Physical Therapy, Music Therapy and Playtime, oh my!

Have you ever noticed with kids that their language explodes when they go away/somewhere new for a few days? Ainsley was about 18 months when I noticed her language really booming after a vacation with one of our families or a trip to Indiana for a week.

Selene's language has EXPLODED. She doesn't stop talking. At 18 months I had her evaluated by a speech therapist because she only had about 20 words (note, do not compare your children and if you have a ridiculous early talker do not become nervous that your second child is delayed. She was off the charts in every category and totally normal. The EI team did their best not to call me a crazy Mom :-). She did start talking a lot more in the past 6 months but Dan and I are stunned at the past week. I feel like it's a mix of the steroids giving her superbaby energy and adrenalin and all of the lovely staff who talk to her all day.  That's been a joy to see because I actually had fears that she would regress.

After gracing us with a 6:30 wake up and demanding food (keeping her appetite is huge in so many ways and is a daily reassurance for us. It can be the thing that keeps kids in longer or worse, requires them to go home with a feeding tube. Two things that we do not want) and a walk around the halls, we got ready for a
Daddy/Daughter day and Mommy/Ainsley day. I had an appointment for Baby #3 so I picked Ainsley up from school and we went to Panera for lunch then we went back to Nana's house and snuggled and read while waiting for Nana to get home from work. It was just what my soul needed.  While I missed Selene, I didn't worry about her like I thought I would prior to going into the hospital.

Precious

She insisted we move to the comfy chairs to share our chocolate croissant because my belly would be more comfortable...this kind heart!

Ainsley also informed me that Selene would not have hair when "Bumble" is born. Quite matter of fact. Ok then.

Back in CHOPland, Dan said that they had the best time playing games with Physical Therapist and Selene was upset when she left. Then I missed musical therapy too! Apparently Selene was quite wary of Patrick at first and then realized he came with all sorts of fun instruments to play! After watching the video Dan took I'm wondering if he will ever come back or if the crazy baby scared him away. I'll see if I can get Dan to upload it to Youtube for me since it's long (though asking him this will remind him that I maxed out his Dropbox drive that I connected to so that we could share pictures...probably not a wise move.)

The therapist brought a play-mat for some floor time (this floor mat also has become another layer for Dan's poor air mattress bed, such a loving husband to take that hit every night!).

Music!

Don't tell him, but I'm a little glad she didn't nap. I was nervous that he would give her a kiss, lay her down and she'd be asleep within seconds.  But she didn't, so at least it's not just me who can't get this energizer bunny down! Her last day of steroids was yesterday but I hear the effects can linger. Let's hope that she comes down soon! Just say no to drugs!

The benefit to no nap is an on-time bedtime. So she is sound asleep and we are settling in for an episode of House of Cards, before I pass out.

I'm secretly, ok openly, praying for a snow day.  Having Dan here without him needing to take a day off would be amazing. Let me be clear that his boss and team have been beyond incredible and are totally supportive of any time that he needs but my workaholic dedicated husband has a hard time taking off.

Oh, and in a moment of bragging, the night nurse last night mentioned that they all fight over who gets Selene. This makes me happy (partly because it also means she doesn't have "those parents" who no nurse wants to deal with ;-) ).

And finally, this does not do her craziness justice, it's pretty low on the spectrum of what her spasticness can be, but it was a few moments of her thanking me profusely for bringing her more skirts and claiming clothes that do indeed belong to her.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bAdO7bK46s


Another day closer to Day Zero!

Good night!