Ears, tubies, and other musings...

Well for Pete's sake, this blog needs to be tended to!


It has been a wild few months, and super busy! Right now it's 2:30 am, and I can't sleep. So, here we are! If chunks of this post seems weird or has mistakes, just bear with me, it's late, k?!?!


Well, lil' miss needs an update. Some of you may be wondering about the title! As Rowan was nearing 2, I noticed she wasn't saying the "obligatory" 60 words (or is it 50?) that a 2 year old should be saying. I also noticed if I would call her, she wouldn't turn to me. My sister brought it up, which confirmed to me that something was a bit off. We had a hearing test set up.


We went to her hearing test, and were told that Rowan has a mild hearing loss in both ears. We were told this was due to fluid being in her middle ears. The doctors were shocked she's never technically had an ear infection. The doctor said her hearing was the equivalent of her hearing underwater. It made me feel sad for her! We got another appointment to meet with a surgeon to discuss options, as they thought tubes could be an option.


We met with the surgeon and were given 2 choices. Tubes or have her take antibiotics to clear up the fluid. The latter choice I was told, could possibly not even work. I am a firm believer you shouldn't take antibiotics if you truly don't need them (hello antibiotic resistance!). So after some discussion, we chose to go with tubes. I know this is a beyond common procedure, and I felt this was the best way to go. I was told that if she gets tubes, she may not ever be quiet again! Oh dear....


About a month or so later, we got a referral to be seen by a group  called ALTA, which specializes in speech therapy. Considering 2 months have passed since she turned 2 and her hearing loss, she says quite a bit now. However, I still wanted her to be observed. After a 45 minute observation, we were told Rowan had a vocabulary of an 18 month old, and was on the borderline to be qualified. She did end up being qualified for speech, which was great! The therapists did mention (like the doctor) that these tubes could dramatically change everything!


So... there ya have it. Did I mention tomorrow is when Rowan gets her tubes?!? Even though pretty much 8 out of 10 kids get this done, I am a bit nervous! Any pearls of wisdom?!?

2 months late but......Rowan is 2!!! Happy 2 years Rowan!!!

Ugh.... this is shameful! This should have been posted 2 months ago! I had started this but never finished. Well, here we are, two months later!! I am finishing where I left off. Mind you in 2 months, things have changed! For the sake of the original post, I am not doing a total current update!

Holy crap. Rowan Decaris is officially 2.

Also, because this is my official last monthly post, as I won't be doing it any more (well accept for maybe when she is 2.5 and when she turns 3 lol). It's probably a good thing because I can't get my act together to get these done on time! It has been an incredible, tough, and beautiful two years! Rowan has changed our lives, and it has been incredible to watch her transform to a tiny, 5 pound NICU baby to a healthy, chubby 32.5 pound little girl!! I know our journey is only beginning and I am so excited!

Age: 2 years old! No need for adjusted age, hallelujah!

Weight and clothing size: 

Rowan is 32.5 pounds, wearing 3t and 4t clothing depending on the store! Most size 5 shoes don't fit, so heading over to 6! Wearing size 5 diapers! 

Eating:

Two year roundup: sis STILL doesn't care for meat, unless it's super seasoned and moist (okay I get that lol). She loves to eat beans, peas, green beans, any kind of cheese, EVERY FRUIT, smoothies, yogurt, dried fruit, ANY CARB (just like mama!) and peanut butter/jelly sandwiches. LOVES ice cream but we give it to her if she is at party or special occasion. Loves to drink milk and water. We give her juice sparingly, but she loves it! Loves to eat her meals with her spoon, especially cereal with milk. She feels very grown up and is doing a pretty good job!

Things Rowan does:
-hold her spoon and eat relatively cleanly for the most part lol. She screams for joy if you give her cereal with milk! She thinks she's hot stuff lol. 

--in addition to ALL her previous words from the last few months: she now says
"ba-yew" for blue,
"ello" for yellow,
"geen" for green,
"Ed" for red,
"bluck" for black
"brownah" for brown
"Bun" for Ben (her uncle).
 "quack quack doh bye bye!"
"ello mama" (pretending to talk on a cell phone LOL),
"dada all gon?" (since Daddy gets home after us),
"dizzy" for Daisy
owl for Owl (says it pretty clearly)
"muck" for milk
"bug" for bug (lol)


(update: Rowan says a ton more words now!)

-Loves to climb up and stand on chairs, much to mommy's chagrin

-loves to hide behind curtains and couches and tries to scare you

-Loves to climb up slides (much to mommy's chagrin)

-pretend plays with her babies and her kitchen! She loves to "cook" and "bake". Cutest thing ever.

-will try and read to you. She will pull out all her favorites, sit you down and babble her way through the books. 

-Says and identifies most colors. Knows numbers 1-5, and can count with you.

-When pointing at the alphabet, she will clearly repeat all the letters after you. Very proud!! (update: recognizes a good bunch of letters without us prompting!)

-If you ask her for things like diapers, shoes, clothes, bows...she will run and get it for you.  Knows at mealtimes she needs a bib and will definitely tell you if you forget. 

-Tries to dress herself and put on her own shoes. 


Rowan loves:

-STAMPS and PAINTING. Omg, the screams when I pull them out! 

-loves to sing songs and is getting good at "trying" to sing them. 

-water play outside. 

- Loves to watch MMC and Sheriff Callie before bed

-to wave "hiiiiiiiiiiiii" and
"byyyyyyeeeee" to anyone who even somewhat looks her way LOL!



-Climb on everything at the park


-loves to blow bubbles and kick in the bathtub (our future swimmer!)

Rowan doesn't like: 

-when you take her paci away. We are going to stop pacis later this summer and I'm honestly scared lol! It's going to be a rough summer! 

-doesn't like being woken up for school. I feel so bad but we have to! She hates it! I'm appreciative sis likes her sleep!

-hates kidney beans. We tried them and she makes the craziest faces!

-fireworks. Oh boy she had a love/hate relationship with them when we were in Disneyland!!

 Sleeping schedule:

Sleep is still pretty normal when she isn't sick! She sleeps from 7:30/7:45 to 6:30 on work days, usually 7 or 7:15 on the weekends. She takes a good 2.5 hour nap from 12:00-2:30, some times even three hours. I am so thankful for a sleepy baby!

 New happenings this month:

Oh boy, where do we start?


-We had a wonderful Easter with family! The easter egg hunt was even more fun since she is older.
-we had an awesome Disneyland trip over spring break! SO FUN, but it was HOT for being March, ugh! Rowan met Kylo Ren and had zero fear! Proud of my young jedi!!



-Well, sis turned 2!! We had a wonderful Minnie Mouse themed birthday party and it was wonderful! Despite "trying" to keep it small, we had a good turnout of almost 50 people! On her actual birthday, she was sick! She came down with a random high fever, boo!


-I shot Rowan's 2 year shoot! As many of you know, hubs and I are starting a photography business! We shot Rowan's shoot at West 12 ranch and it went fairly well!




-Rowan had a hearing test done after her well check. Turns out she has a mild hearing loss because of fluid. This is a longish story and will be told in the next post lol!




-We have a Disney trip planned for June! Yee haw!!


Obligatory Rowan dump!