DynaVox Maestro

I mentioned a couple of weeks ago that Callie has Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS).  We had her evaluated and it was determined that she is a good candidate for an AAC device.  We decided to start with a device from DynaVox called the Maestro instead of the iPad for various reasons.  Right now Callie sees the iPad as a source...

Merry Christmas!

Owen & Callie wish you a very Merry Christmas! ...

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS)

Callie has childhood apraxia of speech (CAS), also known as developmental apraxia or verbal apraxia.  Apraxia-kids.org has a good explanation: What is Childhood Apraxia of Speech? Childhood Apraxia of Speech is a motor speech disorder. For reasons not yet fully understood, children with apraxia of speech have great difficulty planning and producing the precise, highly refined and specific series of movements of the...

Santa

Notice anyone missing from this picture?  Callie would not go anywhere near Santa this year!  She clung onto me for dear life and cried when I tried to detach her.  She adores Owen and usually goes along with anything he does, but not this time.  Maybe next year.  :-) ...

Callie at 3

I can't believe our baby girl turned 3 this past month.  Like I did 6 months ago, I thought it would be good to recap where she is in different areas.   Stats: Callie is now just over 35 inches tall (10%) and weighs 28 pounds (25%).  Her BMI is 50%, which really great. Gross motor skills: As you know, Callie...

Happy 3rd Birthday!

Happy 3rd birthday to our beautiful baby girl!  We love you more than words can express. ...

Block Tower

Today I sat Callie at the counter in our kitchen while I prepared her lunch.  She was holding wooden blocks when I lifted her up and then she signed "more".  I grabbed a few more, set them in front of her, and turned my back while I got her food ready.  She makes a specific grunting-like sound when she wants to get my attention,...

Happy Fall!

Happy Fall!  Not sure where October went?!  Callie is growing like a weed and we have so much to share.  More very soo...

Big Baby Girl

When did our baby girl get so big?! ...

Trampoline

Thank you for the trampoline, Miss Angela! Love, Callie (This video brings tears to my eyes as I think of how hard Callie has worked to simply walk a few steps over to the trampoline, develop the strength & coordination to then pick up her knee, transfer her weight, and pull herself up onto it, and then balance & use her...

Preschool Update

It has been three and a half weeks since Callie started preschool and she is doing great!  We successfully moved her sleep schedule so that she easily wakes up around 7:00am (Owen is a different story... he pulls the covers back over his head and tries to go back to sleep!).  It does not take long to get her ready since she does...

First Day of Preschool

Today was Callie's first day of preschool!  We both shed a few tears at drop-off, but her teachers said she quickly adjusted and settled right into class.  She transitioned well between activities and enjoyed coloring a picture of a bus for art.  She was very quiet but observant; constantly watching everyone around her.  She...

Special Thanks

As I mentioned in the last entry, county early intervention therapists have treated Callie in our home for the last two years.  She received weekly PT, OT, and speech therapy.  We were fortunate to have excellent therapists who put their hearts into helping Callie.  I think it is worth repeating that they truly cared about...

First IEP :(

Things have been busy, busy, busy!  As usual I wish I had more time to sit down and write because there is so much I could share.  One of the biggest things going on lately is negotiating Callie's first IEP.  The story starts with an explanation of our county's early intervention services.  When Callie was diagnosed at...

Sunday School

We attend church on Sundays.  There is a "cry room" that allows parents to sit with their infants and not worry if they make noises during the service because the room sits at the back of the sanctuary and is enclosed in glass.  When Owen was born we sat in that room for a year before I felt comfortable leaving him in the nursery....

Happy 4th of July!

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CHOP - Third & Final EoE Opinion

Last December we went to see Dr. Wood at Johns Hopkins for a second opinion of how Callie's EoE was being treated.  If you remember he encouraged me to feed her everything but the top 5 allergens which was a much more aggressive approach than what our GI/Allergist team in Fairfax was recommending (at that time we were introducing one...

Delayed Does Not Mean Never

About a year ago a special mom friend told me "delayed does not mean never".  This is so true!  And Callie proved it this week.  She is now officially a walker!!!  I posted in February when she started to take steps.  That was a start, but it really took her until this past week to feel confident on her feet and finally...

Callie at 2 1/2

Our little girl is now 2 1/2 years old!  This means her big brother is now 6!  Time is flying.  I would like to document where Callie is in terms of her milestones.  Her skills are scattered so it is not possible to say she is functioning at X age right now, but this gives an idea of where she currently stands: Stats:...

Hippotherapy Success!

Today was our second hippotherapy session and I am happy to report it was a success!  I felt so relieved and proud to see our little girl bravely ride old Andy around the arena this week.  Things went so much better than our first session.  :-) ...

Two Years

Callie was diagnosed two years ago this week.  The good news is the exact date passed without me thinking about that awful day that changed our life forever.  Unlike last year when I woke up remembering exactly what happened one year prior, the day slipped by unnoticed this year.  This is just proof that time really does heal and we are so grateful for th...

Alecia

Last year at this time I was drowning.  It was all I could do to keep my head above water.  It was very difficult juggling Callie's appointments, her new tube feeds, Owen's preschool drop offs (that conflicted with Callie's therapies) and pick ups (that conflicted with Callie's naps), doctor & insurance company calls, my job,...

Hippotherapy

According to Wikipedia: Hippotherapy is a form of physical, occupational and speech therapy in which a therapist uses the characteristic movements of a horse to provide carefully graded motor and sensory input. A foundation is established to improve neurological function and sensory processing, which can be generalized...

Super fun day at the playground

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Tubie kid for one year

Callie has now had her feeding tube for one year.  It is hard to believe our longer-than-planned hospital stay was already a whole year ago.  For the last week I have reflected on the past 12 months and how Callie's tube has changed her life for the better.  Recently I was talking to a friend who's son is experiencing...