That's right, it's quiet around here. All three of the girls are napping and let me just tell you, I cherish this time each afternoon. We have had a pretty productive Friday so far. I kept the girls in Hadley's room and we organized her closet and room. I wish all closets would automatically rotate clothes each season. Wouldn't that be nice?
Let's see what's been going on in the lives of the Tweryon girls this week.
BROOKE 
Little miss Brooke has her annual review coming up for her therapies. Before a review, each of the therapists does their evaluation. Last week she had her Language review and her receptive language (what she understands) is testing at two and a half years. Her expressive (what she can communicate) is only slightly delayed. Brooke is using quite a few signs to communicate what she wants and is really starting to babble to herself. I think her and Kami will have lots to say to each other. Brooke says maybe ten words and can sign about twenty. If she doesn't have a word, spoken or sign, she will scream at you or point until you figure it out. Yesterday she had her physical therapy evaluation and SHE IS AGE APPROPRIATE IN ALL AREAS!!! That means that yes she still has muscle weakness, but she is functioning just like other kids her age. She can kick and throw a ball like she should, climb off the couch like she should, walk like she should, crawl up stairs like she should, etc.... You get the point. For the girl that was supposed to be in wheelchair, she sure is proving a lot of people wrong. A few of the goals that we were supposed to meet by October 15th were: crawling, standing independently for 60 seconds, walking with two hand support for 20 feet and crawling up stairs. Let's just say that she met all 9 goals Sue had set for her. Oh and did I mention, she is down to her base line on her machine. We have no more settings to lower. I guess we start taking her off now and see how she does. We unplugged her for 6 minutes this morning (longest ever) and she didn't de-sat at all. In fact, she kept her oxygen sats above 95 (anything above 93 is good). A year ago, we couldn't have unplugged her for six SECONDS without her sats dropping pretty significantly. Some days I really feel like she might be unplugged just as much as she is plugged in. She really likes to unplug herself, run to the kitchen and hide. If you don't go following her right away, she will peek around the corner to see if you are chasing her. Then, she will come a little closer to make sure you are paying attention. When you get up to follow her, she runs the other way. It's pretty funny. I definitely get my exercise in a day. Also, Brooke is really eating now. Not just tasting and spitting out, but really eating. A few of her favorites are: macaroni and cheese, cheesy potatoes, goldfish, cheese curls, lasagna, spaghetti Oh's, crackers, jello, and marshmallows. She also loves drinking water. I can't get her to drink anything but water. It's weird. We have tried all kinds of different cups, but she just drinks water. She even took one of Kami's bottles and drank 2 oz. of water from it. Next week I will post a couple pictures of her eating a few months ago and her eating now. Some days I don't even put a bib on her while she is eating. Brookie is the bravest, most courageous little girl I know and we couldn't be prouder! Here are a few pics of Brooke this week.
At a Bridal Shower for Brian's cousin Tracy
Walking with Grandpa Bill at the Homecoming Parade
Notice the eye things (what are they called? I can't remember right now) Anyway, she wore those for 12 hours and wouldn't let me take them off. Brian finally took them off before bed. Grandma Patti took half a day last Friday and I had a couple errands to run. Instead of leaving Brooke home and taking Hadley, which is the way it normally goes, I took Brooke with me. It was fun to have alone time with her. We went to Old Navy and Michael's then we met Brian for lunch at Arby's. We got lots of comments on her eye patches! At Michael's, I decided not to get a cart because I only needed one thing and it was going to be a quick trip in. Yeah, right! Brooke loved this store and didn't want to leave. She especially loved the Christmas ornaments and really enjoyed throwing them.
Helping Daddy put Hadley's birthday present together
Being a very helpful big sister
Eating chocolate chips at lunch. No, she isn't missing teeth, that's chocolate.
Little miss Brooke has her annual review coming up for her therapies. Before a review, each of the therapists does their evaluation. Last week she had her Language review and her receptive language (what she understands) is testing at two and a half years. Her expressive (what she can communicate) is only slightly delayed. Brooke is using quite a few signs to communicate what she wants and is really starting to babble to herself. I think her and Kami will have lots to say to each other. Brooke says maybe ten words and can sign about twenty. If she doesn't have a word, spoken or sign, she will scream at you or point until you figure it out. Yesterday she had her physical therapy evaluation and SHE IS AGE APPROPRIATE IN ALL AREAS!!! That means that yes she still has muscle weakness, but she is functioning just like other kids her age. She can kick and throw a ball like she should, climb off the couch like she should, walk like she should, crawl up stairs like she should, etc.... You get the point. For the girl that was supposed to be in wheelchair, she sure is proving a lot of people wrong. A few of the goals that we were supposed to meet by October 15th were: crawling, standing independently for 60 seconds, walking with two hand support for 20 feet and crawling up stairs. Let's just say that she met all 9 goals Sue had set for her. Oh and did I mention, she is down to her base line on her machine. We have no more settings to lower. I guess we start taking her off now and see how she does. We unplugged her for 6 minutes this morning (longest ever) and she didn't de-sat at all. In fact, she kept her oxygen sats above 95 (anything above 93 is good). A year ago, we couldn't have unplugged her for six SECONDS without her sats dropping pretty significantly. Some days I really feel like she might be unplugged just as much as she is plugged in. She really likes to unplug herself, run to the kitchen and hide. If you don't go following her right away, she will peek around the corner to see if you are chasing her. Then, she will come a little closer to make sure you are paying attention. When you get up to follow her, she runs the other way. It's pretty funny. I definitely get my exercise in a day. Also, Brooke is really eating now. Not just tasting and spitting out, but really eating. A few of her favorites are: macaroni and cheese, cheesy potatoes, goldfish, cheese curls, lasagna, spaghetti Oh's, crackers, jello, and marshmallows. She also loves drinking water. I can't get her to drink anything but water. It's weird. We have tried all kinds of different cups, but she just drinks water. She even took one of Kami's bottles and drank 2 oz. of water from it. Next week I will post a couple pictures of her eating a few months ago and her eating now. Some days I don't even put a bib on her while she is eating. Brookie is the bravest, most courageous little girl I know and we couldn't be prouder! Here are a few pics of Brooke this week.
