Good News!! Definitely NOT a Wordless Wednesday!

Bennett had a video swallow study done this morning, and............................................ Look what he can do now!!!!!







After having no formula or breastmilk to drink (by mouth) in 9 months, Bennett gets to drink again!!!! He loved his bottles and nursing when he was 3-5 mos old so I think he really liked having liquids again. When I asked if he wanted more, he got really excited.





He looooves it!!





He did so great!! I am sooooooooooo excited he can eat other foods now and drink thin liquids! We are going to work so hard at phasing out the g-tube as much as possible. It will take time, but he is so motivated and wants so much to eat like we do that I truly believe he will do great with oral feedings. He was so excited about his cup after watching us drink with envy for months and months.

Bennett also had an occupational therapy evaluation today! He was so cute playing with all of the manipulatives. He got excited about the blocks!






He banged them together, transferred them back and forth from hand to hand, picked them up, dropped them, shook them, put them in his mouth (ew, i know, but they were clean), and beat them on the table. He poured baby puffs out of a bottle, took pegs out of holes, and more. He isn't clapping or using a pincer grasp yet and wasn't able to do some of the smaller movements just yet but had fine motor skills scattered from 6-12 mos.

We believe his trunk support/torso muscle development is the main reason for this delay and his gross motor delay. He did not like being on his tummy at all from Jan-June and missed so much practice for strengthening those core muscles needed for sitting and crawling and stablizing his body enough to do things like clapping. His tummy stayed full too long after feedings, making it uncomfortable to be on his tummy (and he would gag), until we realized this and he started taking a medication to help speed up his gastric emptying. Since then, he loves being on the floor and is rolling faster and faster across the room every day. Practice makes progress!!






We are going to see PT once a week and OT once a month and will be working hard at home too! I am so proud of how far Bennett has come and so thankful for answered prayers.



He was so tired when we were done. I love his serious looks













and yawns





and that sleepy happy smile :)







Today was definitely a day to celebrate!







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