We are nearing that 9 month mark! I can hardly believe our good fortune in these past few months. As I’ve said before the Quail is pure joy. Our happiness since she has come into our lives is so beautiful, our lives so very full. We can’t even remember what it was like before her- and we’d rather not. A few weeks ago we were having a lovely Sunday dinner and she had already fallen asleep for the evening. So she wasn’t perched in her high chair chortling at us. And it was quiet, even with our dear Zuzu chatting away; what I heard was the silence from her corner of the table. I’m so very grateful that the silence was due to a nap and not other life choices. If we had chosen to move this past year rather than stay put, if we had decided to wait to try for another child till life was easier, if we had received information about her diagnosis earlier on, who knows what the tiniest change in perspective, in momentum in our life might have brought. But fortunately we’ll never have to know. Fortunately, for us- life has brought us this ray-of-sunshine of a girl.  The bond we witness everyday between her and her sister continually warms my heart. 

This past week when the Quail was sick with what appears to be a Triple Crown- the flu, then pneumonia, then a third viral cold on the tail end of the first two. We had to repeatedly ask Zuzu to not touch her sister, to not hug her so tightly, to not hold her tiny perfect hand, to not love on her quite so very much.  We were hoping to prevent two from going down. And while it appears we succeeded; Zuzu would ultimately win each round of affection. Each time after she would respond with her characteristic; “I know Momma, I don’t want to get sick”. I would sneak a glance backward a few seconds later to see her ardently, but slyly still holding her sister’s hand. At that point I would sigh, look away and just go find the wipes. I can’t blame her, trying to not love on that baby is beyond my scope as well. And this little apple-of-a-girl doesn’t fall far from the tree.

She truly seems to be feeling better though. Later today she’ll go in for what we hope is a last check-up regarding the breathing difficulty. This will be her second round of nebulizer treatment in response to an upper respiratory infection. She ended up staying on Tamiflu from the ER doctor after her fever 2 weeks ago spiked back up past 101 for a second time. Then a few days later she was diagnosed with pneumonia; although earlier that week her chest X-ray had been clear. Her pediatrician at that point added on some prednisone, the breathing treatments and a round of amoxicillan. Fortunately the Quail was a trooper about taking her medicine and being sick in general. While she was sleepier then usual, she remained stoic and cheerful and content to be cuddled throughout her week at home with us. I am so very grateful to be married to a philosopher who is able and more than willing to attend to her sick time during the day and share the responsibility of helping her mend and grow.

Our other great feat of the week was in physical therapy- even after having been down for a week she managed to get up on all fours! The first two times she needed an assist to stay in position, the third one she maintained for a bit on her own and by the fourth attempt she pretty clearly had enough. When the PT would get her knees up under her she would prop up on straight arms on her own and one time even reached for a toy.

We’re so very grateful for her returning strength and vigor!