Here is Sharon with Mama in her dressing room...She really did love being at the theatre!
Today Sharon had her 12 month appointments. A busy day for her. We had a follow up NICU clinic this morning and then her pediatrician's appt. She's still a peanut, at 15.9 lbs. We're going to be on a "get fat" regime, which is pretty fun! I just want her to be able to face front in the car and she can't do that until 20 pounds...
Her head size is still way too small, but there really isn't anything to be done about that. It has barely grown since the last visit. Maybe if we get some specialized prayers going for her, that can pick up...prayers that her brain grow to the best of its ability...
At the clinic they did a PT eval and were very impressed with her fine motor skills. Her left hand is doing great and at about the 15 month level :) She also is advanced with social skills. Right now the only area of delay that is obvious at this point is the gross motor, which is no surprise. She's still back at about the 6 month mark there. But all are confident that she will "get it" all eventually, just in her own time.
I've asked to be seen by an orthopedist so that will happen in the next few weeks. Just to have someone really tracking the muscles on her right side and helping with the PT's input.
We'll eventually have a speech evaluation done, but not for another few months. In the meantime, we're pleased with her chattering and the words she does say.

Also, i signed her up for a "Little Gym" class and we had the first one yesterday. What a hoot! She's in a class with 4-10 month olds and she just loved it. I'm excited to have her around so many other babies and the teacher seemed really knowledgeable.
Well, i think that is it for now. She's doing great, she's a joy to us all, and I'm very happy to be back home every night instead of at the theatre!!
Love and peace
Jaye, RJ, and Sharon I.

Thanks to all of you for the birthday wishes and prayers. I'm glad the pictures were appreciated! She is a cutie-pie!
She and her daddy have been spending lots of time together as I am in a local production of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" (as a "Silly Girl" and Napkin...hold the applause :) She's been a trooper while i've been at late night rehearsals and shows. We are in the midst of the run now so i'm actually home this week. RJ has been doing some great work with her in the meantime! She's learned lots of new games and is getting stronger every day in her arms. The PT is impressed and hopeful that she'll get the idea of crawling in the next few months since her arms are getting stronger and are better able to hold her up...
I think we're going to enroll her in a little "gymastics" class so that she can be around lots of kids who are crawling and standing. I hope that will inspire her!
She is a love!
God bless
Jaye, RJ, and Sharon I.

Happy Birthday Sharon

Going for her cake (with Uncle Jason)...Thanks for Jax and the Messicks for making the dairy-free cake :) We had just a little party so that she could make a mess!!! Jason got more than he bargained for on his clothes!

BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!!

Here are a couple more...Aunt Jax and the cousins were having fun with Sharon's hair...

Here are a couple of pix of the girl with the wild hair. This was actually a pretty good "hair day" too! Note in the top picture that Pop Pop is sporting a sling...he's got a broken collarbone/shoulder from a running mishap...

Well we sure are enjoying this 70 degree weather! It's so nice to be able to go outside. Sharon loves playing with the dogs. She never ceases to crack up at Dina's never-ending game of fetch. She laughs every time Dina takes off after the ball, and laughs when Dina comes running back. It's entertainment for all of us!
No huge new hurdles to report, but she is doing well. She seemed to grow this week over night and is stronger. She is still refusing to get into crawling position for RJ and I but will do it for her PT. We keep trying because it's so important...she is darn stubborn though!
Her interaction is awesome. She learned "give and take" this week so that is fun (so far with RJ she doesn't like to "give" to him, just throw at him...) She has adopted the chuckle that i do so much at her. So now when she thinks she's doing something cute, she'll do this little chuckle that almost sounds fake. It is a riot! She has her normal laugh too, but that chuckle is priceless.
I think she is understanding the sign language that we are doing with her. We have to wonder if she will ever actually do the signs herself, but we'll see (she tends to be more passive with hand movements, "bye bye" etc, and we aren't sure if it's stubborness or a motor issue...time will tell)
And i have to get some more pictures up here to do justice to her hair...it's a huge conversation piece no matter where we are. She has a LOT of it, and there is no controlling it with barrettes, bands, or even gel...The good thing (other than it being cute!) is that people are so busy talking about her hair that we are sometimes spared the "oh, is she walking yet" conversation...
So, i'll work on getting some good pix up here...
Happy Lent to all of you...I love this time of year!!! And love the idea of "turn away from sin and live the gospel"....doesn't get much more basic than that...
God bless and love
Jaye, RJ, and Sharon I.