Merry Christmas!
Another year has come and gone, and Mary and Tim are really starting to appreciate life with children. We have a hard time remembering life before Ginny and Lainie since they keep us so busy, but we wouldn't trade it at all. They are starting to become little girls and the love they give us is so real! I can't live without it now.
They are also becoming very different girls. Ginny has been counting to 10 (and sometimes 20 with help), and has a huge vocabulary. She enjoys singing her favorite songs like "Old MacDonald Had a Farm," "5 Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed," and "The Wheels on the Bus." She loves puzzles and shapes intensely. But she's also showing a temper and bossy personality. It's ok to sing on Ginny's request, but not any other time or she throws a tantrum. That has been a real struggle, but she's got to learn that Ginny doesn't run the world. Then she'll whip out a heart-melting smile and it's impossible to scold much. Oh, she's trouble. <wink>
Lainie has sadly been lagging behind in language and other skills, resulting in an unofficial diagnosis of autism. We brought in the local Early Intervention Services office and we have a wonderful case worker (Carol) assisting us. Carol in turn has brought in an occupational therapist to give us tips on Lainie feeding herself, and through Mary's persistence, Lainie has finally been eating applesauce on her own with a spoon! Also, we work with a speech therapist (Debbie) who is wonderful! Unlike some autistic children, Lainie's been saying some single words very well, but she struggles with asking for things like "milk," "juice," "apple," or "Chex."
Now that she's a little older, we're working on getting an official diagnosis, and have been seeing a specialist in Lynchburg, Dr. Elizabeth Mumper, who treats the underlying biochemical abnormalities believed to trigger autism . So Lainie went through tests for all sorts of things. Luckily, the only major problem found is excessive bacteria and yeast in Lainie's intestines, so we're midway through a medicine regimen to get that back to normal. It's been hard, but there's some promising results already, so keep your fingers crossed. Besides her treatment, she still loves roughhousing with Daddy, listening to songs, and watching her favorite TV shows.
In spite of the obstacles, both girls started Noah's Ark Preschool this fall, held at Lexington's Manly Memorial Baptist Church. They're going on Tuesday and Thursday mornings, and love it! Granted, they have bad days too, like anything else. But Ginny loves the coloring and crafts, and both girls adore their teacher, "Miss Sylvia." The girls started with crying at drop-off, but now run to the classroom ahead of Mary. It's been great for both of them to be with other children and see new things.
With that, Mary's enjoyed having those mornings to herself. Sometimes running errands, but more working in the News-Gazette office again, and writing articles or pitching in on production day. She's been able to visit her friends there, and the change is obvious. Mary freely admits needing time "out of the house," and this schedule has worked better than she'd expected. Preschool has definitely been worth every penny.
As for Tim, I change the least these days. I've been fortunate that my job is still interesting, and the only travel was to the annual customer conference. On a different front, my manager agreed to let me telecommute from home three days a week, which I've done all year. It's been a huge help not having to commute an hour each way every day, when we've needed some flexibility thanks to sick lil' ones or other last minute problems. I do miss seeing the office mates at times, but I'm even more productive at home and have time to play and help with the girls, so it's great!
In spite of the challenges, we've been very blessed this year and are thankful to have loving family and friends to lean on. Lord willing, we'll get to see more of you in 2008. Please drop us a line, and God bless you.