Day #21....Sick Day....Day #22....Still Under The Weather

Starting our fifth week at the clinic, Reese and I drove back to the hotel on Monday night. Tuesday morning we headed back to the clinic to start a new week. The morning was rough getting started. Reese still suffers from reflux every morning and the car ride to the clinic is not pleasant for her. Reese was weighed today and is 20lbs 8oz. She continues to move a few ounces up and down on the scale. Doctors are not worried about weigh gain at this point. They are more concerned about getting her comfortable enough to handle her tube feedings w/0 vomiting. Doctors are changing things such as adjusting medications to get Reese's reflux under control.

The first feeding went rather surprisingly. I gave Reese her first feeding session. One dry, one thickened juice and last ten bites with the back of the spoon dipped in bananas. Reese fought a little in the beginning of the session, she calmed down half way through and finished good. I did not expect her to do so well after coming off a weekend from being so ill. This surprise was short lived. The day went on and Reese experienced some tummy discomfort which lead to vomiting several times throughout the day. Maybe she wasn't quite ready ready to go back to camp.

Stay tuned for little miss Reese and her Halloween costume.......

Day #20.... So Close, But Yet So Far Away

Friday completed the fourth week for Reese's feeding camp and this day was suppose to be the end. Though Reese has made progress,we cannot help but to feel this journey has just begun. The initial start was great, we saw much improvement in just a short time. As the weeks went on we had our share of HIGHS and lows. Reese struggles with feeding and will need additional weeks at the clinic. How long is still undetermined at this point.

We headed home on Friday night for what we thought was going to be a fun family weekend. Unfortunately Reese starting feeling ill Friday night (during the night) and did not feel better until Sunday afternoon. She couldn't keep her tube feedings down and feeding from a spoon was out of the question. We did not make it back to the clinic on Monday. Reese is feeling much better and will be back to work first thing Tuesday morning.

I wanted to share some photos of our little girl from late Sunday afternoon...We have been working with Reese on SO BIG! and she finally did it on her own! This is a big step for her and not to mention how proud we are of her once again. This mile stone came so naturally to our boys and I have to admit. I cannot even remember at what age Nicholas and Mason did So BIG. Having our daughter has taught us to cherish every moment of the baby stages. We all as a family enjoy this precious gift of ours....our daughter...our sister. John and I as well as Nicholas and Mason were so proud of Reese when she held her arms high in the air and did SO BIG! Here she is.....

Day #19....Holding Out

On the way to the clinic Reese struggled with her reflux. The movement in the car seems to bother her often. Once we were at the clinic, she opened her eyes wide. This was the first day we walked into the clinic with Reese's eyes open. As many of you know, is super sensitive to brightness and natural sunlight. Not to mention she is not a morning person. Reese would like her day to begin after 10:00 am everyday!
I watched her first feeding session, she cried, fought and even held the juice in her mouth with some bites. The non removal approach is still in place with extra chin support. This will help with the tongue sweeping the food to the back of the throat. The harder you push on Reese's mouth the harder she works at keeping her mouth open. I was able to feed her the third and fourth feedings of the day and these were no different. She is not using her tongue the way she needs to but continues to open her mouth with most bites.
The fight and stubbornness in my daughter tells me she will figure it all out someday. Reese still shows signs of discomfort and doctors are figuring out how to help her feel comfortable by adjusting medications.

Tomorrow we will go home for the weekend. Can't wait!

Miss Mimi did Reese's hair today!

Day #18....Staying Strong & Keep Fighting

Getting off to a rough start this week was very hard for both Reese and I. Not letting this temporary set back stand in our way. We must go on... Today I wanted to keep going on, no matter how hard things got. I knew this journey was not going to be easy. Nor did I imagine how truely hard it was going to be phsyically and emotionally either. I do believe in my heart of hearts that my daughter will shine! She has always been a fighter from the moment she arrived. This difficult time in our lives will some day be a distant memory. Today, my friend Colleen came up to visit Reese and I. She was able to see what a day is like at the St Josephs feeding camp. We both stood and watched as Reese had her first feeding session. My friend turned to me and said I don't know if I could stand outside a window and watch my baby cry. These were my exact thoughts early on this journey. I am much stronger now. I hope my daughter can take my strength and never give up! We all together will help her fight her way through!

