My little boy is growing up

Bryce tries out costume mustaches

Sacked Out

So Pop & Nana bought the boys basketball jerseys today. Ella was most distraught that she doesn't also have one. We found an old SFA jersey to put on her and here she is, sacked out in it.

Jeep Fun

I've been tinkering with the jeep and here is a pic of the mod I did today.

Ella in her kingdom

Ella has figured it out

The potty training is still hit and miss, but she's figured out what to do while on the potty!
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Ella Update

Its been a while since I updated E's progress with the therapy we are doing. Her left hand and arm continue to develop and become more 'useful' to her. I catch her playing hand games as she sings songs (usually ones she is making up). She is constantly reaching for and holding things with her left hand. The tightness in her feet and ankles has loosened significantly during therapy sessions, but that hasn't translated much to playtime or walking yet.
There have been major milestones in her confidence/balance. She now climbs all over things. We were in sears recently and she climbed up on a large riding mower so she could 'drive' it. She climbs on the playground equipment at daycare and, for the first time this week, slid down the big slide. I guess the most major of those recent milestones came yesterday when she rode a tricycle all by herself. It was on the daycare playground and the other kids cheered when she started pedaling around. Her teacher cried.
As is obvious, God has been abundant, overflowing His grace into our lives.
The picture is her sitting at the football game, entertaining herself, in her own little world.
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FBCSM SNAC at the bowling alley.

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More Therapy News

We are in San Antonio on family vacation, but I want to update all who are following Ella's therapy progress. (Yes, I know the total # is my mom. I'm ok with that.) We continue to work Ella each evening in the 'exercises' we were given. Things we have seen change most recently: her ankles are loosening up much more quickly than I thought they would. We support her ankle with one hand while the other pushes up on the ball of her foot to stretch the tendons and muscles up her calf. The first few times we did this, it took up to a minute for her to 'give' and let that stretch even happen. Now she immediately lets us position each foot and her toes go up past 90 degrees easily. For a cerebral palsy kid, that's something incredible!
Another of the exercises we do involves her spine and supporting muscles. We are manipulating the muscles around her spine in such a way that they tell us the spinal fluid will flow more easily. Not sure what this is supposed to do, but (coincidence or not) we have seen her temperment change noticeably since we started. She is much more interactive with us, her brothers, her dolls and just about everything she encounters on a given day. She just acts like she feels better. And to her credit, after Melo and I had massages in the Rivercenter Mall today, I acted like I just felt better too.
We will continue to do what God has put in front of us. He is moving in incredible ways in our lives and, specifically, in her body.
Thanks for your prayers.
Praise be to God.

teacups

All three squealing with delight.
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Ella wearing a camo headband

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E's Progress

All this week was spent with the boys at AIM camp, so I havent seen Ella at all since Monday morning. When I watched her yesterday evening and this morning, it was obvious the progress she is making in her balance and walking gait. She is going much less 'side to side' when she walks and appears much more stable. We are doing only very limited therapy for her left arm and hand, but it is also showing progress. She opens and extends her fingers more and is still working on getting her palm up.

The reflex in her foot is moving toward being mature, as both feet now react in almost identical fashion. She loves the therapy (exercise) time we have with her and very willingly participates. By the end of the session, she is very loose and floppy. She sometimes gets so relaxed she falls asleep.

Again, I am amazed at how God's hands continue to move toward her perfection. Praise be to His name!

Melo's New Living Room

We bought new furniture for the living room at Ashley's today. Couch, chair, coffee table, end tables and area rug. Got to share E's story with the sales guy to boot!

Ella's Reflex Therapy

So the reflex therapy started tonight and just let me say that I am ABSOLUTELY AMAZED at what God is causing to happen in her little body!
The goal as best I can understand it is to make underdeveloped reflexes and the compensation that results become mature reflexes that require no compensation. Wow that's a mouth full.
The process involves much hands on manipulation.
The information and knowledge comes from what God has blessed Svetlana and Peter with.
We will stimulate reflexes in her core and extremities.
Tonight we worked on her after she fell asleep so that we could have a more cooperative subject. :-)
One remarkable thing happened: as we stimulated her in the babinski reflex on her left foot, it showed up for the first time since her brain bleed. For at least two years we had from time to time seen dr's and therapists check that reflex and it has never shown to be normal. Her foot would always jerk away and that's all. Tonight, on about the 5th rep with that exercise her foot relaxed and her toes fanned just like they are supposed to. I was completely stunned! So of course I did it again. And again. Each time her little toes fanning out just so. I can't find words to express what joy and excitement that holds for me.
So you're going to want to pray for us as we walk this road.
God continues to be faithful and keep His promises.
Glory to His Name

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Even Better

Even better than the BerryBerry store we found was this public service announcement type picture. Ok, so this has precious little to do with my family, but sometimes you just run across things that catch you off guard and you find yourself laughing out loud.

He's a riding machine

Setho and I went out to the trails today, taking some much needed time away from the reincarnation of Adolf Hitler (Melo).

Ok to be fair, the reason she is being referred to as Hitler is she had us working like dogs cleaning the house all day. Not just straightening up a bit, but that good ol fashioned spring cleaning. The boys cleaned their room, the bathroom, the living room, the baseboards and windowsills. They were tired lil monkeys by the time she let them off the hook. So Setho and I went for a ride.

We have been exploring the old nature trails with the idea of building them out for mountain biking trails. Its a work in progress, but we are having a blast going out and re-discovering the old trails that are out there. This one is of him going by on one of the wider trails out there.

And here's a vid of me riding behind him.

How Well I Remember

Sometimes the smallest things remind me of how great God is, how gracious He has been to my family.
A baby cried out during church this morning. It was one of those cries that lets you know just how mad that little one is.
I dont remember the first time I heard Ella cry like that, but I certainly remember the joy it brought to know she could.
When that baby cried this morning my eyes filled with tears remembering how great He is and all He has brought us through.

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Setho's New Bike

Here he is cruizing through the yard on his new steed. A 24" Diamondback MT that fits him perfectly! He is so fired up to have gears. We have ridden all over the neighborhood to show everyone.