Several things over Emma's life could be classified as scary - her open incision, all those weeks in the hospital, the constant choking and throwing up...all very scary. Now it's taken on a new meaning. One of her favorite things to do now is to scare us. She yells at us like a monster and we fake being scared. She gives us varying degrees of laughter in response to our "fear," depending on her mood and energy level. Tonight was a pretty standard giggle. I wish I could get a video of her good gut chuckles again. Here's what I'm talking about - tonight I pretended to read the paper and hide behind it while she yelled at me to scare me.
As I edited this video, Emma heard it and came crawling over. She laughed at the computer and then started making the scary noises again. Hilarious.
I also realized that I haven't posted links to last year's posts. I'll catch up!
July 11, 2010
July 12, 2010
July 17, 2010
July 27, 2010
July 31, 2010
My heart is just exploding with joy right now. I don't know if I can express it in words. The joy and love I have for this little girl is so immense, and coupled with an equal amount of praise and gratitude to God for blessing my life with her....well, my heart just feels like it can't hold all that emotion! My happy, joyful, grateful heart is completely full, crowding my body, crowding my lungs. I feel like I need to laugh, cry, hug, and snuggle for hours, just to get some emotion out of my body so I can breathe again. I'm swimming in love for my little girl, love that's all the way over my head....and then I have to go back to work tomorrow morning after a 3-day weekend with my precious one. But I know that there will be a huge smile and outstretched arms awaiting me when I get home.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Trying to survive
I feel as though my life is in danger. At the beach last week, Emma was held, not made to wear her glasses, skipped therapy, and wore herself out with all the busy beach and pool activity every day. My mother is now paying the price.
Emma spent the beginning of the week being whiny about being on the floor at my parents' house, as opposed to being held, as she so often was at the beach. Two short weeks ago, she reached for the floor at every opportunity because she wanted to crawl and explore.
Emma REFUSES to wear her glasses. I don't mean waiting 10 seconds before she takes them off...I mean pushing them away as you're bringing them to her face and if you DO manage to make contact with her face, she rips them off on one side while you're still trying to get the other side hooked behind her ear. It's awful. And her eyes are starting to turn in more as a result.
Emma skipped 6 therapy sessions last week. She was miserable at OT and PT on Monday. She didn't want to do anything, and she wanted to be in my lap or on my shoulder the whole time.
Emma absolutely exhausted my mom and Aunt Eva on Wednesday. Actually, Tuesday and Wednesday, Emma talked non-stop. Non. Stop. She has had so much to say this week. And after she got over her desire to be held at the beginning of the week, she's been getting into things even more than she used to while crawling around.
I haven't gotten off scot-free, though. Emma had terrible nights with her sleep masks (both of them) Saturday through Monday nights. Finally, we've had a couple of better nights. Today I spent a moment reminiscing, remembering what it was like to not have to deal with glasses OR a sleep mask. And having the whole bed to ourselves. Rewind to November. Ahhh, now that was nice. So that reminscing caused me to fast-forward...to what would it be like to have a child WITHOUT special needs. Now I know that all children are difficult in their own ways, but to simply lay a child down in a crib at night and not see them again until in the morning...wow. And to not have to worry about how long a child has worn his or her AFO's...has she been in the stander today...how long has she been in the stander...having a week with less than 5 appointments. One day. One day I'll have one of those kids. I do not regret having Emma in any way, nor do I hold any of this against her. But you have to understand my perspective. When your first child starts creeping towards 2 years old, you start to think about that second kid. My experience with just one child makes me think I can't do it. But I have to remind myself sometimes of how difficult Emma can be, just as reassurance in my capability to have another child one day.
My cousin, Lindsey, forwarded me the daily email devotional that she gets every day, and I want to share some of it with you, in light of what I just wrote about Emma. The devotional begins talking about a lady who has 4 kids, 2 of whom are twins with cerebral palsy. Here's what that lady has to say: "although God can heal them, I’ve had to learn to spend my whole life praising Him simply because He is God – whether He heals the girls or not. I decided very early on that God is still God no matter what He allows in my life. I can trust Him even when I can't understand Him." The devotional also says this: "In every situation, I come to a crossroad and have a choice: I can pout or I can praise. I can turn away from God because I don’t understand or I can turn toward God in full assurance that His understanding is enough for the both of us – even if it hurts – even if anger lingers – even if doubt looms...We can and should choose to bless His name through the pain, which astonishingly can bring His joy into our hearts."
