Contrary to what some developmental specialists (ahem) might say, Maddie is really moving along. She’s nine and a half months old (seven months adjusted) and we see changes in her every day. Physical changes. She rolls across the floor now. I was doing laundry today, and laid her in the middle of some blankets in the middle of our living room. I glanced over at her as I sorted the laundry – I could see her the whole time – and she’d already rolled to the edge of the room. Off the blankets, off the rug, onto the hardwood floor, and she probably would have kept going if I hadn’t picked her up and put her in her swing. And when I picked her up? She laughed and squealed as if rolling across the hard floor was great, great fun. I need to get a video of her rolling.

Maddie has gotten a lot better at holding her own bottle. Even with her allegedly messed-up thumbs! Way to overcome adversity, Maddie! See, check it out:
Using her thumbs...CORRECTLY.

We started teaching her to feed herself by handing her the small, two ounce bottles we got from the NICU. It’s the perfect size for her hands. She grabs it and eagerly pulls it into her mouth. Sometimes she is so good at feeding herself she pops out her pinky like she’s all proper and dignified.
I'm all refined and stuff

And other times? She doesn’t quite get it.
Almost. But not quite.
I said she was better. Not an expert.

The most helpful thing she does is hold her own breathing treatment. She puts it IN her MOUTH (which isn’t at all necessary) and she keeps it there during the whole ten minute treatment. But, the funniest part about her treatment is that she talks during the entire thing. This morning I got a video of her sitting on my mom’s lap while Maddie gave herself a treatment. The hum is the air compressor that’s making the mist. The rest of the noise is all Maddie.

It’s like she’s playing a Didgeridoo! Or she’s pulling from her Scottish and New Zealand heritage and is playing the bagpipes. OR OR OR she is using the treatment kit like a microphone! I totally caught her reading all the awesome Karaoke suggestions. Now it all makes sense.