Ordinary yet precious

I've told so many people how much I appreciate having all these milestones and experiences I didn't have with Maggie. For example, I loved cuddling and carrying around my newborn in a sling (which I wasn't able to do with Maggie because she was attached to large oxygen canisters!). And having her nurse and eat until she's full - or empty a bottle - is so satisfying. Watching her roll over and do tummy time without screaming in pain (like Maggie did because her g button bothered her so much) is more enjoyable than I thought it could be. I have even drawn out dropping those late night feelings because it is such a precious time for me to rock my sweet, healthy baby. I just look at her and want to cry thinking about how full my heart is...

While I have thoroughly enjoyed every minute with Neely, there is one thing I have had creeping anxiety about: starting solids! Having a child with feeding issues makes you always fear that you'll have the same experience again. The odds are so small, and I know Maggie has a complicated medical history, but still, the fear exists because it is such a difficult and exhausting, nearly life-consuming issue when your child refuses to eat.

But Neely is almost six months and I realized I couldn't put it off any longer when she started grabbing my chips and salsa and tried to shove them in her mouth. So we started rice cereal this weekend. The older girls had a blast and it was so good for Maggie to teach her younger sister how to "take bites." It was a lot of fun and I don't think I need to worry about Neely not eating- she loved it. Another "normal" baby experience: messy hands, cheeks, and, well, everything else!