She Laughed!

Oh what fun we had with Eliana tonight!  She has tried to laugh - and done maybe a small chuckle a couple of times - but tonight she laughed!  Over and over.  She started it as I was holding her and looking at her.  (Not sure what she found so funny!)  She laughed and then I laughed back.  She repeated.  We did this over and over until my cheeks were starting to get sore.  (Yes, I need to laugh more!)  It was so much fun.  What sweet sounds to my ears. 

We met with a feeding therapist today.  She was able to get her to eat the whole bottle!  I think it helped that it had been 4 hours since her last feeding.  I was not able to replicate this again today.  The therapist thought she looked good - and that we would be able to get her off the feeding tube fairly quickly.  She wants to talk with Eliana's pediatrician to make a plan for her.  All of this will be run by her cardiologist on Monday.  Some of the things to figure out include how much fluid she needs per day (something important to consider as she is a cardiac baby) in addition to how many calories.  She is wanting to let hunger drive her in hopes that she will learn to eat for this reason - instead of letting the clock dictate when she eats. 

I do want to get her off the tube.  I think it will be a tough transition for her as she has pretty much not had hunger-driven feedings.  I know that it will work out though - it just may be a challenge getting there.  ;-)  Currently she eats maybe 6 oz per day - that's about 1/4 of her total intake.  Sometimes she is sleepy, others she just won't eat.  Lately she has started blowing bubbles which while cute, really doesn't help the food to go in!

Some of the options she talked about are things I'm not sure I'm comfortable with (because it is just counter to what I've done with my other children) and will want to do more research before agreeing to anything.  (Things like adding things - cereal or corn syrup - to her bottle feedings and enlarging the hole in the bottle.)  It's hard to know what is best.  I want to trust others to tell me, but I know that sometimes I need to do my research too.

It's late and I'm heading to bed.  Morning always comes faster than I want it too.  Just wanted to share our news.  Oh, and one last thing.  The last stitches from Eliana's surgery fell out on Sat.  She is healing so very nicely. 

Sorry this is short. 

Love,

Leslie