Overdue Update!

Since our last hospital visit, Elijah made a full recovery! Before last week, he is back to his normal, happy, chatty self. However, this past week he have been fighting a bad cold again.... Unfortunately he is an easy puker, so it makes even the common cold a long, tiring, and scary week with sporadic vomiting sessions. Praise God we seem to be on the end of this cold and we did not end up in the hospital!!!!

On his first Valentine's Day, Eli passed a swallow study! Which essentially looks to see if he is swallowing different consistencies safely. Since he has passed, we are now allowed to start trying different foods and more quantities by mouth! It has been fun to make baby food again :) He has tried and tolerated bananas (his favorite!),  pears, apples, carrots, prunes, and sweet potatoes. Currently eating is his favorite thing, and he lets us know when he wants food with his vocalizations! To help him with some chowing down are his 2 new teeth! He now has 2 on top and 2 on bottom. We've been pretty lucky with his teeth - he is a little cranky for a day, but handles them well when they come in! Passing his swallow study also means that he is now approved for Speech Therapy through early intervention to start in our home. He had his first session last Monday.

Our other exciting news is that Eli is going to be a BIG BROTHER! In the midst of all that has been going on with Elijah, we found out that we were pregnant. After genetic testing, we learned that we are having a GIRL and that she will only be a carrier of the muscular dystrophy gene {she would need both of our genes to have MD and she only got 1}. Talk about a trying time for me - all I could do was trust that the Lord is GOOD and His plans are greater than our own. We are so excited to add a healthy girl to our family! Well at least I am... I think the boys are still trying to wrap their heads around an evenly divided house.

Elijah had many emotions about a sister...

"You're sure it's a girl, mom?!"

A few weeks ago, Eli got to show some special guests around the city of Chicago. Eric's business partner, Jess, and his family came to spend the weekend with us! Eli loved having some extra moms (Tracy, Hayden and Nash) around and I think the girls loved playing with a "real doll!" We ate amazing Chicago food, Eli braved the Skydeck, he went down his first slide, and enjoyed the beautiful weather all weekend long.

Last weekend, Eli got to attend his nanny's wedding! It was a fun and special event. He had to dress for the occasion...

Praises:

1. We have completely weaned him off of Phenobarbital!!! He is only on Keppra right now and will hopefully be able to wean off of this later this year. (anti-seizure medications)
2. No hospitalization with this illness!
3. Getting more Early Intervention services set up - he now has a PT, OT, and Speech therapy that come weekly to our house. In a few weeks he will have a Developmental Vision evaluation that can hopefully set up him with vision therapy. We are close to getting a developmental therapist that he will also have weekly.
4. Our growing family and that SHE is only a carrier of MD :)

Prayers:

1. Eli's vision... He still is only reacting to light vs. dark. We believe that God can heal his vision completely and will continue to pray!
2. Strength... He is starting to control his head a little more, but still needs a lot of work in controlling his body and becoming more aware of his movements.
3. Getting over this cold - still coughing some, but we are 48 hours without vomiting!

This song is my go to right now... Can't get through it without crying!

"It Is Well"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4taAN4QtbI