Curly Pearl and Rosie Bear

Lucy Pearl (or Curly Pearl, as Rose calls her) was born June 7 (and yes, pregnancy and newborn meant blog not really on my mind or top priority list!!). However, hope to be posting some pics and brief updates much more frequently!

Applying to Cambridge Can Make You a Stress Bomb

Favorite Line, Rose's OT Report

Rose does both physical and occupational therapy (gross and fine motor skills) to help her gain strength as she has inherently low muscle tone. Every six months she's given a few tests, and her therapists write up a progress report. This is for our records as well as to show the program First Steps, which funds the PT/OT she is currently a part of, what we're doing and what progress Rose is making.

My favorite line for her OT report? "She has decreased her drooling and
does not mouth all toys as before, other than crayons occasionally or when curious about an unfamiliar textured object." Bobby and I both laughed out loud when we read that. Rose used to be a drool monster, but part of her OT was teaching her how to hold her mouth closed and how to suck in her saliva - and it's worked! It's a crazy difference. Kids with low muscle tone tend to balance themselves by opening their mouths when working on something hard, but as she grows stronger, Rose is learning to keep it closed.

She is doing great in both OT and PT and we have decided to keep her in it for the next six months. We only pay $20 a month for four hours of one-on-one sessions, and both her OT and PT think there is a lot to be gained in increasing Rose's quality of movement. In OT we're going to be working on her bi-lateral mid-line crossing (think picking something up with her left hand to place on her right side, or - later, writing or reading) which she rarely does and in PT her core strength and her hip control.

I wonder what fun strides she'll make in the next six months!

Rose, Lore-Master

This morning Rose and I made scrambled eggs and smoothies for breakfast. She was sitting on the counter and helping me first measure berries and such, and then crack eggs into a big liquid mixing cup for the scramble.

Somehow (I think it may have been partly my fault), she leaned forward suddenly, and knocked the mixing cup onto the floor. I tried to catch it on the way down, failed, and there were eggs all over me and the floor.

I called Bobby and he helped me wipe it up (raw egg + pregnancy + floor = gross) as we reassured Rose we weren't upset and we had more eggs. We finished making breakfast and everything was fine.

An hour or so later, Rose was in her room playing with her stuffed animals. In her sing-songy voice, I heard the longest monologue she's ever delivered:

"I was sitting on counter helping Mommy cwack eggs, and I spilled eggs all on da' floor, and Mommy called Daddy and they clean up da' eggs and say 'Wose, it's okay!' and then Mommy get mo' eggs in da' fwidge and we cwack 'em again and make eggs fo' bweakfast!" (ended with a high note of glee).

I was kind of shocked to hear this level of description, and her inflection was awesome. She talks kind of a lot...but...if you've met us... : )

Two Things to Recommend

First, for some good spiritual food for thought and a long and epic story of one man's church reform situation, check out the latest ejournal from 9Marks.

While you're reading, enjoy my favorite 'sammerch' (as Rose would say) -

- A few inches of baguette, sliced (if it's got a lot of bread in the middle, pull it out. Om nom nom.)
- A radish, thinly sliced
- Butter (room-temp is best)
-Salt (It's okay, be a snob about it).

Butter the bread, put on the radishes, sprinkle some salt on top.

Way good.

Fashion Forward

We weren't going out and she specifically asked for each piece of clothing.

Not Quite Yet

One of Bobby's big projects for work this year (and last, actually) is a ten-volume Sunday School curriculum going through the nine marks of a healthy church (and an introductory volume, for those of you counting : ). It's being published early next year under 9Marks by a publisher called Crossway.

This week Bobby received the edited proofs back from the publisher. The editor began her note explaining changes with "Dear Dr. Jamieson..."

Well, that's a degree and a half too early, but we'll take that with a laugh!