before she gets it (laptop, ipad, etc) but has only been using it otherwise very infrequently until the past week or so. She has started commenting on conversations and activities. She will say 1 word that is completely appropriate to the situation/discussion and then just go about what she is doing. This has happened 2 or 3 times total until this morning when it happened 4 times.
Megan and Sam were in the living room together while I was getting stuff together for the appointment. She had been pushing buttons on her talker and Sam was telling me she was talking to him but I couldn't hear what she was saying so I just told him to talk back to her. About a minute later they were on the other side of the room and Sam said "Megan, you just a little girl?" and she crossed the room and said "yes" on the talker. There is so much about this that was thrilling. First she never says "yes" or "no" on the talker she just shakes her head or uses her approximation for those words; second she answered a question - SHE ANSWERED A QUESTION and one from her brother at that; she crossed the room to use her talker (this is not new but a big deal considering I wasn't in the room).
I couldn't get my phone in my hand fast enough to call Will to tell him what had just happened.
A little while later Sam and I were searching all over the place looking for Megan's "P" that she chews on. We searched for several minutes before locating it and when we found it Sam said "we found it!" and Megan said "find" on her talker. I didn't even know she knew that word.
She began asking for the iPad a little bit later. She searched around the house in all of my hiding spots first and then determined that it must have been up on the mantel where Will puts it sometimes. She kept pointing and asking for it and told her it wasn't up there. She must have thought I was using the moment to get her to use her talker so she said "have" and pointed at the mantel and then said "iPad". It wasn't there - I had already put it in my doctor's visit backpack but let me tell you that it was only moments before it was in her hands - such good asking deserves reward.
During her doctor's visit I was explaining her device and answering questions about how she does with it, etc. I had it with us. This is the first time I have taken it to an appointment because it is a lot to carry but she was doing so well with it this morning I wanted to have it for her in case she wanted it. For most of the visit it sat in the floor across the room from where she was playing. It was sitting there when I explained to the doctor how Megan tends to use it. I held Megan in my lap for the doctor to examine her and Megan wanted to get down and play with the toys and I kept telling her she had to stay in my lap. The moment I told her she could get down she climbed down, went across the room to the talker and said "down". The doctor was impressed.
I am thrilled that she is talking to us more with it and I am overjoyed that she is using it to comment on things and not just ask for things (how the therapists always use it). I love that she wanted to make sure I understood that she had wanted to get down, even after the fact.
Today - she had an 11 doctor appointment that would require her to be picked up from school by 10 due to the location of the appointment. She was up last night and slept in so instead of sending her to school for an hour or so I kept her home and boy am I glad I did.
Megan hasn't been using her talker to say much lately. She will request an item if we require her to before she gets it (laptop, ipad, etc) but has only been using it otherwise very infrequently until the past week or so. She has started commenting on conversations and activities. She will say 1 word that is completely appropriate to the situation/discussion and then just go about what she is doing. This has happened 2 or 3 times total until this morning when it happened 4 times.
Megan and Sam were in the living room together while I was getting stuff together for the appointment. She had been pushing buttons on her talker and Sam was telling me she was talking to him but I couldn't hear what she was saying so I just told him to talk back to her. About a minute later they were on the other side of the room and Sam said "Megan, you just a little girl?" and she crossed the room and said "yes" on the talker. There is so much about this that was thrilling. First she never says "yes" or "no" on the talker she just shakes her head or uses her approximation for those words; second she answered a question - SHE ANSWERED A QUESTION and one from her brother at that; she crossed the room to use her talker (this is not new but a big deal considering I wasn't in the room).
I couldn't get my phone in my hand fast enough to call Will to tell him what had just happened.
A little while later Sam and I were searching all over the place looking for Megan's "P" that she chews on. We searched for several minutes before locating it and when we found it Sam said "we found it!" and Megan said "find" on her talker. I didn't even know she knew that word.
She began asking for the iPad a little bit later. She searched around the house in all of my hiding spots first and then determined that it must have been up on the mantel where Will puts it sometimes. She kept pointing and asking for it and told her it wasn't up there. She must have thought I was using the moment to get her to use her talker so she said "have" and pointed at the mantel and then said "iPad". It wasn't there - I had already put it in my doctor's visit backpack but let me tell you that it was only moments before it was in her hands - such good asking deserves reward.
During her doctor's visit I was explaining her device and answering questions about how she does with it, etc. I had it with us. This is the first time I have taken it to an appointment because it is a lot to carry but she was doing so well with it this morning I wanted to have it for her in case she wanted it. For most of the visit it sat in the floor across the room from where she was playing. It was sitting there when I explained to the doctor how Megan tends to use it. I held Megan in my lap for the doctor to examine her and Megan wanted to get down and play with the toys and I kept telling her she had to stay in my lap. The moment I told her she could get down she climbed down, went across the room to the talker and said "down". The doctor was impressed.
I am thrilled that she is talking to us more with it and I am overjoyed that she is using it to comment on things and not just ask for things (how the therapists always use it). I love that she wanted to make sure I understood that she had wanted to get down, even after the fact.
Friday, October 10, 2014
New shoes, amazing stability, verbalizing, talker, colors, etc
It appears that Megan's feet/leg/walking issues could've been due to her shoes being too small and hurting her feet. When she got new shoes last Monday she immediately started doing better. It took her a few days to work back up to her normal self. Then on Wednesday night her other pair of new shoes (ones with laces) finally arrived. They were 1/2 size bigger than they were supposed to be. We decided to try them on her and see how she did with them and what a fun test it proved to be. She wouldn't sit down - she was standing still for long periods of time and was walking perfectly. At one point she even almost ran to get me when I had the iPad. She walked up the stairs alternating feet with each step. It was a really fun night.
She now has even more stability barefoot. Tonight she was standing still for quite a while and wasn't over pronated at all.
She has continued to verbalize a lot. Thanks to removing her iron supplement she is back to getting enough sleep and she is so happy. A few days ago I told Sam to go brush his teeth and then Will told Megan to go upstairs for her bath and she went to her talker and said "need, toothbrush". It was incredible. I have only modeled that once or twice and a long time ago. She also told me "want nap" the other day when she was really tired. It is so great to watch her communicate more each day.
Today at school she correctly identified several colors and pictures for her teacher.
She now has even more stability barefoot. Tonight she was standing still for quite a while and wasn't over pronated at all.
She has continued to verbalize a lot. Thanks to removing her iron supplement she is back to getting enough sleep and she is so happy. A few days ago I told Sam to go brush his teeth and then Will told Megan to go upstairs for her bath and she went to her talker and said "need, toothbrush". It was incredible. I have only modeled that once or twice and a long time ago. She also told me "want nap" the other day when she was really tired. It is so great to watch her communicate more each day.
Today at school she correctly identified several colors and pictures for her teacher.
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