I never have time to blog so I'm hoping I will make time in 2013. 2012 was good and each year as Maddie gets older and I adjust to her, it seems to get better. There are still some challenges that present themselves, Maddie is more prone to getting sick, her speech, and her feeding issues. The progress she made in 2012 was more than we could hope for, she started walking and can almost run! She can definitely understand most of what we say and I read to her as much as she will let me so introduce new words and keep her engaged. She has also expanded her vocabulary and just this morning was saying E-E-E-E and so I played the guessing game to try to figure out what she wanted. She wanted to eat!!! And when I asked her if that's what she wanted, she nodded her head yes! That is also a very recent addition, before she would only shake her head in the negative and no acknowledgement of a positive.
The things that still concern me are that she requires soft or semi-soft foods because she doesn't chew her foods properly. That has been her feeding therapy focus. I worry that daycare won't follow that and she could choke. She also will need eye surgery this year as her eyes still don't track. I guess that is not too bad, but when I look at her counterparts, it's painfully obvious how far behind she is. We have held her back 1 year in daycare for her safety and so she can learn at a rate appropriate for her. In august, she moved to the 1 year old class, she should be in the 2 year old class. She's doing very well and even the teachers have mentioned she would be good in the 2 year old class. I really noticed the difference at the school Christmas performance where the 2 year olds were singing a song and Maddie tried to and clapped at all the right parts!
This year she is supposed to start the transition to the public school system for EI. I don't have high expectations based on stories I've heard and how disfunctional the normal school system is where we live. But my coworker said once her son started, the progress he made was huge! So I am hopeful that having her in a program that is specialized for her with experts trained to deal with her will be positive.
The other challenge is her older sister who is 4 and is controlling and slightly defiant. Everytime I tell someone about her, the instant response is she must take after her mother!!! That makes me feel like I'm OCD, controlling, and a micromanager...which couldn't be more opposite! I am usually right, just want my employees to get their work done timely, and check in on them about once a week.....Maybe I can be more OCD and I'd have a cleaner house, be in shape, and get another degree!!
That makes for a fun time! At least Maddie doesn't put up with her antics.
Here's to progress in 2013!
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