Our hearts are full...

Update May 24, 2018

Mae is 9 months old today and what a whirlwind of 9 months it has been! We have been so blessed to have this little girl in our lives and are truly, from the top, bottom, and middle of our hearts thankful for all of the love, support, and prayers that we have been blessed with. It is really difficult to picture our lives before Mae and the immensely meaningful impact she has had on our family, the boys, and our friends. We are continually amazed at the true miracle that Mae is and the genuine happiness and excitement that she has for life.

Developmentally, Mae continues to be on track or nearly on track with meaningful milestones as she appears to be making progress with both gross and fine motor skills. Neurologically, she is functioning as an average 9 month old with no obvious brain related concerns. She is a miracle!

Malabsorptionwise, the CHIRP team has tweaked her TPN to include more calories for growth and electrolytes to keep her balanced. Our team of doctors at U of M are consulting with Dr. Martin Martin at UCLA in California as he is the leading expert in the United States with congenital diarrhea. We are hopeful to try a new treatment option within the next couple of weeks to reduce her stool output: consistency and frequency. As we continue to seek answers for Mae's health issues, prayers for guidance for the doctors that are helping Mae are appreciated. We are beyond fortunate to be cared for by the CHIRP team with weekly conference calls and emails about Mae's progress. Dr. Steien and the team show genuine concern for Mae's well being and they have been nothing short of a God given blessing for Mae and our family.

Mae weighs nearly 18 pounds (44th percentile) and is 27 inches (54th percentile). She has two bottom teeth and is enjoying her bottle, pureed meats, eggs, olive oil, and avocado. She is sitting independently, standing with balance support, and is attempting to scooch/crawl around. She is a persistent little one and knows exactly what she wants and when she wants it. Will and Luke adore her more each day as they take time away from their own playing to talk to her, play with her, and genuinely show her pure love. God is good and our hearts are full.

God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at the break of day. Psalms 46:5