As we close in on your first year...

Thanks to a wonderful cash-paying discount offered by our therapy team, we were able to start back with a tiny bit of speech therapy. A half-hour one day a week. It's not enough, she really needs to be going 2-3 times a week but we are just happy we can do SOMETHING. A lot of people wonder how you can do speech therapy with a baby who cannot talk and who doesn' understand 90% of what anyone says to her. Well, we spent this week's session, all 30 minutes of it, trying to get Addison to pick up a ball and drop it in a bucket.

All I can say is Alicia, our therapist, is the most patient person alive. Addison never did put the ball in the bucket, and I left wondering amusedly if Addison was aware and perhaps secretly laughing on the inside that she cost us an obscene amount of money to sit there smiling adorably while the lady with the master's degree put the ball in bucket 7000 times instead. All joking aside, they really need to get her to play and interact better before we can actually start working on speech. They said we have a long road ahead of us.

Addison's eating is out of control, Adam and I hated to admit it but she's nearly impossible to deal with most days in regards to her appetite. She still sleeps a ton, so when she's awake she wants to pound down as many calories as possible. It used to be cute when she looked excitedly at me for her third serving of Applesauce, but now she screams at the top of her lungs anytime there is not food in her mouth. She wont play, we can't hold her, can't calm her down... its insane. Our peds doctor said she thought it was because she had the NG tube and got to see what it was like to not feel hungry all the time, and I think she could be right. I practically called and begged for them to put the G-tube in today. The only thing holding us up is that the anesthesiologist doesn't want to put her under because of her neurological development issues. The genetecist said they would call and talk to them though so I am hopeful that we can get her tube in before Christmas and maybe experience a normal kiddo sometime soon who doesn't cry all day.

Despite the loss o of so many skills, she continues to push herself to learn new physical tasks. She is starting to let go of things she is holding onto for a few seconds here and there. She can't stand by herself yet, but she is getting brave and trying hard. My goal is for her to take her first steps by 15 months. I am not sure if that is achievable or not but we are going to aim for that anyway!

I can't wait to hear her say "Mama" again one day..... I can't believe its been so long, 3.5 months since I first heard that beautiful sound! Its been 8 weeks since she stopped talking and babbling.. no signs of getting any of it back yet.

Finally, I just wanted to share that we are now 16 weeks along in our pregnancy, and despite a few minor complications, baby is doing great - even measuring a week BIG for its age (you know that is a big deal in this house nowdays!). Tomorrow night we find out if its a boy or a girl. Addison will be an amazing big sister, she is so loving and sweet. I can't wait to introduce her to our new baby in April and know our family is complete!

Well I am going to take these three crazy girls to the zoo before the weather turns cold again :) Thanks for checking in with us and keep an eye out for more updates!

Hi everyone!!!

                                                        Our smiley almost toddler!!!!

Trick or Treat!!!!