Happy Mommy!

I just wanted to give a quick update to the blog. Jojo has been still going strong with imitation skills and some spontaneous 2 word phrases such as help please, mama go, all done, and hi (someones name). We are still working on clarity of many of his words but I'm sure that will come. I am really, really enjoying each day with him now. (I know that sounds horrible, but the first 2 years were not exactly easy for us!) He is so agreeable, laid back and HAPPY! No terrible two's for this guy!! It seems whatever I tell him his response is "ah-tay" (okay). We are going on new adventures every day together! He is a completely different child the past 2 months than he ever was! It is so obvious how much better he feels health wise, not to mention the fact he can communicate so much better with everyone now. I think back now and understand why he never quite seemed happy or like he felt good......he couldn't eat because of erosions in his esophagus, he couldn't sleep because of GERD, floppy cartilage in his airway, very large adenoids and sleep apnea (he stopped breathing an average of 9x per hour). I also have to add that it doesn't make for a happy mommy or daddy getting up 6 or 7 times a night! He also continuously had fluid in his ears for about 8 months. Looking back on all of that (and more) I am so thrilled and relieved with how far we have come. He is still followed by many doctors for his issues but we are so grateful to have a lot of this behind us. I can't express enough how happy I am with Jojo's progress. He is such an amazing little boy. (and darn cute I might add!!) I am so blessed!

Jojo has still been making steady progress and we are thrilled! All 3 of his speech therapists are amazed how quickly he is progressing! Speech 4x a week and our daily work at home are really paying off! We know we still have a long way to go, but we are certainly enjoying each new word and even a couple of two word phrases. We love to listen to that cute little voice trying out new words all the time. My favorite is something he said to my Mom last night when she asked him a question, he said "ah no-no" for "I don't know." This morning after I dropped something and said "oh crap" I hear a little voice behind me saying "ah-cap" and giggling and then saying it over and over and over. Guess I better remember he can now imitate me! He definitely seems sooooo much happier and less frustrated now that we are able to understand him better. We are so happy for him.

In therapy they are working still on naming actions, putting two words together and also still reinforcing single words and different consonant and vowels combinations so that he does not lose what he has already learned. He is still also working on clarity of some of the words that he does have. There are some sounds which he doesn't have at all yet but they are typically sounds that come later anyhow. He can't pronounce l,y,w,f,v,ch,th,x,z,q,r but then again a lot of 2 1/2 year olds can't pronounce those either. He has had some success with longer words that change the vowel and the consonant. He cannot yet end his words with the "n" sound which really changes the sound of the whole word. "Green" is "geet" "on" is "ot" etc.

He has an appt with a pediatric opthamalogist in January due to a blocked tear duct that keeps giving him trouble. When most kids are wiping their nose he is wiping his eye because it is so watery and runny. We have tried the standard treatment which is warm compress and massage, but have had little improvement. It always looks like he is tearing up because the tears don't drain properly. He has an appointment with his GI doc two days before Christmas and an appointment with an orthotist to assess how his ankle braces are working/fitting on the 19th.