June photos and it is all about Ma Ma Ma Ma Ma

Since Ultan was born he has been a bit of a talker.  Constantly getting involved in telling stories.  However, June was the month where I was able to see him purposely working to manipulate his lips to make the sound "Ma Ma Ma Ma".

Two emotions passed through my body.  The first was my competitive side - yes, he had said Ma Ma Ma before Da Da Da.  He was my third born boy and my olders sons had Da Da as their first words so this is my moment of complete joy.   All those thousands of nappies later and I felt my third-born Son was acknowledging this by calling Ma Ma Ma first!!! Ultan's Dad Mark will try and plead the case that Ultan was attempting to say Mark......Ha!  However, I had planned that if Ultan was to call out at 3AM, I would certainly agree that Ultan was indeed attempting to say Mark!  In Ireland they say that if your baby say's Ma Ma Ma first your next baby will be a girl........ We will see ;)  However, I should declare that the scientific reason for Ultan to say Ma first instead of Da is that he is unable to pronouce D with a cleft in his palate.  But let's not let science take away from my special moment!!

The second emotion was a little relief; or you could say encouragement.  One of the moments you read about regarding babies born with clefts is delayed speech.  However, Ultan is hitting each milestone at the same age as his brother Kai (not Seán, I don't ever remember a time when Seán did not speak!!).  

The fact that Ultan wants to talk and is constantly making noises is all extremely encouraging. 

June was also the month when Ultan visited an ENT specialist for the first time - Dr Hui Yau.  Cleft babies are more prone to ear infections due to fluid being unable to drain away.  To my knowledge this is because the tubes between the ears and the back to the throat have not fully developed but usually do catch up and develop within first two years.   To help drain the fluid away, grommets are inserted.  I wasn't sure if Ultan would need grommets as he responds really well to noise but obviously I don't know if this noise is muffled.  If you imagine being in a pool underwater, you can hear but it is all muffled.  For the first 6 months Ultan had not had an ear infection and ironically a few days after his visit to the ENT he got an ear infection.  A rather prolonged one as the antibiotic Augmentin didn't work and Ultan had to be admitted to hospital to receive the stronger Receptin through an IV. As with most kids, he got much better almost as quickly as he got sick. 

Grommets have to be inserted under a general anesthetic.  So we have arranged for Ultan's grommets to be inserted when his palate is being repaired.  Inserting gromments is simple procedure and takes around fifteen minutes and to my knowledge they fall out themselves within a year or two.

Being introduced to Oma's handmade playmat.  Thanks Oma :)

The Godfather!

Ultan after being admitted into hospital with an ear infection.

Ultan 12 hours later!  This little guy is such a fighter :)