Maybe One Day Soon

Dear Vivi -

We took you to Shriner's today for the spina bifida clinic.  As usual, you charmed your way through the joint, doing your "hello tour" and greeting every nurse, patient, doctor, and tech with a cute smile and a sweet hello.

We got lots of comments about how cute you are, but the comments we treasured most were the ones about how well you're doing.  How well?  The people who did your braces think you'll need a much less restrictive set six months from now when we go back, and that you may not even need your walker.

You may not even need your walker!!!

We're not getting our hopes up, despite the three exclamation points in that last sentence.  You are always allowed to move at your own pace, although that naturally happens to be super fast and involves plowing over anyone that gets in your way.  And if you end up needing a walker longer, even for the rest of your life, that will be absolutely fine.  If you need braces on your legs or feet forever, that will be absolutely fine. And we mean it.

At the same time, we dare to dream about how wonderful you walking independently would be.

You need to know that all of the doctors that you have seen ask about your "special need".  Honestly, there are times where I have to stop and think about what they're talking about before I realize they're referring to the SB.  It's a non-issue for us, something I didn't think I'd ever say. 

But here's what I didn't realize would happen.  Your personality shines through it and I don't even see the limitations that it has placed on you any more.  You're just sweet, joyful Vivi. The walker and braces give you support, but in no way do they define you or are they part of your identity.  You know what makes you you?

This spunky smile.

This desire to do it "self! self!", as you say.

This desire to be as well accessorized as possible, even when you're sitting at home playing the ipad.

This determination to one day catch your brothers.

This support you have from friends and family.

And with all that, we can dream that one day this reality

might be replaced with this one. Forever.

 

Love,
Mommy & Daddy

4 Months with Vivienne

Dear Vivienne -

We have known you now for four months.  It's funny how you can feel like you really know a person and yet that you still don't know them at all.  And I would guess that, if you could articulate how you're feeling at our four months mark, you would feel the same way.

It's difficult to put into words the challenge of getting to know your daughter after you've missed out on the first two years of her life.  But you've made that challenge so much easier by being such a joy to have around.  You have been light and love and laughter personified into a little determined package.  And you have fit right into our family without missing a beat.  Here are some shots from the last four months.

Is there anyone that can rock a Steak-n-Shake hat better than you, Viv?

Hanging out with your brothers.  It's amazing how much fun an air mattress can be.

I just love it when you smile so much that your eyes disappear!

 I can hear you yelling now, "Liam!!  Liam!!!"

In just about every way, you're a big girl.  Except sometimes when you sleep.  Then can you be just like a little baby again.  But a baby that insists on sleeping with her sandals on.

Around our house, your braces are just a fact of life.  We don't make a big deal out of them because it's not a big deal.  You need them to learn to walk on your own so you wear them.  However, you have this little girl desire for beautiful shoes.  You want sandals and bright colors - basically everything that the shoes that fit over your braces are not. So I went on a mission: find cute shoes that can be adapted to fit over your braces.  And this is what I found.

And this is you wearing the new creation.  I bought them a few sizes too big, and added some velcro to the strap so that they would extend over the brace and voila - new shoes for Vivi!

But really, who needs to focus on shoes when you can wear over mitts as an accessory?

Or a great pink cowgirl hat?

Happy four months as a family of five to us!!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy