Living My Dreams With CF: Alayna 16 Month Post

Really? You are 16 months old today (2/17) Alayna. I am just glad I am not saying you are 16 YEARS old yet………I know that day is going to be coming faster than I or your mommy could ever imagine. We still have a lot of growing up to do in fact all of us. Your mom and I both are still learning this parenting thing. I have been told by fellow parents including your grandparents that you never stop learning how to be a parent. Just like how we both will never stop worrying about you. So get use to it Alayna! I think we could just say you are loved more than you ever would know.

Since I didn’t update on your 15 month birthday we will get you all caught up with what is going on in your life. To start, let’s go backwards and talk about your 15 month doctor appointment. Oh I think we will leave out the fact that you have had off and on diarrhea for basically the past month. The pediatrician believes you have toddler diarrhea which basically is unexplained diarrhea. Just for the record I get to put whatever I want in these posts about you Alayna. When you read them one day I am sure you will be fully embarrassed. But I said I was going to get everyone caught up on what you were doing. What is even better about all this lovely poo business is that you never have diarrhea when daddy is home so we can all laugh at mommy who gets to clean it. It does seem that your digestive systems is returning back to normal, FINALLY. Thank goodness!!!

Let’s get back to the 15 month doctor appointment. So would you be surprised to read that you are still in the 97^th percentile for height? Yes, you are one tall lady 32 5/8 inches. You are know more than half of your mom’s height. I think that you will be taller than mommy sooner than anyone thinks. But remember this no matter how tall you are you still have to listen to BOTH your parents. As for your weight last month you came in at 22 pounds and 7 ounces. I believe that was in the 25-50^th percentile. Mommy and I both feel you look way older than any 16 month old we have ever seen. In fact, when we go to stores or appointments and we see another child who looks around your same height and build they are always older than you.

Your vocabulary is changing quickly. I guess we can officially say you have learned your first curse word. It is more indirectly being said by you and you have since removed it from your vocabulary! Mommy and I are both pleased you have removed this word. So how did you start saying the word SHIT! Yep you said it. I think it all started with when you learned the word shoes and socks. Soon after that you just kept repeating shoes and socks but the words came out as SHIT! Honestly, it was really hard for us to not laugh. I am just really glad you have not learned how to say truck. I have heard that word sounds like fruck!

You do love to say the word Hi and bye and a few others now. Unfortunately, you have learned the word NOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Yes that is basically how you say it. We ask you questions where you should be saying yes to. For instance, Do you love mommy and daddy? NOOOOOOOOOO is what you say. Do you want to eat? NOOOOOOOO. Do you want to go take a nap? NOOOOOOOOO. I know you do not even understand what you are saying yet.

There is something that I really love about this age you are at. You love both mommy and me more than anyone else. The greatest feeling for me is when I come through the garage door and there you are waiting with the biggest smile on your face. You look at me and say Hi and smile. If I am not having the greatest day that pure 10 seconds of joy you have in your eyes basically wipes any awful 8 hour work day away.

As for your eating habits. They are still kind of at a minimum. You do love grilled cheese or toast n cheese as mommy calls it. What do you call it? You love to eat basically any noodles and you still think eating baby food is good. Currently, you are not that big of a fan of eating meat. We do get you to eat a few pieces here in there but it has to be disguised with either a gravy, sour cream, or ketchup. Right now your favorite meat is chicken from the chicken nuggets. I think what you really do not like is how meat is tough to chew. You would rather prefer to eat already ground up baby food from gerbers. Oh well whatever works is fine with us.

I can tell you that you are one smart little toddler already. You know what the tv controller is used for. When you get a hold of the tv remote you always end up dvring (recording) tv shows. Your mom and I will ask who recorded the customer information channel, or who recorded ESPN? At least you have yet to order any graphic tv shows or dialed 911. Speaking of how smart you are you already know how to sing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Row Row Row Your Boat. You even know what the stairs are for. Not to mention how you basically climbed up the stairs since mommy and daddy forgot to close the gate. Ooopss!! Luckily, you waited about half way up the stairs. That could have been a recipe for disaster.

How could I forget to mention you love sitting on my lap as I do my airway clearance (vest and hypertonic saline). I think you just love the fact that you get to go up the stairs and sit and watch the computer for 30 minutes. When I say let’s go upstairs you race to the staircase and shake the gate to death. As you climb the stairs all by yourself, you head into daddy’s office where all the lovely CF equipment is. You wait as patiently as you can to sit in my office chair. As soon as I turn on the computer and visit the youtube website you go crazy. I think it’s crazy how you know that website is where you see all your songs and Barney videos. But before we get the songs going you watch every single move I make putting on my vest getting my neb ready and even hooking myself up to the vest. I am starting you out very young learning about all this cystic fibrosis stuff. You will come to see it is just a part of daddy’s daily life. CF is just along for the ride with us Alayna. I can honestly say you are the best vest buddy I could ever ask for. I know that one day you will not be sitting on my lap so I am going to cherish these moments while they last.

Yesterday, you decided to show us how smart you are. You found a paper towel and looked at and then spit in it. Yes, but before you spit in it you cleared your throat. How in the world do you know from only sitting with me for less than a month that I spit my lovely mucus into a paper towel? I truly think you are wiser beyond your 16 months. Now we will ask you what do you do with a paper towel? We hand the paper towel and you look at it and spit in it. Then you fold it up just like daddy does. I guess this is what happens when your daddy has CF. You seem to pick up on things very fast. Pretty smart little kid already.

That is all I can think of right now. But as you can read you are changing and growing up way to fast. I am just so thankful I am writing your 16 month post instead of your 16 year old birthday. I have been told that your 16^th birthday will be coming in no time. For now both mommy and I will cherish every single moment with you!

WE LOVE YOU Alayna!