Michelle Says Josie Is Normal

[slickcat79]

Compare Michelle's statements about Josie to the blog that Samuel Pope's mother writes. Samuel was born just 3 months after Josie, and Michelle prayed with his mother in the NICU:

He's just a typical 24 month old. Ohhh yes, I know he's actually 28 months old but I've not yet come to terms with the whole 'catch up by two' thing that most doctors proclaim over preemies. Despite his remarkable development, Samuel continues to possess qualities better known of children in his adjusted age range. The child is not lacking intelligence - he knows how to spell his name, count to twenty, count objects to three, all of the shapes, body parts, animals, and animal sounds, etc - but he does seem to be a smidge behind in maturity. (Regretting those months and months of isolation to keep his fragile lungs protected? Mostly no. But a little, yes...) He'll catch up, but I have to remember to shrug off that unrealistic 'by the age of two' standard.

Yes, you can't directly compare one child to another, because all children are different and develop differently, preemies even more so. Samuel also has a paralyzed vocal cord issue that Josie doesn't seem to have, but then again we haven't seen her talk much. The way the Popes have approached Samuel's development is the really staggering thing, though. He has constant appointments with specialists. He's just now 2 years old and has already been discharged from a round of speech therapy. His physical therapy is ongoing. She actually says that he has therapy almost every day, so there is no possible way that they could have had Josie in therapy and just didn't show it. I have no idea why they would hide that anyway. I'm pretty sure Samuel already speaks more Spanish than Jim Bob just because he's allowed to watch Dora :roll: Those are the kinds of things you have to do with your micropreemie...not just pretend that everything is ok and they will be "normal" at age 2.

[FlorenceHamilton]

I don't feel great about snarking on...or about a two year old. I am very happy that Josie enjoys generally good health and that she is progressing nicely. It is true that there is a lot of subtle stuff that is probably at issue and there may be more in the future. The sad fact is that she probalby has all that she needs to be a sweet servant for the lord.

[Gil]

I don't feel great about snarking on...or about a two year old. I am very happy that Josie enjoys generally good health and that she is progressing nicely. It is true that there is a lot of subtle stuff that is probably at issue and there may be more in the future. The sad fact is that she probalby has all that she needs to be a sweet servant for the lord.

I don't think anyone is snarking on Josie herself, just the parents that are failing her (and the rest of their kids, while they're at it). I'm pretty sure every single person here would be overjoyed if Josie were receiving proper therapy to cope with her delays, not to mention actual, regular interaction with a parent and not a teenage sister, but it's pretty obvious that it's not the case and they're trying to spin their tragic neglect of a needy child.

[FlorenceHamilton]

Yes, and the sad fact remains that she likely has the wherewithal to be a sweet servant of the lord. She will get no intervention because that is all that is desired of her.

[Visionoyahweh]

I don't think anyone is snarking on Josie herself, just the parents that are failing her (and the rest of their kids, while they're at it). I'm pretty sure every single person here would be overjoyed if Josie were receiving proper therapy to cope with her delays, not to mention actual, regular interaction with a parent and not a teenage sister, but it's pretty obvious that it's not the case and they're trying to spin their tragic neglect of a needy child.

THIS.

[Maude]

There's no way Josie doesn't have some developmental delays, especially if she's not having regular therapy. My guess is that it'll become more obvious later, at around the age she'd be entering Kindergarten.

[CrazySister]

This can't be a good thing:

"She is probably my strongest toddler I've ever had -- both in physical strength and determination. She's a little spitfire...."

It's not a good thing to be determined in that house... or is it? :think:

Even if this is true, I wonder if she knows this first hand or if the sister-moms have informed her. I mean, this is the same woman who spends so little time with each kid she didn't know babies have different cries until she had her NINETEENTH kid! Maybe that's why we think you're full of it, J'chelle!

[marmalade]

It just occurred to me that declaring Josie "all cured" tomato-stakes Jana to the compound as Josie's "buddy" until the girl is old enough to braid her hair and do her laundry. That'll make Jana about 30 before she'll be allowed out of there.

[thoughtful]

Of course, the Parentables folks edited out the part where Michelle said "Josie is great -- you can plop her on a dangerously high stool with no back and no adult in reach, and she stays up there!"

:roll:

[ElphabaGalinda]

Even if this is true, I wonder if she knows this first hand or if the sister-moms have informed her. I mean, this is the same woman who spends so little time with each kid she didn't know babies have different cries until she had her NINETEENTH kid! Maybe that's why we think you're full of it, J'chelle!

