The Girls

New accomplishments for both of our girls this week!

Yesterday, Rayanna had a developmental evaluation and an audiological evaluation at Kennedy Krieger.  The audiology tests showed almost everything normal.  One test (which I think measured the movement of the ear drum) was slightly different than it should've been.  (It made a broad graph rather than a pointed one, whatever that means.)  He said this could be due to the ear infection she had a few weeks ago, so he wants to retest her in 3 months.  Other than that everything is normal, and her hearing responses were within the normal range.  So she's definitely hearing!  Praise the Lord!

Rayanna's developmental tests showed her to be around a 9-month level, meaning a 50% delay.  This doctor also wants to see her again in 3 months to see if she's catching up.  Only then would she be able to determine if there's any disability or if it's just a delay due to lack of stimulation.  Our guess is that her delays are due to lying in a crib staring at the ceiling for her first 16 months of life!  We really don't think there's anything wrong with her that love and attention won't fix.  And, as if to prove what she can do, Rayanna took her first steps this afternoon!  Two steps all by herself, and then she stayed there without falling over! We're so proud of her.  :)

Tabitha, too, had a major accomplishment this week.  Heath was giving her a bath yesterday, when she said "Daddy, there's poopy coming!"  So he put her on the toilet, and sure enough . . . success!!!!!  That's exciting for any young child's parents, but for a child who is 4 years old and not guaranteed to ever have bowel control????  That's REALLY exciting!  Now, of course this could be a coincidence, just a fluke, so I'm trying not to get too excited.  BUT, it could also be a major answer to prayer and evidence that she will indeed have full bowel control one day!  Please continue to pray with us that that will be the case!

One more medical thing (as if there weren't enough).  Last week I took Tabitha to the ENT to check her hearing (all normal), her nose bleeds (nothing too concerning), and her nasal speech.  This doctor thinks that her nasal speech is caused by velopharyngeal dysfunction.He wants us to go to the cleft clinic at Johns Hopkins for further evaluation and possible surgery.  Hooray.  I can't wait.  I find my reaction almost comical though.  Looking back, I probably should've been a little upset or worried getting news like that.  And before all we've been through with Tabitha I probably would have been.  But it didn't even phase me!  I almost expected it.  Poor Tabitha . . . as if she hadn't had enough to deal with already!  That appointment's on the 26th, and Rayanna's opthamology appointment is on the 27th.  And that should be it for this month!