Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Birthday Reflections


Ayden Jane is 6 today.  It is always cause for celebration when a birthday rolls around and as parents we are always a little sad that another year of childhood is behind them/us.

I look at pictures of each of my kids on their birthdays and I remember such fond memories of their happy little faces and all the joy they bring.  I love to remember them if even just for a few minutes just as they were when they were 'little'. 

It surprises me each year when Ayden Jane's birthday rolls around.  The emotions that come with the pictures are ... well..... complicated.  All the same joys are there and I know that her life has been filled with joys.  I wonder though, when the emotions of fear, anger, sorrow... will fade.  I suppose they will never fade completely, like wounds that heal and leave scars.  Over the years the scars continue to fade, but they never go away completely.

4 comments:

  1. Hi! This is Ashley Crist. If you don't mind me asking... At what age did AJ not have to have the NG feeding? Also, at what age did she get head control

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    1. Hi Ashley. Ayden Jane had an ng tube for the first 12 days. It was pulled and we were sent home, but after being home a week, we realized Ayden Jane was just not quite ready. We ended up back in and on the ng tube. After one more week on the tube and increasing calories to her milk a bit, a few new tricks for feeding she was good to go. All in all, she was totally on her own at 1 month.

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  2. That is awesome!! Connor is almost 3 months and still on the ng tube! I would love to know what tricks worked and also the type of bottles that you used.

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    1. One thing we found helpful was a bottle for kids with a cleft palate. Basically, it is squeezable so when Ayden Jane was getting tired or lazy we could give it a little squeeze and encourage her. (obviously, not good if there are aspiration issues, but AJ had no problems there) They sent us home with a few of those bottles and nuk nipples. When we transitioned to 'regular' bottles we just stuck with nuk brand and she made the switch well. Other than that we wiggled the nipple around, cued her .... all the little things. As she got stronger, it was just easier...

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