Guess what? (Tongues, Tubes, and Random Thoughts)

So, y'all remember how Kate can't lift her tongue up off the bottom of her jaw? How she can do side to side, but if she wants up and down, her little lower jaw has to carry it up there for her? And of course, I've surely told you about how when she came home, she couldn't really do anything with that little tongue or those lips, because she never sucked on a bottle or was asked to do anything with that sweet little mouth, because of her cleft. And how because of that, her speech has had a few roadblocks. Or maybe more than a few. And you remember how she has been in speech therapy for 19 months, working her little heart out on her oral-motor skills?

Well...

Woohoo!!!

Can you see the pride in that face? And she deserves every bit of it. And while we are at it, let's give Jennifer, our SLP a big pat on the back too:) She has spent many an hour in front of a mirror making silly faces with Kate NaNa.

And now that some of you are thoroughly grossed out by pictures of my daughter's tongue, an update on the ears.

Drum roll, please.... We saw the doctor this week, and after digging another mountain of wax out of her ear, he was surprised to find that the clot is clearing up. He said there is a small opening, and he suspects that if we continue with the drops 4x a day that it will continue to open up and the tube will be fully functional! Can I get an amen? Thank you to everyone who has been praying for this. And of course, to the One who answered.

I didn't tell Dr. M that I haven't been the most diligent ear dropper in the world because after our previous conversation I knew that if they cleared up at this point (after 5 weeks), it would be a God thing, not an ear drop thing. So, we are still using the ear drops, but only about half as much as we should. Why? First, see the previous comment about God. Second, after five weeks of daily drops, Kate NaNa is not the most cooperative patient. She is sick and tired of those things. And third, my memory is advanced well beyond my years. And I have what I am now calling "summer brain". It's like "baby brain" except it hits when you are so tired of working and being with your children 24/7 because they are at home instead of at school that you do things like forget to take them to piano practice.

So, we go back in a couple more weeks for another check-up. At which point I remember why we are thankful that Kate is a Commission patient.

And I continue to be thankful for her beautiful, and now strong, little tongue:)