That's what I was thinking...when was the last time Jichelle interacted with a toddler, other than for photo ops? Definately before she started using the sister moms to do all her work for her. Josie's the only toddler she's interacted with in any meaningful way since Josh, so she doesn't have much of a comparison. Josie's the only toddler shes ever parented so she doesn't know what "normal" is. That is...if she still parents Josie at all...I was hopeful at first seeing as she's the last, but after the Jubilee's funeral fiasco and all Jichelle does for attention I'm not so sure.

[Witsec7]

There's no way Josie doesn't have some developmental delays, especially if she's not having regular therapy. My guess is that it'll become more obvious later, at around the age she'd be entering Kindergarten.

Huh? They will never send that child to school.

[silverspoons]

I think Michelle hears only what she wants to hear at the doctor. I had 2 babies born early(not as early as Josie but early enough to spend a few weeks in the NICU) and I could have also said at 2 years everything was okay if I had not been agressive asking tons of questions. I think doctors are concerned with weight/height/walking/first words and Michelle is okay with these basic milestones.

Doctors were fine with DS#1 having only partial words or sounds at age 2. I pushed for speech and Im glad I did because it took till age 5 until he was really caught up and it turned out the speech delay caused trouble with learning to read but since I was aware and had therapy for him his reading did not turn out to be the struggle it could have been. My DD#2 had no issues except being on the small side. Now at age 10 she is very short and we are having to make decisions since she might not make it to 4'8".

I really hope Jill/Jana does pick up some medical knowledge with the midwife training that will help id issues with Josie and help her.

[Maude]

Huh? They will never send that child to school.

I just meant it as a measure of age, not that she'd actually be attending a brick and mortar school.

[Sprocket]

Of course, the Parentables folks edited out the part where Michelle said "Josie is great -- you can plop her on a dangerously high stool with no back and no adult in reach, and she stays up there!"

:roll:

This. I was getting ready to type something similar. But you said it more eloquently than I could.

[divadivine]

So, has Josie learned about Bankruptcy yet? That is one of J'mullet's favorite Wisdom Book lessons.

[Miggy]

One thing I noticed though was this;

Adjusted being the operative word here.

This really stood out to me too. When I did my parenting classes before having my first we were told that you should never use adjusted age after 18 months old. Before 18 months it is "One year old, adjusted." After 18 months it is "Two and four months but developed to two years."

Not sure why Michelle would still be using the adjusted age.

Also :lol: :lol: :lol: at the idea of Josie being able to match the pitch with the rest of the Duggars when singing. None of them can match pitch with the music or each other!

[FloraDoraDolly]

Translation: "Josie is all better. Now I can start thinking about the next bay-beeeee. Take that, Kelly Jo Bates!"

[longskirtlotsakids]

It's such a shame that she has missed out on so much of Josie's babyhood when she may very well be the LAST baby Mullet will pinch off. Ah well, there's always the grandbabies...

[doggie]

Grand babies are not the same. They are like the ugly stepchild.

[Evilbad]

Michelle barely acknowledges her grandchildren; Jim Boob is at least seen holding and interacting with them often. I doubt she cares because they don't get her any attention.

[Dinger]

The mullet is so full of shit. I doubt she could tell us where Josie is at this exact moment, let alone how she's doing developmentally.

:clap: :clap: :clap: :clap: Brilliant :clap: :clap: :clap: :clap:

Off to read the rest of the posts...

[gilora]

Quote:

There are different milestones that will come at different times. For Josie she caught up with those milestones at about the time the doctor said that she would, about the age of 2, adjusted a few months to take into account how early she was born.

I was struck by the use of the word "about" twice in the same sentence. Typical Duggar bullshit/double-talk. As for recognizing delays, I don't hold out much hope. Just look at the Howlers and the Lost Girls.

[slickcat79]

So, has Josie learned about Bankruptcy yet? That is one of J'mullet's favorite Wisdom Book lessons.

Of course, didn't you see her first school day? She was propped up on the bed in front of a small TV to watch Life at the Pond or some shit :roll:

[Anxious Girl]

Translation: "Josie is all better. Now I can start thinking about the next bay-beeeee. Take that, Kelly Jo Bates!"

TBH, that translation makes me sad. :cry: How could a mother be like that?

[NjoyingNsanity]

You know Michelle I might actually have been impressed at how your awesome godly mothering and prayer miraculously healed little Josie, and now she is a strong healthy, completely normal little blessing, but then I remembered your version of normal is a bit closer to something out of the Twilight Zone than most peoples.