Reese,
You may not always see me with your eyes. It is sometimes just a window between us.....I'm hear with you always...Stay strong little one!! You have so many people who love and care for you!
much love and kisses from your mommy, daddy, Nicholas & Mason

Day # 17....The Refusal Approach

Today was a new day and I wanted so desperately to forget about yesterday. We went into the clinic and started our day. I stood there and watched what was yet another bad feeding session. I could almost sense that this was going to happen, so I left the clinic and drove back to the hotel. Thinking of going for a run, but instead took a long shower. Saying to myself, stay strong for this little girl. No matter what today brings there will always be tomorrow.:)

There was a parents meeting today and it was obvious that Pam (family councilor) wanted to know how I was doing and what was I doing to help myself feel better. My respond was...when my daughter feels better, it will make me feel better. I could only think of Reese. Talking about my fears amongst other people who share these same feelings helped me today. After the meeting we headed back to the clinic, where Reese was getting ready for final feeding session. This time the non-refusal approach was incorporated into this session. Reese would be given one dipped(thickened juice) and one dry spoon. Only this time Reese had to accept the bite because the spoon would not be removed from her lips until she did. Although she did have some refusals and after a few seconds she did open, she did open for some bites immediately as well. I thought it may take some time to rebuild her back up. Maybe time is all she needs and this is her way of telling us.....
Thank god for this day to be over and tomorrow starts a new day. Let's hope tomorrow she makes her mommy proud:)

Day #16....Sadness In My Heart

Mondays seem to be the hardest days to get through. Today, I felt sadness all day long. Trying to hold onto the the wonderful weekend and great times we shared together often would help me start a new week. Today was different, my heart felt sad from the moment I stepped out of bed. Maybe it was just facing another week alone. I thought to myself...It will get easier, this is what they tell me. Well, today got harder as the day went on. Reese's first feeding went just OK. Her second feeding slowly showed signs of refusal. By the third and fourth feeding my daughter refused all bites. My heart broke and I thought to myself this is not happening. How could she do so well with accepting and suddenly refuse an entire feeding session. She did not accept one bite out of sixty bites. I wish I knew all the answers and this day I prayed please help me! I feel like I'm loosing this battle!

Reese's 1st Birthday....

This day was special for our little girl who was turning ONE! We decorated the hotel room to celebrate Reese's big day. The boys helped Reese open presents sent up by our family and friends.The weather was so beautiful outside, we decided to take the kids to Central Park in NYC. The boys loved climbing the rocks and Reese just loved being outside watching them run. It was so nice to see them smile and forget about life for a short while. Later that day we returned to the hotel to sing to the birthday girl! This day was so perfect and a day I did not want to go away!

Happy 1st Birthday to our precious little girl!
We love you!
xo xo xo
Mommy, Daddy, Nicholas & Mason

Daddy's Little Girl....

Who would of thought, to my surprise,
The day I looked in my daughter's eyes,
That I would find my sunshine, my star, my pearl, All the thoughts in my head, of this little girl.
You came to me on the twenty first of October, That day in my life, I will always remember. I did not know who I was as a man, 'till the moment you were placed inside of my hands.
And it was at that split moment, when you opened your eyes, your true identity was no longer disguised. As the lights glistened, in your beautiful eyes, Inside I slowly started to cry.
I was given an angel, from heavens' above, The final test as a man, A little girl to love. I believe by God, I must have been touched. I love you Reese, I love you so much.

Your face lights up, whenever you smile, A glow that can last an endless mile. Your brothers, they love you, your mom and I the same, You are the completion to our circle, the caboose on our train.

