Ella and Aubrey turned six months old today and what a crazy six months it has been. Despite both of them still waking at night we have adjusted to having two babies. Kara loves her sisters and is fiercely protective of them whenever any stranger tries looking at the twins. Aubrey is rolling both ways, scoots around some, sits unsupported for short periods of time, laughs, puts anything within reach in her mouth including Ella, is obsessed with her feet and her tongue. She just started solid foods and since it goes in her mouth, she loves it.
Now the really amazing thing is Ella. At her 4 month appointment her head hadn't grown so we were sent over to get an x-ray to make sure her skull hadn't fused prematurely. It hadn't. We then set up an earlier appointment to see a pediatric neurologist in Portland. The results of Ella's MRI in the NICU had shown that she has partial lissencephaly. For some reason this diagnosis was not really discussed with us and we didn't even bother looking into it further. What it means is that the brain is smooth in spots and effects development and life expectancy.
The neurologist told us that she was not expecting to see a child as advanced as Ella. She is doing everything that a child her age should be doing. Children with her condition do not generally reach her development level until they are 2 years old. Ella got RSV about a month ago and was able to fight it off without it developing into anything more serious. The doctor was amazed by this. She can do most everything that Aubrey can do as well as say dada, gaga, baba. She grabbed my face a few nights ago and gave me big slobbery kisses. It is a miracle that she can breastfeed, eat solids, and even hold her head up. She has continued to amaze us since the day she was born. What a testament she is to the power of prayer and the miracles that God performs in our everyday lives. With how well she is doing we are hopeful that she will live a long full life and continue to defy the odds.
Alma 37:6 Now ye may suppose that this is
a in me; but behold I say unto you, that by
b and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.
