Thursday, November 7, 2013

Long Overdue!!!



Well, I guess to say that a post is long over due is an understatement!!!  I promise I have tried to log on numerous times, but something would happen to my computer and it would freeze me out and I would just move on to the next thing!  I decided to try it on my iPad tonight, so fingers crossed that this works!!
The biggest update for Callie has been her glasses!  This one was tough for Mommy, with guilt anyways.  Becuase of her ROP when she was a baby and then her following surgery for Strabismus, she had been being closely followed by an amazing Pediatric Opthomologist at Johns Hopkins.  Well, now that Callie is 4 and knows all of her letters, she officially took her first eye test.  They covered her left eye and she did amazingly well with her vision...switch sides, and she barely knew the E.  Poor girl! Here we thought she was just clutsy and her writing was messy, and in reality, she needed glasses!  I felt so guilty that I hadn't recognized this earlier, but at least she has what she needs now!
We have noticed quite a difference with her glasses.  Her writing has improved, her balance is much better, and her first comment to me when she put them on was "Mommy, everything is so big!!"  And our Callie is all about being a BIG GIRL!  Little miss independent she is for sure! She is certainly learning to test her boundries and has a strong will to say the least!  I have called my Mother so many times to share a funny story that just reminds me so much of me.  Such as "mommy I don't need to listen to you" or the strong willed "NO!!!".   Don't get me wrong, Callie is a sweet and loving girl most of the time.  We are always so proud at Parent/Teacher conferences because they always point out what a good friend Callie is and how they can always count on her to play with a friend when they are sad and down.  Actually, we are so proud of her all of the time.  It never ceases to amaze me what a miracle she is.  She has come so far and we just feel so privaledge to share in her journey!
Fall has been a lot of fun with all of the festivities and visits from family members.  If this post works, I promise to update more frequently.  People still comment to me from time to time that this blog has helped them or a family member wade through the trenches of prematurity and that makes me feel good that I can share her story with the world.  I guess when things stabalized, I didn't know if everyone still wanted the updates and frankly, we got busy!!  But at one of the latest family gatherings to celebrate the wedding of my beautiful cousin, Jessica, more than one person requested updates, so I promise to be better!!!
Here is a picture of our beautiful purple butterfly!  She was 100% certain of what she wanted to be this year and she had an amazing time!  It is crazy what a difference a year makes!  This year, she wanted to go up to the doors by herself with her friend Ashley, while Mommy, Daddy and Grammi watched from the sidewalk.  She does her best to keep up, but after about half of the block she asked to be carried a little between the houses, because she "isn't as fast as her friend."  I don't know if this is just because she is smaller or not as steady, but a little reminder that things still aren't easy for her.  But as always, our little fighter fights, and does her best to keep up.  We are so proud of you Callie May!