Week 6

I hope you all had a great holiday weekend! I feel like a broken record (not a bad thing) but we had another GREAT week at feeding school:) It's hard for me to give you all a play by play now because I'm in the room with Evan now and not able to sit back and watch and take notes. It feels so good!

This week was Ryan's training. He of course did great (I got the better grade though:) we always compete). I worked Monday and Ryan wasn't trained good enough in the therapists eyes so he had to be tube feed his 6 pm feeding since I wasn't there to feed him. He's starting to realize he doesn't need the tube and shakes his head and says "no" when we go to hook up his tube. He's SO smart!!! Tuesday Gia got to come with us:) Everyone at therapy of course loved her and she got held a lot. She slept through his first meal but they really wanted to get her in the room to see how Evan ate with her in the room. So the second feeding it was Gia, Evan, and I. They wanted to see how I could handle both kids alone and feed Evan the required amounts of food and pediasure. And in true Gia form, she started crying with 9 minutes to spare. Evan acknowledged her by pointing to her and saying "GG" but I was able to feed Evan the entire meal and somewhat distract Gia. I'm sure Ryan and Scott were laughing behind the one way mirror:) The last meal of the day it was Gia, Evan, and Ryan. They all did great! Gia behaved and didn't cry one minute. Ryan had to feed Evan that night to see how Evan would do for him at home and it went really well! Evan is turning into a robot while eating and knows just what to do!

Gia returned with us again on Wednesday. It was so nice to have two full days with her:) Both kids took a good nap together in evan's nap room. They gave us the green light to do every feeding at home with Evan.....NO MORE TUBE FEEDINGS!!!!!  HALLELUJAH!!! Ryan and I are both fully trained to feed Evan (and we got very good compliments on how well we've done, bragging a little bit).

Thursday was just Evan and I again. They wanted to see how we both would handle eating together. So for lunch I ate with Evan. I would give him a bite and then he would point at my food and yell at me to take a bite. After about three rounds of doing that, Amanda told me through my ear piece to not allow Evan to control the meal. I need to be in control, but I thought it was pretty cute even if its not allowed!

I had to work Friday so Ryan was with Evan again. They did the same thing and had Ryan eat with Evan. It went great! The therapists told us they don't even know what to teach us anymore:)

I had to work Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday:( Thankfully, work wasn't busy Saturday and I was able to stay home. I made Evan food all day! He now eats many different foods and they are adding new food every day. I made: applesauce, peaches, pears, fruit cocktail, cheesy eggs, pork and beans, chicken and mashed potatoes, beef stew, pancakes and sausage, sweet potatoes, green beans, and winter squash. I taught Ryan how to make his pediasure/yogurt drink and how to measure and plate his meals. Ryan was able to get a break to go golfing and we just enjoyed being HOME all together:) The house got a much needed cleaning! Evan ate great all weekend:) He even started pulling on his feeding tube while saying "out out"! He crystal and says "no" every time I hook up his tube to give him his meds or his water. He knows he's DONE with that tube!

So we are looking forward to starting our last week at feeding school! Grandma Jeanne is coming this week for training and then we are ALL DONE! Thanks for all your love and support during another one of Evans journeys!

Lindsey