I'm going to do something that I haven't done much on this blog, and that's write! I don't want to get obnoxious in my posting so many photos of Ellie so I thought I would switch and jot down a few thoughts, at least for journaling's sake. I promise I'll post photos of Ellie again soon.
This past weekend we took a group of 60+ students to northern KY/southern IN for a ski retreat (this is where our family and friends in VT and CO can laugh, cough, and ask politely, "Did I hear you correctly?"). Yes, we did go skiing in southern Indiana on a few hills that probably formed the original bluffs of the Ohio River valley basin. The skiing was preceded by some speaking sessions at a hotel near the Cincinnati Airport and I got another taste of "mom" life now with Ellie. I went on the retreat but spent a lot of time in our hotel room! Until her bedtime matches that of college students, I have a feeling that one or the other of us will find ourselves in the same situation for many future evening events. Actually, my sleeping habits are beginning to change and I didn't mind the excuse to retire early myself!
Ellie and I went home Saturday afternoon as everyone else was hitting the slopes (while I missed the fellowship, I didn't miss hanging out in well-below-freezing weather). Surprisingly, my riding companion stayed awake the entire trip and slept hard when she finally got to her crib for a late afternoon nap.
Some of you have asked (which usually means several more of you have probably also wondered) about the results of Ellie's plethora of lab tests... We got the results back last week and from what I could gather, she's doing pretty well, all things considered. We have a follow-up appointment with Dr. Taylor next week, as well as her eye appointment Thursday, and a hearing test set up for the end of the month. We also received a very thick manila envelope from First Steps with the names of several therapists to plow through. If you think of us, you may pray for us through this selection process.
Many others ask if we're seeing progress in Ellie. I'm sure you can understand why that might be a difficult question to answer. No, she's not talking yet, or even saying words, but she continues to love to make noises, of which we do not tire hearing. They're usually quite funny. She's not walking, but we find her on her knees more, though she still prefers to lie on her back during play time. She has begun to point with her index finger to objects out of her reach which she wants us to bring to her. She will also grab one of our hands with both of hers and place it on her toys to push the button which activate the sounds and lights feature. She loves books as much as ever, and of course, the more colorful and interactive the better. I believe she is growing! Most recently I have noticed that her hands are more chubby/child-like and less dainty/baby. If she's gaining weight then my arms are getting stronger!
Yesterday I noticed that Ellie is developing her first real cold since we've known her (she has all the same symptoms as many of our college friends). Thankfully, it hasn't diminished her cheerfulness so we know she's not feeling too bad. She does sound much more nasally, sneezing, drooling (from teething?), and sounding congested. We did get snow this weekend and her mom couldn't resist finally getting those photos in the snow, so she's perhaps partially to blame.
Well, the big game is about to begin and we're going to have a small gathering so I need to sign-off. We'll be in touch!
We had been waiting for PaPa and Nonna Waggoner's visit for many weeks! What Nonna and PaPa didn't know was that Ellie's Uncle Steve and cousins, Caleb & Joshua, were also coming for a brief visit! They were super surprised! We really missed Aunt Rachel, Micah & Leah but are looking forward to seeing them in March.
Ellie's cousins love the Play Station 2, and she was interested in joining in the fun -- at least in holding her own joystick.
PaPa and Nonna brought the baby swing down, and though she's at the upper end of the size/weight limit, she can still enjoy the fun! This is so nice since it's still a little chilly outside!
The book above, "You're My Little Love Bug", was a special gift from Nonna and PaPa. The words & art are so fun and absolutely adorable. If you look closely, you can see Ellie's picture on the last page of the book (it also features lights and a pretty song -- currently Ellie's "thing" that makes everything very fun and interesting). This book is so sweet and affirming, though. With her picture visible through the heart-shaped cut-out on every page, you nearly tear-up reading it! I saw on Amazon that the author has a couple of similar books that she has written -- I may want to look for them next time we're at Joseph-Beth!
