Cognition. . . I think YES!

There is that "C" word again. Possibly my biggest fear when it comes to my littlest girl. We still don't have answers in the cognitive department and it is very hard to step back and assess progress as a parent. Obviously, our last visit with Dr. Bernbaum didn't leave us jumping with joy as Adeline was reported to be on the high end of "not normal." Does this mean she will be a high-functioning, impaired child? Although this terrifies me and keeps me awake at night, during my day, I often forget about. Things are busy and our day "just happens."

I don't work with Adeline like I once did. It is almost impossible as both girls FIGHT for my lap. Preschool ending hasn't helped things because I have one more in the background asking for my attention too. I want to read to Adeline and help her point to and identify pictures in the book, work on animal sounds, give her more opportunities to stack blocks, color and all of the other activities that support cognition. Instead, I find us playing in the drive way, working on walking, going for walks and playing in the pool. As much as I am more an outdoor kind of mommy, I worry that Adeline needs to be an indoor kind of girl. Regardless, it isn't going to change because I have to meet the needs of all three girls. I guess there are pros and cons to be one of three.

While in the height of my cognitive worries, Adeline's nurse paid us a visit for a weight and lung check. Usually, both girls scream and want nothing to do with someone dressed in scrub type clothing. This time was different. Miss Belle showed off her walking skills, was remarkably pleasant and tipped the scale to 20 pounds for the first time!!! What was even more remarkable was, when gearing up for good old fashion lung check, Adeline took the stethoscope and placed it on her nurse's chest. "Must of been a fluke," I say to myself. She follows it up with placing it on her own chest. "Can't be reproducible," are the words on the tip of my tongue. Luckily, I bit my tongue and after her nurse listened to her and took the required respiratory and heart rates, Adeline lifts her shirt a little and puts the stethoscope right back on her chest region. I am shocked. She continues to appropriately play with it for the next five minutes. If someone had asked me if she could use an everyday object in an appropriate way I would have said, "Yes, the phone, cup, comb and baby doll accessories." Never in a million years would I have thought that she could add stethoscope to that list. Don't tell me the wheels aren't turning!!!