Hip Hip Hooray!

Lucia had a big doctors appointment yesterday - a hip ultrasound followed by the evaluation of the US by one of our favorite doctors, orthopedic doc, Laurel Benson.  Laurel was very pleased with the results!!!  We have a follow up appointment in 3 months and will monitor her little hips until the full bones have formed but for now we are VERY happy- a big hip, hip HOORAY!  

Shortly after Lucia was diagnosed with PKS Jason and I had an appt with Laurel.  We are so grateful that Brandon, our pediatrician directed us to her.  Laurel came into our room, gently picked up Lucia and calmly and simply asked us what was going on.   For the next hour or so she talked to us about special children, how we were Lucia's best advocates, how to organize all her medical information, how not to take 'no' for an answer, and in no time Jason and I were in tears and feeling more inspired and ready to stand up and deliver for Little Lu.  This was not a time to mourn our daughters diagnosis.  This was a time to get organized, be proactive, thorough, and rejoice!  Laurel passed on a little story that someone had shared with her.  Special needs children start out as spirits and they look down from above and carefully choose their parents.  Lu chose us, Jason and I!  We think about that often and feel so special when we look at our little Lu.  

We also must share something else- LUCIA HAS SMILED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  In the past few days we've gotten at least one big smile a day and its not a smile that turns into a frown and then a grunt and then a stinky diaper,  its a smile that lights up the room and melts our hearts.  Thank you Lucia for choosing us and thank you Dr. Benson for your time and guidance, it was the best jump start we could have ever received for this journey.

Thank you too for some very special cards and gifts we have received- our families,  Auntie Irma, Suzie and Sam, Aunt Vici and Uncle Rod-such a special gift,  the Nicholsons, Aunt Katy, Heidi, Lucy, Lizzie S, Rosie W, J, Klopfers, Schreiners, Holzhausens, Nora S-she loves her sheep, Beth W, Gilles, Hootmans, Lisa P, Tate, Slaytons, Gretchen T, Le Pughe, Richters, and Billy and Traci, Monica, Greta and John for the delicious meals.   Thank you also for all the facebook messages and texts.  And thank you to Jennifer, Jeff and Areceli for the beautiful Hawaiian flowers which are used in the picture- i couldn't help myself... :)  

And Lu's special friends that she has not yet met, Kingsley, Lizzie, Lily Tangerine, Reese and Lyla.