It has been a busy week. Good but busy. Dad has been working late most nights and has taken the camera. The combination equals no update on the blog. We'll try to rectify that this weekend.

Allan had a good session with Miss Edie on Tuesday. She's delighted with how much progress he has made with his eating and responsiveness. He clearly pays attention to her, if she is doing anything of interest. This week she was -- he liked every toy she brought and both he and Griffith were amazed by her blowing bubbles. (When she asked me if they liked bubbles, I had to tell her that I didn't know. We hadn't ever blown bubbles. I felt like the biggest slacker mom in the world. What kind of mom doesn't blow bubbles????) Although we have been telling her all along that Allan does what Allan elects to do, she wasn't so sure -- hemight not be able to understand or respond. Now she knows he can, but does not always choose to do so. He's not (overtly) rude about it -- he just turns his head and sticks his thumb in his mouth and waits for her to do something, well, interesting. (Griffith spends the entire time desperately trying to get in the middle of whatever. Can.Not.Stand.It.)

As it happens, Griffith is going to get his own time with Miss Edie. She's left a spot in her schedule for him so (we hope) to get him started down the road to eating like a big boy soon. He did eat some roasted garlic and olive oil couscous the other night and a fair amount of mashed potatoes with lots of butter the next night. Maybe he just sees no point in eating bland things. We have to kick it up a notch to engage his attention.

Allan went back this morning to have his eye examined. It still looks good. No scar tissue has developed and the pupil has remained open. The pressure in it is excellent. We are discontinuing some of his eyedrops and going back in a month to see how things look then. Big Al also had his hearing checked (again) today. Although there had been some concern initially that he was practically deaf in his left ear, he ain't. His hearing is within the normal range for adults (much less one year-olds). Once again, Allan does (and hears) what he wants to and, if he isn't interested, you are not going to get a response out of him. Apparently after a few rounds of turning his head left and right to the beeps and whistles, he decided that was for the birds and (you guessed it) started sucking his thumb. From that point on, he would only turn his head when the tech addressed him directly. Whatever else you want to say about him, Allan knows his own mind.

Hope to have some new photos and tales of adventure for you come Monday. Have a good weekend!