When Colton was born, I had a job I LOVED! I was blessed with 6 months of maternity leave and intended to go back to work. But at Colton’s 3 month-check-up it was suggested that I stay home with him for his first year-given his low birth weight and weak immune system. So… I quit that AMAZING job!
Our year was filled with physical therapy evaluations and specialists and according to the doctors Colton had severe developmental delays. Given the nature of his original prognosis this was a welcomed sigh of relief, but it still came with challenges!!!
Some of the challenges we faced were: Colton wasn’t sitting unassisted at 6 months, he wasn’t sitting unassisted at 9 months, he wouldn’t pull up to stand and when he did, he stood on his toes 100% of the time, he gained weight too slow, he had issues with eating and texture, and he wasn’t really babbling. He failed two hearing screenings and at one point we didn’t know what exactly he could see. As a new mom all of that was so hard to hear and handle. But after all the tests and all the physical therapy evaluations and getting those super cute glasses- it was determined that he would do all the things when he was ready but there was nothing medically wrong.
When Colton turned one, he was cleared for daycare. I was so excited to go back to work. The funny thing about life-the grass isn’t always greener…and I wasn’t loving the job I longed to have again! But Colton was thriving at school and being around kids who physically could do things that he couldn’t gave him the courage to try and at just under 20 months he took his first steps! Here more about our story by following the Conversations with Colton blog posts!
Insert PaperPie-I was invited to a party my cousin Maria was hosting and
I fell in love with the books!
I knew I couldn’t control a lot of the physical issues Colton had but I figured I could read to him! When my very first purchase arrived, it included Babies First Bus Book. I handed the book to Colton, and he rolled it and played with it, and I was able to drink my coffee warm for the first time and years and I was sold! So, I joined ONLY for the discount!!!
In the beginning he did NOT enjoy being read to. But I didn’t care, I basically read out loud to myself while he played and cried and did all the things one-year-olds do when they can’t sit still. It didn’t take long until he started crawling into my lap to listen.
When Colton turned 2, a teacher approached me and said that his speech was delayed. Which I totally expected given the nature of our past. So off to speech evaluation we went. But get this: after one year of reading to him, he was NOT delayed!!! In fact, he was advanced in speech and comprehension WHAT?!?!?!?! I guess he just didn’t want to talk to that teacher. LOL!
We still read every day and we are still amazed at the size of his vocabulary (I wish I could take credit for that since I do have a degree in journalism)
BUT I have NO doubt it’s because of our books!
I’m so glad I said yes to this business, even though at the time I had no clue what I was signing up for!! Not only did it change my son’s life, but it also changed my family’s life!
I now work from home doing something that I LOVE.
We have a house full of AMAZING books for FREE, and I’m part of an amazing community which has given me something for ME and the cherry on top…I now have friendships that I never knew I needed!!!
Are you looking for something new? Do you have any questions for me about being a Paperpie Storyteller?