Emma walking video repost

So blessed are we!

ow, it's been over two months since I've written anything and so much has changed.  I now have an almost 18 month old toddler that is actually walking and it's the most wonderful thing I've ever witnessed!!  My heart is so full every time I see her walk through the room and I just want to grab her and squeeze her so tight, does she know how proud her mom and daddy are???  She is truly the most amazing little girl and I'm still in awe almost daily at how much she has accomplished in her short life...so many people could undertstand what a miracle is if they knew her story.  I prayed for a long time for god to give her the strength to accomplish anything she set her little mind to.  I prayed for both Drew and I to have to patience which was so hard to have when you watch your little girl try to walk and keep falling.

 I'll admit I had a lot of doubt that she would just start on her own.  But on a April 11, just an ordinary sunday, Drew and Emma were doing their normal walking practice and she let go and kept on walking!!  Drew yelled for me to come in and she just kept doing it over and over with this huge grin on her face because she knew, even at her age that this was something big.  Since that day she has gotten much better at controlling her steps and she just loves to walk everywhere we go.  We hear "Unt alk mommy!" and it's not to hard to understand that she's ready to walk mommy!  She also learned how to stand up on her own which really amazed me because that takes a lot of leg strength but again she pushed through those limitations and rocked it!!  

Drew and I both sat out on the porch one night and talked about how much things have changed since we received Emma's diagnosis while I was pregnant.  I used to read the babycenter boards religiously everyday, so I was prepared for almost anything that Spina Bifida was ready to throw our way.  I became this person who was less prepared for good news than I was for bad.  It's not a great place to be at all and it puts you in such a different state of mind.  I had to learn that sometimes things can't be medically explained and you just have to have faith.  Every child is different and that is definitely the case with SB....so many things affect the outcome.  You can't assume anything with SB.  The babycenter board has been my lifeline and I feel like we have this huge family spread out across the world that I will always pray for and care about.  The moms there have helped me learn so much, especially that even the most simplest thing with your child should not be taken for granted.  And walking at 16 1/2 months with Spina bifida........PRICELESS!!

Okay so now that I'm crying all these tears of joy I should share a few things.  Emma goes to SB clinic on May 27 and we also see the neurosurgeons that day too.  We can't wait to let her walk into both appointments and show them her mad skills!  I know Dr. Perry and Gretchen will be so thrilled to witness that, they've always been such awesome cheerleaders.  And Maya.....I could have never ever made it through Emma's first year without her.  Sometimes I wish we lived closer to UNC so we could see more of her.  She will never know how much she has meant to our family!!  Dr. Alexander and the docs at SB clinic will be speechless.  Drew thinks we'll get a "Told ya so!"  but bring it on.....she's walking!  We had so much doubt about not bracing her but things turned out for the better and I'm willing to admit that waiting was the very best thing for Emma.  A point that Jenna, from the CDSA, who visited about every month or so, helped me to have patience with when I was just ready to throw my hands up.  Thank you Jenna!!  Sounds like I'm giving my acceptance speech huh??  Seriously SB takes a team and we had such an awesome one guiding us along the way.  

 

I will say the only hard part of SB for us right now is the bladder and definitely her bowel.  It's so hard to get a set diet figured out and the girl loves her some cheese!  She is constantly pooping these little hard poops and then she'll have her opposite end of the spectrum, poor girl.  If only we could manage that part better then we'd be set.  I'm such a pro at cathing, I just have to say!  When we went on our trip to Kentucky I manage to cath her in the front seat in about 2 mins from start to finish without getting it everywhere, yeah Emma and I are a good team!  I still have my I hate SB days but I just hug her and remember she is an awesome little individual and she has overcome so much....so I put my big girl panties on and deal with it!!