~Helping Daddy read a book~
This past month has simply flown by in a whirlwind; and yet as I write that, I feel as if I have written that somewhere before. We have been busy settling into a semblance of normalcy since the doctor appointments have spaced out quite a bit {all things considered}; and I must say, I am truly enjoying being at home and having an “excuse” to not take Noelle anywhere during this winter season. There is the occasional moment when I wish that we could simply run to the store and get out of the house; but more often than not, I am thankful to be locked inside, all cozy and warm, playing and snuggling with our sweet girl. Of course our time is not simply spent playing and snuggling, but those activities are the highlights of my day, and I sneak them in whenever possible…even incorporating her therapy within the activity of play. Probably the most recent event of significance is that Noelle’s glasses have arrived, embarking us on a new adventure completely!
~First Day with Glasses~
I still am not used to adjusting her glasses and helmet at the same time {and honestly, they are not made to work well together!}, so it feels like a circus around here some days as we teach her not to remove anything from her face or head. No easy task with a little baby who is averaging a six month level in her skills! She is responding very well to her physical therapy, and we are seeing positive changes all the time due to the consistent efforts we have had to implement into our routine.
~Standing at the chair…with the cushion removed~
Thankfully, her therapist tailors things just to Noelle and is doing whatever possible to allow Noelle to move forward in what she is physically able to do, while she is also trying to catch up on things in which she is grossly behind {such as rolling}. So consequently, we have been able to play with her in a new way the past two weeks as she has been standing better and is now able to support herself well enough to stand at things which are relative to her height. That was another adventure…finding things that are her height!
~Perspective~
A lot of improvisation happens in this household due to this little girl, but we are enjoying the process; and I must admit that we get quite the kick out of seeing such a tiny person doing some of these things.
~Standing at a file box~
Overall, she is growing well and currently weighs 12 lbs. 12 oz.; and we thank God that she has stayed healthy through this winter, so far. She still requires oxygen at night, but we believe she is improving slowly in that area as well and will hopefully outgrow the need for this extra support by summertime. All in all, I would sum up my days as “fun.” Certainly there is a lot of work involved; but when I think that last year at this time, we were still in the midst of some very difficult NICU days, the work becomes “easy” and smiles such as what you see in this picture, make my days enjoyable beyond compare. God has been incredibly good to us.
~Laughing at Daddy~
thanks for sharing. She is wonderful.
Thanks, Connie! We certainly think so
!
She is too cute with those glasses on! My 4 month old weighs 12 pounds, 4 ounces right now and when I was reading the part about it being fun to see such a tiny person doing the things Noelle is doing, all I could think about is how our girls are about the same size and strange it would be to see my tiny baby standing!
Thank you, Hannah! It was very strange to us the very first time we stood her up on the floor and her head did not even reach the top of the coffee table. It was funny and a little sad all at the same time in that moment, but we are really enjoying it now.
Thank you so much for sharing your lives with all of us. I’ve followed your journey from the time she was born and can’t tell you how thrilled I am to see her thriving! She’s beautiful and you’re all so blessed. I also just wanted to comment that your new site is great, you’ve done a wonderful job with it!!
You remain in my thoughts and prayers. I’m a kidney transplant recipient so I know how scary the winter “bugs” and germs can be. I hope Noelle remains healthy until she’s out of quarantine!
Bridgette
Thank you so much, Bridgette! We appreciate it more than words can say… I constantly had to give my fear over to God about all the winter bugs, especially with as bad as this flu season has been. We’re so grateful to have avoided anything major thus far and praying it continues to stay that way! Thanks for understanding…
I’m so excited for you guys!! She is absolutely and adorable!!! Keep up the great work, and hopefully the girls can play in July!!!
Thanks! Can’t wait to see you and my sweet niece ASAP!!! Love you…
I am so happy to see her doing so well. She looks just precious in her new glasses. Nevermind her standing so cute. I remember when meredith was that age and she was only 11 lbs seeing her do all the things they do and being so little it truly is amazing Thank you for sharing. Thoughts and prayers with you always <3
It’s so funny isn’t it?!! I think the pictures capture it fairly well, but there’s nothing quite like actually seeing it in person…makes us laugh all the time. Glad Meredith is doing well….
Little people are special!. I currently work with a special needs child at 34 months who is learning her sounds with the aid of music and she is gaining confidence with walking and climbing. Her small motor skills are still being developed, yet. She is a delight! In like manner…
Noel is a charm and I am certain that her glasses will help her as she continues to grow and develop, too! God’s timing for her special development patterns will display themselves naturally. The Lord bless and continue to give wisdom with her individual needs. The Lord is good!
Very true, Verna!! She is such a blessing to us, and God is indeed good!
Thank you Jill for all your time and effort you give to keep us informed of Noelle and her progress. I can’t wait until we can hold her again. It has been almost a year now and wow has it ever gone by fast! We love you guys so much and send Noelle lots of hugs and kisses!
Thanks for reading and praying, Grandma! We can’t wait to see you again too…I can’t believe how fast this last year has gone by. Love you much and look forward to seeing you again….