Some days are easier to praise God than others. I like to think that having God in my heart is what keeps me looking forward to having a less needy child, yet not resenting Emma at all. I think there are a lot of special needs moms out there who resent their children. I believe that trusting God and praising Him is what is necessary to value simplicity in other areas of life yet still love your special needs child for everything that she has been, is, and will become.
Emma spent the beginning of the week being whiny about being on the floor at my parents' house, as opposed to being held, as she so often was at the beach. Two short weeks ago, she reached for the floor at every opportunity because she wanted to crawl and explore.
Emma REFUSES to wear her glasses. I don't mean waiting 10 seconds before she takes them off...I mean pushing them away as you're bringing them to her face and if you DO manage to make contact with her face, she rips them off on one side while you're still trying to get the other side hooked behind her ear. It's awful. And her eyes are starting to turn in more as a result.
Emma skipped 6 therapy sessions last week. She was miserable at OT and PT on Monday. She didn't want to do anything, and she wanted to be in my lap or on my shoulder the whole time.
Emma absolutely exhausted my mom and Aunt Eva on Wednesday. Actually, Tuesday and Wednesday, Emma talked non-stop. Non. Stop. She has had so much to say this week. And after she got over her desire to be held at the beginning of the week, she's been getting into things even more than she used to while crawling around.
I haven't gotten off scot-free, though. Emma had terrible nights with her sleep masks (both of them) Saturday through Monday nights. Finally, we've had a couple of better nights. Today I spent a moment reminiscing, remembering what it was like to not have to deal with glasses OR a sleep mask. And having the whole bed to ourselves. Rewind to November. Ahhh, now that was nice. So that reminscing caused me to fast-forward...to what would it be like to have a child WITHOUT special needs. Now I know that all children are difficult in their own ways, but to simply lay a child down in a crib at night and not see them again until in the morning...wow. And to not have to worry about how long a child has worn his or her AFO's...has she been in the stander today...how long has she been in the stander...having a week with less than 5 appointments. One day. One day I'll have one of those kids. I do not regret having Emma in any way, nor do I hold any of this against her. But you have to understand my perspective. When your first child starts creeping towards 2 years old, you start to think about that second kid. My experience with just one child makes me think I can't do it. But I have to remind myself sometimes of how difficult Emma can be, just as reassurance in my capability to have another child one day.
My cousin, Lindsey, forwarded me the daily email devotional that she gets every day, and I want to share some of it with you, in light of what I just wrote about Emma. The devotional begins talking about a lady who has 4 kids, 2 of whom are twins with cerebral palsy. Here's what that lady has to say: "although God can heal them, I’ve had to learn to spend my whole life praising Him simply because He is God – whether He heals the girls or not. I decided very early on that God is still God no matter what He allows in my life. I can trust Him even when I can't understand Him." The devotional also says this: "In every situation, I come to a crossroad and have a choice: I can pout or I can praise. I can turn away from God because I don’t understand or I can turn toward God in full assurance that His understanding is enough for the both of us – even if it hurts – even if anger lingers – even if doubt looms...We can and should choose to bless His name through the pain, which astonishingly can bring His joy into our hearts."
Some days are easier to praise God than others. I like to think that having God in my heart is what keeps me looking forward to having a less needy child, yet not resenting Emma at all. I think there are a lot of special needs moms out there who resent their children. I believe that trusting God and praising Him is what is necessary to value simplicity in other areas of life yet still love your special needs child for everything that she has been, is, and will become.
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Back in the saddle
I feel like I've been run over by a Mack truck. Mack? Mac? I don't know. Whatever.
I don't remember the last time I went on vacation and didn't feel like I needed a vacation after my vacation. Taking Emma to the beach was so incredibly fun...and so incredibly exhausting.
