Mama?

Today Adi said her first word! Well, not really. I wish I could say that, but in actuality, she said her first consonant.
She's not babbling at all really, just saying "Ahhhh" most of the time, with a little oohs and eeehs thrown in.
But yesterday... yesterday she said, "Ahm!" a few times, and today she did it again. I'll choose to be egotistic and assume she is trying to say "Mama." After a few "ahms" I asked her, "Mama?" And she reacted with such an excited smile and wiggles, as if she was happy that I understood her. So we went back and forth, saying ahm and mama.

Adel is a little behind, and tomorrow I am taking her to the doctor for a checkup and some tests. In fact, there is a whole list of things I want to address, such as puffy eyes, smallish head, muscle weakness, kidney function, sensitive skin, ear formation*, sticking out her tongue often, very lagging verbal development, gross motor development, and almost non-existent fine motor skills, just to name a few.
I am hoping they will run a string of tests to see if any or some of her issues are kidney-related or indicate any other type of syndrome. I am davening not just for great results, but for correct results. I don't need them to tell me, "All's great!" if, in fact, it is not. I am yearning to receive a clean bill of health, yet am anxious about it as well, since I know something is up.

So tomorrow is the day I get the ball rolling.

Just for reference, this is what my boys were up to at this age:
Zusha at nine months

• First word
• Walks holding onto furniture
• Sits up from lying position
• Crawls!
• Jumps holding onto crib railing
• Claps his hands

Gedalya at eight months (didn't write up a comprehensive update on his skills at 9 months.)

• Claps hands
• Repeats words
• First word
• Crawls
• Pulls to a stand
  

Adel is 9 1/2 months old now.
The only thing she does from the lists above is clapping her hands.

Okay, so I know I shouldn't be comparing kids and their development. But come on, who doesn't?

*So what's up with Adel's ears, you ask?
Well, it's not so hard to notice that they stick straight out. But even more than that. She was born with her left ear all crumpled and folded into itself. Eventually that straightened. But they are a funny shape- almost horizontal at one point.

(See how instead of following the curve, the back of the ear suddenly stops and goes horizontal?)

When she wears hats or even lies down, the ears end up all in front.


The other ear has a similar shape, and a little bump as well.


And the left ear seems to be missing part of the antihelix:


For reference:

The right ear seems the have a whole antihelix.

So that will be my adventure tomorrow! Keep us in your tefillos.