Christmas at Nana's

Kids find funny places to sleep!

 

 

 

 Santa was generous this year.

 

We forgot to bring our stockings but Santa had it covered!

 

 Rand

 Zenny's embarrassed look.

 Nathan

 

 

Christmas was good this year. So much fun!

Texas

In August we moved to San Antonio, Texas. Here are a few things we've done since we got there:

 

The birth of Rand Isaac

 

 

 

Michael's 31st birthday

 

 

Halloween

Superman, Iron Man, and Thomas the Tank Engine

 

 

 Zenny at the school carnival

Nathan's Preschool Graduation!

This was played at Nathan's Preschool graduation. More pictures to follow.

Choo choo

This is how Zenny eats breakfastmost mornings. He is watching for choo choos. There is a track that runs by our house and any train or airplane that goes by he goes running to watch it.

We are always hearing about:
"Choo choo out."
"Choo choo op (stop)."
"Choo choo bye-bye."

Cute boy!

Deaf Child?

Well, We took zenny in for his hearing screening and he came out perfect! He was so cute . I was trying not to laugh while we were in the both. They had little toys that would light up and move when he turned his head toward the noise ( sounded like white noise like on the radio). He figured out real quick that she was doing one side and then the other, so he would look at the side that he heard make sound and then immediatley turn to look at the other side. So, of course she started to change it up. But I was just crackin up. Sometimes it was loud enough that he thought there was someone or something behind us so he would turn around to look. He started laughing everytime the toy and light went off. It was cute.
Anyways, they tested him for fluid and he didn't have any. So, this means he can hear and that his speech delay is a neuron delay in the brain, mostlikely. This is fairly common with young kids. Sometimes the neurons between the hearing (I believe) and the outward expressio parts of the brain are not traveling between each other like they are supposed to and so until that develops farther the child has a hard time speaking. But he is picking up on signing very well and the yelling tantrums have cut down alot. On the other hand, we now know that he is just ignoring us when he doesn't come.

Early Intervention

About two weeks ago we had Zen tested for Speech and Language intervention. As part of the testing, they test all aspects of development-physical, emotional, cognitive, etc. He tested right at two years for everything but expressive communication (meaning talking) at which he tested at 11 Mo. So we have started him into the early intervention program here. Yesterday we had the speech therapist and a nurse come to our home to start teaching us how to help Zen. The nurse did a hearing test on Zen and he failed on both ears. They recommended that we have him tested further to see if he has chronic fluid in his ears since he does speak ome words but not consistantly and some days not at all. If it is fluid, it would make since as fluid levels can go up and down and not necessarily cause an ear infection. It also makes sense to me as I have noticed that he responds better to Michael's low voice over mine or Nana's. He also responds better if your right at his level. So we'll see. We are working on replacing screaming and pointing with Signs. He doesn't like it but they warned us that he would have a tantrum at first. But what's new a tantrum over signing or a tantrum for us not understanding what he wants? So this is our adventure for the new year!