A LOT to catch up on....

Firstly, since my last post the babies turned 3 so I guess by default I should no longer call them 'the babies'. We had a great little family birthday in our backyard, had party hats, a cake, sung happy birthday blew out the candles, took some photos and then at the end of the evening Henley tossed our new camera over the pool fence and right into the pool. Hmmm sounds about right....

As it has been 10 months since I last updated this blog they have grown and changed so much. They are both in an exceptional student education class at the local elementary school and still get speech (both of them) and occupational therapy (Henley only).

Skye lost her MIC-Key button the week before starting school and as she was a good weight and was starting to eat much more by mouth we decided to see how things went. She is doing great and although she doesnt eat any more than before, she is happy to drink 3 bottles of pediasure instead of having them tube fed to her - she even goes and gets one of of the pantry when she wants one!

I have to say since they started school they have both been sick a lot (expecially first 6 weeks) and so both of them went a bit skinny due to feeling ill/having a vomiting bug then a pooping bug). Right now, they have both put a bit back on and are looking good!

Skye still has her trach and wears it in and capped for school, mostly to keep the germs out and keep her safe from drinks (she will pick up anyones glass and try to drink from it, but usually spills it down her neck - VERY dangerous if you have an open tracheostomy!) She also has a nurse in the classroom to keep an eye on her due to the trach and she is very good, so my mind is at rest with her there!

She is also starting to talk. I know she is waaaay behind a 3 1/2 year old, but she will copy lots of things you say now and is starting to use her words to ask for things which is a huge step in the right direction. I also think she is very smart as she can count to 20, knows her alphabet, colors, shapes, animals and she knows a lot of sight words, to the point where is is almost  'reading' her books.

Henley is also doing well at school and I really think he is smart as he knows all the same things as Skye. His speaking however is still pretty much non-existant, although he has added 'no' to his vocabulary recently. If I show him flashcards of colors, shapes and words, he points out anything I ask him (e.g where is the oval shape, where is the giraffe, which word says please etc). he is also getting used to kids a little bit more and doesnt have full on meltdowns in the grocery store because another child screamed. He does have some headphones, however that he uses at school and he puts them on  when he wants to if someone is loud, and he uses them at playtime - we also have some for when we go out with him!

Here are some updated photos of them - there is one of Skye sitting in snow - this was only 'fake' snow at Celebration....