*Gulp*

Our heart baby hates food.  The doctors didn't prepare us for that.  She hates touching food.  Sometimes she'll tolerate smelling it.  New textures are icky!  (and all textures are new.  Her favorite texture is the thin, smooth oxygen cord...or any cord, really.) We feed her through a G-tube for now. She loves spoons and cups, but won't touch food.

Seraph loves her new mobility, but still hates eating.  Today we played a game where I put Scooby Snacks (the graham cracker kind) in her hand and then she puts it into my mouth.  I don't think she knew it was food.  She loved the game!  She even put the Snack in her mouth a few times!  Mmmmm, cinnamon! 

After, I thought she might want some water.  So, I cradled her and gave her drops of water from a tiny bottle.  On a whim, I sucked on the bottle loudly to show her.  Then put the bottle to her mouth.  She sucked out water!  No, you don't understand....all babies know how to eat but she just doesn't.  She hasn't sucked on a bottle since before her 2nd heart surgery--at 4 months of age!

We played with the water a bit, and then I switched it out for some (vanilla flavored) formula.  Success!  She drank 4ml of formula, and then another 3ml of formula.  Yay!!  She passed her swallow study months ago, but it never mattered as she wouldn't let anything in her mouth.  (Except the barium.  Boy does she love the taste of barium.  Think bitter.)

It's been so long since we had any progress in the food department.  I'm sooooo excited for her speech therapist's visit (Thursday).

She finally explored far enough across the kitchen to find the toy cupboard!  I've been wondering how long it would take her to find it.  In the past, she's avoided the kitchen because she likes the feel of the carpet much more than the tile.  I think the toys will win out from now on.  It happened after the other kids were in bed.  They're going to be happy for her, too.

Good job, lil girlie :)