Keeping up with the Manssons: Allergies and Speech Therapy

petting Dee Dee

So much major stuff has happened in the last two week. Lets start with the Allergy test.

Good news!!! Jillian does not seem to have any sensitivities. The test was only for the delayed reactions not for the immediate ones, but I think she is going to be good. So far, it appears she has no immediate issues with anything (although I suspected peanuts did something, but I guess it was all coincidence!) And more good news on Henry's allergies, he appears to have outgrown his dairy and corn intolerance. The bad news is that it appears he has an intolerance to soy. Of course, my first thought was 'These are not the right test results'. But the dr. assured me that they were. So...basically...are you ready for this...Henry can eat a regular diet!! YOO HOO! The doctor said we needed to eliminate soy completely and limit whole wheat and spelt (since he was mid-range reaction to those), but seeing as how Henry was not having ANY symptoms drinking soy milk (like lots of soy milk) every day and eating lots of wheat (granted it was not whole wheat or spelt in particular). So, we did an elimination diet of wheat and soy for about 10 days and we have reintroduced wheat products and will introduce soy by-products (so no more soy milk, tofu or edemame) on Wednesday in hopes that he can eat both without any issues. We have also started introducing cow's milk and corn products (granted I had started on the corn products a while ago). So far so good. The only difference we have seen this far is that his meltdowns are not quite as dramatic as before. I mean...he is three...so him not getting to flush the toilet is a big deal! But at least now he gets over it and moves on in a timely fashion instead of throwing himself on the ground and sobbing for 10 minutes.

Trying to get her to say cheese at Speech Therapy

I also had Jillian's speech tested and it is official, she is delayed. I have very mixed feeling about it because I feel that I am not crazy and there is something wrong with the fact that her ability to do physical activities and her receptive skills are SO advanced and her speech is basically non-existant. But I feel like a failure because apparently I didn't do something right since she is not talking. Now...I know that I am not a failure and she will talk when she is ready, but I just think it is the so called mommy guilt that I feel. We all want our children to be prefect and achieve great things in life and if they are delayed or have troubles it is a failure. But...I am not too concerned. I am doing the right thing and getting help. We have been doing everything that we know how to encourage her to talk and she is still not really talking, biting, pulling her hair, and having spectacular fits when we can't figure out what she wants. I do think she now says 'Ya' for yes. So that is another word. Unfortunately, while she occasionally shakes her head for no, she still prefers to bite. Which is terrible and she got me on the back of the leg today when I was putting away groceries and she wanted me to lift her up. Crazy how the kids are SO different.

Henry laughing at the puppet show

Jillian and I also started taking classes this week. She is officially done with her morning nap, although the mornings she wakes us early she is very tired by noon. But she pushes through. So, Mondays are now Speech Therapy, Tuesdays are Babies in Motion (which is a class Henry took), Wedensdays I have both kids (this past week we went to a puppet show. Henry had a BLAST...he was rolling in his seat laughing, like feet up in the and almost having to leave fun! Jillian made it though, which is all I wanted from her.) this week we are going to a splash pad, Thursday will be music class, and Fridays are Wee Play (which is another class Henry took). So our social life is filling up (that is why I have not had a chance to update the blog the last couple of weeks...no time in the morning and the afternoon nap is getting ready for dinner!)

Hiding in the tunnels

In other news, I got my first speeding ticket last week. I was going a whopping 24 miles per hour. Know I know some of you are probably thinking "How can you get a speeding ticket for going 24 MPH?" Well, the speed limit was 35 MPH but I entered a school zone with a cross walk where the speed limit was 15 MPH. So, I was coasting from 35, and apparently got down to 24 before my front bumper passed the sign...and I was thinking "That is weird the have their school speed limit signs out since school is not in session...Oh Crap! There is a cop!" (School got out two weeks ago...so I was probably going to continue to coast thinking that they accidentally left them out). The cop was not as big as a jerk as one would think (being that he basically set up a sting to see who would actually slow down because the signs were out, even though school was not in session). So, I have to go to show up for my court date, take traffic school (which I think I will secretly love, but don't tell anyone!) and pay the court fees and my ticket will be dismissed. What a racket! But I guess $200 for fees/traffic school is a lot less than a double ticket fine for speeding in a school zone plus the increase in insurance.

So...we have had a crazy couple of weeks full of unexpected events. I am so glad that Andrew is enjoying the ride of parenthood with me, but hopefully things will smooth out next week.