How Big is Cayman?

Sunday, May 31, 2009

So Big!

Cayman looks incredible posed in her crawling stance! She needs a lot of assistance in order to hold herself in this position, but even just this alone shows a lot of progress!

Sitting unsupported still is a struggle for her. I feel confident that she is strong enough to sit all by herself if she desired to.

You might recall her misery in sitting was linked to the helmet causing too much pressure on her head. {If you missed it, you can read about it here.}

Well, we think there's more to it now than just that.

She definitely has shown great improvement since we removed the helmet permanently. She's mastered rolling and head control perfectly. But sitting is still bothersome to her. She whines and fusses. Not often, but sometimes she'll even cry. For Cayman, crying is a big deal because she rarely does it. Something is definitely wrong if she is in tears over it.

Cayman's Physical Therapist, Jodi, discovered that only in a sitting position, Cayman's hips are not even and her lower spine slightly curves. Likely, this feels uncomfortable for her and that is why she is uneasy about sitting.

However, that does not bring flawless understanding since Cayman is happy sitting supported. She'll sit joyfully in her BeBe Pod, playing. She sits on our laps, in her high chair, and car seat without any complaints.

So maybe, she feels unsteady when trying to balance herself in sitting?? We're not really sure.

She wouldn't be Cayman if she didn't keep someone always guessing about something.

So the next plan of action is for a set of x-rays to be taken of Cayman's spine and hips. That will rule out or confirm a malformation. It will also give her health care providers a picture to compare over time to monitor her spine curvature.

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A couple weeks ago, an evaluation was performed to see where Cayman is at developmentally as a 14 Month Old. Her last evaluation was in January when she was 10 Months Old.

Here are those compared results:

Gross Motor Skills:
Current Developmental Age: 6 months old.
Janaury's Evaluation: 6 months old
She did not move up in developmental age in this category because she's not doing anything new such as sitting or crawling. But she's getting stronger in the Gross Motor Skills that she has learned; rolling, head control, tummy time, etc. So even though the charts do not show it, there is improvements in this area.

Fine Motor Skills:
Current Developmental Age: 10 months
Janaury's Evaluation: 7 months

Cognitive:
Current Developmental Age: 10 months
January's Evaluation: 9 months

Language:
Current Developmental Age: 10 months
January's Evaluation: 9 months

Self Help:
Current Developmental Age: 14 months
January's Evaluation: 12 months

And the one that cracks us up...the one area that Cayman is not behind in, but actually advanced is:

Socially:
Current Developmental Age: 15 months
January's Evaluation: 10 months


Even though I see for myself how well Cayman is doing and her scores are overall great, I always feel nervous for these evaluations. I think it's because, in my mind-my world, at home-everything feels "normal". Then when these developmental numbers are laid before me, my "normal" feels a bit shaken.

But I realize, a charted number does not make any difference. It doesn't change Cayman nor how proud of her I am!

It's easy to not get caught up in statistics or prognoses when I remember the blessed thoughts of Albert Einstein:

There are only two ways to live. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

It does not matter what her developmental age is compared to her chronological age...everything Cayman does is miraculous! And that is what we celebrate!

Sidney & CeCe

Saturday, May 30, 2009

I have two beautiful nieces. {a.k.a. Cayman's cousins}. These girls are so much fun to take pictures of!

Sidney - 5 years old

Cece - 4 years old
Cayman is a lucky little girl to have such fun cousins to play with. The girls love holding Cayman, kissing her, and comparing the sizes of their hands and feet.

However, I am not sure if CeCe will be as excited to hold Cayman again after last weekend's family reunion at the Lake.

Cayman's diaper leaked onto CeCe while holding her. A combination of being grossed out and having no nap that day, CeCe started crying. She was so mad she would not even look at Cayman when we said our good-byes a little bit later.

Cayman's feelings weren't hurt though. She found CeCe's crying to be quite humorous. Cayman watched with bright eyes and let out a laugh that came straight from her belly. Which gave us all a chuckle, except CeCe, who remained less than amused.

