We're preparing over here for our next round of doctor visits - we go to Children's Hospital for the next three days of clinical testing at their WS clinic. Tomorrow is an easy day: audiology first then a comprehensive medical exam by his geneticist, whom I adore. I was glad we were doing audiology because we were trying to fit in a hearing test at some point because he hasn't had one since he was two months old. I don't suspect we will find any problems, but it's been on the list of things "To Do" since September.

Thursday is a full day: OT for two hours, a two hour break, then behavioral psychology for an hour, and finishing the day with speech and language therapy for two hours. Speech at the end of the day??? Yeah, that'll work. I know something has to go last and hopefully they have a method to their madness. Friday starts off with two hours of PT then an hour-and-a-half of neuropsychology testing (whatever that is). I am interested to see what kind of info we will be getting, especially since we just saw Dr. Mervis and Dr. Morris two weeks ago. On top of all this, Brady has a little cold that will hopefully not impede the outcome.

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On a sidenote, who needs screenwriters when we have Reality TV?? "American Idol" started tonight and Michael got to stay up late and watch the first group of high-hopers parade in front of the camera showing off their wares. One of the singers who made it through to the next round was a young 20-year old girl who has a two-year-old daughter with Rett Syndrome. Not knowing anything about the syndrome, I Goodsearched (http://www.goodsearch.com/) it and read the description about the condition that almost exclusively happens to girls. It broke my heart. The mother said her daughter was growing normally, walking, "snatching cookies from me" and then suddenly, it was like she "went to sleep one night and woke up a different person." Rett Syndrome is described as "after 6 to 18 months of apparently normal development, girls with the classic form of Rett syndrome develop severe problems with language and communication, learning, coordination, and other brain functions."

Of all the things we have gone through over here, all the disappointments and heartbreak, I still cannot imagine having a child all of a sudden deteriorate before me. This mother was a young woman and I am amazed at her strength to tell her story, very sensitively, positively and strongly. She was not some attention-grabbing celebrity-wanna-be. I'm sure she touched many hearts.

My (local) friend Nancy has always been a Reality Goddess and I think she is rubbing off on me. While watching "American Idol" I taped "The Biggest Loser" - I'm not sure when I got into that show. And of course, "Big Brother" starts in February, normally a summer-only event when you could justify watching it because nothing else was on. Last week I also caught "How To Look Good Naked" on Lifetime -- a very endearing show in which the people change their hair, makeup and bra and instantly lost 10 pounds. One of my secret loves is "My Sweet Sixteen" on MTV where obnoxious rich girls and boys plan $100,000 Sweet 16 parties. I did try to watch "Celebrity Apprentice" last week, but was very sad that Trump fired Nadia Comaneci whom I adored growing up that I am not checking that out again. And this season, Michael and I were very excited to see Jen and Nate kicked off "The Amazing Race" last week and are preparing for its finale this Sunday. It's actually a very good show for Michael to watch - people race around the world and intertwine themselves into the cultures of each country. We are both learning a lot from it

And, no, Nance.... I am not watching "Little People, Big World"....YET. I have to stop somewhere.