One small step for Noel; One giant leap for the rest of her life!!!!

This is short and SWEET; and it's not the best quality... I really need a new camera! But this is so amazing I just had to show this to everyone!!!! Noel is taking steps all by herself!!! Thank you Lord for such an amazing blessing!!

Blessed!

I haven't had much to write about lately and yet I've had so much to write about; some days I feel I don't even have time to sit for a few minutes to update Noel's blog.

The biggest thing I have to say is how thankful and blessed I am to be Noel's mother; she is such an amazing little girl, I'm so lucky to be a part of her life. She has come so far from a tiny infant who was to weak to even cry. I was going through old paperwork and found Noel IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan: which basically tells where your child needs help and where they have strengths; in order to get them the right kinds of therapies.) The little girl they talked about in those notes is not the little girl who is here with me today. Some days I don't remember how far she's come, until I look back at where she was. Granted when this IFSP was done Noel was only 4 months old, it was just weeks before she got her G-tube. After she got a G-tube and was finally able to get more nutrition she started doing so much more.... and then she got a trach and a vent; she was able to breath, she started doing even more things... and now since she's been on TPN and she's finally getting adequate nutrition again she is doing even more! When that IFSP was done I knew my little girl was special and our lives were going to look different than everyone I knew; but at that time I never knew I would have such a medically fragile daughter. I also never knew how far Noel would come thanks to all the medical interventions. Anytime you're faced with having to hook your child up to yet another machine it's never an easy choice... and it's never an easy life, but if by doing so you can give your child a better quality of life it's always the best choice. I am so thankful and truly blessed that the Lord has given me such a perfect little angel to raise and to learn life lessons from.

Here are some pictures to show how far she has come:

Then...

In this picture I had to prop Noel up on blankets and

pillows just so I could take a picture of here up right.

Now!

Here Noel is standing up with just a little support form me behind her!

Then...

This was Easter 07,

she is also propped up with many things under the blankets.

Now!

Here is Easter 09,

Noel is sitting up all by herself on her little car

(she was getting ready to find Easter eggs.)

And this picture is just too cute,

she is such a sweetheart!