My baby turned 5 this week!!

My Emma turned five this week. Where did the time go? It seems just like yesterday that we brought her home, scared and afraid for her future. I nearly worried myself to death those first couple of years, and I wish I could get that time back--knowing what I know now! Oh well, you know they say you can't go back.

Emma has been doing very, very well lately. She got flowers from her PT clinic about a week ago for doing so well walking with her walker. She is still not completely independent yet. She just cannot seem to control the walker she has. I will take anything in the physical department though.

Her language is getting better. She can be very low volume at times, and her articulation can be hard to understand--but her mommy and daddy and grandparents understand her for the most part when she does try to talk. Her favorite things to say are: "NO," "NO MOM," and " I don't want to." I wish I could get an, "I love you." or something like that once in a while, but again I will take what we can get. We have been recording more of her talk when we can catch it on a recorder. I miss a lot because she talks when I don't expect it.

She is reaching better. If you will remember she hardly ever used her arms and had hardly any purposeful use of them. She is now reaching to show us what she knows. It is a spastic, fisted reach--but again we will take it. She can now really show us how smart she is by pointing to words, letters, numbers, multiple choice question/answers and things like that. She does it now all by herself. She appears to be at or even above age-level in many things. I don't like to brag! (Oh, I am lying there!) But, I wasn't sure that I would ever be able to say that, especially early on. I think everyone is impressed, and she is finally getting some respect. That makes me happy.

Well, that is about it. I miss you ladies a bunch.

Here is a picture of Emma at Toys R Us. She got to go for her birthday and pick out of few things. She and my parents overdid it just a little. She had a blast. She is finally able to see and appreciate toys and games and just going to a toy store. Oh, the little things that other parents take for granted.

She smiled the whole time!! She was so excited. It was a good day!!! God knows we have been praying for days and moments like these.