Early Intervention

Since we don't have so many doctors appointments anymore, we don't have as much going on. Emma and I spend a lot of time playing and 'talking' together. We also shop a lot since we don't have much else to do to take us out of the house. Neither of use can stand staying in all day everyday. So, we were thankful that Friday was our first day of Early Intervention.

I, of course, was worried about whether she would be tired, hungry, and uncooperative or smiling, happy and very playful. I had planned, the night before, the times she should eat in the morning for the best shot at success. She could get up to at 6:30 like she had done that day, then she'd eat again at 9:30 or 9:45 so she'd be rested, full and happyily ready to play with Miss Kelly, our physical therapist, at 10. I thought even if she woke up at 6, I could make it work. Emma being Emma though - unpredictable - she got up at 4:30 that morning fell asleep again until almost 8, ate at 8:30 and wouldn't fall asleep for a nap until 9:30. Leaving her tired and getting hungry when Miss Kelly arrived. She actually behaved better than I expected her to, but she made me a liar throughout the session.

Kelly started with some rattle shaking to see if she would look at it. She turned her eyes, but not her head. One of the goals we set for EI was to get her head to turn past her shunt to the right. She hadn't been turning it that leaving us worried that she would never do it. But, she's been doing it frequently for the last week or so which I told Kelly. Did she do it for her? No! Then I told her that she'd done better with Tummy Time this past week, lifting her head more, rolling over a few times, but that she still hated it and won't spend much time there without crying. I commented that I couldn't imagine how she would sleep if we were still supposed to put our babies to sleep on their bellies. Sure that she would pitch a fit, we gave Emma her binkie to keep her content during her Tummy Time, so what did she do? She laid her head down when placed on her belly, sucked on her Nuk, and looked very ready to take a little nap. Really, Emma? Now you're going to pretend you're happy on your belly? Finally, Kelly asked if she ever brought her hands together or to her mouth. Are you kidding me? Constantly! Did she put her little paws in her drooly little mouth during Early Intervention?? Not once!

I hope that someday, the nice ladies at Early Intervention actually get to see what the real Emma is like because they have yet to do so and she's a lot of fun!