First Christmas!

Brigita is doing fantastic! She amazes me with how well she is doing. It feels like every time one thing "clicks" for her, something else does as well. We are finally finished with the 3rd ear infection (the first 2 were both double ear infections) and a very heavy antibiotic that delivered poop everywhere! Then, as it quickly left her body she immediately was constipated again. So frustrating but the Miralax is kicking in again.

Last week as I was getting her bath together, I said the word "bath" but did not sign it. I turned the water on and when I turned to look at her, Brigita was signing "bath" completely on her own! I was ecstatic! She is also trying to sign parts of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Itsy Bitsy Spider." She was watching a video of little girl signing "Jesus Loves Me" and signed "yes" with the little girl. When we go outside, after swinging, she will explore the fort part of the swing set and also walk around the yard a little, even going to check out the dogs. Previously she was almost oblivious to anything else existing. She gives me kisses, laughs more, plays with the beach ball by herself, and snuggles a lot. She loves for me to hold her and will laugh when I pick her up or snuggle her against me. She is appropriately oppositional at times and testing boundaries. We are working on learning to be gentle with toys and not just throwing everything. Also, part of our educational time is learning how to play. I literally have to show her over and over again how to roll a car, put things in and out of boxes, etc. I never realized how much we teach kids gradually as they grow. We repeat, repeat, repeat everything, every day.

We had a wonderful Christmas. Brigita was completely overwhelmed with the activity at my mom's house and wanted to just hit and bite everyone. Eventually, I introduced her to an empty bin where she was the happiest little girl for quite some time. She was pretty uninterested in what Santa and mama got her. But she did sit in my lap while I unwrapped gifts and tried to show her and get her interested. Then she just wanted to throw them. She did let me read books she received to her.

Today we were playing with a board puzzle she received. It has 5 animals on it. I was showing her the animal, doing the sign for the animal and making the animal sound. She mimicked me making the "baa" for a goat and the "quack" for a duck! This is awesome. When I call my cats, she will sometimes make a noise that seems to mimick me calling "kitty kitty." Brigita also blew a kiss today. I am so proud of her. She is a remarkable child and such a pleasure. I love her so much and am so proud to be her mom!

So, here's few pictures...

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another update

Brigita and I have had a lot going on since the last update.

First, Brigita had her surgery to drain fluid from her ears, put tubes in, and complete a sedated hearing test. Turns out there was no fluid, so no tubes needed and she can hear! Not hearing impaired at all!

Before surgery

Before surgery

Waking up

Waiting for surgery. Brigita played with one of these for the first time!! We've tried before but she only threw it. She quickly picked up on moving the beads around and played for about 10 minutes.

 

 

Next, we had Thanksgiving with the family...good food, good company, and a pile of leaves!!

 

 

 

Thanksgiving weekend, we got our Christmas Tree!

 





(This is not the completed look, but I haven't taken another picture yet)

 

 

Then, we went to see the pediatric gastro specialist. We haven't gotten any answers yet, but had to do another cleanout (Brigita was given one partial clean out by enema in country; then in October I had to do 3 at-home enemas within a 24 hour period; now she's backed up again). Can't show you how big her belly got due to some inappropriate parts showing. But trust me, it was swollen! Like one of those seedless watermelons under her skin. So we had a long morning @ Duke but then spent some time with Aunt Liz and Canon that afternoon.

 

Licking the pinwheel

Even Canon is curious about the Pinwheel



The clean out process this time was to give her large doses of Miralax and a laxative. Poor baby. I felt like such an abusive mom mixing her drinks and knowing it would make her sick. Brigita is such a trooper! She hung in their Saturday and Sunday did so well we went to see her first parade.

While we were standing there I noticed a smell not like exhaust fumes...she had a full explosion all over this outfit and the stroller. Luckily mom was prepared with another outfit in the diaper bag.

 

 

After the parade we went to Grandma's house for Grandpa Garry's birthday. Brigita did not feel good after eating. Her tummy was very bloated still. So off we went home to put on our christmas jammies. See the little buddha belly? Not super big but big enough considering we had a clean out :(

 

 

Brigita tossed and turned most of the night with her swollen belly. But a massive poop at 12:45am helped bring that melon tummy down! She looks pitiful laying on the kitchen floor, but has a normal belly! Brigita wouldn't even eat for nearly 2 hours after waking. She usually demands food upon waking. I stayed home with her today. She has been so sleepy and weak. She's still napping now and has had plenty of pedialyte and some food.

 

I now have to wake her up and get her ready to go meet with the Exceptional Children's specialists as well as someone from the School for the Deaf in order to start the assessment process for school. Hope she wakes up happy and is nice and behaved while we are there.

 

Overall, Brigita is doing great! She is very healthy. She is becoming interested in signs: knows "eat" well and occassionally does other signs. She understands so much that is said to her. She is hitting and biting less but still pushing and throwing her toys. She is very snuggly and is loving some momma time!! I love me some baby time too!! She is a wonderfully, resilient, strong little girl! I'm so grateful to be her mom!