Day #15....When The Tough Gets Tougher.......

Today completes the third week of feeding camp. Trying to stay positive as each week passes gets harder and harder. I do believe Reese has made such tremendous progress, but the question still remains....How much longer will it take before my daughter will learn to eat. This is on my mind every second of every day. It is very hard to to be asked how is she doing and what is she eating. When in reality she is only taking in 1/4 of a spoon(baby spoon) with apple juice. Sometimes she can't even handle that. Again we are so very proud of our daughter and the progress she has made already. Before attending this feeding clinic, we always thought that one day she would eventually eat. Doesn't it just happen?? This is not the case with our daughter. We know now without doctors and feeding experts involved Reese will not get to where she needs to be. As a parent this is very devastating. There are so many underlining reasons why a child cannot eat. Unfortunately with Reese she has suffered from severe reflux for almost a year now. She also has other contributing factors which play a part in her ability to eat orally.

This process continues to be a long and exhausting road. I thank each of you for being there for me...weather it be writing a comment on the blog, e-mailing me to say your thinking of us, calling to see how things are going, texting with a special message, listening when I need to talk to someone or even a shoulder to cry on when things seem too much to handle.....

Day #14.... Timing It Just Perfect

Reese continues to move forward with her progress but is definitely working at her own pace. One thing about Reese that I know for a fact, no one can rush this little girl. She has always done things at her own speed. Our little girl has a strong will and shows determination in everything she does. Reese has proven that with many things in her almost one year of life... She will get there in time. As time is very sensitive, we were told today that Reese will need to stay another week or two depending on her progress. Though we already prepared ourselves for this possibility. The words that Reese will need more time and more work for her to reach her goals, is upsetting to both John and I.

Her goal is to eat one ounce of baby food at each meal. This volume is really not allot when you measure it from a first stage baby food jar. If you think about it in terms of a child who has never eaten anything by mouth for one year, it does seem like allot for someone as little as Reese. She continues to accept the spoon with 1/4 amount of apple juice on a baby spoon and one dry spoon for a total of 30 bites per session. Sessions are 4x a day. This is hard work for Reese on any given day.

I stood and watched today with asking so many questions like.... How much pressure on the tongue, where the tongue should be positioned when the spoon enters the mouth, how hard the tongue feels with every acceptance, how long the spoon should be held to the child's mouth, different body actions when the child either refuses or accepts, when to increase volume. These questions are just a few that come to mind. The doctors measure everything so closely before any changes are made and timing plays a critical part in feeding.

We will be here for you, however long it takes! We love you chick-a-pea!

Day #13........... Taste of Apple Juice

Today was a new day and a new challenge. Reese was introduced to apple juice. My first thoughts were. We can do this! Reese has already taken water(very small amounts) from a spoon, so this was going to be a success....As I stood there and watched from outside her room. There were a million thoughts going through my mind. As the first spoon of apple juice touched her lips, my heart sank. I think I even stopped breathing for just a second. She accepted the spoon with a little gage and no vomiting. These were all good signs... As Annette continued the feeding session, with little refusal from Reese, she continued to handle it well.
It pains me to see her struggle with something that comes naturally for most people. Feeding is a struggle for Reese and this journey has only begun. I can just recently accept that this is a long road to hopefully what will be a happy ending. My heart is filled with so much sadness for what Reese and all of these children with feeding issues are going through.
I was just told that by Christmas, St Josephs Hospital(feeding & swallowing) will have treated their five hundredth child. The people at St Josephs continue to work hard and make every effort in helping our children to learn how to eat. Their love and dedication to these children continues to amaze me everyday! I know my daughter is in a great place at this difficult and challenging time in her life.

Thank you St Josephs for caring about our children!

