January 29

Here is the link to your baby dedication that Aunt Paula taped for us.

You are so beautiful.

Part 1 Part 2

January 25

This morning we dedicated you to the Lord and our church. All week I have been so nervous about how this morning would go. You vomit so much that I was afraid you would do it while we were up there in front of our whole church family. But towards the end of the service when it was time to get you from the nursery and bring you to the back entrance of the stage, I could tell you felt fine and had a peace that you wouldn't be sick. You were so beautiful and sweet in your new dress and sweater and we were so proud if you.

Honey, Grandpapa, Grammy, Papaw, Mema, Aunt Lori, Uncle Shane, Aunt Paula, Ms. Charlotte, Aunt Lesley, Michael, Aunt Shelby, Uncle Clayton, Grace and Frank were all there. In fact we got to spend the entire weekend with Aunt Lori, Uncle Shane, and the kids, and most of today with Aunt Paula and Ms. Charlotte. It was such a great weekend.

In the bulletin it gave the spiritual connotation of your name: strength to overcome difficulties. How cool is that? When we picked the name Audrey for you, we looked up what it meant, and at the time I didn't love it. But God knew just what difficulties you would face and what a super trooper you would be through them all. How it must of made Him smile!

January 19

Last night I was out in the office working on a few things and when I walked in the door Daddy told me to hurry over to see you. You both were on the couch...Daddy was reading a book and you were laying next to him. As he rocked his leg back and forth (towards your face and away again) you LAUGHED! It was the first time we had ever heard you laugh! I only heard one little chortle, but Daddy said you did it several times. You have been experiementing with your voice a lot lately, so the first few times he didn't think much of it. But after a while he looked at you and saw the biggest smile on your face! You were just so adorable and sweet all night. I don't know what it is about the late evenings and early mornings that make you so irresistable to me, but I just can't get enough of you!

January 11

You cry every time I sneeze. Not when Daddy sneezes, not when you sneeze. Why is that?

January 7

Girl, if only every one was as good at keeping New Year's resolutions as you are!

Your vision teacher brought you a new toy to help stimulate you. It is a box with toys that dangle all around you. You were under it while we were deciding which toys to use and where to put them, and before we were even finished you figured out how to bat at them. Good job working on the "play with toys" goal.

I have always put you to sleep in the same position--on your side with a pillow behind your head to keep it aligned in case you vomit. Yet, for the past few days I have come in your room to find you somewhere completely different. (Daddy guessed "On the changing table?!?"...not that different.) This is where you were after nap time yesterday. (Special thanks to Daddy for drawing where your head should have been.)

And when I put you on your tummy, you scootch around in circles. You don't actually move anywhere, but you manage to rotate so that your head wind up where your feet were, and then back around.

I am excited about this newfound "mobility". We have removed everything from your crib so that you can't wedge your face up against anything soft. But my fear is that you will tangle your G-Tube up around your neck while sleeping. You must be fed overnight--there is just no getting around that. Without night feeds you wouldn't get nearly enough calories. I am just not sure how to keep you safe from the cord.

Months ago, our neighbor Hilary sent me the link to a Yahoo! group online for parents of SLO kids. These parents (and their children) have been one of the greatest sources of help and encouragement. They are truely the experts and have given us so much advice from their own successes and failures. When something new happens with you, they are usually the first people to whom I turn, since they can tell me if it is typical for your syndrome or not. I am so grateful to them, and when I post my concern about your G-Tube to them on the forum, I have little doubt they will have an excellent solution for me.

January 4

We spent the New Year's weekend in Weatherford and had such a great, relaxing time. You met so many new people, including your Aunt Jamie and Uncle Jonathan, and your cousins, Maddie, Kadin, and Ashlyn. It was such a nice surprise to see them!

I spent some time this weekend reflecting on the past year. I never could have guessed what 2008 would bring. I experienced both the highest highs and the lowest lows of my life. Up until your birth my life had been so simple, so easy. I had never experienced any life challenge or trial worth mentioning. And in the instant that was supposed to be one of the happiest of my life, everything became much more difficult and painful. Still, I wouldn't trade any of the heartbreak in those first days because the joy you have brought to Daddy's and my life far outweighs that initial ache. You are such a sweet, happy baby and we couldn't be more in love with you. Recently you have begun to think some things are funny, and you smile without being prompted. The smile reaches up to your eyes and you are such a beautiful girl. I can't find words to explain the way I feel when I see your face light up like that.

As for 2009, we have some goals. I think they will take a lot of work, but they are reasonable and obtainable.

1) Eat/drink something orally on a regular basis. Many children with SLO can eat some, but not enough to sustain themselves, so they stay on a pump feed overnight, or with their meals. Of course ideal would be to take everything orally, so we can remove the button. But I would be happy with a couple small meals a day.

2) Become somewhat mobile. Whether you roll, crawl, walk, scoot....I don't care. We are going to find a way for you to move around a little on your own. You are getting very close to rolling, so I don't think this goal will take long to meet!

3) Have some sort of communication. Words, signing, pointing would all make me happy.

4) Play with some toys on your own. This is another goal that I think you will achieve soon. You are starting to figure out one of your toys. It doesn't light up or sing unless you move it, and if I put it right next to your hand and show you a couple times, you get the hang of it!

5) Oh, and Daddy says he wants to see you do your elf dance by next Christmas. You better start practicing now.