See VIDEOS below of first merry-go-round ride and Grace's love of bouncing/jumping (by throwing her feet out from under her body).
We've had a "doctorous" week!
NEUROLOGY APPT. (GRACE)
On Mon., a visit to MUSC's Dept. of Pediatric Neurology, scheduled over 4+ mos ago for Gracie (caveat: since then, we have seen improvement). After a lengthy interview/history, the docs couldn't determine the reason for her shimmering eyes (i.e., infrequent jiggling back-and-forth) and scheduled an EEG to check for seizures. Has anyone experienced holding an 18-mo-old's body and head for over 20-25 min. while 2 nurses stick electrodes to her head? Gracie screamed and cried even though Daddy was holding her body, and Mommy and Chance were trying to entertain her with song and dance. On Fri., the EEG results came back negative, as Mommy and Daddy expected, and we praise God for the good news. Next steps? The doctoral resident mentioned an MRI, though we're not sure yet. The remaining possible causes:
--A general developmental issue that she will outgrow. In fact, over the 4+ mos since the appt. was made, the shimmering in her eyes has DECREASED--yay!
--Optic nerve problem, which would mean working with a "developmental opthamologist," said the neurologist. However, we've already been to a pediatric opthamologist (in Jan. and Sept. 08), who dilated her eyes and presumably found nothing wrong with the optic nerve (at least not via this route). He said she is farsighted and prescribed the glasses she is now wearing. Just last week, though, Mommy saw a friend and her 6-mo-old daughter in Wal-Mart; the daughter's eyes also shimmer, considerably more so than Gracie's, and the cause definitely IS the optic nerve ("optic nerve hypoplasia"), said the same pediatric opthamologist after dilation . . . so, we're a bit confused and will research it further.
--A tic(s), which would mean "watch-and-see" for developmental improvement, then--if needed and much later--therapeutic help.
We'll keep the blog posted.
In the meantime, Gracie talks and talks. She's like her Mommy: stubborn and very verbal. :-) She learned "candy" on Halloween (OF COURSE!) and, for a few weeks now, has spoken in two-and-three-word sentences: --"What's that?" (her favorite question, asked FREQUENTLY!)
--"Hold you"
--"Kiss you" (all parents say this, but her teeny hugs and kisses are HEAVENLY)
--"Come in" (when someone knocks on the door or when she opens a door)
--"I want some" (typically when she sees someone eating something she wants too)
--"I see you"
--"I love you"
--"I'm naked!" (spoken with glee as her naked hiney runs away from us)
--"who is it?"
She also counts to 5 correctly but then usually skips to 7 ("seben"), then 9, then 10.
18-MONTH CHECK-UPS
Healthy little tykes, albeit physically small. Both are generally in the 3rd percentile or less--but have continued to grow bigger with each check-up, so the pediatricians tell us not to worry. :-)
Grace: 18 lbs., 12 oz. (still wears mainly 12-month-sized clothes)
Chance: 20 lbs. (we can finally turn his carseat around, but we'll likely wait till Grace catches up)
In Rochester at the Strong Museum (see prior post)
"What's that?"
Grace, awake for a while, teasing her brother who has just wakened from his nap
The guys cut Daddy's ice cream cake from Ye Ole Fashioned (better than Cold Stone, y'all!). 
Citadel Homecoming weekend: the barracks were briefly open to the public, so the fam saw first battalion (Delta company) and Chris and Daddy's former rooms.
A female cadet (yay!) with Tracy and the boys. (During Daddy's senior year, the "first female cadet"--Shannon Faulkner--attended The Citadel.)
While the daddys golfed on Sunday morn, Mommy, Tracy, and the kiddos played at Wannamaker park.
