Sick baby, sleeping in and changes.

Maggie has been so sick with RSV.  It started out as a little cold, then she got Strep, then she tested positive for RSV.  She continued to get worse and worse and it was very scary. There is no medicine for RSV ( a virus) and breathing treatments don't really help.  Maggie's breathing was very labored and her respirations got up to  57 breaths/min - that's fast !  She had a terrible, hacking cough and a high fever. Why is it every time I start to think about how healthy my children are and how they never get sick - they get sick ?

But, she is starting to feel much better !! Her fever is gone,her breathing is back to normal and the cough is getting a little better.  I am just glad she is walking around and playing after spending three days sleeping in my arms.  We even got out and went to the park ( forgot my camera) and Maggie loved it ! She went down the slide a million times and even walked fearlessly on the swing bridge at the playground. And the weather was perfect !

We all stayed up way to late last night watching a movie ( National Treasure). So, after breakfast this morning, the boys made pallets in the kitchen and went back to sleep.  Why they didn't just go back to their bed instead of laying on the kitchen floor is what I want to know.  Today was President's Day so they didn't have school.

The boys are really trying to get all the sleeping in they can get because next year......

...they are going to school.  Yep.  This is my last year home schooling them. We have had a lot of fun these last four years, but it is time to move on.  We are all excited ( well, Walker and Will are not happy about getting up early).

 Maggie will also be starting school - Two year old preschool three days a week !  I think it will be very good for her speech development and she LOVES playing at Mother's Day out so far. So lots of changes for next year and an empty, quiet house that I will have to get used to. There are definitely seasons in a mom's life and I feel like I'm about to drastically change climates !

Speech and Signing Update.

 I love this picture of Maggie and her big, bright smile. 
 Beautiful!!! 
(Those luscious lips have no lip stick on they are el naturale!!) 

Maggie is signing "dirty" in this picture. 

She was looking at some mud under the tree in our front yard.


We use the video series Signing Time to learn American Sign Language.  Maggie learns so quickly by just watching the videos and we make sure we say what the sign is every time she signs.  


It has become evident that Maggie is a visual learner and learns best by seeing something in a book or a video. People with sensory deficits in one area usually have a heightened sense in another.  So, it is with Maggie. It is kind of funny... Maggie had a hearing problem and she really does hear quite well now.  She actually hears without the BAHA if we speak just a little louder.  Now that she knows what hearing is and that it is important, she listens better too.  I know that sounds weird but its just how it is.  So, if she got the deluxe vision package due to the hearing impairment and now is hearing great with her BAHA... well, she must be Wonder Woman!
 God has blessed her indeed!   

Our little girl loves leaves and always finds some to play with.

Ok. Now for some updates:

Maggie has had her new BAHA hearing aid for six months now and so has a "hearing age" of a six month old baby.

( Her hearing age is determined by the amount of months she has been hearing and the first day she wore her BAHA was day one.) 

With that said, Maggie is doing fantastic!
 We are still so amazed at her progress since she got her BAHA. 

Here's a list of her spoken words so far:

mama

bye bye

Wu Wu ( Walker or Will)

Where Wu Wu ( Where's Walker or Will)

"H" for house, heart,or horse

"F" for fish, fall down

Bu ( for bus)

Woof

Maggie's Signing words:

Eat,milk,water,ball,more,bird,dog,shoes,flower,mom,dad,sleep,bear,please,share,thank you,book,socks,yes,no,dirty,potty,bath,hurt,stop and home.

The many faces of Maggie.

This is her "I'm mad face" because I am trying to take her picture.  For some reason, Maggie does not like to see my camera now.

 At. All. 

 She starts crying right away when she sees the camera. ughhh !!

This is her "surprised" look when I ask her to act surprised.

 Cracks me up.  I don't think she'll win any acting awards.

 And, just in case any one is wondering why Maggie is sitting on the kitchen table playing with dry rice....

It's a speech therapy technique to try to get her to say "d" for duck and dog ( somehow the cow got in there too, oops).  

Maggie had to "d"ig for the "d"uck and the "d"og.  She loved it !!  

A girl and her hamburger.

Camping at Grayton Beach.

I have found the cure for Cabin Fever.... go camping.

 It forces you to play outside with your children and enjoy the cold air and blue sky.  

Grayton Beach is a sleepy little beach town nestled with live oaks and cottages.

We camped at Grayton Beach state park ( Florida) and this is our campsite view.

  I thought it was very old Florida - like.  Beautiful.  Natural.

Chuck and Walker cooked our traditional pancakes and sausage  breakfast.  Yum !!! 

The beach was beautiful and empty. 

This is what Maggie thought of it..... 

She was not sure of all the white stuff and cold wind, but it didn't take her long to realize the beach is pretty fun.

We went biking a lot and Maggie enjoyed riding around in her own "princess buggy".

Walker and Will dreaming of ice cream at Seaside.

Our campsite was filled with gravel, which proved to be one of the funnest parts of the trip.  

Will and Maggie loved to play in it !

Finally, Maggie starts to enjoy the beach !

We can't wait to go back !