Day #12....The Waiting Period

Today was like most days, getting our day started and driving to the clinic went well. We are seeing less and less vomiting from Reese, which indicates the new medicine(prevacid) seems to be working for her. Getting her reflux under control is a definite plus!
This week the doctors are working on desensitizing Reese's gage reflux. By doing this the feeder will try to get the spoon further back into her mouth and applying a little tongue pressure. After repeatedly doing this, it should hopefully help reduce the amount of times Reese gages. Before food can be introduced, Reese will need to handle the spoon and tongue pressure without gaging. I am not told when this will happen, but I pray often and think maybe today is the day.
This waiting period seems like forever. Many of us have experienced a time in our lives when we needed to wait for something or someone. Remembering each second that passed, we thought to ourselves, how could we possibly handle waiting any longer. Somehow we get through it. I do believe after this long journey, we all will be better from this experience, especially Reese!!!

Hang in there sweetie! We love you!
Mommy, Daddy, Nicholas & Mason
XO,XO,XO

Day #11.......Finding The Strength

Waking up to a new day, a new week, a new challenge. Those words are so scary inside my mind, not knowing what is ahead for all of us, especially little Reese. Two weeks behind us and two weeks to go. Yes, Reese has made great strides and continues to amaze all of us....the doctors, feeding therapists, occupational therapists, child care providers and even mom and dad. We are so proud of our little girl.

As we begin a new week, this is a difficult time for our family. Finding the strength to get up and deal with each new day as it comes, sometimes makes us forget who we are inside. When we are hurting, we tend to take our frustration out on those closest to us. We all deal with a tough situation in our own way. I do not believe one persons way is the right way. John and I have put each other and our feelings aside and sometimes forget that one person cannot do this alone. We together need each other. I would like John to know that he is a terrific father(#1 Dad) and a caring and loving husband. We will get through this together! Our daughter is so lucky to have such a great daddy! We love and miss you so much!!!

Lord Give Us The Strength....., To quell our fears...., Lord Give Us The Strength...., To fight our tears...., It's a rough, tough, world..., Every day’s a test..., But with hope and pride..., We’ll always do our best...., Still more and more...., We need your support...., So Lord Give Us The Strength....! ! !

Love,
mommy & Reese
xoxoxo

Day #10....Little Steps

Today was a turning point for Reese. She showed signs of improvement yesterday and stepped it up today. She seems like a much more comfortable child. A comfortable child can only mean good things. She started out the day good and continued to improve as the day went on... Every meal showed nothing but positive signs of improvement. Reee continued to open her mouth with each bite. Less crying today then yesterday. We continue to feed with a dry spoon and dipped (water only) and this technique seems to be working. I have total confidence in the feeding team, they have worked with so many children of all ages. Her reflux medicine has been changed and it seems to be working already! If all goes wells. I assume she will be introduced to food sometime next week.

My friend Gerry came to visit and stayed two days. It was nice to have someone with us. The nights get lonely at times. Thank you for making the trip up!

Looking forward to the weekend at home!

Day #9....Friends At The Clinic

Reese and I stepped outside today and the weather was gloomy and a bit chilly. Reese did not seem to mind the morning breeze. We traveled down the windy road on our normal route to the clinic. I talked to her the entire time in the car. She never once opened her eyes but smiled and made some sounds to let me know she was listening. I thought for a moment today was going to be a bright day despite the weather outside.

Inside the clinic, Reese had her first feeding and things started out good. The feedings throughout the day continue to get better. By the end of the day, Reese was opening her mouth before she was asked to. This made my heart smile!

I met a few of the mom's today, who already when through the day treatment with their children. I actually spoke with one of these women before attending the clinic. Her name is Trish and she has a three year old son named Tyler. I remember her telling me how hard the first two weeks were for her. Trish was the person who inspired me to come to St Josephs and get help for our daughter.

Here are some pictures of Reese and her friends at the clinic. Each person is special to her. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication. You make a difference in the lives of all these young children.

