State of Grace

Grace:

• Is rolling around everywhere. For the longest time she could roll to her side, from side to belly, and from belly to back but just wasn't putting it all together. She's got it now and is starting to explore her environment. It's funny to put her in one spot on the blanket and see where she ends up!



Likes to roll everywhere - even in her chair!

• Has looked at me! She now looks right at you when you are talking to her. It's not quite consistent, so I don't know how much she's actually seeing. But having your baby look at you is a super, super thing! Her eyes still shake back and forth (Nystagmus) and her left eye still turns in (Strabismus). We saw her opthamologist in June and he advised us to continue patching her right eye and we will talk about possible surgery to correct the strabismus at her next appointment in October. Here is a video that I took today. It really shows her nystagmus and strabismus - this is pretty typical for her. It also shows little (POTTY TRAINED!) ballerina Brenna and my son singing the Bee Gees towards the end. He's NOTHING like me. Nope. No idea where he gets it. (I tried to be clever and get her whole body in the shot, but now I can't figure out how to rotate the video. So it looks like Gracie is amazing and can stand and dance on air.lol)
• Has out grown her infant carrier. But doesn't sit up on her own yet. This is a problem since she can't sit up in grocery carts or high chairs at restaurants. I found the Hugga Bebe which is GREAT for restaurants, but doesn't work in grocery carts as she tends to fall over. Right now it's not too much of an issue and hopefully she'll be sitting soon. But until then I think we'll have to try the Hugga Bebe and blankets stuffed around her in the carts.

• 

  Double-Chin Grin

  
  

  

  Jumpy-jump!

  
  
• Has a perfectly working shunt. Everything is moving along as it should. We go back in September for another CAT scan and check-up. Just a routine thing for my little baby!

• 

  Bright Eyes!

  
  
• Now has an occupational therapist added to her entourage. Sherrie will help Grace learn to use her left side more. Specifically use her left hand to hold objects. We see her occupational therapist twice a month and her physical therapist, Cynthia, once a week. It's both strange and nice having a "team" that just wants your daughter to succeed.

• 

  Giving me the ol' stink eye.

  
  

I recently heard Beth Moore say, "Blessed are you when what comes naturally to others comes supernaturally to you." In the midst of everything, it can be so easy to look at other kids and wish she was "normal". That she didn't have to work so hard to meet her milestones.  But when she does get those milestones, it is so, so sweet. I'll take the miracle over the natural every day. (Watch this to get a better idea of what I mean.)

Everyone who heard about it took it to heart, wondering, "What will become of this child? Clearly, God has his hand in this."  - Luke 1:66