11-Months

So, yes.  Ryan is 11-months.

I cannot believe she is 11-months.  As slow as some of these days, weeks, and months have been in disbelief, denial, and anticipation, I cannot believe we are here.  This is our baby girl, our new normal, with her amazing cochlear implants.

Before 11-months ago, I had no idea what 'CI's were.  And before we knew it, we were thrown into this crazy world of hearing loss, early intervention, audiology appointments, surgeons, and speech therapists.  Oh, and that's alongside managing her crazy 2-year old brother.

Thank goodness we've made it here, as I don't think I could take anymore surprises like this one.  I'm so glad that Sean and I pretty much put our foot on the gas in terms of getting her to hearing as quickly as possible.  With help from all of her wonderful specialists and doctors, she will persevere.  If this is the worst that can happen, we'll consider ourselves so fortunate.  (I definitely didn't think that way the day she was referred to the audiologist because she repeatedly failed her newborn hearing tests.)

In regard our baby's development.  We finally crossed some huge milestones in the last couple of weeks-- pulling herself up and crawling are two things that have become recent achievements.  We are also hearing her vocalize so much more.  Amazing how far she has come in six weeks!

Also, she always sleeps through the night, her hero remains her brother; and oh yah, we are such a diva.  Child always, and I mean always wants to be picked up.  And not by just anyone, nope.  She's very particular.  Sigh.  She likes to be in the middle of everything.  Although she is pretty laid back in terms of just an easy going baby, she's very particular about ensuring that she's not forgotten or left out. (Of course, that means putting her in the middle of the room around all of us, not just playing with her toys 2 feet away from me.  I tell ya, Diva Ryan.

Less than 3 weeks from her official 1st birthday.  We are planning a small celebration-- of course for her, but also for the fact that we, the Reedy's survived this year and are looking forward to living our new normal.