Flower Child
January 05, 2008 3:20 PM

I realize people would like more frequent updates. I'm always meaning to send one in, but keep putting it off.

Sometimes my reasoning is "I'll just wait until her swelling goes down" or "I'll wait until she gets over this cold." I don't like to write an update that makes it seem like she isn't doing well. The thing is, there's often something going on, which might be worrisome (such as an infection at her pin site), or might just be a nuisance (such as a cold). It isn't realistic to expect her to be doing great all the time, although most of the time she is. Even when she's fighting off a complication from one of her procedures, she's still doing "great," in that she comports herself exceptionally well. I have written some version of this so many times it seems like I'm repeating myself, about what a good "patient" she is. But it's true.

Juliana has just returned from Miami where she had another procedure done. Dr. Wolf removed the external screw from her jaw and tightened up her mouth a bit. It was done as an "outpatient" procedure—she didn't have to be admitted to the hospital! The family drove down to Miami on Wedneday, the procedure was done on Thursday, and they were home on Friday. You know, even a cut hurts, and anything that's swollen hurts, and stitches hurt, but Juliana just carries on, being herself, playing and being sweet.

I've been wanting to tell you all how sweet she is with her dolls. She has seven or eight Dora dolls, of all sizes. Some of them are little plastic dolls, and she likes to put them into various bags and little purses. At night she gathers them all together and brings them to bed with her. She takes them all out of their containers and has them all kiss each other. Then, if "Dora" is on the DVD screen, she has them all kiss "Dora." Then she settles back on her pillow, ready for sleep.

Christmas morning was fun. This was the first year Juliana actually enjoyed opening her presents. The house was full of relatives, and Juliana loves having a lot of people around. She'd open a gift, then bring it around for everyone to see. She liked handing out presents too. She got a new bike—but still prefers the older one, even though she's getting too big for it! Really, the kids had the most fun with empty wrapping paper rolls, using them for swords. They do like to use their imaginations!

I'm always amazed by how much smarter kids are now than when I was a kid. I know Juliana is smarter than I was at her age, and she loves to learn. Someone once referred to her as "a flower." I'll add "a flower, in the field of possibilities."

—Jeanne ("Party")