19 Months

Addie is 19 months old! We are really starting to see her personality more and more. She is very happy and easy going unless you try to take her toy. :) One of the words she has down pat is HEY as she pulls her toy away from her brothers when they try to trade with her! She is wanting more and more to be independent. She is trying to feed herself with her spoon. We are looking into getting a specialized bowl and spoon that will allow her to scoop easier. The feeding/speech therapist was here last week and she was very pleased with Addie's progress already from the tubes. She thinks we will see more improvement on her vocally in the next few months. The sad part is she does not think we will see much improvement on her eating until after her hip surgery and she is up walking. The saying is hips goes with lips. So we are at a maintenance stage with her feeding. We are continuing to work on her chewing and teaching her to do it the correct way. So her diet consists of mostly purees, yogurts, cottage cheese, and a few other things like puffs, bananas to practice her chewing. Her physical therapy is also in some ways at a maintenance level where we are trying to keep the skills we have and continue to strengthen the muscles as we weight for her hip surgery. Addie can still army crawl but she has figured out how to scoot while sitting up so that is her preferred way to move now. Occupational therapy is also going well and while she has full motion while on the floor we are trying to build her strength so that she has more motion while sitting up. Overall we are happy with each step, but so ready for her hip surgery so that we can move on. I keep telling Mike that once she is out of her cast and brace she is going to age 6 months in 1 week as she learns to walk, talk, and eat! It is so exciting to think about because you can see she is so ready to be keeping up with her brothers and I can't wait to see her chasing them! God is really blessing us and we are trusting in His timing for her surgery. As of now she is scheduled for a follow-up in Cincinnati for her arm on Aug. 4th and her hip surgery in St. Louis September 10th. We are on the waiting list for her hip though so that could change in a moment's notice. September would be nice because it would be cooler for her while she is in a body cast; like I said earlier most of her progress is at a standstill until her hip is in place.  We are just praying for God's timing in all of this. He has worked out things in her past in ways I didn't know we need when I was in a rush for previous surgeries so I am continuing to trust Him for the timing of this one. I have been reading Psalms 33 and verse 4 keeps jumping out at me as I think about her surgery "For the word of the Lord holds true, and we can trust everything he does." I can't see everything in Addie's future, my future, or the future of my family but God can. I rest in the fact that He sees all and knows all and that whenever the surgery happens He will be with us and His word and His promises that we have been holding onto all this time are true. The timing and the circumstances that I face do not have the power to change to truth of God's word. That is why I can trust Him. So yes I would like her to surgery to have been yesterday I trust that in all of it God is working for the good. Romans 8:28 "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them" He is working all the pieces of this puzzle that I see and those that I don't see for good so I can trust Him! I am so grateful for that truth. The days here aren't always easy trying to do all of Addie's therapy and take care of the boys so they are able to play and enjoy life but God is always faithful. He is using me here and He is giving me a grace and peace through each trial and different step. I am so thankful for Him!