Susan, why is your simplest explanation tongue-tie? Her hearing is fine, you said. The pede thinks that more than likely, there is nothing wrong. You aren't getting her tested to help her, you are getting her tested to help you.

I can try. Maybe I'll start with my pediatrician's office, and say Children's is ridiculously booked up, and are there any other community resources?

Right now part of the problem is my own inexperience and ignorance, and I'm fully aware of that. I haven't been around enough children to know the difference between "perfectly intelligent and normal child who's just slow to talk, either because of her personality or something physiological like the tongue tie" and "child showing signs of serious developmental issues who needs help right away."

I wonder if we should just preemptively get the tongue tie snipped just in case that's the problem.

Susan, did the pede say there was a problem? I thought that hadn't really even been established, but maybe I missed something?

Susan, quit assigning false problems to your child. Hell, why not get her fitted for a helmet to preemptively rule out some sort of physical disability. You have several several several people who have had children and have been children telling you that there is nothing wrong with Annabelle's speech. That's she IS intelligent and that she IS smart and she IS normal. You seem to not be able to accept that. Why? Why do you seem to be so certain that there is something wrong with her?

I'm on Lexapro, and it seems to have kicked the feet out from under my anxiety issues. Hubby says he can see a definite difference. The only side effects I've had were what could best be described as morning sickness (nausea) the first three days.

Dammit, Aimee, I don't know that there's a problem. I just want to do due diligence to find out if there is so I can help her before it's too late! I'm trying to be a concerned mother here, and the pediatrician took me seriously enough to make the referrals.

what I've been told of my childhood does color my expectations of what's normal.

Well, I was left handed and constantly stuck things up my nose. Your daughter is her own person and will do things at her own rate and if you keep stifiling her and trying to force her into this childhood milestone mold of yours, you are going to make her hate you before she's 5 years old.

I wonder if we should just preemptively get the tongue tie snipped just in case that's the problem.

Susan, I'm a total coward when it comes to doctors with sharp objects in their hands, so I might be reading this wrong, but she hasn't been diagnosed with this, so I'd be really afraid of a doctor who would cut without a diagnosis.

I don't suppose I can convince you that the wait until January is a good thing, i.e. one less thing to do while preparing/celebrating the holidays?

I am not FUCKING stifling her! I'm trying to help her. In case. IN CASE. What am I supposed to do, be all blase and assume nothing is wrong? That does her no good if there does turn out to be a problem.

I wonder if we should just preemptively get the tongue tie snipped just in case that's the problem.

Well, the pediatrician should be able to tell you if that's the best idea. I know nothing about tongue ties, so I don't know what can result from them.

Call the school board, or the pediatrician, and ask what's available. It's hard to know, with your first, what's available because you're not around as many other moms as you are once they hit elementary school.

Also? I think you know, deep down, Annabel is perfectly bright. Speech can come later for some kids for a number of reasons, and Annabel shows every sign of being alert and curious and engaged with her world.