More on SPD

http://spdfoundation.net/about-sensory-processing-disorder.html

http://spdfoundation.net/redflags.html

http://sensorysmarts.com/signs_of_spd.html

Sensory processing disorder

We went to Emma's evaluation yesterday with the speech therapist. We are going again next week for another evaluation with the occupational therapist. It's my understanding that Emma most likely has sensory processing disorder which in turn is delaying her speech. Here is a link for more information on this disorder http://www.m.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/sensory-processing-disorder. Basically it's a condition where the signals in the brain aren't connecting and in turn are having trouble Recieving and responding to information recieved from the senses. 1 in 20 children are affected by this and it is treatable.  Especially if caught early this will probably not affect her life in a huge way. 

I have to admit that yesterday I didn't take this very well. Of course the first thing that crossed my mind was what did I do or what didn't I do for this to happen. With further research I discovered that this can be hereditary. Both myself and my husband had some learning disabilities growing up and after reading the signs I believe this is what I had. Back then though it was often misdiagnosed. This was a little of a relief knowing that it wasn't anything that I did. It's just something that happens due To family history. 

After getting home I researched and researched and talked with a dear friend who has s daughter going through the same issue. She helped me a lot and made me feel better. There are state programs that help with this and offer it at no cost. I plan on going to this place recommend by my dr and is covered by my insurance. But insurance only covers 60 visits. So I'll also be doing the state program. I have started the process with them already and have our first visit next Thursday. The really nice thing about the state program is that they come to your house for the therapy. This will make it much easier on us since we will be going to therapy twice a week already at the other place. 

All in all yesterday was a little stressful for me as a mom. I'm feeling much better today about it though. I just don't want my daughter to ever have to struggle in her life. I think that's the hardest part because I see her frustration with not being able to communicate with us. I can usually understand what she is trying to tell me by her gestures but other times I have no clue. She gets very upset when she can't do something or can't get something to work. Like trying to get the blocks in the right hole. She gets very discouraged and starts whining. It kills me to see this. I just want her to be a happy kid. 

Hopefully we will start to see some improvements with these therapies. I imagine that because she is only 18 months we will. They are like sponges at this age. She just needs help connecting those wires in her brain. 

Last night I rocked her to sleep and just kept rocking. I just wanted to hold her. She was so cute. 

These are the moments I live for!

18 months and another baby?

No, I'm not pregnant! But we have decided to go ahead and try for number 2. We have 7 frozen embryos in San Diego. I'll be doing my monitoring here in st Louis and then traveling to San Diego to do the transfer. Oh yea I forgot to mention we moved back to St. Louis, our home town, in December. We are thrilled to be back with family and friends. New York was not for us. Anyway, with my next cycle I will be doing another sonohystriogram. Then the cycle after that the transfer. So we are looking at mid to late April and possibly early May for the transfer. I'm very nervous about handling two little ones but I don't want them to be far apart in age. Emma will hopefully be a good big sister this time next year. :) I'll post more when we get started on the transfer cycle. Now back to my little angel. 

Emma is 18 months, a year and a half old! Hard to believe right? We have had a very eventful past few months. Moving was the huge change. Emma loves our new house as do mark and I. She has so much more room to run around and play. 

Here is a quick update. She has 12 teeth and working on one more right now. Loves to color, read books, go down her indoor little slide. She loves baby dolls right now too. At her 18 month appointment she weighed in at 24.6lbs and couldn't determine her length but guessed it was around 33 inch. She was screaming bloody murder for some reason. She is in 24-2t clothing. Size 5 diaper. Size 6 shoe. She is a pretty picky eater these days. Luckily she still likes the pouches and I can get some nutrients in that way. Her favorite thing to eat is bananas, granola bars, grilled cheese, turkey, cereal, peanuts and loves fruit snacks! 

We had a scary week a few weeks ago. Emma had a stomach bug that started off as vomiting and diarrhea along with a fever. As the week went by she had diarrhea multiple times a day.you could tell the kid was pretty miserable. So I took her to the doctor and they wanted me to bring her to the ER to check some blood work and to get a urine sample to make sure she doesn't have a urinary track infection or kidney infection. That was The worst thing I've ever had to experience as a mother. They gave her fluids through an IV and had to use a catheter to get urine. I hope I never have to witness that again. It was terrible to have to see her go through that. Turns out she was extremely dehydrated and that is was just a stomach bug. She just couldn't recover because of the dehydration. After she got the fluids she almost instantly got better. Very scary situation. 

Other than that Emma is a thriving little girl. There is a concern with her not talking still. She really doesn't say many words other than dada and what's that. So the pediatrician is having us see a speech therapist. I'm hoping that with a little help she starts blabbing all types of words. Don't get me wrong this kid talks all day long. She just doesn't say any words. I'll update after our first visit. 

Here are some pictures!!!

Christmas 

Our last nyc outing! The rockefeller Christmas tree.