I wrote this for Aurelia’s birthday and never published it! Here’s the story of our littlest A’s first year.
Our littlest A turns one year old today (June 13th, 2014). What a year it’s been! I feel so grateful to have gotten to this point, so thankful and full of love for Aurelia.
I haven’t yet posted her birth story (someday…), but Aurelia was born with some challenges, challenges the ultrasounds and exams never picked up on, challenges that still haven’t been fully explained. She’s scared us more than once – with tachypnea that lasted months, reflux that caused severe choking, a cephalohematoma at birth, significant acrocyanosis that turned her extremities eggplant purple (yes, really) – but through it all she’s fought and continued to grow stronger.
At a year out, she’s still fighting, fighting low tone and developmental delays, fighting GI and vision problems. She excels at breastfeeding but until recently would violently choke with a bottle or even the tiniest syringe. She’s working hard with a therapist to learn to eat solids (and defies expectations when she gobbles up highly flavored, highly textured foods like cilantro-lime hummus) and another to gain strength and control in her arms and legs and core. Simultaneously, she adds new signs and words to her repertoire almost weekly. She stumps the doctors, who continue to look for an explanation.
Our girl is a mystery. Her challenges don’t define her, though, as there are so many successes. She’s such a love, cuddly and sweet and affectionate. She loves her sisters, watching and playing with them, cracking up when they intentionally fall or flip their hair around or just act silly around her and yelling when they turn away until she regains their attention. She shakes with excitement when Daddy comes home from a trip. She gives us open-mouthed kisses, pulling our faces toward her. She gets jealous when one of the big girls is in my lap and anxious when in the arms of anyone but Mama and Daddy. Her smile lights up the room and the little dimple that comes with it fills the heart with laughter. When she’s sleepy she curls into my arms and chest; she never sleeps better than when in my arms or by my side. Her favorite sign is “milk.” She loves patty cake.
Aurelia has brought such joy into our lives and I’m so thankful to be her mama. This family was always waiting for her.
Happy Birthday, Rainbow Girl. We love you so.
MOOGIELIGHT 