So many updates not sure where to start! Suppose I should go chronologically with the oldest update first – which also happens to build up to the biggest news of all! Course if you can’t wait you can always scroll down and spoil it for yourself! 😛

Here goes:

On Jan 30 Gavin saw a new specialist. This doctor specializes in medicating kids with CP (and other disabilities). It was recommended we see him to determine whether or not Gavin could benefit from medication for his toning. As I may have said in a previous post, I had my reservations. Medicating a 15 month old?! How would that affect his liver and kidneys? What would the dosage look like years from now as he gets older? Would the medication undo everything we’ve already gained? The questions were endless. After literally 90 minutes (sorry to patients for the remainder of the day!) my concerns were put to rest. Currently his new doctor is just going to watch Gavin and get to know him. The medication Gavin would be put on (backlofin) would make him very sleepy and we want him awake and alert to be able to focus on his developmental skills! The other – botox injections – just isn’t something that would currently be overly beneficial for Gavin – mainly for his hands and potentially for growth spurts as he gets older (not to mention no child of mine is going to get botox before I do!! 😉 ) So for now we wait and watch (like most of his doctors) and I’m ok with that. (Bonus: the doc’s office has a dog and several large fish tanks that Gavin LOVES!!)

On Feb 11 Gavin (and Spencer) had his 15 month check up. Not gonna lie – I was a little apprehensive about the appt. At the boys’ last well visit in December we found out that Gavin hadn’t grown from his 9 month well visit. We’ve been calorie loading this kid like crazy and it paid off! The measurement I am most concerned about is his head, and it GREW!!!!! 1.5cm (which is the exact size Spencer’s grew  – TWINS!) He picked up about 2 inches in height and a little with his weight. Not too worried about his weight only because he’s had a bad cold so is having trouble breathing/eating/drinking. Once his cold is gone he’ll start bulking up again and get him re-weighed so we have a better sense of month-to-month growth.

And now for the BIG NEWS!!

We are huge believers in teaching sign language to our kids. Bailey learned it from a young age and I think it helped to alleviate some of her frustration as she learned to talk – if she couldn’t find the word she wanted to say, she signed it. Spencer has already mastered “more” (kid is 25lbs – need I say more?!) and is moving onto other words as he learns to say them. I have been concerned with Gavin because he is delayed with speech and unless you hold up options for him (he’ll use his eyes to stare at what he wants) or look for his cues it’s hard to determine what he wants/needs. Well last night there was NO guessing. I made blueberry pancakes for dinner and decided Gavin was going to have some. I made sure the pieces were nice and small and easy for him to eat. I asked if he wanted “more” using the sign for “more” – although made it look more like what he would be able to physically do. Unlike Bailey or Spencer (or the rest of us for that matter) Gavin doesn’t have a lot of dexterity in his fingers so for him, “more” isn’t the finger tips coming together – it’s his fists coming together. It took him some time (as most things do) and several frustrating set backs but he was eventually able to sign “more” – a total of FOUR times! At the same time he also gave his “normal” cue for “more” by opening his mouth. Guess he wanted to make sure I KNEW he was still hungry.  It wasn’t fluid or “pretty” but it got the job done.

For the first time my son was really able to communicate with me and man was that awesome!!