Eiley's Eating Journey: How Far She's Come

Eiley's eating journey has come such a long way! When we first started introducing solids, even the basics of eating—chewing, swallowing, and coordinating those muscles—were exhausting for her and took a long time to figure out. We started by teaching her how to sip through a straw. Fast forward to today, and she can feed herself through an entire meal. 🥹 That was something we were very intentional about and hopeful for.

Eating is still hard work for her, though. Making sure she gets enough calories remains a daily focus, and meals often take a long time to finish. On days when she's especially tired, she prefers that we feed her. I think that's her way of conserving energy, and honestly, I can't blame her.

This past week, she developed a sore in her mouth,🫠 and it set her back quite a bit. She barely ate for nearly 48 hours. A few years ago, feeding was one of our biggest challenges, so moments like that can still bring back some anxiety. Because she's always been so small—currently around the 1.5th percentile for growth—I still worry when she isn't eating and wonder if she'll lose weight.

What helps is remembering how far we've come. Her doctors haven't expressed concerns about her weight for the past two years, and she now eats a wide variety of fruits, vegetables, and other foods. Those are victories worth celebrating.

During difficult weeks like this, I remind myself to focus on the bigger picture. Feeding doesn't weigh on my mind the way it once did, but we still work hard to make sure she's getting enough calories each day. Eiley is doing amazing. Looking back at where we started and seeing where she is now fills me with so much gratitude and hope for where she's headed next. 🤍