teeny tiny baby steps

So my Little One…like her siblings, she is always teaching me something. She still only gets nourishment from a bottle.  It isn’t a common cleft thing, just something she has to work through. I’m not going to get into details, but she is healthy and strong and doing fine. What we put in those bottles is probably better than what most people eat. She’s just got some uphill climbing to do when it is related to food. There are days that I am making her 6th smoothie and it feels like she isn’t making any progress. I can grow weary of always having to pack a couple smoothies before leaving the house.

But then in the weariness, I remember how far she has come. Recently she worked up the courage to play with spaghetti. For a kid that does not like anything on her hands, what a huge accomplishment! I was beaming with pride. She surprised us all.

Her therapists have also been having us work with suckers doing a variety of different things. She hasn’t actually sucked on a whole sucker yet, but we have contact to her mouth. She’s learning its okay, and even a little fun, to let something other than a bottle touch her lips.  I am sure there are parents that might cringe at this post…playing with food and encouraging a toddler to take a sucker – but we are having a party over here. So much of life is a matter of perspective. Little One continues to teach me about perspective and patience.

Way to go Little One! We are so proud of you!

One of my favorite places now is the waiting room at her therapy center. To be in that room with parents and kids that are all trying to find ways to climb different mountains – I love it.  It is a place full of knowing glances, supportive smiles, joy for each other and encouragement in the process. It’s a beautiful place. I kind of wish more of the world was like a children’s therapy center – there might be a lot less judgement and a lot more laughter!