Celeriac and Smoked Salmon

Summer and I have escaped Leicester for the weekend as Nic and his brother are replacing the bathroom and we thought that the less people around the better. So we are in Newcastle with my friend Nat. Those of you who have been following the blog for ages may remember we came up to stay with her the weekend after the 20 week scan.

Summer and I have had a lovely time. Nat has a dog called Poppy and Summer thinks she is very funny. |I have never seen her giggle as much.

 Summer and I have been very cultured over the weekend. We had lunch at the cafe royal in Newcastle where Summer experienced celeriac soup and smoked salmon, both of which she enjoyed, she was not very lady like about it, but we are working on that! 

We return tomorrow to see what the bathroom looks like and to attend Summers Physio session. She can now get herself from lying to sitting which is great...except when trying to change nappies!

Oops, a late update

I just remembered that I haven't let you know how the orthopedics appointment went. Good is the answer. He confirmed again that Summer has a good ball and socket which is the complicated bit of the hip. The problem looks like its with the femur being twisted. Anyway hes happy as things are so we have at least another 3 months before any intervention.

He did say that Summer's hips are weird......but in a good way. Well take that as a compliment!

Back from Wales

We got back yesterday from a very relaxing time in Wales. We have not been to South Wales before and were pleasantly surprised. Here is a couple of photos apparently showing the worst weather so far this winter according to the BBC, they seem to have got it wrong again much to our gratitude!!

We have an orthopedic appointment tomorrow, we will see what he thinks is best now after having time to think about things after the cancelled surgery last year. We have had a really quite time relatively with her hips out of a brace and much fewer appointments. This will probably mark the beginning of a new round as they decide what will be best for her.

As you can see here though she is doing just fine as she is!

Her first holiday

Very quick blog, as it is well past my bed time, have been setting up an on line shop, not convinced it is any quicker than going and doing it for real.
We are on holiday, off to Wales for a week. We booked a cottage which looks great inside, which is important in wet and wonderful Wales, hopefully should be really good.

Summer saw her neuro consultant who did the op for the excess fluid on er brain and he is please, will see her in a years time and then only if we want him to which is great news. I took her for some casts of her feet today to make some splints so the pysio can get her standing in a frame to help her hips. The orthotist says they are the smallest ones he has ever made, I got to choose the colour, she has pink and purple buterflies, I could have had teletubies, but did not realy want them.
apologies for the spelling, I really am VERY tired. Bon nuit.

Tummy Time

We saw the physio again yesterday and she was really happy with Summers' improvements. She is much better on her front, tolorerating a lot more. I now place her in front of a mirror which helps as she rather likes looking at herself!
She is still not great with rolling.. when she wants to she can do it fantastically, but its hard to find things she is prepared to roll and get, if its toys she does not care, medicine bottles, beer cans (Nics) and pens she will go for, all the things she is not supposed to go near!
She will be starting a group in a few weeks time run by a physio assistant which I think will be really good. It will be slightly strange as I think I know the person running it. One of the hazards of working in rehabilitation is that I will come across people I have known as collegues, but I will be in a different role as Summers' mum which is a little strange.

We are beginning to look at child care for when I have to go back to work, such a lot to think about. I do not think Summer will mind as long as she has somewhere to sleep, something to eat and people to smile at....and plenty of cuddles.

Nine months already!

Summer was nine months old a few days ago, I cannot believe she will soon be a year. she is getting so long, she has grown out of her sleep suits in the leg department, but the top half is still baggy.

We finally saw the physio last week and it was good as we now have a daily program of exercise to carry out, but she needs little splints for her feet to try and keep them straight.

I was looking at our blog intoduction before writing this and remembered the purpose of this blog is to inform and to ask for prayer and thats what I would like to do.

It sounds a small thing, but Summer really has to spend some time everyday on her front ( tummy time) to build up her arm strength which is really important for her. Without doing this, moving around or managing a wheelchair would be difficult...problem is she hates it and just yells and rolls onto her back, so I need patience and wisdom for me to know how to try and get her to do it and for Summer to realise that being on her front is fun!

I leave you with a picture as requested by Gerry & Jason

Never leave an 8 month old with tomato soup!

I have just looked at the last post and realised we have not written for ages, how does life get to busy?
Summer and her dad are having a lie in ( its now 7.25 and all is still quiet), so a chance to catch up.
So what have we been up to? Summer looked very pretty yesterday lunchtime completely covered in tomato soup, she can reach further than I thought!
We have managed to see our new OT, who seems nice and we are waiting to see the Physio, I am quite impatient as I can see Summer wanting to roll and to do more stuff and I need the advice and equipment to help her do that.

A very good friend of ours is running the Edinbrough marathon and wants to raise sponsership jointly for Summer and for ASBAH which is the Spina bifida & hydrocephalus association which is just fab, but I am trying to think of things Summer might need, a trike or bike that can be adapted is my first idea, any others please feel free to comment.
Had better go as can hear stirrings.
Will post new picture soon, as she is changing so quickly.