My sweet Maggie Jane turned 3 just over a month ago. For some reason, I\u2019m excited when Ash turns a year older; he\u2019s growing up, able to do more independently, able to spread his wings a little. Yet with Maggie, I tend to go whaaaaaa???? Where did the time go, and how is my baby this age?? I think it has to do with the fact that she\u2019s my last baby- and I\u2019m totally ok and do not want to carry any more children. Like at all. Yet, have you felt this way about your youngest getting older, too? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s easy now to see her as the sassy, opinionated, funny,\ncute little person she is, who says \u201cmommy, watch me run\u201d! Yet I felt I wanted\nto share some of her background, in case you haven\u2019t seen some of my earlier\nposts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We are blessed that Maggie was born healthy. Let me just\nstart right there. She joined us 4 weeks\nearly, and had a short (but felt like forever to this mama) stint in the NICU,\nyet it was determined she was strong and good to go. Around a year old she was not showing any\nsigns of trying to walk. Not even close. \nAnd her ankles were noticeably rotated so that she would pull up and\nstand on the inside of her feet. I was told all was ok, but my mom gut said\notherwise. Through a plan that I feel God had already set up, we changed\npediatricians and ended up starting pediatric PT at 15 months. Again, very\nfortunate that it was determined that surgery was unnecessary to correct the\ntendons, ligaments, and muscles in her feet and ankles that did not tighten up\nas they should have. She had what is called \u201clow tone\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
We were connected to the most amazing PT, Dr. Katie. God hand-picked her to help my little\ngirl. She has a son who has similar\n\u201cwalking\u201d issues and her other son is a redhead. The odds??!! Small thing, but we instantly\nconnected. She told me the success her\nson had with orthotics and although Maggie was already almost 16 months old,\nthey could still be the best way to help her. \n<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So with the help of her braces and almost 2 months of\nred-headed determination, Dr. Katie helped my baby take her first unassisted 7\nsteps to me! It was sooo emotional and I\nremember it clearly. (Which for my foggy brain is saying something.) We worked\nwith Dr. Katie for almost a year. Then in June of 2018 we were released from\nPT, with the idea that she may need it again around age 5, when a lot of gross\nmotor skills are honed. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
My point in sharing all this- trust your mom gut. If there\u2019s\nsomething you feel isn\u2019t right with, or best for, your kiddo, pay\nattention. You are his\/her advocate-\nfight for them. I also feel like getting\nout there that if there is a delay physically (or otherwise) with your kiddo,\nyou are NOT alone. As small as it may\nseem to others, it\u2019s big for you. And\nthat\u2019s ok! Again, what we went through\nwas so small compared to some, but I will not negate it as it was big in our\nworld. Finally, prayer is HUGE. Pray for your kiddos regularly. I honestly feel like we were led to a certain\nPT and supported in so many ways along our journey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n