Well...it's about time!

It has been over a year since I last posted on Julia's blog. Shame on me! So many great moments have come and gone that I know I will never remember...if only I had immortalized them on this blog before they slid away into the ether. Does this mean I will do better next time? Probably not. Time is so scarce around here!

Julia is making incredible progress. Her website is a great way to keep up with her, and only requires that I update twice a year to be current and not feel guilty. However, that update was due in January, and it is March...go figure!

Julia has lost 6 teeth now. She definitely has that little girl snaggletoothed smile. She is not a baby at all any more...except for the diapers. No bottles, sippy cups, binkies...all the paraphernalia of babyhood is gone. I do use Baby Magic Original scent lotion on her after every bath, though, and will continue to do that till she's a teenager! Love that stuff...and I am thankful for an opportunity to indulge!

School is great. Julia is in her third year in Miss Lisa's class. I love the fact that she is with the same teacher's and, for the most part, the same students year after year. She loves school and busses both directions now. She was allowed to attend full sessions starting last fall...a full 4 hours of school daily. When she began at Jessie Baker her attention span and stamina were so low that she could only function for an hour and a half of school every day. Now she goes the whole time and is a fully integrated member of her class.

Speech is improving daily. We are so thankful for all of her communication. Julia is a very persistent and deliberate communicator. She knows what she wants to say and doesn't give up till we "get it". Yesterday David was playing with her and he tickled her under her arm. Julia immediately said (clear as a bell) "Ahm-pit...dad...stop!" We died laughing.

I have always been concerned that Julia would not be able to express to us when she didn't want something. That "no" was something she didn't truly understand. It's funny, but my personal motto has always been "Don't borrow tomorrow's trouble." Spending ANY time worrying about that was definitely borrowing tomorrow's trouble! Julia fully understands how to say "No!" and what it means! We can ask her to do something...give a kiss, for example...and she will shout "NO!" and run the other way. Or we can ask if she wants something...like going outside...and she is quick to say "Yahss!" She will even second-guess herself and change her answer if she realizes she's saying no to something she really does want...like Pepsi! So, our Miss Julia is a great communicator...and we are very thankful!