Emilia - Thirty-Seven Weeks Home

Again, I am super late, but last Saturday marked thirty-seven weeks home for Emilia.

Emilia has been a very happy girl and is easy-going and cuddly except when it comes to food.  She’s keen on not missing any meals and climbs into her high chair unassisted when it’s time to eat.  She also says, “eee” pretty emphatically just to make sure we get her point.  Emilia continues to try out new foods and has enjoyed peaches, mango, kiwi, polenta, humus, and potato wedges.  She also loves smoothies of any kind.  One evening she insisted on having cow milk yogurt for dessert just like her big brother and the next day we knew that she’s still allergic to dairy as proven by several poopy blow-outs.

In recent weeks, Emilia has been babbling more and she is trying to say Mama.  Sometimes it comes out crystal clear and sometimes it sounds like mbwa-mbwa or some form thereof.  She had her speech evaluation and her skills are scattered anywhere from a 9 months to an 18 months level.  No surprise there.  I am waiting now for the therapy referral to go through, so we can schedule her sessions and then pick her preschool days.  It seems like we’re always waiting on something from CCHMC.  Her receptive language is growing though and she understands instructions like sit down, get down, shake, etc. now.

Life’s been pretty busy, so Emilia has kind of had a free pass regarding her motor skill development.  Her big brother continues to be her hero and role model for various activities though.  If Rex bangs a toy against the window or shakes the tambourine, Emilia is right in line behind him to try it herself.  She’s got a gymnast’s spirit and is climbing all the time as well as trying to balance on things.

I don’t know if I ever mentioned this, but when Emilia’s iron levels were re-tested in June, they were normal.  The IA doctor suggested having them checked about once a year by the pediatrician along with her thyroid which is still minimally off.  This may just be normal for her, but it’s something to keep an eye on.

Emilia continues to grow and is now wearing 18 months pajamas very comfortably.  We can totally tell that she is catching up to Rex in height and I wouldn’t be surprised if she turned out to be the taller sibling one day.  I’ll give you an updated height and weight measurement next week after her echo and ABR.

Emilia has discovered the fun of mirrors
This one's at Rex's OT room.

And this one in our hotel room.
Perfect height for her.

Recently Emilia has become very interested in other children.  She made new friends at the beach on Lake Michigan as well as at the playground.  She and another little boy played together with sticks for quite a while.  That said, Rex is 100% Emilia’s best friend.  She is nearly always by his side at home and sticks close to him in public situations as well.  She truly finds him incredibly entertaining.  I know she is going to miss him so much when he starts preschool and will be gone all day.  The good thing is that she will be in preschool herself two days a week, beginning sometime in September and then I’ll be the lonely one at home missing my babies.

Emilia is a very sunny, if opinionated child.  It’s so easy to make her laugh and she is more than generous with her affections.  We just love her to pieces.