To come...

Bryant will be celebrating his one year anniversary with Babies Can't Wait at the end of July.  I guess I can believe it has been a year.  He has come such a long way...since he was practically mute when he started speech therapy with BCW.  We had a meeting yesterday to discuss his progress since Nov.  He met...well I should say, exceeded, all of his goals. Yay for B!!!

We are on the home stretch with BCW.  Their services end on his third birthday, so they have started the process to "transition" him to the Cobb County School system.  Upon evaluation, it will be determined if he "qualifies" for speech or other services.  Someone from Cobb County will be contacting us to set up a time for his evaluation.  They will evaluate him on all development milestones and depending how he scores we will then understand what services are available to him through the school system, if any.  Because he receives Occupational Therapy privately that will be considered in his evaluation.  They will be determining if he qualifies for special education.  If he does then he will receive therapy services through the school system beginning on his third birthday.  I honestly do not know what all of this amounts too until he is evaluated.  Our assumption is he will qualify for speech services, because of his apraxia of speech, but not sure about OT.  We have been told it is a lot harder to qualify for services in the school system than it was to get into BCW.  Bryant must show a significant delay in two or more areas of development; which is how he ended up in BCW to start, so we shall see the difference in the school systems evaluation structure. Some other things to note...

We have an appointment with a developmental pediatrician in Aug.  Aug!  I know, there are only so many here in ATL.  I finally got through and got the first available appt.  This will be good for us because they will be able to help us understand B and his development going forward, much more than his regular pediatrician.

We are also on a waiting list to see a Pediatric Neurologist.  Scary, right?  I'm not scared.  They do not have any appointments available until September...and even then I don't know if we will get a spot.  I mention this because while Bryant is making great strides with his occupational therapy, Brittany is still concerned with his nystagmus and wants to rule out any neurological issue.  Again, I'm not scared.  B is fine.  It will be good to hear the opinion of the developmental pediatrician first and we may not have to see the neurologist.  It might just be that we see an ophthalmologist, again.  We shall see.  

I bring this up to everyone because it is on my mind and we would of course appreciate your prayers.  We want what is best for B and we know that everything will work out according to Gods plan.  He is one unique kid and we are so thankful for him and love him so very much.

Like mother, like son...picking the marshmallows out of the lucky charms...

Yep, passed out in the exer-saucer...

Beads on a string...

Blankets up, watching Mickey Mouse...

Happy boy...

Watching Mickey...

Hanging with Daddy...

Finding his voice...this is also what he does when he wakes up at 6:00 a.m...

 

 

 

Drum roll, please...

We are so happy with our new flooring. It is crazy how close the new hardwood matches the existing. Very pleased! And that new carpet smell...the two tone is funky and will certainly take some getting used to. It is really soft, feels good on the ole feet-sees. Empire today gave us a great deal and awesome service. We are so happy!

While the craziness was happening at home the boys and I went to a friends house for an all day play date.  We had a blast...

Yes, that is B going down a slide head first.

Milk...

Turns out, it doesn't do everyone's body good.  Our ENT ordered allergy testing for Bryant and the results came back yesterday. He is allergic to Milk.  Crazy, right?  It is very subtle, but still there, so still an allergy.   So, we were advised to cut milk and milk products from his diet for two weeks to see if we will notice a difference.  I have no idea what "difference" I am going to be looking for.  So, I'll get back to you all on that...

Big boy haircut TWO

Bryant got his 2nd big boy hair cut yesterday. He did great and I could take pictures. The only part he didn't like was the clippers. He loved the dum-dum suckers too; he picked them out. The first one was root beer and the second, butterscotch. I'm thinking those will be our potty training treat when the time comes. MMs aren't cutting it anymore. That was our "please take your medicine" treat.

Spitting image of his daddy...


