Brag Time

I just have to do it... BRAGGING:) Sophia is so impressive, always. Every little thing is so important and so monumental to us and her progress. We celebrate everything big time. No wonder Sophia loves to clap and raises her hands above her head in excitement all the time. Because all the time, we are clapping and praising her. She gets so proud of herself, too. Sophia makes strides daily. Last year (werid to say) we focused mostly on her health. The goal was getting her healthy and stable. These last few months we are working more with her development. Mind you we still have health issues to overcome like getting the trach out and getting strong enough to eat by mouth; however for now, we are working on her growth and motor skills. After getting her hearing aids we have really been focusing on signing and listening skills. We added two more therapies to the mix and we practice daily with mommy, daddy and nurse. As of today, Sophia can now sign milk, more and baby on command and we are working are on mommy and daddy. Since she is nonverbal, for the present time, Sophia communicates a lot by hand movement and facial expressions. She is a character let me tell you. Without saying anything, she says a lot. She likes to play pattycake, peekaboo, loves clapping and waving hi and bye bye. She is getting very good at copy-cating things we show her like popping her mouth or sticking out her tongue. Imitation is very key to learning to communicate and to communicate through sign. We still have hopes that once the trach comes out Sophia has to capability to learn spoke language but for now this is very important to us. By Sophia showing us she is capable and willing to learn and retain these signs and play skills she is showing us so much about her future. I remember in a very chilling and heartbreaking sit down with a doctor at the being of Sophia's life and them telling us an MRI showed white matter lose and what that might mean for Sophia's future. I just want to say now and loud and proud, you (in modern medicine) can only tell me know so much and you can never tell me what kind of person my baby (any baby) will become in her life. Only Sophia can show us what is can do! She is doing exactly that, showing the world daily just how wonderful she is and I couldn't be more proud!

A New Year

Wow, its hard to believe that it is already 2013. It is amazing the things that can happen in one short year. In one year, our worlds have been rocked, shaken, lifted, but never torn. We were given a daughter to rival most daughters last year. She is a gift beyond gifts and for that our world is new. It was around this time last year that we rang in the new year at Riley. I remember thinking then that it would only be three weeks and then we would be home and in the clear. Little did I know what it would turn into 7 surgeries and countless days and nights of worry and wonder. With all the trials and heartache this year brought us, it all such a minor niche in our worlds compared to all the love and support we have come to know this year. This year we grew in love, strength, courage and comradery. Our goals and our perspectives are new, awoken. In one short year, our daughter has soar beyond expectations. She was went from ffighting to breathe and on life support to crawling everywhere, cruising the couch and to turning big girl ONE. She is our rock star, our strength and our will. She is our faith and our encouragement. She is ours. Because of Sophia so many things in our world have changed in a short year. I had to walk away from a teaching career to be home to care for Sophia. My husband had to put his career move on hold as well to provide us with a stable living and INSURANCE. We have learned that no matter what its family first. Our little family of three. We are as strong as can be. In a years, time I have probably haven't slept an entire 8 hours straight, well the entire year and counting. In a years, time my husband has busted his butt so that we could adjust to a life of one salary. In a years time, I have learned more about insurance, medical jargon, ordering medical supplies, types of therapies and as of a recent I am learning about the world of having a deaf child. To Sophia I am just mommy, but to the world around her I am mommy, friend, therapist, nurse, educator, travel coordinator, and secretary. I wonder if the outside world will accept these qualities on my new resume. Really, it is so hard to reflect back on this year and realize that that much time as already passed. Literally, half of our year was spent in Riley and the other half was spent at home adjusting to our new normal and learning to be parents. In all aspects of our year and in all happenings that occurred during our year, I can firmly state- I WOULDN'T HAVE CHANGED A THING. The lowest lows and the highest highs have made this year one of the most meaningful years of my life. Our lives. We are looking forward to what this upcoming year has to offer for our family. We already know that so many things can happen in just a year so I am not even going to begin predicting what is next. In 2012, we did not wallow in our sorrows but took pride in what was ours and what we could do with that in our lives. We were given an amazing little girl. One that changed our lives forever, gave us love everlasting and the bond of forever family. She gave us the courage and will of lions. She taught us to move mountains by watching her move her own. For she possess these traits and much much more. She united families and communities alike. She taught us values and gave us heart. She taught the world around her to love and have hope again. 2012 taught us about the fragility and miracles of life. So now we blessed to have what is ours, a daughter, a family, a life worth cherishing. This year I will kiss my husband and my baby girl with adoration as I look back onto 2012 with a smile and look onto 2013 with renewed hope, unshaken strength, and rejoice in what beauty lies ahead of us this year.