Emilia - Thirty-Three Weeks Home

As of Saturday, Emilia has been home with us for thirty-three weeks.  It seems that with every week that goes by, she is a happier, more relaxed little girl.

The best thing that's happened lately is that Emilia is working on attaching to us even more.  She smiles every time she sees me and seeks out physical contact.  If I sit down anywhere, Emilia is right there, climbing into my lap and getting hugs and kisses.  She also gives a lot of very slobbery spontaneous kisses to Craig and me now.

Cuddling on the couch

Developmentally, I don't see a lot of obvious forward motion at the moment, but I am sure Emilia is learning because she is constantly on the move and exploring.  Sometimes she stands by her high chair now and says, "eeeeee" so maybe we can claim that she speaks 4.5 words now.  She is very vocal, especially when she is complaining or chewing us out. She also pays great attention when we pronounce sounds and words for her and she imitates silly sounds all the time.  She will be evaluated for speech therapy in about a month and then hopefully can start receiving services in September.  We are also trying to cut down on Emilia's whining when she doesn't get what she wants (like daddy's cell phone to carry around) and are finally seeing a bit of an improvement in that department.

Speaking of September, Craig and I have toured a preschool for Emilia and have decided to sign her up for two full days a week.  This way she can have contact with peers who will hopefully propel her speech, play, and self-help skills into the right direction while still being at home with me for the majority of her time.  We are planning on Emilia starting there the second or third week of September.  This means that I will have two days a week with no kids here at home... I won't know what to do with myself at all.

Good help is hard to find... or not?

Emilia has transitioned from the pack and play into a toddler bed which has gone better than expected.  She still needs a rail to keep her contained at night, but I am happy that she sleeps soundly now on a mattress with a pillow and even a blanket.  When she first came home, she would have preferred to sleep on the tiles or hardwood floor if we'd let her.

The sweetness that this little girl has brought to our lives is tremendous.  We just couldn't imagine our days now without her laughter, her smiles, or her hugs.