Day 13: A Day at the Park

Today was another great day! Thanks to our old friends the Hoffmann's (for the car) and our new friend Arlene and the Santa Ana Church of the Nazarene (for the car seat), Naomi and I were able to spend some time at Irvine Regional Park. Naomi has done fabulous with her meals, at breakfast we tried white milk again this time with a peppermint stevia flavoring that she has had in hot cocoa at home. She drank 10ml (or 2 teaspoons) which may seem like a small amount but it was double what she did the last time and she only stalled a tiny bit, no tantruming and no pouting. She also tried Rice Krispies, she's only every had them in Rice Krispies treats before. I told her they snap, crackle and pop and she was waiting for them to pop like a bubble and was a bit disappointed. We then spent the next hour getting ready for our excursion, lathering up with sunscreen and figuring out everything we needed to bring with us. We then had morning snack in the lobby while we waited for our friend who was loaning us a car. Then off to Irvine Regional Park. We had a lot of fun at their Pumpkin Patch, playing in the hay maze, road a train, jumped in a jumpy house (just Naomi, I wasn't interested) and Naomi got her face painted. We then headed over to the snack bar for lunch. The one by the train and pumpkin patch was very crowded and right next to a gravel parking lot so we took the five minute walk over to the other snack bar by the lake and boat house. Naomi saw the pedal boats and wanted to go so we agreed to do so after lunch. Thankfully this snack bar was much quieter and we found a picnic table in the shade. Lunch went amazingly well other than some tears over a dropped hot dog but she was able to recover and enjoyed her juice box and half an ice cream sandwich afterwards. We then headed down to the boat house and rented a pedal boat for half an hour. Naomi wasn't big enough to pedal so she steered while I pedaled us around the lake. I wasn't at all disappointed when she decided she was done after 20 minutes. After that we walked around the lake and then back to the car and drove back to the hospital. All the nurses loved Naomi's new face. We went down to the playroom and Naomi stomped me at air hockey but her way of keeping score is a bit unusual, half my goals didn't count. As we were leaving the playroom a little boy was coming in and was scared by Naomi's face paint. His mom laughed and said well at least now I know not to hire a clown for his birthday.

She was a little antsy with snack this afternoon but no real drama. Dad got here a little before dinner and we were both happy to see him. He joined us for dinner. The therapists had left instructions for him to not instruct, discipline or intervene in anyway during meal time. I know that was challenging for him, it would be for me but we have established that I am in charge of meals and until dad can be "trained" we need Naomi to know that. Dinner went well, a teeny tiny bit of stalling but completely appropriate for her age. Another whopping 13 ounces of water between meals and 8 ounces at bedtime. I have total peace now about stopping the g-tube water on Monday.

Day 13 17.1 kg and 4 ounces of water plus one med through the g-tube.