My Baby is a Star and so are the People Helping Her!!!

Maelee was in the local newspaper this past Saturday!!! I of course bought a million copies and have saved them, mailed them, framed them, and will treasure them forever!! The place where Maelee receives Hippotherapy was being recognized and what better child to get a photo of then my sweet baby....I mean she is cute of course!!! Take a look at the link below for the full article in our local paper. Enjoy! :)

Article in Local Newspaper

Obstacles can make us or break us.

The past 2 months we have been dealing with the possiblity of Maelee having hearing loss....possibility...

On July 5th she had her third hearing screen which showed the same thing as the previous two.....hearing loss. They are thinking mild and on her left side. She is scheduled for an ABR test on August 15th to learn more before the next steps.

An ABR (Auditory Brainstem Response) test also known as an ABRE tests to see that her inner ear and nerves are functioning and what is the lowest frequency they are able to pick up. It usually can only  detect down to 70 db...which mild hearing loss is at 15 db in children and she is around 30 db in her left ear at this time from what they can tell. So they will combine this test with the previous ones and hopefully come up with a game plan.

I was hoping when we went July 5th she would hear everything, it was just a mistake the two times before, that her hearing was perfect, but I am her Momma and I knew better. I knew that when I talk to her on her left side she doesn't always hear me. I knew that when the t.v. is on she wants it turned up and brings the remote to you to adjust the volume for her. I knew that when she is learning objects in a book unless you are on her right side she won't even try to repeat the words. I knew that when she does something wrong trying to explain to her from a distance is pointless. These are all things and more that we have noticed but just didn't pay attention too. She's a toddler, she has a lot going on, it's "normal" for her to ignore your, it's "normal" for her to speak gibberish all the time still......that's what everyone said so we just went with it. But now I know our hearts were right and our sweet baby is not hearing what we hear, and we should have helped sooner!

Of course the guilt set in, the heartbreak for her future. One more thing. One more obstacle......what else would Maelee have to endure. She has CP, SPD, PLMD, RLS, Food Allergies, possible asthma, GERD, now hearing loss!!!!!! MY POOR BABY!!! but wait these are all things that make her the sweet, loving, quirky, adorable, 22 month old I love. There is nothing more precious then when she points her finger and has a whole conversation with her babies....we may not understand but she knows what she is saying and she says it with confidence! :) She is proud of her self, she is a happy toddler, she is growing into a precious little girl, and she is loved and loves others with everything! One more obstacle is nothing for her.

If she has to have hearing aids we can get ones with bling, animal prints, or something diva like! You know my baby is not going to wear no plain looking things every day! :) She is a diva! :)

"Limitations"

"Level 2: Walks with Limitations"

Those words were written so big (or what seemed to be the biggest letters I ever read) right on top of Maelee's chart....well the first page anyways.  Monday I took Maelee to get her velcro replaced on her SMO braces again.....no idea what this child is doing but the velcro just rips in half randomly! While in the room having the technician adjust and check fitting on her feet he opened her chart and right there were those words.....but what really stuck out to me was LIMITATIONS.

How dare they write that, how dare they say that about my sweet baby, how dare they put it there for me to see. I know what the levels are for gross motor function, I knew she of course fell somewhere on it, and even in level two, but limitations. One word really bothered me about the whole thing, one stupid word.

Yes, she uses braces, has difficutly balancing, etc. but that is ok. What she doesn't have is limitations on how much she fights, her determination, love, hope, strength, and resilience. These aren't things no one can limit her on, no one can take away and she definitely is going to continue to  share them with the world one day at a time. 

She is not limited on the possibilities in life, in her dreams, and all the greatness she has and will achieve. So she may walk a little different, move a little different, tire very easily but those things are nothing compared to her limitless love for life! 

I always find myself aggravated at the things I read. When I read evaluations and it states Maelee is grasping like a 9 month old....I get mad and aggravated. But then it hits me like a ton of bricks! What an accomplishment. There in plain black ink it says she used her left hand without being prompted!!!!! OMG!!! Those are words I had never read before, who cares about the stupid month level, my baby used her hand to pick up things on her left side with no cues 3 out of 4 times during that evaluation!!! Take that limitations.

My baby walks up the stair with a rail, will go up with her left if she can use both hands to pull up on, she WALKS!! Take that limitations. My sweet miracle is using words, even phrases, and learning to communicate every day!! Take that Limitations.

So the next time I see this crazy word I am going to say to myself I wonder how she will defy odds, beat the "expected" and truly show those "limitations" they mean absolutely nothing!!!! 

My sweet peanut is a miracle and she is showing everyone her limits in life are endless!!!! :)