New year, new diagnosis
Plus some other steps forward
Let’s start with the good great news: Noah has started “walking!”
On January 9th, right after story time at our local library, Matt saw it: five independent steps forward, with no help or assistance!
We’ve been waiting for this moment for so long, we were obviously over the moon!
We spent the next several days doing what any responsible parents would do: trying to coax him into doing it again. Of course, each time, Noah would tell us no. He needed to do it on his own terms.
Just as Matt was starting to worry that Katelyn would think he’d made it al up, Noah did it again at home! And then again, and again. Now, he’s standing and taking steps all the time. Very soon, he will be walking as his main mode of transportation.
You can see some steps in this video (as well as a few other moves):
A new diagnosis emerges
Now for some not-so-great news…
A few days into the new year, we got a call from his pediatrician. The blood test from his two-year check-up came back positive for hypothyroidism.
His thyroid gland is underproducing the thyroid hormone, which controls things like metabolism and growth. We think this may be why he hasn’t grown very much in the last year. And Katelyn has been suspicious about his energy capacity lately, too.
We were referred to endocrinology at Yale, and we take him in on February 20th to get some more tests done and hear what treatment looks like.
Here’s what else we were up to in January:
Noah experienced his first snowfall! He was…sort of into it. And then it snowed a few more times, and he was over it. Same, Noah, same.
Our good friend Eunice came to visit over MLK weekend (she saw Noah take some steps too)!
The following weekend, our friends Omar, Michelle, and their son Sekou came to visit for the day on Saturday. It was so nice to have visitors after so long alone.
We signed Noah up for a local music class that’s all the rage amongst the toddler set. He LOOOOOVES it! It comes with an app with all the songs - and he frequently requests the same ones at home, over and over.
Noah’s had several play dates with other kids, and he’s made friends with 3-year-old Matthew and 6-year-old Brendan at our local YMCA, who recently brought snacks to share with him after swim time.
He had an eye check-up on the 27th, and all looks good. The nystagmus is still minimal, and there’s no need for eyeglasses…yet.
We went to a New Haven school choice fair, just to see what our options are. They told us that CT state law has just changed, mandating that kids have to be three by September 1 in order to start school that year.
However, according to our Birth to Three providers, that’s only for magnet schools, and he SHOULD be able to start a public school readiness program as soon as he turns three.
Long story short: we continue to be confused about the local school system….
Prayers and Praises
Praises
That he’s taking steps!
Our music class and wonderful teacher, Nikki.
The friends we continue to meet and make.
Prayers
That the hypothyroid appointment goes well at Yale, and it’s not a complicated (or expensive) treatment.
We’ve been a bit sick and just generally tired in the new year - so stamina and health for all of us.