Ms. Beth and Ms. Lisa

Before Jocelyn even left the NICU, I got that first call from Beth (on right), from the Infants and Toddlers Program.  This is a program that offers services to kids with potential to have special needs due to disabilities or in Jocelyn's case, prematurity.  Beth visited us at least monthly for a year and a half, monitoring Jocelyn's progress and reassuring me always that she was just fine and progressing well.  The only glitch Jocelyn ever had was she had this aversion to using her hands and arms for strength.  She had no problem reaching for things and feeding herself, but she was not about to use them to catch herself or balance herself.  Beth recognized this, and Lisa the Physical Therapist on the left, joined our happy group from the time Jocelyn was about 10 months to 18 months old.

One of the tasks Jocelyn had to be able to do was stacking small blocks.  As I told Beth, who wants to stack blocks when you can stack yogurt containers?!?!

By August of 2009, Jocelyn was standing and walking without help, and she had reached the accomplishments that ultimately, as I jokingly said to Beth and Lisa, got us fired from Infants and Toddlers, and PT.   Both these ladies had been such a big part of Jocelyn's beginnings, and so encouraging to me as her mommy, that the day they left and I realized I was on my own, was a scary day, and a very sad day.  I have stayed in touch with them over the last year and shared Jocelyn's wonderful progress, and yesterday, Beth, Jocelyn and I had a wonderful lunch together.  Jocelyn talked all the way home about having lunch with Ms. Beth, and playing with Ms. Beth.  It was so great to share Jocelyn's progress with Beth and the next time we get together we hope to be able to schedule it so Lisa can join us.  I suspect I will always try to stay in touch with these ladies, and I will always remember the integral part they played in Jocelyn's early development, and how supportive they were of me, the new Mom.