It turns out that Emma enjoys the ocean, but doesn't enjoy the sand. Or being on the ground, even on a towel. Or sitting under a tent on the ground. Or sitting in her Bumbo. Or sitting in her own little camping chair. No, the only thing that will do at the beach is either being in someone's lap or in her stroller. Even better, having the closest standing person hold all 25 pounds of her. Maybe next year she'll feel more adventurous. Walking her in her stroller or holding her in your lap or sitting in the water with her is not all that bad until the heat index gets up to around 105. But seeing that beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl basking in the sun, getting a tan on her chubby olive-colored legs, loving on our family, and enjoying her naps on the beach was worth every trip dragging her stroller through that torturous hot sand. Our nephew Mason could not have been any sweeter to her. What a little angel he was. All week long I tried to get him to change Emma's diaper, but he just kept telling me that pirates don't change diapers. (Apparently, that's a children's book.) I pray that he will be that sweet to the little sister he'll be getting in December, but his mama isn't so sure. Ok, enough with the chitter chatter - here are photos of our delightfully fabulous week.
The set-up
Sweet Mason
Loving on Mama Jane
Ahhhh, beach naps
Beach tigers
Mason and Uncle Russ, neither of whom owns a John Deere. Actually, I think Mason owns an assortment of John Deere paraphernalia
Another delightful nap
Oh, how she loves Daddy...and the pool
Hmmm...wonder how I could get up there...
Mason and Emma were in charge of breakfast
Oh, hi!
Mason the Pirate and Lindsey the Piratess
Russell cackling at the train car that has derailed under him and Emma. Don't worry, no one was injured.
I don't remember the last time I went on vacation and didn't feel like I needed a vacation after my vacation. Taking Emma to the beach was so incredibly fun...and so incredibly exhausting.
It turns out that Emma enjoys the ocean, but doesn't enjoy the sand. Or being on the ground, even on a towel. Or sitting under a tent on the ground. Or sitting in her Bumbo. Or sitting in her own little camping chair. No, the only thing that will do at the beach is either being in someone's lap or in her stroller. Even better, having the closest standing person hold all 25 pounds of her. Maybe next year she'll feel more adventurous. Walking her in her stroller or holding her in your lap or sitting in the water with her is not all that bad until the heat index gets up to around 105. But seeing that beautiful blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl basking in the sun, getting a tan on her chubby olive-colored legs, loving on our family, and enjoying her naps on the beach was worth every trip dragging her stroller through that torturous hot sand. Our nephew Mason could not have been any sweeter to her. What a little angel he was. All week long I tried to get him to change Emma's diaper, but he just kept telling me that pirates don't change diapers. (Apparently, that's a children's book.) I pray that he will be that sweet to the little sister he'll be getting in December, but his mama isn't so sure. Ok, enough with the chitter chatter - here are photos of our delightfully fabulous week.
The set-up
Sweet Mason
Loving on Mama Jane
Ahhhh, beach naps
Beach tigers
Mason and Uncle Russ, neither of whom owns a John Deere. Actually, I think Mason owns an assortment of John Deere paraphernalia
Another delightful nap
Oh, how she loves Daddy...and the pool
Hmmm...wonder how I could get up there...
Mason and Emma were in charge of breakfast
Oh, hi!
Mason the Pirate and Lindsey the Piratess
Russell cackling at the train car that has derailed under him and Emma. Don't worry, no one was injured.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Where I've been
The beach!
I will post more details and pictures about the beach later, but right now I have something I need to get off my chest.
I subscribe to a great message board for moms of kids with spina bifida. And the last few days' posts have been filled with pregnant mamas who have just found out that their kids will be born with this awful birth defect. Confession time: these mamas irritate the fool outta me. How dare you get so upset...no, not upset, MAD...that your child may have to stay in the hospital for two weeks. Try three months. And don't even get me started that you're upset that your little boy might not be capable of having sex. ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME. I just get so frustrated with people who right off the bat don't do any research or attempt to learn anything about the birth defect at all and get so upset about things that are so trivial in the end. These same people posting these asinine questions are on the SAME MESSAGE BOARD as moms who have questions about catheters, cone enemas (NOT pleasant), surgery after surgery after surgery, permanent breathing tubes, and permanent feeding tubes.
I know that I was somewhat in their shoes at one point, but I guess I'm bitter. Not because Emma's so bad off, but it's just frustrating to watch my child turn blue every day, choking and fighting for her breath, while simultaneously throwing up. And there's a mom worried about her child staying in the NICU for 2 weeks. PLEASE. Call me insensitive, jaded, rude, whatever. But there are far worse things. I just want to say to these women, "Your child does not have Downs! Your child is not mentally disabled! Your child can live independently! Your child will even be able to swim! Do you not understand how much worse it could be?!"
