Lily Update!

Lily has turned 18 months this last month so I'd thought I would do an update on her since there is a lot to tell!
We have mastered walking finally! She decided it was time when I was at the bank, I was watching her stand next to me and next thing I knew she was taking off after another kid! Its so funny! She walks with her hands stretched out and a big grin on her face or she has her Frankenstein walk, where she shuffles her feet, walks with her shoulders folded in and hums and talks as she walks.
But she does have a normal walk and she loves to walk around the house with toys and try to follow the dog and myself.
She loves to walk with mom and dad a few sunday's ago we took a drive up to Silver Lake at the Brighton resort and she walked a good amount of the trail around the lake between us. She also loved the big moose we saw!!
She loves any animals and gets really excited at dogs and horses and birds..any animal really.

I guess the one thing why I am doing this update is because Lily has been diagnosed with Expressive and Receptive Language disorder. Which doesn't mean much, I had her diagnosed to try and get the insurance to pay for the testing, they didn't cover enough.
So I went through Early Intervention. A state school program to test speech and hearing, her hearing is fine but she did score low in language and problem solving.
E&R language disorder can be caused by genetics, exposure to toxins (which I never was during my pregnancy) But mostly its cause is unknown.
Here is the way I see it. Yes you can avoid a lot of causes of disabilities and disorders, but I believe that a lot of the things we deal with in life we were predestined with. Meaning I don't believe I couldn't of brought her into this world in any other way that would of prevented her from having it. It is her challange and I've had mine to deal with as well. I had and still have my learning disability, which by the way I hate calling it that, its such a crutch. I want Lily to grow up knowing she can. She is able NOT dis-able. I used my learning issues as an excuse way too much and now I see how I could of progressed more knowing its okay to have problems with learning. I am speaking more from my experiance with being in resource my school years. I was afraid of being made fun of, grant it kids will be kids and be mean. But things have changed since I went to school and I know there are a lot of alternative programs out there to boost her skills. And hey! the research I have been doing on the net says the difficulty with language can disappear by school age! Hurray!
She walked at 18 months because she was very floppy and noodle-y as a baby. Babies who are like that ( I forget the term they use) don't like the pressure on their joints; so they put off walking until they gain more muscle mass so its more comfortable for them.
But back to E&RLD some times called mixed E&RLD. It means that Lily is having a hard time understanding spoken language and producing speech. We qualified for Early Intervention and we will be having some one come to our house to show me how to play and do activities with Lily to boost her development.
I'm not afraid of having a child with learning issues (I need to come up with a better term) I dealt with them rather well and felt that I didn't turn out for the worst! (partly due to a mom who was dedicated to make sure I got the help I needed) I am ready and willing and it helps to know somewhat of what she will be facing. But part of me does still say "what did I do wrong?" "Where did I miss that info not to do this or that while pregnant?" To be fully honest I was afraid of getting a smarty pants, because then I really wouldn't know what to do!!!
I am constantly telling my self, in no way is this your fault and you know what to do and you can do it. The best thing I can do for her is to get her involved now so that we don't miss that window of languge development. I love being a Mother, especially now at this age ( Sorry guys not a fan of the baby stage) I love seeing her learn in her way and her constant smiles and laughter brings me out of any bad mood.
This journey has been totally worth it!

I wanted to end with a comment I heard today. I was at Lowe's and had a sales associate ask me how I was doing, I promtly responded the usual "good and you?" He responded "Better than I deserve" It took me a bit for it too click, I took as he was really happy with life and I wanted the same out look...so today things are better than I deserve!