Harper is almost THREE!!!

I can't believe in one month my baby girl will be three!!!! She has grown so much! Her long beautiful curly hair, her long lean legs, and that gorgeous infectious smile! Since Harper will soon be three she will unfortunately lose all of her ECI services, PT, OT, speech, and cognitive therapy. But..... Fortunately Harper will be getting to come to school with me everyday and be in the PPCD (preschool program for children with disabilities.) She will have goals and get therapy once a week for PT, OT, and speech! I'm so excited for her to come to school with me and be a Houser hawk! PPCD is a half day program, so after her class ends at 11, she will go back to First Kids Academy and eat lunch, nap, then play until mommy gets off of work. We also just got into a private therapy one mile from my house! We have been on a waiting list for a while and I was driving to Conroe every week, so this will be much more convienent! 

Another update is Harper had her 24 video EEG at Memorial Hermann on June 13. We will know 4-6 weeks from that date if she is having seizures, and if so get on medication for it. It was a very long 23 hours, but it will all be worth it once we find out answers whether she is or is not having seizures.

More to come soon! Have a relaxing, safe, and blessed summer! 

"Unknown" Syndrome

So many Doctor's appointments this summer, but it's been great! We've been finding out more answers and we are starting to realize what our future will be like with our little angel. So on June 13th Harper had her 23 hour video EEG to check to see if she was having seizures. After 5 weeks if patiently waiting we got the phone call last week that Harper's results were in and everything came back normal! PRAISE GOD! :)

Then this week we had a neurologist appointment with a new neurologist (my pediatrician recommended it.) and we absolutely LOVED him! He was very personable, friendly, played with Harper, had amazing bedside manner, and he was VERY knowledgable. After playing with her, and hearing Harper's journey thus far, he basically had the same answer we have heard before... That it is genetics!!!! So even though our results came back normal, they are discovering new genetic syndromes EVERYDAY! So he would like for us to get another MRI and more genetic testing within the year. I of course asked him (and I've asked EVERY doctor this) if it was anything I did during my pregnancy, and he had the same answer every doctor has given me before... ABSOLUTELY NOT! I think it's so much easier for me to blame myself sometimes than to know this was God's plan. She is God's creation exactly how he wanted her to be! Fearfully and wonderfully made. His works are wonderful, I know that full well. 

The next appointment we had was with a new orthopedic doctor (pediatrician also recommended) to see if Harper still needed to wear her braces on her feet for her low muscle tone and for her pronated ankles. This doctor was phenomenal!!! He was like an orthopedic doctor, neurologist, geneticist, marraige counselor, and therapist all in one!! He isn't really, but totally could have been! He was very knowledgeable and as soon as he met our sweet Harper he right away asked "What's her diagnosis? Genetics?" And I was like well no, but yes. No, as in everything has come back normal, but every doctor has said genetics. and then he said, "oh, yes, I call that the unknown syndrome." He said he has several patients who clearly have something wrong, but there is no diagnosis. And I said I love that, because it's so frustrating to not have a name, so I'm sticking with the unknown syndrome until we find out more. He also told us that he feels like Harper no longer needs to wear her braces Bc her quads are now very strong, but her feet, ankles, and calves are weak and how can we strengthen them if they are in a brace? He said she needs to be barefoot and strengthen her muscles as much as possible. So that was good news, but part of my motherly intuition feels like she still needs them. She has a follow up appointment with her orthopedic doctor in 6 months so we will see how she's doing and what to do from there. He then randomly started giving Brian and I marraige advice. Just saying that 80% of marriages with a child of special needs ends in divorce. He said those 20% who remain married are the strongest couples he's ever met. He said the key to a successful marraige is to understand that your partner has their own way (not that it's a bad way) of working with your child and to not get onto each other for how we work with our child. He also said to set the bar high for your child, but not too high where your child can not be successful from it. He also suggested putting Harper in swim lessons (we are currently on the waiting list,) equine therapy, and other things to have Harper moving and thinking and for both Brian and I to be in agreeance with whatever we do put Harper in, which luckily we are. I have such a supportive, helpful, sweet husband who loves that I try to put Harper in several things and appreciates that I take time to do that while he is working. 

Next step from here is her 3 year check up! I can't not believe our angel is three!!

We had the best birthday party for her. It was an Under the Sea theme and turned out perfect! There was swimming, a fish piñata, pizza, cupcakes, and an assortment of candy that correlated to

Under the Sea! We feel so blessed to be celebrating three years if life!!! 

Can't wait to see what her third year has in store for her. Starting in PPCD, continuing private therapy, and starting swim lessons! I can't wait to watch her blossom!!