Sorry for the rant...some days I just can't take it when people aren't grateful for what they have.
OH WAIT. Speaking of being grateful for what we have.....I think....just maybe....there's a possibility....that the VitalStim Therapy might be working. Emma has had 5 sessions I think (I've completely lost all sense of time since I've been at the beach), and she has choked a significantly fewer number of times since we've been at the beach. Maybe it's coincidence, maybe it's the salt air (it would be awful if we had to move the whole family down to the beach, don't you think?), but I'm hoping and praying it's the VitalStim.
I will post more details and pictures about the beach later, but right now I have something I need to get off my chest.
I subscribe to a great message board for moms of kids with spina bifida. And the last few days' posts have been filled with pregnant mamas who have just found out that their kids will be born with this awful birth defect. Confession time: these mamas irritate the fool outta me. How dare you get so upset...no, not upset, MAD...that your child may have to stay in the hospital for two weeks. Try three months. And don't even get me started that you're upset that your little boy might not be capable of having sex. ARE. YOU. KIDDING. ME. I just get so frustrated with people who right off the bat don't do any research or attempt to learn anything about the birth defect at all and get so upset about things that are so trivial in the end. These same people posting these asinine questions are on the SAME MESSAGE BOARD as moms who have questions about catheters, cone enemas (NOT pleasant), surgery after surgery after surgery, permanent breathing tubes, and permanent feeding tubes.
I know that I was somewhat in their shoes at one point, but I guess I'm bitter. Not because Emma's so bad off, but it's just frustrating to watch my child turn blue every day, choking and fighting for her breath, while simultaneously throwing up. And there's a mom worried about her child staying in the NICU for 2 weeks. PLEASE. Call me insensitive, jaded, rude, whatever. But there are far worse things. I just want to say to these women, "Your child does not have Downs! Your child is not mentally disabled! Your child can live independently! Your child will even be able to swim! Do you not understand how much worse it could be?!"
Sorry for the rant...some days I just can't take it when people aren't grateful for what they have.
OH WAIT. Speaking of being grateful for what we have.....I think....just maybe....there's a possibility....that the VitalStim Therapy might be working. Emma has had 5 sessions I think (I've completely lost all sense of time since I've been at the beach), and she has choked a significantly fewer number of times since we've been at the beach. Maybe it's coincidence, maybe it's the salt air (it would be awful if we had to move the whole family down to the beach, don't you think?), but I'm hoping and praying it's the VitalStim.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
One of the Mary's
Back at the very beginning of writing this blog, even before Emma was born, I posted about how we came up with Emma's given name, Emary. She comes from a long line of Mary's, one of whom is her great-great Aunt Mary on Russell's side. Aunt Mary passed away on Monday, July 11, and we had all her services today. Aunt Mary was 87 years old, had been a widow since 1977, and had no children. Mary Jane and Uncle Robert WERE her children, essentially. She took good care of her great-niece and great-nephews, and she was a part of Russell's family just like a grandmother would be. Aunt Mary's health had deteriorated in the last few years and had pretty much gotten to where she couldn't walk or move very much. Now she is walking in Heaven with her beloved sister, Dot, and her husband. In fact, Russell's Aunt Kathey said today that she thinks that Granddaddy (Aunt Mary's brother-in-law and Dot's husband) is driving Mama Dot and Aunt Mary around in Heaven, just like he always did here on earth.
Since Aunt Mary is now feeling no pain or sorrow and is walking with Jesus, I think it's only appropriate to post our first video of Emma's first version of walking. I certainly hope that she will one day walk on this earth...but if she doesn't, she, too, will walk with Aunt Mary in Heaven.
Since Aunt Mary is now feeling no pain or sorrow and is walking with Jesus, I think it's only appropriate to post our first video of Emma's first version of walking. I certainly hope that she will one day walk on this earth...but if she doesn't, she, too, will walk with Aunt Mary in Heaven.
During all our family time today, I got some great shots of Emma with Aunt Kathey and our cousin Chesley. I especially love that Chesley and Emma are sticking their tongues out at each other.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Welcome to Holland
Some of you may have heard this story before, but I just thought I would share with so many of you who haven't heard it. I have read this story on many occasions in the last year or so, but I was reminded of it again today.
