Coughs

Lilly, as I may have mentioned, has eating issues. Or rather, digesting issues. I think. Some sort of issues that make feeding her very difficult, because more often than not, the food ends up coming back up. She takes the tiniest bites, and still needs burping a few times per meal, and still throws up probably once every other day. Though, according to her mother, once every other day is a huge improvement.

It's been a lot to learn, and unlearn. She's 28 months, and still gets many of her calories from baby food. It's just easier, and otherwise she wouldn't even eat enough to grow. Chewing is tiring. Feeding her is stressful. I realized the other day that she's conditioning me - I'm quite done with thinking she can handle the food of a normal 28 month old (enough times stripping her mid-lunch and doing an emergency load of laundry has taught me that), but now I think all little kids are always about to lose it.

Yesterday, Bug coughed during lunch. Bug, though only 20 months, has definitely surpassed Lilly's eating level. But that cough sent me into a panic. I caught myself just before jumping out of my chair and grabbing her arms, lifting them over her head, and trying to get her to look up. Of course, I realized who I was dealing with, and she finished clearing her throat and went on with lunch. But I'm on the alert, now, at mealtime. The regurgitation could be moments away.

It's frustrating. I was telling a friend about it last night, and her response was "You definitely earn your pay." Some days I wish I could just give her a plate of cut up "normal food" and let her go to town. She's gotten a lot better. She eats off cheesesticks and pieces of bread, biting pieces and chewing them up. But for the most part, her bites are the size of a pencil eraser. Meals are long events indeed.