Nine Month Update and Clinic Visit

I’ve neglected this blog as we’ve been busy enjoying our summer.  Gigi turned nine months and I’m sad in some ways that she’s no longer an infant.  She’s definitely a baby – babbling, grabbing everything she can within her reach, playing with her toys, learning from her sisters.

These days Gigi is

• sitting independently  
• drinking from a straw (when she’s in the mood because she doesn’t really like juice)
• saying “da” and I really think she’s directing it many times to her father
• eating finger foods like puffs and small pieces of pear; she can’t yet put them in her mouth although she can pick them up
• laughing (finally! I feel like it took forever for this to happen)
• NOT taking a bottle
• NOT sleeping in her crib but instead mostly in our bed
• being nursed to sleep

Obviously I need to fix the last three bullets.

We also had an all day visit to the Down Syndrome Clinic at Mass General in July.  This was the longest day at clinic yet and included visits with Dr. Skotko, the nutritionist, a hearing test and a visit with pediatric ophthalmology.  We were supposed to visit with the physical, occupational, and speech therapists also but couldn’t fit it in our schedule so we’ll see them at the appointment when Gigi turns a year.  To test her hearing, they put us in a room and played different tones to see if Gigi reacted to the sounds.  For vision, each eye was patched while the doctor showed Gigi cards to see if she focused correctly.  Her eyes were also dilated so that the doctor could look at her retinas.  Everything about the visit went very well.  She passed her vision and hearing screens.  Keep it up, Gigi!