FINALLY!!!!!!

Well, we got the word yesterday that People is doing the article!!!!! We are beyond thrilled. A few weeks ago it seemed like it may have been a lost cause. Todd and I wrote and sent a letter expressing our sadness over the article not going forward. While it is a very big deal for us to be in any sort of publication (truly!) what disappointed us most of all was that the good work of Dr. Landa and the wonderful staff at Kennedy Krieger wasn't being highlighted. Something clicked with the editors and we're back on!! We are so fortunate to have been given this opportunity to share our story through the pages of People.

In other "finally" news, B is walking!!!!! He's been working so hard using all those little muscles in those cute little legs and last Saturday it just clicked. Just this afternoon I spent about an hour just watching him walk. Walking here, walking there, walking, walking everywhere!

I'm not sure what, if anything, we said about the Baltimore County Infants and Toddlers program will make it into the article. We obviously feel very strongly about Early Intervention and the tremendous difference it can make. We have been blessed through the years to work with some truly wonderful people in the BCPS I & T program. They are all amazing people, but we have to give some special praise to Mary Pat Summers and Carole Coleman. Mary Pat has been working tirelessly with our little B to get him walking and using his muscles in the correct way. She has a big, big fan in little B, that is for sure. His face lights up when she walks in the house. Mary Pat has always answered my (many) questions, no matter how silly or insignificant they may be. And she does it all with a smile and a heart of gold. We love you Mary Pat! Our relationship with Carole goes back to late 2004 when we first realized A had a speech and social delay. She came in, got to work immediately, and gave Hubby and I all of the tools we needed to work with A at home. We could never begin to pay back what Carole has given us. I have such fond memories of Carole coming over each week to work with A--as soon as Carole came through the door A would run into the family room, sit down, and be prepared to work!! And work she did--she ALWAYS took a great nap on "Carole days." And now--5 years later--we are again blessed to be working with Carole. She is helping to get B talking more--he is such a quiet little guy. He's starting to babble more and more and we are hopeful he'll be a chipper little chatterbox very soon. It is true that his big sisters do all the talking for him, at the moment, at least!

Thanks for reading everyone--and remember to pick up a copy of People Magazine next week!!! I *think* it will be the March 29th edition, out on newsstands approximately Friday March 19th. (shameless plug, shameless plug)

Early Intervention works--pass it on!!

Updates on B & People Magazine

B continues to work VERY hard on his physical milestones. Mary Pat with BaltoCo. Infants & Toddlers has been working with him more lately but he still lets those darn little toes curl under. Have any of you had a child do that? I don't remember A & C doing it. A & C both walked at 14 months...so maybe late March is our time!! B has had one visit also with Carole--also w/ BaltoCo. Infants & Toddlers. Carole is a Special Educator who is just helping B increase his communication skills. She thinks he's fine--but thinks he is a very quiet little guy. Yup--he is!

I MISS going to the gym during the day!! I just signed up for Pilates--and while I can take classes on Sunday afternoons I would much rather be doing so on Tuesdays or Thursdays while B is in the playroom at the gym. The little guy can't go there until he is officially walking :-(

People Magazine......It is still my favorite magazine, but we have hit a few bumps in the road with the story. Sharon Cotliar contacted me earlier this week and took some updates from me. She let me know that she is trying very hard to push for our story, of course it is in her interest, as well, to have the story go to press! Sharon told me that the story was going to the Art department for a re-design, and we are again hopeful that we will see it soon. I must sound like a broken record, friends, but I am so excited about this. It has been my dearest hope that our story will help someone out there. Please help spread that word that Early Intervention works!!

We *heart* our Early Intervention heros--Mary Pat Summers & Carole Coleman!!!!

Is it Spring yet??