“Welcome to Holland" By Emily Perl Kingsley, 1987
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away...because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss. But...if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things ... about Holland.
And here's what my little blonde-haired, blue-eyed Dutch girl has been up to:
"Helping" me blog (by pulling out the contents of my wallet while I type)
Learning to play with Lola. No one is happier about this than Lola. Finally, a playmate.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
You see me rollin'
Emma got her new stander on Friday! The one she's had was a loaner, so now she has her permanent stander. Luckily, I have great insurance, so they covered the cost of the "optional" wheels to make it a mobile stander. The big wheels on the sides pop off, and they're not necessary for the stander to work. However, they make it really easy for her to move around once she figures out how to use the wheels. She was only in it for about 30 minutes Friday morning at therapy before she realized that moving the wheel a little makes HER move. I believe she will be VERY mobile VERY soon. Oh, and it's pink :) At least, as much of it is pink as possible. It looks kinda red in the pictures, but it's a sassy raspberry pink.
And here's a shot of Emma with her beloved Magee. Let me tell you something about Magee: she has some sort of quality that I don't think can be named. Before I had a baby, I just knew that dogs loved her, even my parents' little Maltese who was possessed by some sort of evil doggie spirit. She somehow knew that Magee was safe and kind. Then we had Emma. Because of all of Emma's health issues, she's not familiar with many people outside our immediate family. Except for Magee. It's not like Magee and Emma hang out one-on-one all the time, but Emma can just sense that Magee is the best friend, caregiver, and Momma (one day!) that anyone could ask for. To be perfectly honest, Magee is one of the few non-family members I'm comfortable leaving Emma with - not because I don't trust my friends, but Emma can be a scary kid to care for. But Magee....you've just got that certain something.
And here's a shot of Emma with her beloved Magee. Let me tell you something about Magee: she has some sort of quality that I don't think can be named. Before I had a baby, I just knew that dogs loved her, even my parents' little Maltese who was possessed by some sort of evil doggie spirit. She somehow knew that Magee was safe and kind. Then we had Emma. Because of all of Emma's health issues, she's not familiar with many people outside our immediate family. Except for Magee. It's not like Magee and Emma hang out one-on-one all the time, but Emma can just sense that Magee is the best friend, caregiver, and Momma (one day!) that anyone could ask for. To be perfectly honest, Magee is one of the few non-family members I'm comfortable leaving Emma with - not because I don't trust my friends, but Emma can be a scary kid to care for. But Magee....you've just got that certain something.
Please keep the family of Jamie Garrett in your prayers. We are friends with his brother, Scott, and his wife Laura. Jamie was reported missing in Vail, CO since last Tuesday, and, sadly, rescuers found his body yesterday. Jamie loved his family and had a great vacation just a few weeks ago with all the Garretts. He was a wonderful uncle to Scott and Laura's daughters, as evidenced by the pictures on Laura's blog with his nieces. God, grant his family peace and comfort.
Last thing - a look at last year: July 8, 2010
Thursday, July 7, 2011
You've been outsmarted
Our church had our annual 4th of July celebration; here are a couple pictures of our little patriot enjoying herself:
Now, about the title of this blog: I blogged a few weeks ago that my college roommate, Abbey, came to visit for the weekend. Abbey witnessed firsthand what many of you have only seen on the blog: Emma tossing toy after toy after toy off the tray on her stander. Emma doesn't get too upset that her toys are all on the ground, but you can only leave a 1-year-old immobilized for so long without providing her with toys...that she will promptly throw on the floor....and she doesn't get upset that her toys are all on the ground, but you can only leave a 1-year-old immobilized for so long without providing her with toys........you see where this is going.
The other day I came home to a package on the front steps from Amazon. I thought to myself, oh, that must be something I just ordered. (I have an addiction to Amazon. Best prices, free shipping on most baby- and non-baby items with Amazon Mom. I didn't even realize that I HADN'T ordered something.) When I opened it, I found a new toy with a note from Aunt Abbey that challenged Emma to throw THIS toy off the stander. God love her, Aunt Abbey bought Emma a Melissa and Doug toy with (drumroll, please) SUCTION CUPS. Emma doesn't even attempt to pitch it overboard.
I love Abbey Elaine Diehm Zachar!
