Yep. We'll take it!

With Meagan passing the 2 year mark, part of the "process" is of course that yearly well check.  Typically it would be such a pain going back into the doctor, etc...but for Meagan, I actually look forward to her well checks.  As crazy as it sounds, it's nice to do something "regular" with her for once as far as doctors go.

We saw Dr. B and she was surprised at how awesome Meagan is looking these days.  She was happy with her overall health.  I, too, was very happy with Miss Meagan because for the first time, yes, the FIRST time ever at the Pediatrician office, we made it through an appointment without ANY screaming! I am not counting vaccinations because let's face it - we all almost scream for that stuff! But typically Meagan walks in and just starts crying, arching, and screaming at the mere sight of a doctor's office.  I was ready for it.. so I made sure to carry her in this time instead of putting her in her stroller - I snuggled her a lot -and  told her over and over it was a "no owie" appointment.  And you know what? She didn't scream or cry at all! Not even when getting her ears checked (which is a huge improvement).  Granted, most of the time when we go to a doctor office, it is for a surgery, emergency, or because she is sick and really not feeling well - however she even screams when she has to accompany me to MY doctor ... so I was very impressed.  She did get a "pouty sad lip" a few times - but I saw it coming and simply rubbed her belly and told her it was "no owie" and that Dr. B just had to check her out.  The sad lip stayed but never morphed into her typical screaming routine.

Besides rocking the behavior at her 2 year check up, I was happy to learn that after Dr. B evaluated her weight and height together and told me Meagan has just reached the 1% line. Yay! This may seem silly but Meagan fell off a cliff on that chart last year and never recovered.  Since her g-tube she has been inching back towards it, and at her check up, she was finally back on the curve for the first time since 11 months old.  She has been holding steady now at 19 pounds for a few months so hopefully in the next few months we see some more growth.  Other than going back for her flu shot in the next few weeks, we are DONE at the Pediatrician until 6 months from now unless she becomes ill before then.

Meagan has been working very hard with Speech Therapy as of late.  We see her trying and trying to communicate so her SLP, T, has really been "upping" her goals.  He has  been emphasizing words with two syllables with her so we can move her communication skills forward and push her a little. T made her four "flash cards" with four two syllable words - Cowboy, Hot Dog, Baseball and Ice Cream.  We work on them a little here and there to keep her hearing the repetition.  Just tonight she repeated the first word (ice cream) for the first time back to me - of course, as my style goes, I grabbed my camera and she did do it a few more times.  The first time she just wanted to snuggle daddy but in the second video you will clearly hear "ice cream" from her little voice.  What is hilarious to me is that even though she is solely tube fed, the one food she will not just "taste" but actually take in her mouth and swallow is....ice cream.  Hey, I don't blame her. Ice cream is pretty darn good.

Meagan certainly is unique and has a lot of personality.  She is also hilarious.  Quite literally, she will make you laugh harder than almost anyone can.  She is a ham.  Especially in front of the camera.(maybe a little vain.. but who can blame her).  She will sit and watch herself for several minutes - probably hours if I let her... and make the funniest faces and sounds.  I love watching this part of her personality wake up.  Not only is it entertaining, but I just love to see her reactions when people are obviously tickled at her little sense of humor.

We still havne't done a party for her yet.  It has been a crazy busy few weeks with school events for the older girls, getting my other daughter's birthday party finished, and a lot of dance events going on... but now that all of that has settled down, we may try to plan something special for her to celebrate "2." Someone just asked me the other day when Meagan had to go back to the doctor  - I said "her next well check..." ... they answered... "what?"  Exactly. I'm really hoping these next few months are a "quiet" time for Meagan.  She has had a LOT go on in her first 2 years, and especially these last 6 months.  We aren't due at Neurosurgery until November, Neurology until December, and now the Pediatrician until March-ish.  A few regular follow up and well checks? We will take it!

Sitting with Daddy listening to the Browns and Indians games.

 Yes, we are raising the next generation of Cleveland fans.