I never thought much about communicating before I had kids. Even once Cameron was born I didn’t think to much about it. Rob and I spoke and decided we didn’t want to use baby talk and that we would speak to our children like little adults so that they would learn to speak clearly and that was it until Cameron was about 15 moths old and not speaking. I didn’t really know any different so I just assumed he would speak when he was ready. A pediatrician noticed it and was (not worried but…) suspicious about it and referred us to a speech therapist for an evaluation. The wait list was really long and it took 8 months to get an appointment. By then I had forgotten all about it as one day Cam started talking and… Well… He hasn’t stopped since. I was at that same time that I noticed that Nate (who then was almost a year) wasn’t speaking either. But Nate unlike Cameron also didn’t babel much. He didn’t make those cute cooing sounds or noises that sound like speech just not in any language adults can understand. He was very quiet. This combined with his health problems caused me some concern so I had him referred for an evaluation. As it turned out he was/is delayed in his speech but is doing well.

I have been thinking about beginning comunication again because Aly (now 7 months) has been expanding her communication skills. She has been a babler since she was born. Cooing and making sounds. Recently she began using other forms of comunication. She has been copying sounds and doing things like smacking her lips to tell us she’s hungry and reaching out when she wants to be picked up.

It is so excited to watch as they grow and to see them develop new skills and personality.

On June 16th my daughter was born. Alexandria Dorthea. You was born on her due date as it was predicted by my midwife. Which was 1 day after the day I had figured out and 4 days before the one that the obsetrician had figured out (3 different calculation systems were used). She was born 7 lB 6 oz and 54 cm although she seemd a lot heavier. She was a strong eater and had no problems with bowel movements (which made the whole family happy). She however would not sleep if put down. Her first night she slept in 20 minute increments which ment mommy got no sleep. But she was beautiful and healthy. She had a little bit of jaundice (so did both boys) but nothing to worry over. The best part of all was for my first time 36 hours after she was born both mommy and baby were released and allowed to go home (Both boys were in for a few days Cam 2 weeks and Nate 1 week). My beautiful baby girl.

Alexandria Dorthea

Nathanial was born at 38 weeks just 2 weeks before he was suppose to. At first he seemed perfect. He was born 7 lB 7 oz. Most babies are born upset but Nate was right out pissed off. He looked like an angry old man. By about 24 hours old he was refusing to eat and I was becoming very worried. The nurse kept telling me not to worry but I was sure that something was wrong, he was throwning up green bile and just seemed off. I couldn’t say exactly how just that something was wrong. At around 30 hours old the nurse on duty noticed that his belly seemed a bit distended and thathe had not yet had his first bowel movement. She informed the pediatrician on duty and began monitoring him. They soon noticed that Nate was getting worse and that he was starting to show signs of his body becoming toxic because of his system backing up. The pediatrician contacted Sick Kids Hospital for a consultation and it was decided that Nate would be transfered there for evaluation. An emergancy transfer team was called and at about 36 hours old he was rushed to Sick Kids. Upon arrival they x-rayed him and found that he had a complete bowel blockage. They cleaned him out. He very quickly began feeling much better. He was kept for a few more days and then transfered back to the local hospital and at a week old was released and sent home. It was belived that he was well. It was later discovered that he actually hadsever bowel issues but that is a story for another day.