March wind is a jolly fellow

 He likes to joke and play.

He turns umbrellas inside out

And blows men's hats away.

Just like the poem goes, March has brought us a whirlwind of growth!

Evey started speech and physical therapy and has grown so much in the past two weeks. She has learned to say, "eat" when she wants to eat and she has learned to sign "up". We are working on 'requesting' words so that she can begin to request for items so that she is not getting frustrated.  We began our session with learning to say "wee" and modeling it for her. She does a great job when I get her attention. I learned that getting her attention by saying, "Evey, look at mommy's nose" works. It's something that I learned from my mother growing up when she worked with preschoolers. It also works with my kinders that I teach. 

She also started getting in the crawling position on her own as well. She likes getting in this position then sliding down like she is sliding into home plate. Who knows, she might be the first UNCG softball player with Tri21.  We will be getting SMO's for her soon so that her ankles can help her bear the weight while she stands. She loves to stand, but is unable to bend her legs to get into the squatting position because her ankles are weak. Her PT thinks that it is a combination of her tri21 and her Charcot Marie Tooth disease. We know that by the time she turns two she will be on her way to walking! 

She is now holding on to her cup with both hands and loves to be independent when she eats. She does not like it when you try to hold her cup for her. She will swat it out of your hand in a heartbeat! She likes to pull at her gtube extension when we are trying to push in water and prune juice and we have had to say, "Not for Evey" and because we have been consistent, she has learned that the extension is literally not for Evey. She also likes to pose with her hand in the air when we say, "Smile Evey, say Cheese!"

She has loved the warmer days and getting outside more. She got to meet a horse for the first time at her cousin's birthday and wanted to talk and talk to the horse! She also loves the wagon! Tonight we took her out in the big girl stroller ( Graco umbrella stroller) and she LOVED it. She thought she was so big sitting the stroller with no shoulder straps. The big kids found all the golf balls on our walk. I think they each got two. Either the wind pushed them off the trail or the golfers just didn't want to look for them, but either way it was a win for the kids! 

World Down Syndrome day is this Friday and we will be wearing blue and yellow to celebrate! We would love for everyone to celebrate with us if you choose! 💙>💛>💙> 

Be like a bee-hardworking, wise and delicate!