Day #8.....Keeping The Faith

Today, I took Reese to the clinic and watched her first feeding as I do every morning. This day seemed to be more difficult to watch, knowing yesterday did not go well. Her morning feeding session went as usual. Little acceptance and allot of crying. The feedings for today were 15 dry and 15 dipped in water. Reese doesn't seem interested in the toys much these days. Taking another approach with Reese may soon happen. I spoke with the doctor and discussed different things and patterns that we have been noticing with Reese. Aside from the reflux, Reese has been having difficulty with her bowel movements. Many of us know when we are traveling and away from home, our bodies go through changes and sometimes it takes time to adjust.

I thought it would be best for me to leave for awhile. I headed back to the hotel, did some wash and went for a run. This usually helps clear my head. This time it didn't make much difference. The most difficult part of this whole process, is giving my daughter to someone else to figure out how to help her. Feeding is their specialty, but no one knows Reese like we do. I continue to hear many success stories and have faith that Reese will do better in the days to come.

Reese wishes grandmom a Happy Birthday! We'll be home soon and come see you!

***God Doesn't Give You What You Can Handle, God Helps You Handle What You Have Been Given****

Day #7.....Tuckered Out From Bites

Today started with a phone call from Nicholas and Mason, who I must say sounded very HAPPY! Nicholas had a play at school on Thursday which Reese and I missed. So this morning when they called me on the web cam, he was wearing the hat from the play(Johnny Apple Seed). This started my day with a smile:)These web cams are great! I thought for a moment great,both boys are happy and ready to start a new day.... This was going to be a great day! Well Reese had another agenda in mind. She wanted no parts of getting up today. The drive to the clinic went rather smooth, no vomiting(which she does most every morning). She had her first feeding at 9:30. This feeding was a dry spoon only. Reese accepted most bites, but continued to cry throughout the entire feeding. Her next feeding was 15 bites dry and 15 bites dipped, she only accepted a few bites of each. This seemed to be the pattern throughout the next feeding and by the final feeding she did not accept any of the dipped spoon.

Though this is not what I wanted to happen, I expected this to be the outcome. I continue to have hope that by the end of this week, Reese would be accepting the spoon with some food. She knows what she wants already and food is not it!

That sums up the day and I have to say this whole feeding thing is exhausting me. I can only image what Reese must be feeling. Please continue to keep Reese in your prayers.

Good night!

Domico Family Weekend***Day #6.... BANANAS!

We left the clinic on Friday afternoon around 4:30 pm and headed back to the hotel. Nicholas driving with mom, Mason and Reese driving with dad. It felt like forever getting to the hotel. Nicholas was asking questions like...How close was the hotel?? What was there to do at the hotel?? Were the people nice to Reese and I?? So many emotions racing through his head. I remember him saying....Mommy, I am so happy to be here with you and Reese. John said Reese kicked her feet in the car seat the entire time driving back to the hoteland Mason too feeling excited and anxious to get to the hotel.
Friday night we chilled at the hotel and the boys went swimming in the pool. Saturday we all went to a park where Reese had a ride on the merry-go-round. She loved the air blowing in her face and not to mention the lighting was just perfect. We all know how Reese is super sensitive to natural sunlight. We went to the movies to see The Game Plan(football) movie. Rating:Very good movie. Reese liked it too! We ordered in Pizza and made popcorn later on that night. Over the weekend we bought the boys tennis rackets and taught them how to play tennis. They loved it so much they played several times over the weekend. The boys were off from school on Monday so they were able to stay one extra day.

During the weekend we continued to work with Reese with the dry spoon. She had two feeding sessions each day. Both sessions were by mom and dad. She definitely knows what the word OPEN means now, only one week later!

