It is so amazing how becoming a mother will change you. My car rides are now full of listening to Elmo or their favorite preschool c.d. over and over again. Sometimes I think I'm just about lost my mind but to hear them sing along, giggle, and see their smiles through the rear view mirror rocks my world. I then join in and sing along right side them because I've got all the songs memorized!
Yesterday I took Gracie to the orthotic company. It seems over night she outgrew her braces and sure enough her toes were hanging out of them. This little doll has ran and finished a marathon in the past couple weeks. She has went from not walking to walking, not able to stand up to standing up all on her own, and pretty much amazing everyone around her. She has done so well in fact, her braces are changing up a bit. She currently has braces on both legs that go up just shy of her knee. She will now have a SMO on her right foot which is a very small ankle brace. She still requires the big brace on her left leg because there is so much instability due to the contracted knee. Nothing she can control. It takes her 10times the effort to walk than it does any other child and the same to stand. She has to not only get her legs in the right motions to accomplish both of these task but she also has to balance herself at the same time. She is such a cautious little girl that she often will become frightened over the task. I couldn't imagine the process. With these great successes there have been some set backs. Her speech has pretty much become minimal at best. This is despite speech therapy twice a week and us talking to her, asking her questions, and even her brother and sister talking to her. I asked the speech therapist what was going on and she said ofter times when kids are learning such a big task their speech will drop off. She said usually kids learn to walk before they start talking so parents don't see it then but they do when they start trying to potty train. She said it's like the brain is on overload and somethings got to give. It makes sense but it is hard especially since her speech has always been limited due to her paralyzed vocal cord. We will keep pushing on because I know this little girl has huge things she will accomplish and we will all continue to be completely amazed by her.
Brody is a changed little boy. When I look at him I no longer see my little dependent baby. What I see is a little boy who is adorable, happy, and becoming independent. He is still easy going and I think always will be but now when his sissies try to take something from him he will hang on to it and turn his back to them. Never one to start a fight but finally standing his ground. He walks everywhere now and even outside on different textures. His vision seems to be better everyday and he is by far the most advanced talker out of the trio. I really can't wait until we go back for our yearly check up with Neurology because they are going to be blown away. He has extensive brain damage from the bleeds yet you would never know it when interacting with him. Actually you really wouldn't know unless you read his medical records or were told. He wants to know how everything works and is so interested in all the details. He is so much like Ricky in that regard.
Madi is all over the place. She loves to climb on everything. The other day Ricky caught her climbing the recliner, sitting on the very top of it, and rocking back and forth as fast as she could. He said his heart stopped when he saw what she was doing because if she fell... well I don't want to go there but it would be bad. She is fearless and I do mean that. She still loves to take baths and her newest thing is to wash her hands. She will come up and ask "wash". She loves to be any one's helper and really loves to help water the plants outside with the water hose. Her love for shoes is up there with the love she has for her family and I'm not joking. She also loves to go bye bye but hates her car seat.
That is a little update. I'll try to come back again soon.
KP
