Saturday 28 May 2011

Signing...I know she can

Some days I feel like the past 5.5 months of signing has just not been worth it. When everyday you are trying your best to sign the few words that we have signs for, daily, for months...and STILL no response...it’s so easy to become despondent.

I believe in it very strongly, and I so look forward to the day when I can communicate with my child before she can communicate verbally. At least she **will be able** to tell me when she’s hungry, thirsty, tired etc. That’s what I hold on to.

She isn’t signing yet. BUT I have faith it will come soon. Firstly, because she’s clapping and waving and is starting to comprehend her hands and what she can do with them, and how she can copy people. It’s a good start. But secondly, on two very very random occasions in the past few weeks, we’ve seen her pat her tummy a while after one of us have been saying ‘mommy’ (and the mommy sign is a pat on your chest) – I’ll take the tummy as chest any day J  I know she’s beginning to absorb so much more. Whether its related or not, the fact that I’ve seen her pat her tummy makes me know she’s at least getting another action in!

For those of you who’ve been there, I think you’ll understand the incredible reward it is when your child starts to sign. I’m only beginning to feel the reward…and although I don’t feel it fully yet at all…just the hope and faith fills my heart! I can’t wait for her to sign mommy – even if its daddy ;) and even if that’s the only one she signs for months!

Heading into the potential space of a looming operation, I want to step out in faith and pray that she’s able to sign the basics before operation time (still no news on that – besides a checkup in August). It will be wonderful if she can at least sign thirsty / tired / hungry while in hospital. Though I hope that it doesn’t all disappear from her memory when her hands are tied down – but I’m trusting God that as soon as her hands are tested and given some freedom that they behave and don’t pull out the million pipes, and that she’ll be able to communicate. Always good to have high expectations I’ve been told :)
 
But that aside…I ask God for the discipline of consistency, consistency, consistency…as that’s what this is all about.

Tuesday 10 May 2011

My Challenge

Some days I am really overwhelmed...with everything. I know I should be doing so many different things with Katelyn, and when I find myself not focusing on her like I should be (I'm not expecting to be focused on her every second, but at least every second or third!) I get really frustrated. It doesn't take alot to get the games and exercises done, but it does require intentionality a couple of times a day. So I'm going to be putting together a routine for myself, to squeeze in those 15min sessions a few times a day in a way that hopefully one day becomes natural. I know this will be a fluid process and I'll figure out along the way what works best for me, but I have to start somewhere. So watch this space...

Praise God that on those days when I feel like its too much to take on, I look at the 7.5kg bundle on my lap, or rolling around on the floor next to me and am reminded of not only how adorable she is, but what a special gift she's been to us. We're being changed because of her.

Here's just some of that cuteness...





Friday 6 May 2011

Easter Milestones

We had a wonderful week break over Easter and escaped to honestly one of the most beautiful spots in the world. Hosting special friends; family time; rain, sun, wind...
A week before we left, Katelyn had started showing signs of actually being strong enough to sit on her own, but wouldn't last longer than 10seconds or so, but I knew it was FINALLY starting to come. While we were away, she literally became a sitting star! I think having another little toddler around helped - as kept her concentrating (she just loves to watch other kids!) and sitting for minutes and minutes. Sitting changes everything. Your perspective, allows you to follow everything happening around you, suddenly makes you want to interact with everything...and thats just what I've found. She's a totally different person. It's an incredible thing to witness and watch, someone who for a whole year has been lying on the floor struggling to push herself up and eventually rolling over, to someone who's sitting (and straight up I must add **so proud**) and taking in everything. Its another reminder to me, of the incredible the reward is of reaching a milestone...the first of many.