32 Months

Dom surprised me this week by putting two words together. I know most 2.5 yr olds do it by this point, but language has not been Dom's thing. He's progressed so much in the last couple of weeks...I'm hoping it'll click and he will get better.
He asked for "eggs please" and "bob bob (SpongeBob) please". Just yesterday he said "mama mama mama bob bob please". pretty neat huh? He put it together all by himself. For now, he only talks to me and daddy...he has a hard time talking to strangers or other kids. But what can I say? His parents aren't really social either...haha

My little baker

Recently, we found this little people app (free) about the market and learning how to bake...he got hooked. So, now everytime he opens the fridge he'll say "bread" "eggs" "cookie". I found some stuff for him to play with along while watching the ipad.
He has been to the splash park several times...but they open at 11am, and it's so HOT by then...and there's no shade...my child got a little dark...but he loves it. and I feel like I can take care of him better than if we were at the pool...he likes to run around the pool, which gives a heart attack everytime.

I love his little speedos....Daddy does not.

Making friends

I love his face!

When I was pregnant with Dom I never thought I would get him a pair of crocs....lets be honest...not the most fashionable statement. But, I have come to realize they're the best invention for kids. It's everything in one shoe- running shoes, sandals, no slip shoes, and whatever else there is. You can wash them so easily...they never stain...they're easy to put on and stay on. It's amazing. I never would have thought. Every time we travel and Dom needs flip flops or sandals, I'll take those...cause I know I can wash them anywhere and he won't slip in the hotel tub either. so, well worth the investment!

He had the opportunity to go the beach recently, and he figured out how to hold his breath. He has learned all kinds of colors "blue" "green" "pink" "purple" "black" "white" "brown" and "blue" and most of them you can understand when he says them...if he will tell them to you at all. He loves fire trucks and ambulances right now, but doesn't like it when the sirens are on.

The only time Dom was lethargic when waking up was at the beach.

The only time Dom napped without crying was at the beach.
he was exhausted.

Today, August 14, we had the opportunity of having Dom go for a psychological evaluation at the Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital. I guess we're going to do two- a psychological one, and a medical one. I was told that the psychological would rule out autism while the medical one would rule out neurological disorders.  We started this process a bit after we moved here, just to kind of show you  how long the waiting time is. This hospital is HUGE and well renowned for its research facilities. So, I figured if we do it, might as well do it here.

parking garage. Hey, I gotta document everything...and
remember where I parked...haha. it's like 10 stories!

Entrance. Oh my gosh...the baby gift shop is divine....it's like
buybuybaby or something in there.

waiting room (9th floor)

waiting room

Actual evaluation- basically tested Dom's abilities by play...
so it went by fast.

Waiting for results- Daddy found a bubble gun. I think he was
having more fun than baby.

So, after the 2 hr evaluation (basically play and giving Dom commands) it came out like this: He is a medical mystery....WHAT??? all those months of wait for nothing???.....Then the Dr. explained that while his spatial skills are off the charts (for a 2 yr old) his language is well below normal level (OK...tell me something I didn't know). They don't know why Dom is not talking like a normal 2.5yr old. He doesn't have signs of any autism spectrum disorder, he has good social skills and he has well above average problem solving skills. So, basically my child does not fit the "mold" of their evaluation. If you think about it, you go in, they test you and you fall into a number (your "grade"), then they correlate that grade to a conclusion (that is already figured out for them, they just have to match it up). Dom didn't have a "conclusion" so he's an inconclusive...haha

 

So, next week we'll go see the Dr. for the medical evaluation. The psychologist did say that it's odd that his brain is developing so fast on one side, but not fast enough on the other....why is he thinking well above his age, but talking and babbling like a one year old? it just doesn't make sense. It also didn't help that Dom didn't really talk to her. He didn't give her a chance to get use to her and actually say some words...the only words he said to her were "bye" and "bubble". so, the evaluation in that sense, was flawed. Because Dom can say a lot more than that....but her conclusion matches mine, so whatever. She also mentioned that it's hard for him to follow instructions....he's a little below average...she's thinking that also has to do with his speech, and she was amazed at how many of the letter and numbers he knows. I asked her if it could have been something to do with the birth or the fact that I tried to speak Spanish to him at the beginning of his life...but since she's the psychological aspect of the evaluation, she couldn't tell me. But honestly, it makes you realize how frail the human body is. Their little brains getting stuck in the canal, getting sucked out by vacuums, mom's getting a cocktail of medicines to get the baby out....it all could lead to something. Could be something well noticed..like broken bones at delivery...or it could be something that's not noticed until well later in the child's life- like developmental disabilities. Truth is, if we all thought like I did....I don't think anybody would have children for fear of what could go wrong. So, I guess I'm glad most of the human race is not like me....cause somebody's got to bring all them little souls to Earth.

 

 

The plan of action now is to go back to TEIS and see if they will reconsider Dom into the program (which I doubt) and see if they will help him. They will send the tests to them as well, so I'll wait a couple of weeks before I call TEIS. Also, IF he gets into the TEIS program, it will mean that when he's three, he will be able to attend preschool with a teacher that knows his struggles, so it will be a better transition for him, which I think is cool. Too bad we don't plan on staying here. BUT if we get it done, maybe to wherever we move, they will just take him automatically into THEIR state program since he qualified for the TN one....that would be ideal. We'll see....at this point, we got nothing to lose. 

 

Either way, I'm happy my child will not be labeled with a  "disorder". I thought it was interesting that this Dr. was the fifth person to tell me that he will probably be an engineer when he grows up. To quote Uncle Gordon "He looks smart...like an engineer"....haha. So, overall I guess I'm content with the result. We'll see what the other evaluation says.