Speech Starts

We started speech therapy today. Our therapist, Diedre (she says people just call her DeeDee), came to the house (I love that about services through the city!). Imogene really warmed to her, and while she certainly wouldn't let me move out of arm's reach, she interacted well. DeeDee gave us some 'homework' and some ideas of things to do with Imogene - like holding an object next to your mouth when you're talking to her about it. Imogene tried very hard to say "up" and came pretty close. We see her again a week from Friday, the 18th of June. Maybe it's because I'm tired from being up so much with Lily, but speech left me frustrated. I'm not 'complaining' - I know that things could be much worse, and that Imogene is doing so well, but sometimes I just want to play with her. I don't want to hold the toy up to my mouth and super-enunciate. I don't want to constantly watch the position of her arms and feet, and figure out ways to work therapy into her daily activities. Right now we're supposed to be working on ways to get her to build trunk muscles. One suggestion is to hold her on an exercise ball and engage her in a manner that keeps her from being able to lean on anything while playing with a toy. Let me tell you how easily that fits into our daily routine, and how easy it is to do by myself. I just want to play, I just want her to play, I just want her to get to play the way she wants to play. Okay, enough of that.
Lily seems to feel better, but her skin doesn't look much better. And she's still nutty from the itching. She's watched TV almost the entire time since she's been up, but I think it helps her forget that she's itching. We went for a long walk, and that helped a little bit too, but there's only so long I can walk! Really hoping she'll make it to the party tomorrow, but I'm not so sure!
Someone out there made an anonymous donation at Mother's Day to CHASA on Imogene's First Giving site (www.firstgiving.com/imogenesigler). Whoever you are, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts!