October 19th, 2016- The Milestones and Marvels

Wow, it's been so long since I've posted- I hope I don't forget anything!!

When our story last ended it was May.  In the later part of May Ally and I headed to northern Virginia to attend the 5th and final Carter's Run for Dandy Walker.  Ally and I drove to my parents home Saturday, and then drove to Ashburn after dinner and stayed overnight in a hotel.  We got up early the next morning to head to the run.  Once again, we did not run (or walk), but we laughed and talked with old friends and met new ones at the dandy walker tent.  We had a great time, and after the run was over we went to the  show with The Great Zucchini- and Ally got to help him on stage!  She loved it and had a great time.  We are sad that we won't get to see our dandy family every year at this event, but hopefully we'll be able to be regular attenders at some of the major league baseball games for dandy-walker alliance day (we didn't get to go again this year).  So far, they have had games at the Nationals, Orioles, and Pirates, and since we love baseball we hope to make these games a part of our schedule each year they are held.

 

The summer was great!  We got to go on our first family vacation in YEARS thanks to my parents, who took us and my brother's family to Ocean City, MD in June.  We grew up going there and it was the first time at the ocean for both Ally and Ben.  We stayed at a house on the bayside of the city, which had a great little beach area with very calm water, which the younger kids loved, as well as a pool.  We ventured across the way to the ocean side for one day, but the water was pretty rough for the youngest kids.  Ben was sent underwater several times, and Ally was so scared of the waves she wouldn't go in the water hardly at all!  (I always thought she was fearless, so the ocean is now her nemesis!)  We had a great time with family doing other beach activities, including the amusement park and mini-golf.  My brother and I took the kids mini-golfing, and while he took the 3 oldest I took Ben and Ally.  Have you ever tried to mini-golf with a 4 and 2 year old?  It is like herding cats.  Trying to get them to wait their turn, hit the ball, make it go the right way...ugh!  And at one point- Ally fell in some water!  She slid right down the short embankment into about a foot of water while I was trying to help Ben with his turn and my back was turned.  She was soaked from shoes up to about halfway up her shirt- and we were only on hole 4!  My brother reached in and fished her out, and boy she was upset!  She wanted to go home and change, but we had paid for golf and we were going to finish, so she just had to suffer through it.  Oy vey!

Fun at the Trimper Rides!

While we were there we had beach pictures taken, and loved how they turned out.  Ally's picture is absolutely beautiful!

The rest of the summer was great.  We did swim lessons at a local pool which all of my kids loved, especially Ally.  She is getting really confident in the water.  It's hard to believe that next summer is the last time I have to be in the water for lessons with her.

Of course, summer is never complete without a visit from Granny up from Florida.  She came to stay with my parents in June for a week so we went to visit as well.  She loves seeing all the great grandkids!

We tried to stay busy during the summer.  We went to library storytime, various parks and playgrounds, and occasional other fun events around town (like decorating cookies at AC Moore!).  I really treasure my summers with the kids.

Wading in a local creek

Another funny story- Ally learned to climb out of her crib!  Neither one of the 2 boys ever did that- leave it to our adventurous Ally!  When she finally took a pretty good fall climbing out we took off the front and she now has a daybed.  She is so proud of her big girl bed, and she does great in it!

In August, Ben, Ally, and I went back to school.  Ally went back to the Red Room (2s room) at her preschool- now full time 5 days a week.  She loves her friends and teachers there- and so do I!  She still loves painting and all of the crafts and coloring as well.  Recently she took the ASQ assessment to determine developmental progress of preschoolers for their age.  At the conference with her teacher, no surprise- Ally is on track with no concerns in EVERY CATEGORY (communication, fine motor, social, etc).  Recently her teachers told me that Ally can recognize not only her own name, but the names of every child in her class.  On a chart she was pointing to names and saying, "That's Brantley.  That's M.E.  That's Elena..."  They thought maybe it was a fluke, but when they mixed the names up she could still do it!  Our Ally girl is doing so well and we are so proud of her!

First day of preschool!  Notice her hairclip!

Other exciting news comes from her doctors.  In July Ally had an appointment with neurosurgery.  It was just a follow-up, and everything looked great there and she doesn't need to go back for 6 months.  In September she had her 2 and a half year checkup.  Everything at this appointment was great, and her pediatrician even told us that her muscle tone had improved- so much so that she may not even need her orthotics anymore!  I have been concerned that she may be getting close to outgrowing them (she has not complained about them being uncomfortable, but it is getting a little more difficult to get them on her in the mornings), so we asked about it, and the answer was more than I was hoping for!  We contacted Easter Seals and are hoping to have her physical therapist come over soon to have a look and give the final word!  Fingers crossed!

 

Other fun milestones- in September Ally started Awana Puggles.  She often cries when being dropped off (unusual for her) but she loves Puggles!  The second picture shows 2 of Ally's newest fads.  She loves having a ponytail, and actually asks for one and will sit and let me do it!  (And her hair is finally long enough!)  She also LOVES her kitty shoes, which she's wearing in the second picture- without orthotics for the first time (we decided to try it out)!  She often wears the kitty shoes to bed and ALL night long since she can't wear them to school or to play.

The rest of the year should be full of lots of fun events- our annual trip to the pumpkin patch, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and some other miscellaneous events as well.  We hope to update again sometime after the new year- unless something unexpected comes up.  We continue to hope and pray for good health and a clear, functioning shunt.  Until then, we will continue to watch our girl thrive and grow and light up our lives as only she can!