 


Bradley has found a new napping spot.  Last week while my mom was here she casually laid him down on the couch and he fell asleep and slept so well.  I did it yesterday and he slept great even while B was watching Cars.  I know it's not the safest place, but what is so surprising to me is how still he is.  He 's a little rolly-polly in his crib, but I seriously lay him down on the couch, give him his paci and blanket and he drifts off to sleep.

My sweet babies...
Also, a good before shot of B and his hair...

The neighbors have a "forest" (not judging - just and observation) in their front yard which has made a nice home for this little guy...

This little bunny, and I mean little, has been outside eating the berries that have fallen on the ground.  It is the cutest little thing.  Its ears are so tiny and its little white tail is just beginning to show.  Bryant doesn't get that he needs to be quiet when the bunny is outside as to not scare it away.  But he hasn't scared it away, yet....It's us taking pictures that scares it away or opening the garage door. 

Fish bowl

Bryant is finally "himself" after his surgery.  When they say two weeks, they mean two weeks.  I am so glad he is feeling better.




We are really working on correcting his words now that he isn't "under water".  For so long, as the ENT described, Bryant was hearing like his head was in a fish bowl.  Hearing incorrectly, means producing a sound incorrectly.  So our goal now is repetition and correction.  Also breaking words down to learn to produce each sound correctly.

Both of his therapist were shocked at the difference in Bryant 1 week post surgery.  His speech therapist was almost in tears because he was producing words correctly for the first time.  It makes me wish we would have done tubes sooner, but at that time it was decided that it wasn't the right move.

This is Doc...remind you of anyone?



Doc is a Webkinz.  My friend Adrienne sent this to Bryant as get well lovie along with a "happy face" balloon.  Bryant loved the balloon, but has since taken Doc to bed with him a couple times.



I have to mention this because when Adrienne ordered the webkinz from a near by flower shop, she just told them Bryant loved dogs.  She did not mention to them that he had a dog that was white with black spots.  Doc, is a Dalmatian, but still resembles Dixie.  It is certainly a coincidence.

He came with a secret code and you go online to name him and find out about him. I loved what I read about him....He is a unique dog who loves school and fish sticks.  It was more detailed but that is what I remember.  A perfect match for B.  I will say that B hasn't had fish sticks in a while but for a time that was a lunch staple.

Bradley is doing very well.  He had his 6 month check up last week.  He is a whopping 20 lbs...doing a number on my back.

He is in a new car seat.  I could no longer carry him in the infant carrier and the little snap-n-go stroller was creaking.  He is holding his bottle, grabbing at everything and putting it in his mouth, eating like a champ, rolling over back to tummy and tummy to back, laughs at me when I talk in my cookie monster voice to B, watches his brother like a hawk...his every move, watches TV, loves the exer-saucer.  I could go on and on...

He is still crying out at night.  We have to get up 3-4 times.  He never wakes up but he cries out so we go in his room, give him his pacifier and blanket and he is fine.  I have tried to let him "cry it out", but the problem is he ends up laying on his pacifier or it ends up on the floor. Not much he can do about that. 

Gaga was here for two weeks.  The first week was the week of B's surgery.  The second week was for me because I enjoy the company.  We loved having her here with us...

 

I cannot believe I do not have a picture of her with Bryant.  I guess because they were both runnin' around here like chickens with their heads cut off.  We actually went back to AL to take her home, but she ended up returning to ATL with us.  While in AL, it was so hot, my mom went and got B and b a water table to have at her house...





Nick and I are starting make decisions on some much needed home improvements.  We've made a long list and are starting to chip away.  Nick has been working really hard at keeping our grass looking good.  Spraying for weeds and such.  We put in some tiki torches on the back deck to help with bugs in the evenings...so we can sit out there without getting attacked.  A big improvement is the new hardwoods and carpet coming on FRIDAY!  We are finally ripping out our carpet upstairs and replacing it with something more plush and pretty.  We are also getting rid of the carpet in our living room and getting hardwoods.  We are SOOO EXCITED!!!  Don't worry, I will post pictures.