JANUARY - Bear

Kobe got awarded his Bear at the Cub Scout Pack Meeting.  My camera's batteries were done, so thanks to Angie for this picture.

Kobe during their skit.

OCTOBER - Our Special Boy, Tate

THIS IS A VERY LONG POST FOR JOURNALING AND DOCUMENTING PURPOSES

Tate Jakes has always been his own little guy.  So different from how the other ones were as babies.  When he was the tiniest baby, I thought he didn't like me.  I always felt like he was angry at me for some reason.  Or like he was grumpy to be here.  I'm pretty sure I documented it on my blog.

 

(These pictures are making me so baby hungry.)

I even stopped nursing him at 10 months instead of a year, because he would literally push me away while he was nursing.  Like, "I'm hungry, and I need this food, but don't get the wrong idea.  I don't like you."

But as he grew up, his grumpiness subsided and he just became a regular baby.  Albeit, a "youngest" baby who tends to be a little bit spoiled, which  means he tends to be a little bit high maintenance.  But he fits right into our family.  Still, I could never shake the feeling that there was something a little bit off with him.

I just want to document here that I asked my doctor if he could possibly be blind at his two week appointment.  And then I asked at every other well-child appointment after that if he could possibly have autism.  He just seemed different to me than the other boys, and I didn't know exactly what it was.  But I wanted to be aware at all times and not just brush it under the rug.  I want to document this to provide further evidence that a mother knows her babies.

So, anyway, what I'm getting at is that Tate has a speech delay.  At his two-year appointment, his pediatrician FINALLY recognized that his speech was delayed and not just a youngest child thing.  We got him tested through child find, and he indeed does have speech delays - both receptive and expressive.  They didn't diagnose him with any sort of autism because his interactions are fine.  I think it was the receptive speech that had me worried about autism.  I always knew that he was slow to talk, but that didn't worry me so much.  What worried me is that he didn't seem to understand what we were saying.  Even simple things.  I struggled with disciplining him because I could just tell that he didn't understand what was expected of him to begin with.

The appointment with child find was so amazing.  They just played with him and observed the areas where he had "road blocks".  I typed out all of his findings and diagnosis, and you can click on this and read through it if you want:

So Tate started speech therapy.  His therapist, Kathy, comes to our home one morning a week for an hour and works with him.  I am with them, too, and she teaches me the things to work on with him during the week.

Since Kathy started coming, Tate has made so much progress!  He just learns things differently than the expected way, so when we identify how he learns things and work with him, doors are opened and he can say and understand so much more.  For example, we worked to teach him the words "what" and "where", which were difficult for him to understand since they aren't concrete.  Once he understood what those words meant, all of this vocabulary he had stored in his head just came pouring out.  It's like he knew so much in his head, but he was road blocked by the words "what" and "where".

So, anyway, it's been so interesting and so great for Tate.  He is so much happier now that he can communicate more and I'm so much happier knowing that he is improving.  He continues to surprise me everyday with the things he knows.  We love our little guy so  much and are so grateful to live in a time where so much is known about speech and development and that we can help him at such an early age.

DECEMBER - Braces Off!

After over two years, Kobe's FIRST PHASE of braces was complete.

 

BEFORE

 

AFTER!

 

They gave us this printout at the ortho office.  When I saw it, I almost started crying!  Why has he changed so much in two years!?!  That little guy is how I still think of Kobe.  It was so sad to see that he is grown up from that little boy now.  Too, too fast.

NOVEMBER - Thanksgiving

 

We were still in full-on project mode during Thanksgiving break, so Thanksgiving was a small, intimate affair squeezed in between painting and pulling up carpet.

 

Pants were optional.

 

Despite our chaotic situation, dinner was still tasty and fun.

 

And since it was just our family, we could let the bum jokes flow freely.

 

I am most grateful for my family.  And that our house is not in remodel mode anymore.

 

The poor T-man was so, so sick the whole Thanksgiving weekend.  He had the worst croup I had ever heard, and that's saying a lot.  We ended up taking him to the ER Thanksgiving night.  A funny story - when they input his information into the computer - DOB, weight, height, etc. - a screen popped up that said, "Information seems to be incorrect.  Please recheck and confirm before proceeding."  Tate is off the charts.  He is such a big boy for his age!

NOVEMBER - Jakob's 34th Birthday

 

Breakfast in bed!

 

Ready to party.

 

Searching for presents.

 

Reading a card from the boys.

 

Birthday gifts = the yoush.

 

The best dad ever.

 

Tate getting a head start on the candles.

 

Happy Birthday, Jake!  Another wonderful year with you in our lives.  Thanks for all you do and hope you had a great day!