Trying to get caught up

So many things to talk about that they are all jumbled up in my head.  This is what happens when I get out of my groove of blogging.

Tuesday night Cooper got run over by one of those battery-powered kid cars, driven by Murphy with Harlie in the passenger seat.  Tom wanted me to tell you that he got run over by a car - and then explain that it was a kid one made of plastic - but I didn't think it was right to do that to you.  You're welcome.

Murphy had been doing great driving it (we were at a friend's house) and even Harlie learned how (which was super cute!).  But he ended up plowing Cooper face down, leaving his butt and feet sticking out the back end.  With Murphy exclaiming, "It was out of control, Daddy!" Tom had to lift the car - with Harlie still in it (it's a good thing he's been working out) to get Cooper out.  He was quite upset screaming bloody murder.  But he's perfectly fine now.  He just got a scrape on his back and a couple of bruises around his right eye.

On the way home (after their bedtimes) Murphy informed us that he was hungry and that we never fed him dinner.   Aw crap!  I totally forgot to feed us all dinner!  Well, except for Harlie.  She was tube fed that night.  Anyway, so Cooper was having a rough night.  Oh, this was all after our trip to Norfolk.  We had Chick-Fil-A on the way home at 2:30, and then we never ate again.  Oops.  Well, we were busy and having fun at the park, and then hanging out with Mike and Marcy.  The kids loved jumping on the trampoline and driving a car.  Who could think about food with all that fun?

Really, they are all fine now.  No worries.  I am a perfectly fine mother and I do feed my kids most of the time.

Speaking of feeding...

Harlie had feeding and speech therapies today.  I can't remember if I mentioned before that her new speech therapist was able to move us to Wednesdays after feeding therapy, so we don't have to drive down to the hospital two times a week.  It's pretty nice to be able to get them done in the same day.

Anyway, she continues to do great eating.  Even though she can drink from a straw, it is not very efficient.  She has learned that she can control how much she puts in her mouth, and her goal must be to suck up as little as possible.  So, we are going back to the nosey cup for volume and the straw on occasion for practicing the skill.

I have started to venture out with pureeing more foods.  She's had most fruits (even apricots) and vegetables.  And last week I pureed a jelly and cream cheese sandwich (which she ate) and today I pureed a turkey and cheese sandwich (which she also ate).  I have to say that I'm a little nervous.  Pureeing foods is not all it's cracked up to be.  Sometimes, it grosses me out.  Like, scrambled eggs.  I don't know why but I had to fight a gag reflex while pureeing.  And cream style corn.  Ugh.

Today Allison gave her strawberry applesauce - straight out of the container with no pureeing - and she did fine.  So, that's a good sign, I think, that she can handle some texture without gagging and vomiting.

Then we had speech therapy.  Her therapist is working on getting her to make vowel sounds.  She wore her PMV (speaking valve that allows air in through the trach, but not out, which makes the air come out the mouth and nose, allowing sound) for most of the hour.  Barbara focused on getting her to combine different sounds, like uh-oh and oh no.  While trying to get her to say "oh" she handed Harlie a plastic O (like the kind you stick on the fridge).  After Harlie said "oh", Barbara told her to say bye to it and Harlie said - clear as a bell, "bye-bye O."  It was SO wonderful to hear!!  She still can't make the A and E sounds.  But, we'll just keep trying and see what happens.

So, all is good.  More later!
Thanks!
~Christy