Potential

On December 26th, Lilly will have been hospital-free for a full year. There are still quite a few dr.'s appointments that loiter, stalk, linger on our calendars each and every week. And some that always will.  But things are manageable now. We have a routine. And strangely enough, I enjoy it. 

We are looking forward to spending Christmas in our our home this year. For so long, it has seemed that our 'real life' has been on hold.  Quite frankly, we have been robbed of so many occasions, traditions, and milestones. Until now. We are ready to create our own traditions. Enjoy being just a regular family. I can't wait to leave the medical jargon, prescription refills, and therapy appointments behind, for just a few days.  I simply cannot wait to see her face when we light the tree and start to tear into all of those gifts. She is going to love it! 

Being so close to the action, it is difficult to see all that Lilly has accomplished this year. Too often, I forget to acknowledge just how far she has come. How incredibly hard she works. At everything. When we left the hospital, she was 10mos. She did not sit up, was still drinking from a bottle. Had little or no gross or fine motor skills. The looks in most of her doctor's eyes were not hopeful for her future. They were uncertain she had much potential and did not encourage us to expect  her to do much more than what she was already doing. 

At 21 months, she is now 19.5lbs and stands over 30". She has waving now, both into mirrors at herself, and in response to us waving at her. She sits up on her own. Beautifully, I might add.  She bears weight, stands and walks assisted.  She can take shapes out of a shape sorter, and puzzles. She turns pages in books to see the next picture. She drinks from an open cup and wears size 12 month clothes. She even sits facing forward in her carseat. Which she thinks is absolutely hilarious. 

Recently, we have purchased a gait trainer for her. Otherwise known as a (medical) walker. She has only been using it for about 2 weeks and is already getting into trouble. It is the first time I have ever found myself telling her 'no'. Funny thought for mother's of typically developing children, I'm sure. The first time she went for a light socket, I wept. It was just a tiny, tiny glimpse at a very, very typical experience. But I wept. Silently. Alone, in my kitchen. For one minute, I was just like every other mother of a toddler. And for just one minute she was a typical 21 month old, doing something she wasn't supposed to. It was life altering. 

Over the weekend, for the first time ever, she walked with intent toward a toy we held out for her. We scared the daylights out of her with our cheering and hooray's. It was another moment, another glimpse at her potential.