Friday Night Date

Friday, May 29, 2009

Tonight I enjoyed a picnic dinner of fajitas on our living room floor...

AND

a movie rented from Red Box...

all shared with my very dearest, Mike!

Priceless Moments Captured

These are the moments that I thank God that I'm alive!

Today...

Thursday, May 28, 2009

I feel Happy...

I feel Grateful...

I feel Content...

Many of times I find myself completely captivated by my Cayman and I feel God whisper, "Do you like her? I made her just for you."

Sommers' Family Reunion

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Every year, the Sommers {Grandma Sue's side of the family} gathers at a nearby lake for an afternoon of barbecue, games, and sunshine.


Lots of delicious food.


Uncle Mark and Aunt Sam playing horseshoes.


Kayla, J.T., and CeCe filling up their squirt guns. We had to enforce the "squirt only the other kids, not the adults" rule.


Cayman and I taking a walk across the bridge.


Grandpa Mark gave fussy Cayman a head rub and she went right to sleep.


Ethan, Aaron, Sidney, and Grandma Sue playing badminton.


Happy Birthday to Grandma Sue today!!

Memorial Day Weekend

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Our Memorial Day weekend was filled with lots of fun gatherings.

It started off by finishing the daunting task of removing the stubborn wallpaper from our living room and dining room walls. Once that was checked off of the To-Do List my mind was free to enjoy the weekend's fun-filled activities...

We had my family over...

Played at the park...

Uncle Tyson and Aunt Sam traveled in...

We had friends over...

Played poker...

Stayed up way past our bedtime...

Went to the Annual Sommer's Family Reunion at the Lake...

Had more friends over...

Watched movies...

It was a great time! I was not ready for it to be over!

Here's some pictures of us at the park.***Stay tuned tomorrow, for pictures of the Sommer's Family Reunion at the Lake.

Good-bye Wallpaper

Friday, May 22, 2009

We are saying "farewell" to the retro wallpaper in our living room and dining room, which oddly enough, has kind of grown on me, but it just does not go with the rest of our stuff.

So "hasta la vista" wallpaper.

And the demolition begins...

A treasure was found...another layer of wallpaper with green leaves and a horizontal stripe background.
Ok, not exactly a real treasure, but it's fun when an old house tells a story.

Edamame

Thursday, May 21, 2009

I enjoy a good bowl of steamed edamame, either as a snack or as a side dish at dinner.

I once handed Cayman an empty pod to see what she would think of it. I watched her closely to make sure she did not bite off any pieces that she could choke on.

She chewed....
And chewed....
And chewed.... Now when she sees me with my bowl of steamed edamame, she cries and begs for some. I can't figure out why though. There's really no taste to the pods. Maybe she just wants to be like her Mommy. :-)


{Happy Anniversary to my parents~Cayman's Grandma Cindy and Grandpa Kary}

Eyelashes

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Cayman's pretty lashes
{She gets them from her Daddy}

Smile

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

I dare you to look at that face and not smile.

Brainiac

Monday, May 18, 2009

At the end of March I wrote a very long post about our very long day in Ann Arbor. Cayman had a CT scan done of her head that day. I wrote how I wished I had a copy of the scans so I could share the exciting view of her brain growth!


Well, I am happy to announce I have those scans now.

Cayman's brain scans:

A quick review: The black area in the center is all the fluid. The gray surrounding the fluid is the brain tissue.

As you can see, a lot of the fluid has drained but there is still a great amount left in Cayman's head. Her brain tissue has more than doubled in size though. That is a beautiful site to behold!

Here's another interesting scan. It's a 3D image of Cayman's skull. I find it fascinating to be able to view her fabulous shunt from this perspective. When I say fabulous, I truly mean to use that word. The shunt allows Cayman to live and thrive. What a huge blessing that fabulous shunt is!!

My Little Helper

Friday, May 15, 2009

"Which paint color should I choose, Cayman?" asked the mother.


"Hmmmm, let me see." thought the Cayman.


"This is the one, Mom!"