I realized I haven’t given much of an actual update on the trio recently, not because there hasn’t been developments (because there has) but mostly because we’ve been so busy just enjoying life!! These past few weeks have been so exciting! So, I figured that with their 3rd (yikes!) b-day quickly approaching I would provide a few updates.
Annabel has officially taken some “first steps”, although they have not been successful steps, she has many times taken a step with her right foot leading, only deciding to fall in the end, however, according to her therapists this is considered a step. Yeah!! She is definitely strong enough to start walking now (it has been amazing watching her progress in her strength and in how long she can stand still unsupported), now she just needs to gain her own confidence in order to start walking. It is exciting to know that she will do it, it’s only a matter of time now! I have to admit that I’m very anxious for her to start walking, I think that it will help so many things including: her confidence, will be a whole new approach to the world therefore impact her learning, will allow her more freedom therefore hopefully less frustration and ideally will eliminate her gagging and her mouthing of non-appropriate things, and finally I can see that once she’s mastered this we can then focus on her behavioral issues more (gagging/mouthing/etc. if they aren’t helped from this) and we can also then focus on her speech more as well as left hand usage. It is all so exciting!! Annabel continues to be a very stubborn girl, which is a good and bad thing. It used to be that if she wanted us to walk with her and we couldn’t right then she’d get upset, now we’re walking with her all the time but if we want to go in a different direction, she now gets upset at that! Agghh!! Overall Annabel is a smart little cookie, she clearly knows what is going on and she knows full well how to manipulate things to her liking. She continues to love music, dancing, swinging, having books read to her, and is starting to learn to play more with toys. Today she showed us that she can also blow air, my mom was blowing on her face and Annabel started blowing back and she’s got a strong blow! This is yet another developmental thing mastered!! In some regards she still has so far to go to catch up with the other 2 but I truly think if she can master some of these big hitters everything else will start coming quicker. Please continue to pray for her for all that she still needs to learn and overcome.
Madelyn continues to learn and grow stronger every day. It is amazing the sentences she says and all the words she knows and uses appropriately. I have had numerous people tell me lately what a good talker she is – finally, something one of my children is actually ahead of the game in!!! She also continues to be stubborn and is very much testing her limits right now with EVERYTHING!! She can be a great little helper, is loving playing mommy with her dolls, dressing up, playing kitchen, reading books, dancing, singing, and her imaginative play is awesome! She has really taken off with gymnastics so we will see about continuing for her. Mady reminds me a lot of myself sometimes, I think that’s why we butt heads fairly often! : )
Johnathan is overall a happy go-lucky kind of kid, although he has been more testy lately and is mommy’s boy. He is a very sharp little dude, he studies things and knows just how things are supposed to work and where they should go in the house. If somethings not in the spot he thinks it should be he moves right away. He is loving playing with trucks, cars, and his Thomas trains and loves reading books, dancing, and singing. Johnathan can also be a great helper, he is the best at clean-up time.
Going to events like the NICU reunion reminds me all over again of how truly precious these three miracles are. I am so proud of each of them and am so excited to see what the next year holds for them. Preschool alone will be a whole new world and I’m sure they will learn a lot!
Tonight Johnathan had PT – what a different kid from when he started therapy 2 months ago! Tonight he did everything he was supposed to (climbed up the ramp, slid down the slide on hlis tummy, rolled thru the barrel and climbed on, rode the balance bike, rode the scooter, and for the first time pedaled a bike!!). The therapist said that if he keeps up the next couple weeks doing so well he will be discharged soon! Go Johnathan!!! This week yet on Thursday Annabel has PT, Mady OT, and Johnathan OT. Friday morning Johnathan has his Pulmonary follow-up (praying for a good weight so that I don’t get flack). Saturday we leave for camping for a few days!! I hope everyone has a Happy 4th of July!
And finally, some pictures. Some from the NICU reunion with Nurse Beth who took care of each of them, Johnathan when he was very critical and ones from their 1st movie, Toy Story 3. I love the motto of the shirts we got for them “No One Gets Left Behind”, very true for them!!
And a video of Annabel doing her moves!
1 comment:
Seeing the five of you on Sunday was wonderful. Seeing the progress of your trio, that at different times went through so much while in Holden, was a wonderful thing. You, BJ and of course your parents are simply amazing. To see the progress of Annabel especially shows that you never know what a child will be able to accomplish. I'm so proud of all of you.
Post a Comment