Dad drove Reese to the clinic Monday morning while the boys and I stayed back at the hotel. Reese had her first feeding(dry spoon only) by dad @ 9:30am and did well. Still crying, but opened for each bite. It was so nice to hear the excitement in John's voice as he told me how good she did. You feel so excited inside and cannot wait to tell someone. We had breakfast in the hotel and got ready to head back to the clinic for Reese's 11:45 feeding. This feeding, we were only allowed to watch through the window. She continued to open with each bite, but did get sick half way through the feeding. We were told Reese would feed one more time with the dry spoon only and the last feeding of the day would be 15 bites dry spoon and 15 bites with pureed bananas. The feeder Annette dipped the spoon in the bananas only enough to get it on the bottom of the spoon. Reese did cough/gag at first, but seemed to handle it OK. They will continue through Tuesday morning with both dry and dip spoons and see how she handles it. Reese does not relax her tongue in order to get the food to the back of her throat. This is something they will be watching closely over the new couple of days. Children with feeding issues is sometimes related to behavioral and not internal. Let's pray this is Reese's case!

Well, all good things must come to an end. John and the boys left around 8:00 pm and headed home. Driving away with tears falling from Nicholas' eyes, not wanting to leave and Mason being as strong as he could. Reese and I waived good bye and headed back to the room. This is going to be a good week. I can feel it in my heart....Soon we'll be back home for the weekend!

Did I mention Reese knows how to give kisses! Daddy, Nicholas & Mason each got a kiss good-bye from their special little lady........

Day #5.......First Week Behind Us!

At last, the day that completes the first week of feeding clinic. This week has been very emotional for our entire family. From the moment we drove away from our house leaving our boys behind, to handing over our daughter to strangers for 7.5 hours a day, to watching her cry every time a spoon touched her lips and not be able to comfort her. Driving her back to a strange hotel to only have to do it all over again the next day. At times we thought this could not possibly be happening to our family. Through it all, we did it, we made it to the end of the first week. Only three more weeks to go!

Reese is the strongest of us all. This little girl has intense therapeutic feeding sessions along with occupational therapy and continues to be that pleasant and smiling little girl you all remember. I can only thank God for this gift he has given to our family.

Though Reese is still on a dry spoon, we have been told she has made great strives this week. She should soon transition to either formula or baby food. We had a goals meeting yesterday to discuss her goals and where we would like to see our daughter at the end of this process. Our #1 goal for our our daughter is to eat orally, but also help control her reflux. The feeding team thought this is very possible and felt Reese showed great potential. At the end of this process, Reese should be able to eat 1 ounce of food at each feeding.

Daddy and the boys arrived at 3:00pm, just in time for Reese's feeding. The boys entered the clinic smiling from ear to ear. They asked immediately where Reese was and could they see her?? We then went to the back where she would have her first feeding session by her mommy. I have to say this was a pretty intense moment for me. So many feelings raced through my mind. Was this good for my boys to see? Would she accept the spoon from me and would I be feeding my daughter the correct way? Only time would tell. Things seemed to go OK with the feeding. She cried throughout the feeding session but continued to open her mouth. The boys seemed to be handling things good, still anxious to see her. We had to leave and go back to the waiting room until her final feeding at 4pm. We went back at 4pm and I fed her again. She seemed better this time. Opening her mouth and less crying. It was soon over and daddy and the boys came bursting through the door. I do not need to tell you that once in the arms of her daddy she was calm as ever.

Off to a weekend of family time. We have decided to spend the weekend up at the hotel since the boys were off from soccer.

Please continue to follow her progress.......

Day #4....Small Beginnings, Observation and Thanks

Well, here we are approaching the fourth day of the feeding clinic and I ask myself... Did I think we would be further along? As a mother we want things to happen over night. One more second, minute, hour or even day feels like eternity. Though Reese is still on a dry spoon feeding only. Her progress continues to improve. Reese gets thirty bites per session. The sessions last 15 minutes long. There are three to four sessions per day. Until today, she was able to play the entire time during her feeding sessions. They have changed her feeding sessions to only giving her a toy when she opens her mouth and accepts the spoon. Reese does open her mouth sometimes but most times only enough to bite the spoon. She is rewarded if she makes an attempt. Reese is very unpredictable at this time. We are working on getting her on somewhat of a routine. It might be Reese's routine and not theirs... A routine is what they are working towards. Tube feeding and sleeping and not to forget pooping plays a big part in her routine.

