Why I Haven't Been Here

I have a funny post coming, I swear. I've written it in my head, I just need time to get it down. These are the reasons why I haven't yet:

• Peanut is on her FOURTH molar in five weeks, which means no sleep for either of us.
• She is still suffering from nerve pain at her surgical sites, which causes me head pain.
• T. has also been causing me head pain, but for different reasons that would require and entirely new blog to write about.
• We've had another round of doctor and allied health-professional visits for Peanut, in additon to the regular therapy appointments. It's nearly a full-time job.
  
• We moved my grandfather into an assisted-living facility, and even though my father did most of the big stuff it still required a lot of time and energy from me, with more to come as we ready the house for sale. Yes, he's very happy there.
• My house is falling apart piece-by-piece. And don't even ask about the lawn.

Peanut was officially found to have a speech delay, due to oral-motor problems (in other words, the muscles in her mouth aren't working right). This is probably fixable, with time and effort. Speech therapists being in short supply (anyone looking for a new career with excellent job potential, go into speech therapy), we can't actually see one even for a consult until July unless we pay out-of-pocket, so we are getting some information on home therapy for her based on the report done by the occupational therapist. She's young enough that we think it will be ok until her name comes up on the list for regular speech therapy. The stuff we do for her has actually helped, as she started saying a consonant sound she hadn't made before.

And the first book she asked for? The Feelings Book by Todd Parr. She next asked for her favorite, Counting Kisses by Karen Katz. This morning, she very much was interested in Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems (the same guy who did Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, which I think is one of the funniest kids books I've read). The illustrations are gorgeous -- cartoon figures on a backdrop of sepia-toned photographs of streets in Park Slope, Brooklyn. This is where T. and I fell in love, so I am especially partial to it. Anyway, she is wanting me to read to her all the time now, and I couldn't be happier. It's time to go dig out the library card.