More Therapy

Sophia's physical therapy is well underway now.  She's already achieved two of her six goals, yay!  Friday was a busy but good day for her.  The PT manager came in and worked with baby girl for quite a while.  I'm so happy that Sophia is moving around and doing "baby" things...with assistance.  She won't be home by Christmas and Jeremiah and I are facing the possibility that she may be in the hospital for her first birthday.  Oh well.  At least she's still alive and not getting worse.  

The doctors started weening the settings on her ventilator while we were at church.  Hopefully, Sophia will tolerate it and won't have a setback.  She can't come home if her settings are this high.  We have to start weening to see what she can do.  It's been almost eight hours and so far so good.  I sure hope that she has a great week.

Then the therapist said that I could get on the floor with her if I wanted to.  

We got to cuddle and it was glorious!

For a few minutes it felt like we were the only people on Earth. 

Then it was time to get back to work.  She was getting so tired but made it to the end. 

If she could talk, I'd bet she would say "say what now?!  I can finally have a nap?"  After we were done, I rocked her to sleep and she was OUT.  She is such a character and I love it!

Sophia's Therapy Sessions

Last week was a busy week for Miss. Sophia.  She is now seeing a physical therapist, occupational therapist, and speech therapist.  I asked all of them to show me some things that I could do with Sophia while I visit her when they weren't around.  They have also come up with some short and long term goals for her.  One of the things that we are working toward is to have her sitting up without any support.  Her speech therapist is coming up with some goals and hopefully I'll have those by the end of the week.

I love this position because her body is working although she is sleeping.  The point of her lying on her belly is to introduce her to a different position other than lying on her back.  More importantly, she is strengthening her back muscles.  She'll be sitting up in no time.  I hope. 

This is the tumble form chair.  She is to spend one hour a day in this chair.  This is introducing her body to another position.  Additionally, she is suppose to spend one hour a night in her bouncy seat.

This is her third speech therapy session.  That is a nuk brush in her mouth.  The point of the brush is to generate some oral stimulation.  Sophia has to get use to having something in her mouth.  This is the first step toward feeding by mouth.  Speech is working with her so that we can start giving her solids...at nine months old.  

Since Sophia was doing so good, the therapist decided to give her some bananas.  Sophia loved them!  She didn't gag or anything.

Then things started to go wrong.  Sophia wasn't happy anymore.

Uh oh.  Sweet Sophia went away and Sassy Sophia came out to play. 

Then the therapist had an idea.  She put some bananas in Sophia's mouth and took the brush away.

Ohhh!  Sophia wanted to feed herself!  

Look at that smile.  Peace has been restored!

We ended the week on a high note.  Her first tooth came through on Saturday!!!  

Halloween With Sophia

The morning of Halloween I headed to the hospital to give Sophia the best Halloween I could.  She was the cutest little cow!  For those of you with an eagle eye, this is the same costume that Scarlett and Savannah wore when they were this age.  Just because baby girl is in the hospital doesn't mean that she won't get hand me downs.  Anyway, it was a busy morning and she did great while I cleaned her up and got her dressed.  She didn't get over stimulated and didn't desat once.  I think she had fun and I am so glad about that!  Enjoy!!!

I believe she was trying to lick me.  Come to think of it, I think she did lick me!  It was great!

I love getting kisses from her.

Isn't she precious?!

She was starting to wake up...

...then she changed her mind.  The stinker.

Then daddy showed up to surprise us with his presence.  I love how she looks at me so lovingly.

Love her expression.  She's a character I'm telling you!

Then we said to goodbye to daddy because he had to get back to work.  Don't you worry.  Sophia and I kept the party going after Jeremiah left.  We read books, played, and cuddled.  I was so glad that she was in a mood to tolerate so much activity.  

After all of the excitement from the day before Halloween, not to mention the busy morning with Sophia, I was way too exhausted to go out trick or treating.  So, I decided to stay home.  Jeremiah hates Halloween and wanted us to turn the lights off and pretend that we weren't home.  Naturally, I discreetly turned on the porch light and the girls and I welcomed the trick or treaters with open arms!  I let each of the girls take turns passing candy out to everyone that came to the door.  They had a blast!  It turned out to be a great evening and the girls really enjoyed themselves.  This was the first time in years that I didn't go out on Halloween.

Pre-Halloween Festivities

The day before Halloween was quite busy around here!  Scarlett had her Halloween party at school and I hung out with Miss. Sophia Lynette for a couple of hours.  Liz had issues with junior high at the beginning of the year.  See, she was upset because she found out that they didn't have class parties.  She eventually got over it and was glad that her sisters could get dressed up for the Halloween party at school.

They had such a good time.

 When we left NICU, the child care specialist gave Sophia a Halloween headband.  Yes, we had another photo shoot.

Yes, she slept the entire time.  I sure love her!

Trunk Or Treat

Our annual trunk or treat at church was on October 27th.  There were games, food, trick or treating and socializing.  Jeremiah and I were doctors.  Scarlett was Little Red Riding Hood.  Savannah was a lady bug.  Liz, I think was a hobo.  The girls wore the same costumes as they did last year.  #1, they fit.  #2, I didn't have a whole lot of time to shop for new costumes.  Anyway, we had a blast and I'm sure we'll do it all over again next year!

Group pictures of all of the kids.

 More trick or treating.

I love how Savannah is looking in her bucket and licking her top lip.

 The things I do for Mr. Man!

Scarlett couldn't wait to get into her candy.  I think that's caramel stuck in her teeth.

We held Savannah's candy for her until we got home because I didn't want her to get into it.  When we got home, the first thing that she did was dive into it.

She was so busy eating candy and stumbled across some sweetarts.  I guess they were really sour after eating something else.