A dream for Lilah

This morning Lilah had her evaluation with Sarah from Backus Rehab. Sarah is Lilah's new OT. Lilah will still see Tara, OT for Babies Can't Wait, but she will see Sarah more frequently. (Babies Can't Wait could only see Lilah twice a month. Lilah's PT, Laura, really felt it was necessary to get her more therapy now because she is at such a critical place for growth and development)

As Sarah and her trainee were performing the evaluation she asked me what Goals I would like to see Lilah achieve.

My brain began to race...

• crawl for longer periods of time
• pull to stand
• feed self with spoon
• walk

and then it really hit me...

last summer Lilah looked like this at the beach:

My goal for Lilah.... is to have her walking by August 1, 2010.

6 months away...

Why?

Why that date?

Well....here is the truth...

We live SO close to the beach...well....30 minutes away.

My kids love...LOVE...everything about the beach.

We spend a great deal of our summer days on the beach.

But those aren't the reasons. I would carry Lilah all over the beach. I would hold her and tell her all about the sounds, textures, colors, smells, etc.

But...I know she can do it...

AND..

as tactile as she is...

I believe that Lilah would LOVE to feel the sand squish between her toes as she steps. Oh what sensory stimulation she would get from feeling the difference of the hot sand, to the hard sand, to the cool, wet, shell -infested sand.

I think that Lilah would be in heaven. She has ocean music that plays in her room when she sleeps. She kicks her legs as soon as I turn the CD player on. She seems to recognizes the sound as comforting.

I just ADORE Lilah's new OT. She is positive and hopeful and sees great potential in Lilah.

While she was working with Lilah, Sarah said, "She really does have great funtional vision. I am impressed." To which I held back the tears...only to get in the car and sob like a baby. To hear those words from a complete stranger that has NEVER seen or touched Lilah...I just know in my heart...with everything I am...Lilah will do GREAT things...and

God is AWESOME!