Everlee's Progress

She's been home 8 months.  Wild.

Everlee is making progress in speech therapy.  She goes twice a week for an hour each session.  We wish she'd be progressing more quickly, but since she hadn't ever used the roof of her mouth or lifted her tongue to her teeth, she's playing catch up.  Big time.  At this point, her comprehension is nearly spot on for her age, but verbally, she is at 18 months.  She has 5-10 words she says consistently, is imitating, and tries new sounds and words everyday. However, rather than skip some steps in verbal language because of her increased comprehension, she is still going through each step in the language development timeline... just like a baby would... though years behind.  First, she was pointing and grunting.  Then babbling.  Now, she can do Ms and Bs fairly well.  She is also clear with open vowels.   But beyond that, she struggles.  For example, if we ask her to say "penny," it comes out "eh-ee."  She drops the consonants. 

Instead of Ds and Ts, she makes Gs and Ks.  The therapist calls this "backing."  The sounds are made in the back on the mouth.  It's easier for her.  Everlee just hasn't worked the front before.  She doesn't want to lift her tongue.  She is physically capable of lifting it, but isn't used to doing it.  If we don't correct it, no one will understand her as she ages. "Daddy" comes out "Gah-gee."  (At least that one has a consonant.)   

Brent is not certain she has innervation/feeling in her upper lip or the tissue underneath.  We sterilized a needle the other night and poked away at her lip.  She didn't flinch. Touched her cheek and she immediately said "ow-ee."  Of course, this would make it more difficult for her to feel the different sounds she is learning.  Could be a game changer. All we can do is keep plugging away.

Miss E and Sir P have made huge strides in their relationship.  It's safe to say he actually likes her now. There will always be sibling issues, via adoption or biological, but he doesn't resent her anymore.  They test each other, but they willingly play together.  I'll take it!

She mimics every single thing Penn does, so I'm glad most of his anger is gone.  The alternating days of preschool have paid off.  Hummm, summer will be interesting...

I got a kick out of this last picture.  Penn often wears a weapon around his waist.  Well, she wanted something to carry her items too.  I took an elastic headband and shimmied it down her tiny core.  She hung her pony and pink, plastic cell phone from the headband and was as happy as can be.  Ah, the little things.