Blessings

You know, I complain a lot. I'm sorry. I seem to get by with it because I'm telling the truth. But there are good things too. I hate to tell you more bad things to be saying a good thing, but...well...I don't know. Glad you guys love me anyway.

I've been looking at other preemies' blogs. It helps me feel like Licia and I have a peer group. When I see them, I really think we have it good. I was just reading about a 25-weeker born exactly Alicia's size. She's currently 20 months and weighs the same as Alicia does at 10 months. Ah, it makes me feel so good about all that hard work I did trying to breastfeed Alicia, and then to get her off of the nipple shield so that I could keep up my supply. In those days one of my sources of inspiration was, actually, Eminem: "...the moment you own it, you better never let it go, you only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow, this opportunity comes once in a lifetime..." We did it! And my baby is chunking out! Thanks for all of your prayers about feeding Alicia.

Then there's another preemie (27 weeks) who has oral aversion. She has never taken any food by mouth. She has a g-tube. It's surgically inserted into her side. She gets breastmilk through the tube, and then vomits significantly. She's 15 pounds at one year.

We're really so blessed.

We took Alicia swimming at the YMCA tonight. She was really swimming. It was so cute. Kick, kick, kick.