Ankyloglossia

Reed during last summer's backyard art project

Ankyloglossia.  About a week ago, I didn't even know what that was.  It is the technical/medical name for "tongue tie".  Our Reed has been doing in-home speech therapy sessions for a few months now.  A week or so ago, Reed's speech therapist noticed his inability to move his tongue around in order to produce certain speech sounds.  After a talk with our pediatrician and a consult with our ENT, it was determined Reed is definitely tongue-tied.  When he sticks his tongue out, the small tissue underneath (frenum), actually causes the tip of his tongue to curl under.  Tongue tie is usually discovered when infants have trouble latching.  But amazingly, Reed was a breastfeeding champ, and we had no problems at all.    

Bright and early Monday morning, we'll be heading over to the hospital for Reed to undergo a tongue-tie release procedure.  The procedure itself is pretty minor - just a snipping of the frenum.  If Reed was an infant, the procedure would have been done in office.  But since he's 4 years old and not apt to let strangers stick sharp metal objects in his mouth, he'll be under general anesthesia (the scary part for Momma!).

Please keep our sweet Reed in your thoughts and prayers Monday morning!

UPDATE:  Reed is back home from surgery!  The procedure went well and he's resting now.  Still a little groggy from the anesthesia.  Thank you for the prayers!

Mary Ellen 

My (Not So) Extreme Couponing

A few months ago, I started couponing again after having not done so for about a year.  My approach is very relaxed - only non-food items and only focus on the deals at one store.  Harris Teeter is currently having a triple coupon promotion.  Yesterday, was the first day of the event.  I stopped in before work to pick up some cleaning, HBA and household items.

I bought the following pictured above:

3 Palmolive Soft Touch dish detergents

3 Dawn dish detergents

3 Bounty single roll paper towels

3 Electrasol dishwasher tabs

1 Speedstick deo

1 Colgate toothpaste 

1 Always maxi

3 Carefree liners   

2 Halls sugar free cough drops (for my Mom)

Total oop: $19.75

Total sales & coupon savings: $40.00

Certainly not extreme, but saving on these items frees up money within the grocery budget for the local and organic meats and produce we buy.  Every little bit helps in this time of rising grocery prices!

Swamp People

I know "reality" TV is not everyone's cup of tea.  But recently, I've taken a liking to one reality show - Swamp People.  It's definitely not Real Housewives!  But it fascinates me much like Deadliest Catch or Hoarders.  I found the show flipping through channels one Thursday night, and have been watching ever since.  The show follows alligator hunters in the bayou during the month long gator hunting season.  Interesting stories and interesting people.  Like the Guist brothers who grew up learning how to live off the swamp.   



A new episode of Swamp People airs tonight on the History Channel at 9 PM Eastern.
And no, I wasn't paid by The History Channel or Swamp People for this post!  Just an off-beat post on a slow Thursday.

And because Swamp People always brings to mind this song, I'll leave you with some Jerry Reed!

Jerry Reed - Amos Moses