New Year, New Lily

Looks like 2012 has a lot in store for our little girl. For those of you who have not seen Lily since she started her anti-seizure medication in August, I cannot even begin to describe the incredible changes that have been taking place.
I can't even count the number of times, before medication, that I described Lily as strong, determined, and motivated. I never thought I would see that drive and determination increase even more. The girl has become a high speed freight train of accomplishment, focus, and yet more determination.
Today at lunch was the perfect example. One of the major goals Lily has had in therapy since day one has been hand to hand transfer of objects. This shows that the right and left sides of the brain are communicating with one another. This is a goal typically achieved somewhere in the 6-12 month age range. We have worked on this with Lily to no avail these past two years.
So what does she do today, completely unassisted and unprompted? Not only does she complete a precise hand to hand transfer once, not twice, but three times! All while making the additional accomplishment of taking the cracker (object she was transferring) directly to her mouth to take a bite out of it. Another area we have been working on with her, being able to feed herself.
God willing, may 2012 be a year of amazing firsts for Lily!

Little Rocky!

If I were computer savvy enough I would edit the theme song from Rocky into this video, but I'm not so you are just going to have to imagine it:-)

Lily-an went crazy in therapy yesterday! We have started working on moving from sitting to standing the past couple of weeks because she has seemed interested. Well no question now, that is all she wants to do. Her therapy session in 45 minutes long and that is all she did the entire time - sit, stand, sit, stand. And not just easy, tentative, beginner sitting and standing! She was using her arms to pull herself up (it took a few tries to get the message to her glutes to help out, but they got it) and then we moved her to the mini trampoline where she practiced more pulling up and the therapist helped her stand upright and bounce, and bounce, and bounce!

Of course she got to finish the session on the swing - her favorite. She has that figured out:-) She knows the therapist won't move the swing if she isn't holding on with both hands (doing anything using both hands has been difficult for her) but she put both hands on the ropes immediately and was very insistent that the swing move, even turning to swat at Kelly to make the swing move.

She was so excited and proud of herself! She was absolutely beaming through her exhaustion - and she really was exhausted by the time we got done. She had a quick snack between PT and speech but she still only made it partway through speech before she needed more food. And then she zonked out hard on the way home.

I am so proud of her and it is so amazing to see the desire and determination just steam rolling out of her. This little girl is going for the knockout!