Me Love Cookie!!

Here's Emily with her favorite toy - a talking Cookie Monster. I'd let her sleep with the thing if it didn't say things like, "Me Love Cookie!" and "Me Love to Giggle - Ha Ha Ha Ha!" every time you close its mouth.

I've debated posting things like this - things completely unrelated to the NAM or clefts or her treatment. But I think it's important to demonstrate that the time between surgeries and whatever other issues (speech therapy, eating, etc.) is just normal baby/kid family time. It's a time to enjoy our babies and children as they grow, learn and play just like any other child. I'm sure that as we approach Emily's palate surgery in April, this blog will become dominated with posts about the preparation and subsequent outcome of that experience, but until then she's just a baby who is nearing toddlerhood. A year ago I never would've imagined that her issues with the cleft would not be all-consuming all the time. Looking at her now, it's hard to believe I ever felt that way.