At 27 months, little Elizabeth keeps her parents very busy. She's very chatty and likes to talk from the time that she wakes up until she goes to bed. She can count up to 5 and recognizes familiar words.
A couple of weeks ago, Elizabeth had her hearing tested again at Sick Kids and the results were consistent and showed minor hearing loss in the high frequency, so she has difficulty hearing and repeating "f", "s", "sh" sounds. Overall her hearing is amazing. As with the rest of her preemie follow-ups: her eyes are doing great, although she barfed on her eye doctor because she was upset.
Recently she has met all 3 of her pediatricians and all of them are not sure why she is unable to walk. She doesn't seem to have spastic diplegia CP as was thought previously. It seems that she is having problems with balance and we are going to see a neurologist. Her Dr suspects that she may have ataxic CP or has had an injury to her cerebellum and that an MRI will be necessary.
She is progressing with physio and can walk while holding on to only one hand.
She has some new faviourite activities: rides in a bike trailer and getting dirty in her new sandbox.

Easter past and present

Playing dress-up

Easter is coming

Elizabeth has been home for 2 years! We are very proud of what she's accomplished and the many challenges that she has overcome. From the moment that she wakes up until she finally falls asleep in the evening she never stops talking and singing her favorite songs. She is starting to talk in short sentences and even recognizes letters and the words Mama, Dada & Elizabeth. Elizabeth continues to work very hard at all of her therapies. She loves the treadmill at physio and has a great time at Medek therapy.
Elizabeth has also been very busy shopping for her spring wardrobe at the mall using her walker.
Her eating has improved a great deal. Elizabeth still needs to be watched while eating to make sure she doesn't choke, however she is experimenting with new foods and new textures. Loves the jello! (two months ago she would have thrown up if she touched it)
As result she is now 23 pounds.
Elizabeth can't wait for Easter. She is decorating the house with her Easter crafts and humming Easter songs.

Baking cookies

New boots

Elizabeth was recently fitted with a new pair of ankle foot orthotics. About a week before Christmas, Elizabeth's developmental pediatrician diagnosed her with cerebral palsy (spastic diplegia). The reasons for this diagnosis were that Elizabeth is still not able to walk and her feet are pointing out and rolling in. Shortly after Elizabeth was born she had developed a grade II brain hemorrhage and enlarged ventricles which may have caused her CP.
The orthotics that Elizabeth wears appear to be helping her and just lately she has been able to stand unsupported for 1-2 minutes. She continues to go to CME Medek which will be Elizabeth's key to walking independently.
She continues to work hard in Auditory-Verbal therapy, occupational and physical therapy as well.
Along with the many appointments, Elizabeth spends the better part of the day doing exercises and practicing speech. Her mom and dad often try to incorporate all her therapy into play activities.
Elizabeth is a very happy girl, she sings to herself while she plays. She surpised her parents by recognizing several letters of the alphabet (A, B, D, E, L, M, O). She can even say a word that starts with each letter.

After a mild start to winter, there was finally enough snow to go tobogganing. Elizabeth and her best friend Owen had a great time in the snow.

Tobogganing in B-town

Merry Christmas!

Elizabeth and her cousin Madison on Christmas day.

Happy 2nd Birthday, Elizabeth!

Elizabeth had a great birthday. She got lots of presents (an easel for drawing pictures and a big wheel bike) and her cake was shaped like Dora's backpack. When she was asked how hold she was, Elizabeth held up 5 finger and said "twooo". Her vocabulary keeps expanding, she's recently added some opposites, "over" and "under". She's starting to use two words together such as "open door".
December has been a rough month for Elizabeth. She was in the hospital twice. First, she was admitted for pneumonia and RSV which is common for preemies. It is evident that her lungs are still very fragile. As result she will be receiving monthly RSV immunization.
During her first visit, she contracted gastroenteritis and needed to go back to McMaster for dehydration.
Since, Elizabeth has been eating very well to make up for her lengthy illness. She even ate broccoli...