Wow - there goes another week! And who would believe it, Georgia actually started pre-school!! It still floors us how far she has come in just the 4 weeks we've been home.
We're actually getting back to a pretty normal way of life around here - birthdays, end of summer BBQs, playdates, returning to work and of course, a dance card full of OT, PT and Speech sessions but the real high-light is that Georgia is going to school.
She's attending her preschool 2 mornings a week and despite some very normal resistance to Mom or Dad leaving after drop off, Georgia is really enjoying her new school. There is singing and dancing and reading "Stinky Face," all of which are high up on Georgia's list of favorite things to do. Best of all, when we pick her up, she has a huge smile on her face and is actually able to tell us what she did during school. Absolute music to our ears! And Mom and Dad are very impressed with the school, curriculum and teachers who have welcomed Miss Georgia with huge open arms.
First day of school!
First Dance!
Therapies continue and Georgia is still such a trooper. She has a new hand brace which we are breaking in. She has to wear the hand brace to keep her thumb and fingers extended. She also has a night leg splint to keep her foot flexed. Needless to say, the bedtime routine has become a bit more complicated with doning the braces + getting medications down + stretching + the dreaded suppository (yes, still a bit reliant on those). Yet Georgia allows all of it, sometimes requiring a little Barney bribery to help. We are still not seeing too much movement out of her left hand, but the good news is that she acknowledges it and does not seem to be neglecting her left side which can happen. Just tonight she was playing with her toy drum and shoving one of the sticks in her left hand saying "lefty has to hold too." Precious.
Our neighbors have showered Georgia with so much love and support, which culminated in a block party in her honor last Sunday. It was a lovely evening and Georgia of course stole the show...well, with her little sister too! Bonus for us parents - we could put the girls down to sleep, grab the monitors and still partake in the bonfire, beers and cigars until very late in the evening. Thanks W. Wesley neighbors for a wonderful party and more importantly for all of your love and kindness to our little girls!
We had a fun playdate with Kempley, one of Georgia's little friends from daycare. The girls (and their little sisters!) enjoyed a trip to Bellview Park, complete with a petting zoo, train ride, picnic lunch and huge playground. All on a perfect, sunny Colorado day. What more could they need!? We had a great time - thanks Kempley!
Snack sharing (no, Georgia is not flipping the bird, it's a pretzel!)
A few parent notes...happy belated birthday to Daddy Rick who celebrated his 29th birthday for an amazing 11 years in a row. Georgia performed a lovely Happy Birthday serenade which was undoubtedly Rick's best present. Here's the birthday boy and his girls just before we left on a mountain drive up to Fairplay, CO:
Lastly, back to reality...Mom started back to work. Bittersweet for sure, complete with some misty eyes driving back into Children's Hospital, this time as a clinician, not a parent. Seems like eons ago already that we were captive there for 3 weeks. Being in such a unique position as both parent and provider gives a whole new perspective on what a phenomenal institution Children's is. Let's just please pray that we stay on the provider side for a while.
Less we forget Lillian ...she had her first try of solid food this week. As the video shows, she was not a fan.
Much love to all - have a great weekend!
