Stopping to read

The other day I took Elijah to the heart doctor for his yearly checkup. Let me just say that there is a HUGE difference when I take the boys someplace together and when they are separate. When we only have one, they are perfect little angels, they hold hands, they listen, they walk, they sit still, they are quiet when they need to be quiet, etc. It really sucks that when you put these two angel toddlers (are they still toddlers?) together, they become little tasmanian devils.

Anyways, we had to wait about 45 minutes and I brought along Elijah’s little computer that he could play with. That entertained him while I sat and knitted. Then we went in for the EKG, and I told the lady that his heart is on the right side. And she said “really? are you sure?” And I was so confused as to why she would ask if I’m sure. I mean, I’m his mother, I would know something like that! But I guess my confusion made it look like I wasn’t sure if his heart was on the other side, so she made a call to check. Elijah was the perfect model child, taking interest in every little sticker that was put on him, not pulling or fussing at all, wearing it very proudly. This is not normal behavior for him. Everything was good and then the nurse gave him a little packet of gummi bears that was really great to get him to lie down. That was the only thing he didn’t want to do, but give him a gummi bear and he’s down.

Then the doctor did the ultrasound and boy, ultrasound has come a long way since 2 years ago. I could actually see stuff really clearly and could tell what it is. Usually it’s just a blob moving around, but on this machine, you could clearly see the heart and all the chambers pumping. Elijah liked looking at the “TV” too. He layed down and didn’t fuss AT ALL, I am so proud of him.

The great news that we got is that he is no longer at risk for a heart transplant!!! All this time we’ve been thinking he has a 25% chance of a heart failure, but his heart has since grown strong and while the doctor can’t completely eliminate the transplant scenario, he said the chances are really really low. The only thing he is at risk for at this point is his heart slowing down. His normal heart rate is 120bpm, and it could slow down to 50bpm. He will tire easily and become lethargic. But he said even that, the risk is low, but it is a risk he will have the rest of his life. If that happens, he will have to get a pacemaker put in, but hell, I could certainly live with that! So all in all, an excellent visit and I couldn’t be any happier or prouder of my sweet Elijah!

Other than that, the boys have learned the alphabet and we now have to stop at lots of words we see and they spell it out. It is so awesome to see! I am also doing some word spelling and games at home. Elijah has the alphabet down. Rowan still has trouble with some of the letters, but has it for the most part. It is really exciting to see them point at a word and spell it!

Speech therapy hasn’t been happening for the past month and I’m getting worried at this point. I really want to have it every week, but it’s just not working out that way. We’ve started seeing the therapist from last August, and we’ve had maybe 4 or 5 actual therapy sessions. So frustrating! I am alloted a time slot and if there is a holiday or the school is closed or she is on vacation or we are on vacation, we just skip it, no rescheduling. The therapist told us to just talk to them a lot and repeat things after they say it so that they can hear it correctly pronounced. But I am taking it a step further by making them say words properly before giving whatever they want to them. Elijah will say “nook” for “milk” and I don’t give him milk until he says it right. It is REALLY hard for him to say “milk” properly, but Rowan now says it correctly. I think it is helping. They are actually really patient and will keep trying to say the word no matter how many times I repeat it, and usually they will get it right after several tries. They are able to repeat after me pretty easily, it’s when they are on their own that is hard. Even “elijah” is hard - I let them get away with saying “sha sha” too long, but Rowan will now say “lai-sha”. I’m even considering calling him “ELI” just so they say it!

As for potty training, well, it’s there. It’s more frustrating for me I think. I don’t know if they are just refusing to go in the toilet or if they don’t know they went. I now give them a choice of wearing underwear or diapers. Rowan almost always chooses diapers and Elijah is choose underwear 1/2 the time. BUT, the last time Rowan chose underwear, she told me he had to go and we ran to the toilet but right as I was pulling his pants down, he went. At least he told me 2 seconds before, that’s progress! When he has his diapers on though, he doesn’t say anything.

Elijah hasn’t told me he has to go, he will just pee wherever. But, he does stay dry a long time. I always ask him if he has to go, and he always says no. I make him sit on the floor or on a blanket on the couch when we’re in the living room, poor thing! The last time he was playing around my desk and he likes to climb into my chair and sit or stand behind me. Then he peed all over my back and chair and said “wet wet wet!”. Thanks a lot!