Updates

Okay, I'm going to have to just start where I am and not try to go back yet because time is so fleeting and I have so little of it when I can be upstairs on the computer because the kids are all downstairs during the waking hours and I need to be with them. They aren't awake yet so I'm going to take a few minutes and copy paste some notes I've taken on my iPhone the last few days...notes I've shared via weekly email with Lora who has just reached her halfway point on her mission in Chinatown New York.

Dear Lora,

I thought you might be interested in hearing some of the things Joel said recently:

4-2-2010
Immediately after seeing "The Princess and the Frog" for the first time, Joel said: "Wha'd ya think'a that story? Oh my goodness! A bad guy.... (more words close together)... I laughed, I cried, it moved me, Bob!"

4-3-10
"I need a job. I be KOOcumber--Larry."

4-5-10
In the back of the van while waiting for papa in the store (watching a movie) Joel said, "I need sit here," indicating Timmy's car seat. Timmy moved to Joel's car seat and Joel took Tim's seat while saying, "Oh thank you! Thank you Timmy! Thank you so much!"

He makes me laugh!
Love,
Mama 


4-7-10 
Joel uses more phrases to communicate now, I still have to ask him to repeat some things several times before I can figure out what he's saying, but not everything is a quote from a movie. If it seems to be a quote we can ask "what movie is that?" and he'll tell us. Joel's weight has been a concern, his thyroid medicine has been increased. We're wondering how much longer it will be until he requires a heart valve replacement. It's been five years and he has more than doubled in size; almost 80 lbs! He requires regular breathing treatments and lately sounds very bad...a cold on top of the asthma, not good together. I'm so glad to see the weather getting warmer for Joel's sake!

An update on Timmy:

April 7
Timmy is pretty much the same little boy you knew except a little taller ; ). At 6 and a half he's still being fed through a g-tube and has very few words. New words: he says SiSi for Lucy and Vevy for Genevieve (his niece). I haven't heard him attempt Collin or Marshall's names yet. He eats little cups of Jello chocolate-banana pudding at school and will play with them at home and then leave them and one of the little girls will get into it and smear it all over the couch, etc (so glad we have vinyl couches--hurray for IKEA). He has been having his good eye patched at school because he shuts his left eye a lot (that one is nearly blind) but he seems to do it more with his glasses on. Eye appointment again on Monday. Timmy enjoys music, movies and attention from new people. He also loves new clothes! He's a loveable little boy.

Here are some notes to keep you up to date with your little sisters:

April 7, 2010

Ella is so adorable with her short dark hair and upturned eyes, and is often mistaken for being a little "Chinese girl". She is in her own world most of the time. My heart breaks as I realize this. Much of the time she is spinning with a scarf (anywhere we go). If she doesn't have a scarf, she spins and flaps anyway. It's almost impossible to keep her dressed as she strips as quickly as I can dress her (dressing is very difficult). She often bounces in her crib to fall asleep. At 4 years and 4 months she still has no language except "Doh" and "no". Ella enjoys movies and smiles at them and moves to the music. Sometimes she imitates another child crying but has little interest in playing with her little sister. She doesn't cooperate with holding a hand to walk with us (although that's a tiny bit better), she prefers to walk on her own (run away indiscriminately, heading straight into danger) and doesn't respond or come when we call her. We have to show her her food and then set it down for her to come to it on her own--she doesn't want us to touch it or hand it directly to her. Still not wearing her glasses, she looks at everything sideways and her eyes are beginning to cross again. Ella is familiar with certain Primary songs and will do the actions and fold her arms when we pray. She does love hugs from those she knows best! Ella will wrestle with Timmy and is often the aggressor in that game. Ella has a lot of melt-downs, this also a behavior they've reported at school. She chews on everything, eating paper, etc... I think it could be that her long-time loss of hearing has caused her separation from most activities with other children and her odd behaviors. It's hard to tell. My heart is deeply wrapped up in this child.

April 3, 2019
Lucy isn't going to be a baby much longer! She took one independent step today, several times. She has been standing on her own for two months. She can squat and stand back up again, and she cruises along the couch. She's still not able to get down off the couch the right way (feet first, on her belly) and has a scab on her nose and a bruise on her forehead right now to prove it. She got at least four new teeth in March (that was rough!!). Her vocabulary contains the words "up", "uh-oh", "num-num", "papa", "mama", "aboo".  (for peekaboo). She's been signing "more" for at least two months and doing patty cake motions, and can now also do some of the motions to the songs "popcorn popping on the apricot tree" and "I'm So Glad when Daddy Comes Home". Lucy has a spunky personality, is funny and demands face to face interaction most of the time. She takes two short naps a day and loves to be in the mix with the other kids! Getting her to not grab or scratch our faces and pull our hair is the biggest challenge... and she doesn't like to ride in her carseat! Lucy's smiles are continually joyful.