The OT (Occupational therapist) Jessica has been evaluating Reese over the past few days and is working with her positioning. Reese tends to fall into herself. What I mean by that is, she turns her body into yours when holding her. When sitting she looks down, head is down and shoulders are pointed downward. Positioning plays a big part in oral feeding. Reese also suffers from severe reflux which will make her not want to eat. Reese has been chosen to be part of a presentation for the St Josephs feeding clinic on Oct 20th. John and I talked and we have decided this is an opportunity to help our daughter. There will be specialists there observing her. Though this feels like the right ting to do, I cannot help but to feel sad to be away one more day.

I started reading this book called the Mommy Manual written by: Barbara Curtis. This is a great book and I recommend any mommy out there to purchase this book. Thank You! Gerry for lending this book to me to read.

Each one of you have helped in more ways then one, from lunch and gifts to make my trip away feel like home, comments on the blog, e-mails, phones calls to just say Hello!, making a trip up here to see Reese and I, printing and delivering the blog for grandmom(mom) to read Reese's progress, dinners sent up in coolers, dinners made for my boys and John at home, the extras to spend on my boys, telling me you have seen my boys and their smiling faces, helping with the after school pick-ups, rearranging your life to take on three more lives (John, Nicholas & Mason) I could go on and on..... you get what I am trying to say. THANK YOU!!!!! Without YOU this could not be possible!!!!

Love,
the Domico family
XOXOXOXO

Day #3.....Patience and Understanding

Each day is a new beginning...Reese faces many challenges, but is too little to understand anything right now. There are many people working with Reese, trying to figure out ways to help her. She continues to struggle through the first three feeding sessions and blossoms by the end of the day. I have faith that good things will happen, it just takes time.

I want to let Nicholas and Mason know how proud we are of them. We know being apart from each other is the hardest thing for you to understand. Please know that Reese misses you and loves to hear your voices! We are counting down the days until we see you on Friday!!

much love and kisses to the big brothers!!!!

Day # 2....... Slow Start & Finishing Strong

Each morning begins with a call home to the three special men in our lives.....Daddy, Nicholas & Mason. After a brief conversation, off to the bus for the boys and the feeding clinic for Reese. Driving to the clinic today seemed easier than yesterday. I already knew where to go and what to expect. Ms Mimi & Ms Rhonda/playroom staff welcome Reese and then to the playroom to begin her day. I stood there yet for the second day feeling lost and alone without my family......after just a few minutes I was told there would be a meeting today for the parents. Before the meeting Reese had a 15 minute feeding session with a dry spoon. This did not go well at all. She seemed tired and mad already. The meeting was in the next building, where we gathered around as everyone introduced themselves. Each person shared a little something about themselves and their child. As many of you heard me say. I didn't want to meet anyone new. I was going to St Josephs to get the professional help , so my daughter could someday be able to eat on her own. Today, I met a group of mom's who understand and face the same fears I do everyday. The question I often ask myself...When will Reese be able to eat??? While I stood there a familiar face appeared in the window........Aunt Moe! I couldn't believe it!


We went into the clinic where Reese was going to have her second feeding for the day. She cried and fought to keep the spoon from going into her mouth....from there she went to the gym for OT. She was very upset at this point, but handled it like a tough little girl. I am so proud of her!!! Leaving for a short while and returning @ 4pm for the final feeding. We watched as she continued to OPEN her mouth and accept the spoon. I had tears of joy and praying she would continue to accept the spoon. She did it again! This was progress after only two days!!! I only hope tomorrow will bring good things.


I wanted to end today by telling all of our friends and family. We love that you take the time to comment, e-mail and call to show you care. This is what helps us get through each day.....

XOXO
mommy & Reese