Moxie is "doing well". Okay, can I admit something? I hate that "doing well" is within the working language of our lives. That others say that about Moxie, rather than just 'hey cutie' or whatever it is that people say to babies these days while chucking their chins.
But yes, she's "doing well". At her last "well baby" (which was over a month ago) she weighed in at 17 lbs, and was 26.5 inches long. Her head was almost 17 inches around. All this means is that by typically-developing baby standards, Moxie's on the small side of things and by the Down syndrome scale, Moxie's a bit of a giant. Well, she's my kid; go figure.
She's "doing well". She sits up, unassisted. This was a big one, by the way. You see, babies with Ds often have shorter arms than typically developing babies. What this means is that, because of their shorter arms, they can't reach the floor, so they can't use their arms to help support themselves.
What I did was place a little basket full of softie fun thingies in front of Moxie so that she could support herself if needed by holding onto the basket. And she'd be holding onto the basket because she'd be interested in the softie fun thingies. My plan worked like a charm, she got stronger and figured out she could use her legs for props too.
Voila! She's sitting up unassisted!
Yes, she's "doing well". She eats and nurses. She's not where Micah was when he was her age – she's not eating blueberries and yoghurt. Nope. She's eating mashed up blueberries and occasional spoons of yoghurt.
She babbles and looks very interested in my signing
She crawls backwards when she feels like it, pivots like a crazed baby on a mission.When she feels like it. Most of the time she doesn't; she's pretty to happy to sit back and ask us to come over and play with her. When I compare where she is now with Micah (which I do, despite knowing I shouldn't), Micah was full-on crawling when he was her age.
But you know what? It's okay. It really is.
And I'm not just saying 'it's okay, it really is', because I really only have two choices: to be okay about the fact that Moxie is likely going to slower at some stuff than Micah is, or not. I'm saying it because I am.
She is who she is and she is developing as she should.
Everything – and our little girl – is right and whole and good and well.
Meriah Nichols is a counselor. Solo mom to 3 (one with Down syndrome, one on the spectrum). Deaf, and neurodiverse herself, she’s a gardening nerd who loves cats, Star Trek, and takes her coffee hot and black.
Those cheeeeeeeks!!!!!!!!!
So glad she’s so “well!!” 🙂
Thank you for the heart throbs and jellybelly giggle-photos. Love that little rainbow girl.
And as cute as ten thousand buttons! Never met a more lovey baby ever. Nom nom nom, I just want to eat her.