Spring Blossoms

Having some chocolate ice cream

Dear Hazel, 
You've really been hatching from your shell this spring.  Yesterday you turned 8 months old.  I attribute your burst of accomplishments to your new glasses, you've expanded your world past your immediate body.  The story goes we've been gathering concerns about some of your muscle strength and control and not meeting a pile of milestones.  The day you first put on your glasses you started reaching out, looking around in wonder, and moving more!  We have First Steps currently involved, we had your first meeting yesterday with occupational therapy.  Our goal this week is to work on your leg movements to help you roll from your back to stomach.  With your left side weakness it is difficult for you to torque yourself over.  I'd like to focus all the obstacles you have over come in the last three weeks...
You are reaching out for things!  Even reaching from right to your left side.  You are holding blocks in both hands and banging them.  You are clapping like a crazy woman,in fact you love watching American Idol and clapping for Candace and Kree as well as working more vocal gymnastics to "sing" along with them.  

You respond to your name now.  You steal things from Henry's plate at dinner and how a big interest in eating what we are.  

You are just beginning to make sure you get your tummy off the floor while pushing up with your hands.  You transfer things from your left hand to your right and try to dump over your blocks bowl.  You grab things and wave them around.  

Henry has been making you some things with K'nex and you you loved to explore them from all angles and roll some wheels around.   You enjoy taking paper and crinkling it up.  You stole my grocery list just the other day.  You love being read to and try to flip the pages.  

You are a sweet little socialite, playing your pudge of a hand on peoples arms and gazing into their eyes in an intense study.  Subsequently you pick up social cues with expert precision.  This past Saturday you figured out how to get from your stomach to your back in the proper movements.  This was a big accomplishment!  All this since those little pinky glasses graced your face.  This week you've also figured out how to rip them off of your face every 30 seconds.  We love you so much baby girl.  You've slipped right into our lives as if you've always been here, and I suppose in some ways you have.  You're sweet and chill, we are so grateful for you and still in wonder if Daddy and I are in some shared delusion of your existence.  I mean we thought we would still be waiting for you, instead you were waiting on us to meet WW again and match and plan for you.  We love you baby lady.
Love, Mama

Eye Can See Clearly Now the Fuzz is Gone! All Obstacles Get Out of My Way

Dear Babes, 
I've mentioned before that I have you participate in experiements at IU.  I signed you both up for a couple at IU Optometry, they give ya cool stuff after and a free extensive eye exam.  We already knew Hazel has a very tiny, non-invasive, static cataract, we thought she may need glasses and with some developmental concerns (some muscle weakness, not reaching out, problem solving, motor things) they felt it was time to outfit her with some sweet pink specs. 

Little did we know, suspect or expect but Henry, you needed glasses too!  When the doctor dilated your eyes you were pretty annoyed that one of them was so blurry!  I kept telling you it was just the dilating making the blurry but after your exam it was clear that you had one +1.25 eye and one +.25 eye and needed glasses for close up work.  

You both have been wearing them like old pros and haven't messed with them at all.  When we put yours on Hazellie, you reached, stared, picked and clapped and smiled for a good half hour after.

I am really proud of you both, seemingly adjusting without any issues.  You both look TOO cool.  I'm glad you've joined the four eye club.   Love, Mama