End of the Week Wrap Up, Updates and Photos

Speech:

Last week I had a bit of a moment during one of Morgan Kate's speech sessions. I was having a bit of a low and was concerned with MK's speech. Or maybe I should say her consistency. She can speak, say words, imitate, etc, but it's not always consistent or it didn't happen to be that particular week. The speech therapist talked with me at length, helped reassure me and even let me help with an informal assessment. I must admit that all of her techniques put me at ease, but it has been MK who has put my mind at ease the most. This week she has really taken off. I have to keep reminding myself - it will all happen in her time. Just in the last three days or so she has started repeating quite a lot. Some of her new words include: clean up, apple, cheese, eat, pig, cow, and moo. There are probably others, but my memory escapes me. Now, does she say these words all day, every day? Does she repeat them every single time I want her to? No. Certainly not. But nor do I. There are words I use daily and there are other words I use rarely. I have to remember that she is the same way. Oh, and she is also now signing please and cheese.

Physical Therapy:

Morgan Kate still LOVES PT. I think she just loves playing outside and being able to do and go as she pleases, but she also really likes our PT and I think that makes a huge difference. The past few weeks we have been working on running, kicking a ball, throwing a ball overhead and going up and down the stairs with little or no assistance. She is basically running, can kick and throw when she wants to (keywords: wants to) and is working really hard on the stairs. Some of our next "tasks" include standing with her feet together, jumping and balancing on one foot.

Occupational Therapy:

We receive OT once a month and Tuesday was the second time we have seen our OT. We are working on things like stacking cubes, using a spoon, completing puzzles and making scribbles on paper. Our OT is fantastic and MK is pretty fond of her too. Actually, MK is pretty fond of all of her therapists.

Early Intervention:

Just this week we got a new EI. Our other EI took a job somewhere else. The new EI seems really nice and I think she and MK will be a good fit. Not only did we get a new person, but we decided on a new schedule. Instead of coming once a week, she is now going to see come only twice a month.

Overall, I think MK is doing fabulous. She is making great progress and continues to blow me away with all she does and all she is learning. If you subscribe to Parents Magazine, there is a great article in June edition about Early Intervention. It does an excellent job of explaining what Early Intervention is and how it helps children.

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My grandmother, Mama Jean, bought herself a new car, actually an SUV, for her 80th birthday. It is super nice and so sporty. She has this "clicker remote" that goes with it and MK became quite enthralled with it. She watched how my grandmother used it and then tried to copy her. I love Mama Jean's expression in this picture. It makes me so happy and so proud that my grandmothers are such a big part of MK's life and mine.

This picture cracks me up for two reasons. One, MK would not stand with us or let us hold her for this picture. She apparently did NOT want to participate in the family photo. Two, she has not sat in a Bumbo seat since last summer. And even then she wasn't too fond of it. However, Sunday she saw her younger cousin, Jillian, using one and insisted that she sit in it as well. She also did this with Jillian's infant carrier. The same carrier that MK would scream about every time we tried to put her in it. Go figure...

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I hope my Mother's Day post didn't give the wrong impression. I am thrilled beyond words to be a mother. I LOVE being a mother. My cup overrunneth. And I happen to think I have THE best mom on the planet. Mother's Day was a great day for me. But my heart was heavy and still is at times. It's heavy because I happen to think it's unfair that some people don't have their moms with them. I happen to think it's unfair that there are women and men out their longing to be parents. And I happen to think it's unfair that there are parents out there without their children. My heart aches for those people every single day, but especially on days like Mother's Day and Father's Day and even Grandparent's Day.

And just for the record, I don't like Valentine's Day either. It's nothing personal. I didn't ever have a bad Valentine's Day or anything like that. I just think it's kind of stupid.