This year has been completely crazy. Looking back over the photos from this year, I don’t even know where to begin. This year was all about huge gains. Esmé started this year having just learned to sit up, with a kidney that almost certainly needed surgery, and not making many attempts to communicate.
Now she is standing herself up against a support and taking steps with support, her kidney has self-corrected, and she is clearly trying to show the world what she wants, thinks, and knows–like her letters!
We began Ezzy’s year with another photo shoot with Tracey Buyce Photography and a feature in Mamatoga Magazine. Ez felt it was certainly time that she saw herself in print!
She also really took to shopping in her gait trainer this year…
She was able to practice standing in this Rifton wheeled stander–which was a gift from a local little girl who had outgrown it–this device was huge in helping her start standing a few months later. It also helped to support her Yo Gabba Gabba habit, since this was the only way to get her to stay in it at first!
She took her very first (very short) ride in an antique Ford…an important milestone in our family.
She was able to see the zebrafish that are helping with PCDH19 Epilepsy research at Boston Children’s Hospital…
She drove her first electric wheelchair…
She celebrated her Maman’s PhD graduation ceremony–laughing the whole time at Maman’s silly outfit and trying to steal her hat!
And then there was the standing…she stood herself up for the first time in June…and she proceeded to stand up against any surface she could grab.
Or climb…
There was that time Maman asked if she could “join the band on Yo Gabba Gabba…” with Ezzy. The answer was no.
She tried an eye-gaze communication device with great success!
She started eating more by mouth!
Her kidney testing showed almost complete improvement in reflux and no damage!
She started taking steps with support under her elbows!
And she generally just made 3 look pretty great.
This is her last day of being 3…I can’t wait to see what she has in mind for 4!
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Happy birthday to your beautiful girl! Linking up from Love That Max.
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