Hard to believe a year already? Wishing you a very Happy Birthday, Sophia! caitlin
Jack McCall: "Should we shake hands or something, relieve the atmosphere. I mean how stupid do you think I am?" Wild Bill Hickok: "I don't know, I just met you."
"A nation with no regard to it's past will have little future worth remembering." A.Lincoln
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize that they were the big things"
Sorry to be a couple of days late, but HAPPY BIRTHDAY to such a sweet little one year old! Hope you had a fun celebration. You sure deserve it (and your mom and dad, too!!!)
She has been out of Mother's womb for a year now, but really she should only be going on 9 months old, and, in fact, is less that that in many ways due to the fact that nearly her entire first 6 months' energies were spent - and I do mean spent - in desperate survival.
So, naturally, Sophia is behind - in many ways - your "normal" 1-year old child. Her back muscles, for example, are weaker than they would be. At 14+ pounds, she is a virtual Thumbalina. She can't sit up without assistance, nor crawl, no less stand & walk. Her voice - still weak - shows slight improvement. Her hair, as you can see, is ever-so-slowly coming in. Sometimes, she still has some swallowing problems ... gagging a bit on her formula.
Right now, she eats her "super" formula [packed with extra nutrition & calories] and some strained baby food [fruits & vegetables] & cereal. Unlike her back, her leg muscles are powerful - often times resembling a wagging pair of tails in their behavior - she sits in her bouncing chair, which has little toys dangling out in front, lines up the toys in her sights, and *POW* gets off a right-on kick - sometimes knocking the toy right off its hinges! She can lift her head well & grabs things normally. Her attention-span & cognitive powers are excellent & appear perfectly normal, as is her eyesight - a source of concern early on.
Sophia is playful, alert, and responsive - very, very bright. She is nearly always happy, never shy to flash her smile, and a true joy to be around. She is a happy child, and spreads her joy around to everyone. She is full of love, and demonstrates that, in her own way, all the time. She is like a little kitten ...
I have no doubt that, in time - and she is rapidly making progress - she will physically be relatively strong & normal. She is already that in every other way - more so, I guess. She is very, very special. A bright - and warm - light.
Back during her hospital stay, I would sit there, as she lay in her incubator on life support, and long to hold her - touch her, even - and squeeze her tightly. Well I remember. Now, I can, and I think she knows what was before - her eyes tell many a story. Sometimes, I would get to feeling that she might never make it home ... but she has ... and words cannot describe how wonderful that is ... and constantly so!
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Posted - October 13 2003 : 11:05:41 AM
Oh, the captions that could be placed under those photos! What an expressive face she has.
Thanks for the great update, Rich. It sounds as though she is doing great, under her extreme circumstances. Never fear. She will catch up in all areas. She'll be crawling... then running... around the house before you know it.
Sorry this is late, but so glad to see this day and that the "miracle baby" is looking great! Don't worry, Rich, she'll catch up before you know it! You can just see a bright future in those bright beautiful brown eyes! Happy birthday, Sophia!!!
Christina
See this face? This is the face of a woman on the edge. Whoopi Goldberg, "Jumping Jack Flash"
Thanks, Rich and Lainey for sharing your precious little one with us. And these folk are right, before you know it she'll be up and running and then before you know it you'll ask, "Where did the time go?"
... and, she's RUNNING around the house now!!! To see her touches a most special chord within me! When I visit, she clings to me the entire time ... after RUNNING to me, of course!
... and, she's RUNNING around the house now!!! To see her touches a most special chord within me! When I visit, she clings to me the entire time ... after RUNNING to me, of course!
Doesn't take long, does it, Rich? Do you think me might get a peek at the Gathering?
Hard to believe, isn't it? I thought about her on Friday!!! Meant to post a Happy Birthday and got all addled trying to catch a plane and it slipped by me. We wouldn't be the least bit offended if you'd like to update us on her!! Hmmmmm?
I'm so glad that things are progressing wonderfully! I agree, pictures would be wonderful!
hugs, Caitlin
Jack McCall: "Should we shake hands or something, relieve the atmosphere. I mean how stupid do you think I am?" Wild Bill Hickok: "I don't know, I just met you."
"A nation with no regard to it's past will have little future worth remembering." A.Lincoln
"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize that they were the big things"
![The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]](images/wwwboard.gif "The Mohican Board! [Bumppo's Redux!]")
Event: Sophia's First Birthday!
Posted - October 05 2003 : 07:48:42 AM
, we also say a prayer of thanks to the almighty 
that you are with us today.
! Hmmm...what do you think she'd choose?
Posted - October 13 2003 : 07:40:14 AM
Posted - October 13 2003 : 11:18:17 AM
