Evie the Extraordinary and Her Mommy: The Journey As We Go

Somehow the visit to Equipment Clinic snuck up on me.  It was a 3-month wait after being referred by the Down Syndrome Clinic, and then I found myself trucking downtown with Evie and her entourage for the appointment.  The nanny and I imagined that the Boston Children's Hospital Equipment Clinic would be a huge room filed with all types of equipment for kids with disabilities, and that Evie would try different equipment. We were sort of close--a long line of wheelchairs along the hallway led up to a smaller exam room. The physical therapist (PT) and a representative from National Seating and Mobility were with us.  The PT reviewed Evie's needs, which were a pediatric walker and possibly adaptive stroller.  Rewind for a second. Evie is doing great with her ankle-foot orthotics, but she is still wanting to lean forward while she stands.  Her Early Intervention team thought that as she transitions to preschool in a few months (!),  it is a good time to...

Last night, for the first time since she was born, Evie didn't get a formula feed overnight, and she didn't even get water overnight (for hydration).  She slept like a typical child in her crib, with no hookups.  I didn't have to hook up the 24" right-angle Y-port extension tube into her tummy and through a hole in her Zipadee Zip to the G-tube pump.  My husband didn't have to prep the 500 ml feeding bag and wait until she was asleep to hook up the feeding tube.   He didn't have to wake up at 5 am to turn off the g-tube pump when the alarm said the feed was done.  We didn't have to wake up because the flow was interrupted by her tossing and turning and the alarm didn't have to go off.  SHE didn't have to wake up soaking wet because there was a leak, or because the tube somehow became disconnected overnight. With that, I want to post a tribute to the IV pole.  It has faithfully stayed by her bed, standing guard and holding her food for 2 and a ...

First Mommy, and then a note from Evie! Mommy says: At this time a year ago, we did a happy dance if Evie opened her mouth for any food.  She started eating more purees from pouches, and showed a love for apple and mango flavors.  But we were only counting the number of bites she took last August.  Fast forward to June, and we are counting the number of ounces she eats.  She averages 12-14 ounces a day, plus 2 boluses of 120 ml of Pedicure Peptide during the day. She is still mostly on purees and yogurts, but we are now mixing in mashed egg yolk and blending real foods like chicken thighs and rice and mac and cheese. She still won't pick up any food and put it in her mouth, except for deigning to lick something once in awhile.  She is also sipping more liquids by mouth too, although we are counting by sips and not ounces.  She has shown that she likes my flavored seltzer water.  That wins the record for most sips! I read on one of my many Facebo...

Along with growing taller, Evie is growing in feistiness.  She has definite opinions about everything from socks to books to how she should eat.  I didn't read on any of the Down Syndrome websites that there seems to be a theme of stubbornness in our kids (although every kid is still different!).  But as I've learned from other families, stubbornness is a very real thing.  First, she has the genes for stubbornness from both sides of the family.  Then she seems to have the extra copy of special stubbornness.   But the thing is, she's a cute stubborn.  She sticks out her lower lip and crosses her arms as she emits a "Gaaaah!"  Which just makes me laugh at her. Most of the time. Today I am not laughing.  We decided last night to wean her off the iPad while she eats.  I was inspired by the other parents on the tube-weaning Facebook group I joined, and while I was warned that it would be tough, it is still hard to start the journey. ...

I unexpectedly had some time during the day after Evie's doctor appointment last week, and decided to just bite the bullet and register her in the public school system for preschool (I know! I'm not ready yet either). I had no idea.  I had no idea the level of bureaucracy involved for preschool.   Just to get in the building was a challenge.  I had to walk all the way around to find the ONE set of doors I could enter (totally smart to keep our children safe), and then buzz the doorbell to be let in by the security guard. Then I had to wait for the administrators to finish chatting with each other before I could go in the office for registration.  Then the lady asked me if I had the birth certificate, utility bills, immunizations, physical, and license.  I proudly and confidently said yes.  Then she asked me if I had filled out the registration packet, and I felt deflated.  She handed me a 15 page packet and told me to tell her when she was read...

I'm not sure when it occurred to me that I could dress to match my daughter.  I think maybe when I was looking back in old photo albums and remembered that my mom had sewed matching dresses for us to wear.  I am not as handy with a sewing machine, so that was not an option. However, the day that I saw such a thing as matching Mommy and Me leggings on a friend, that was the day that a monster was created.  That monster is my obsession with matching clothes for me and Evie. In case anyone else has a Mini Me (and this doesn't apply just to daughters!), here are some good sources of matching clothes: Jane.com Jane.com regularly has specials on matching leggings, and usually for something like $7.99 per pair.  They have really cute prints.  I started with leggings, but then saw matching skirts and got those.  Then I saw that they had matching Daddy ties and Daughter dresses, which I thought was adorable, but didn't get to them before they were sold out. ...

The time has come. Evie is too long to be a starfish anymore.  I tried to keep her as one for as long as possible, because as a starfish, she wouldn't be able to grab her g-tube extension tube at night very easily.  But as she gets more active and grows taller, it's time to transition to a flying squirrel. If you caught my blog almost 2 years ago about starfish, you will know what I'm talking about.  The Zipadee Zip made by sleepingbaby.com has been so life-changing for us, as it kept Evie sleeping longer and also contained her arms so that she wouldn't grab her g-tube as much. Most kids would transition to just wearing pajamas now, but because Evie is still on her feeding tube (until she decides to eat more), we need something in-between. Enter in the Flying Squirrel, also made by sleepingbaby.com.  This sleeping suit allows legs to be legs and arms to be arms, but the cuffs on the hands and the feet allow for either freedom or slight restriction by folding the...