How does she do that?

This is Embree drinking out of a straw! We are amazed and excited she has learned this very important new skill. I belong to an internet support group for parents who have children who are cleft affected. I love it. I get lots of questions answered. I have "met" several very nice people there. It's so nice to know other people have or are going threw the same thing as you. So, the other day I asked the group when do the kiddos usually learn how to drink from a straw? I got a few responses: most all the time after their hard palate surgery. I heard from a few people that their three and four year old's STILL couldn't do it. Much to my surprise two Sundays ago we were at my in-laws and I was drinking a juice box, Embree saw it and wanted to give it a try. Which she does often. Low and behold, I looked away from her and I looked back and saw the juice flowing up the straw!!! We all yelled and clapped for her and she finished the whole thing! I can't stop her now, we practice everyday. This boggles my mind because I don't know how she creates enough pressure in her mouth to suck??!! She is missing part of her alveolar ridge (gums) and she has a gigantic hole in the roof of her mouth. Everything she eats or drinks comes right out of her right nostril. I guess I don't have to know how she can do it. We're just happy she can. She has started speech therapy once a week and puckering her lips is one of the things we're working on right now. I think it's so cute!