Midweek Update

It's hard to believe we are already into the 5th week of the semester -- yet, it feels good to be in a routine (as much as we can have one here). I think the first wave of exams is starting to hit, and with the longer hours for studies comes news of illness starting to creep into worn out bodies. Thankfully we still have our health.

I can't say as much for our laptop. Last weekend it refused to turn on. Well, that's not exactly true. We get a black screen with a four word error message. Nathan's research leads him to believe we've got a corrupt sector on the laptop's harddrive. Is there a cure? Yes, to completely re-format (erase) the hard drive and reload our software. Thankfully I recently backed up Ellie's photos through the end of August. I'm not so sure I backed up the rest of our photos, and I know I haven't backed-up our financial files or 'My Documents' folder since March. Due to a crazy weekend followed by Nathan going to Marion for WGM meetings, today was the first he really had a chance to work on trying to dump the contents of the 'good' portion of the hard drive, but twice bought the wrong components. The correct component is now on order and won't be here for a few more days. Until it arrives, I'm not going to stress about what I may or may not have lost.

Meanwhile, life goes on and our little bit of fun news is that Ellie seems like she's just on the verge of saying some words. I also believe her comprehension is expanding (she started fussing when she heard me say the word 'nap' yesterday). One has to listen carefully, but what she prefers to imitate are the beginnings of phrases in songs ('Row Row' for Row, Row, Row Your Boat, and "Ho, Ho, Ho" for Ho, Ho, Ho, Hosanna", and Aye-Oh, for O-H-I-O). It's cool to see that she's beginning to connect the effect she has on us when she employs her mouth and tongue to make specific noises. Otherwise, she's hardly quiet, experimenting with one sound or another whether it's walking around the house or playing in the bathtub, or trying to stay awake in her crib.

Another big difference in her is evident anytime you take her to Wal Mart, for example. Her world has expanded exponentially in the last few months and all of a sudden she's noticing everything, including the contents of shopping carts several yards away (especially if they have large, bright green balls inside). At which point she acts like a typical 2-year-old and can pitch great fits when she doesn't get her way. You can pray for us as we try to figure out how to navigate these parental waters. ;-)

We were excited to get the news on Monday that our request for additional therapy credits was granted. Already, Ellie was receiving the maximum number of units allowable by the State, but we have a great pediatrician and team of therapists who went to bat for her and appealed for an exception. We're now getting one hour of therapy a week in speech, and 30 minutes per week in each of the other disciplines.

Sorry no photos today! Perhaps soon.