Catching Up With Naomi

Catching Up With Naomi

We first featured Naomi on Faces of CP, which shines a spotlight on the incredibly wide range of stories in the cerebral palsy community. Our team traveled to meet Naomi and learn even more about her story and to share her experiences with you. We recently reconnected with Kiara, Naomi's mom, and we're grateful to share what they've been up to in the last two years.

When we first featured Naomi on Faces of CP, she loved lights, music, and the Trolls movie. What are her interests and hobbies now?
Most of her interests and hobbies are the same. She will forever love the Trolls movie and lights. She also loves nature and going outside. Hearing the birds always makes her smile and laugh.

How has the pandemic affected you and Naomi?
The pandemic has affected us greatly. Naomi wasn’t able to get her services for months, and the lack of physical therapy caused her to become very stiff. Aside from not getting her needed therapy, she’s also not able to go out much.

When we last caught up with Naomi in 2019, she had just started being able to turn and look at a rattle and initiate rolling over, and gaining strength in her core. What has her progress been like over the last year and a half?
She is now able to hold her favorite rattle ball for a few seconds and now she lifts her arms over her head more frequently. She’s still working to gain more strength in her core, though.

What's one of your favorite moments with Naomi?
I would say one of my favorite moments with Naomi would be when we did the video with Faces of CP and CPARF. It was very interesting to see her interact with so many people and how she flashed that smile just at the right times!

Is there anything else you'd like to share about your experience or Naomi's over the last year and a half?
I think though times are a lot different due to COVID, Naomi teaches me to still enjoy life. Even if it's just thanking the sun for shining or appreciating the rain for falling, we should appreciate it all. Naomi, who has a lot less physical ability, can wake up and smile. So can I and so should everyone else!