Baby Kylie

My sister has called Kylie "Baby Kylie" since she was born. Kylie is now 3 1/2 years old, and Lynn and my nephew, Alex, still call Kylie "Baby Kylie". Lynn says that on Kylie's wedding day she will still be calling her "Baby Kylie".

In my sister's mind, Kylie will be forever "Baby Kylie".

Well, last Sunday, June 5th, Baby Kylie had a severe shaking episode in her sleep that looked like a seizure. It happened around 4:30 p.m. while I was rocking her to sleep. It lasted about one minute, and left me as one devastated mommy.

Kylie has always had sleep issues. She has rarely slept through the night since she was born. Usually she awakens 2-4 times at night, and most of the time she is disoriented. Keith and I take turns every night sleeping with her, or we bring her down to our room. Even when she sleeps with us, she still awakens and cries out. It is tiring and worrisome.

Many children on the spectrum, some estimates being 1/3rd of children on the spectrum, have subclinical seizures. These seizures can cause speech and developmental delay. Kylie is being treated for both of these disorders, so that coupled with the fact that she awakens so much at night gave us great concern that Kylie was having subclinical seizures.

We had an appointment with the neurologist at ACH two days later. This appointment had been scheduled for months, it just so happened it followed this scary little episode by just 48 short hours. The neurologist wanted to restart Kylie's vitamin B12,B6 and folic acid injections again and re-evaluate her in 4 months. If the tremors or shaking continued, Kylie will get a sleep study with EEG. Also, sometime this summer Kylie will be evaluated for autism by the Dennis Developmental Center at ACH.

I love my Baby Kylie. I have learned so much from her, especially from her adventurous spirit. She has awakened within me a sense of adventure and a longing not to settle for the mundane. After all, if it is fun to eat a piece of chocolate cake with a fork, how much more adventurous and daring is it to eat it with both hands, getting the icing all over your face and in your dark, curly hair? I love hearing her ask to go swimming at "Santa's house", watching her chase Eve around the house, hearing her breathy laugh as I spin her around in the air, and feeling her chubby little toddler hands on my face when she is trying to get my attention.

I echo Hannah's beautiful praise to the LORD: "For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of Him. So now I give him (her) to the LORD. For his (her) whole life, he (she) will be given over to the LORD. 
                                                                                        
I Samuel 1:27-28