Now, about the title of this blog: I blogged a few weeks ago that my college roommate, Abbey, came to visit for the weekend. Abbey witnessed firsthand what many of you have only seen on the blog: Emma tossing toy after toy after toy off the tray on her stander. Emma doesn't get too upset that her toys are all on the ground, but you can only leave a 1-year-old immobilized for so long without providing her with toys...that she will promptly throw on the floor....and she doesn't get upset that her toys are all on the ground, but you can only leave a 1-year-old immobilized for so long without providing her with toys........you see where this is going.
The other day I came home to a package on the front steps from Amazon. I thought to myself, oh, that must be something I just ordered. (I have an addiction to Amazon. Best prices, free shipping on most baby- and non-baby items with Amazon Mom. I didn't even realize that I HADN'T ordered something.) When I opened it, I found a new toy with a note from Aunt Abbey that challenged Emma to throw THIS toy off the stander. God love her, Aunt Abbey bought Emma a Melissa and Doug toy with (drumroll, please) SUCTION CUPS. Emma doesn't even attempt to pitch it overboard.
I love Abbey Elaine Diehm Zachar!
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
Happy New Year!
July 1 is quite possibly one of the most significant days of the year for some people. First of all, it's my mother-in-law's birthday (Happy birthday again, MJ!). Second, it was the first birthday that my grandmother spent in heaven - she would have been 101 here on earth. And finally, it's the first day of a new fiscal year for almost all government entities. I know this sounds horrendously boring, but both my personal and professional life have been revolving around July 1, 2011. Work actually gets....not easier.....let's just say less complicated for me after July 1. I won't bore you with the details. From a personal standpoint, Emma's allowable therapy hours under Medicaid start over, which means.....VITALSTIM THERAPY IS BACK!
Beginning tomorrow, Thursday, at 3:00, Emma will start her VitalStim speech therapy to try to retrain her throat muscles to swallow correctly. 7 weeks (one week break for the beach) from now, she'll have another swallow study to see if it helped. In addition to the speech therapy, we're going to try doubling the amount of OT and PT that Emma gets during the week. She currently receives 45 minutes of simultaneous OT and PT, but now we're going to do 45 minutes each of back-to-back independent OT and PT twice a week. She will get to have therapy with her new boyfriend, Chris, her all-time favorite therapist, once a week. Last Friday, Chris stopped by briefly to say hi to Emma at therapy. She pushed away from the therapist who was holding her and made an army-crawl bee line to Chris. Let's just hope he can get some good work out of her!
Emma held out until 10:00 Monday night at our church's Fourth of July celebration because there was no way she was going to sleep with all those people everywhere. Of course, the moment her head hit the car seat, she was out. Literally, out like a light in the parking lot. The last couple of days she has been a little booger for my mom, fighting sleep and just being nosy. Oh, and she wore herself out swimming in Mama Jane and Granddaddy's pool on Sunday. I anticipate that either tomorrow or Friday she will collapse and pull a Rip Van Winkle on us.
An entry from last year:
July 5, 2010
Beginning tomorrow, Thursday, at 3:00, Emma will start her VitalStim speech therapy to try to retrain her throat muscles to swallow correctly. 7 weeks (one week break for the beach) from now, she'll have another swallow study to see if it helped. In addition to the speech therapy, we're going to try doubling the amount of OT and PT that Emma gets during the week. She currently receives 45 minutes of simultaneous OT and PT, but now we're going to do 45 minutes each of back-to-back independent OT and PT twice a week. She will get to have therapy with her new boyfriend, Chris, her all-time favorite therapist, once a week. Last Friday, Chris stopped by briefly to say hi to Emma at therapy. She pushed away from the therapist who was holding her and made an army-crawl bee line to Chris. Let's just hope he can get some good work out of her!
Emma held out until 10:00 Monday night at our church's Fourth of July celebration because there was no way she was going to sleep with all those people everywhere. Of course, the moment her head hit the car seat, she was out. Literally, out like a light in the parking lot. The last couple of days she has been a little booger for my mom, fighting sleep and just being nosy. Oh, and she wore herself out swimming in Mama Jane and Granddaddy's pool on Sunday. I anticipate that either tomorrow or Friday she will collapse and pull a Rip Van Winkle on us.
An entry from last year:
July 5, 2010
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