Hmm...these computers, you never can trust them! I had written the whole blog and then something happened and it shut itself down. To say the least l am not impressed!
Tayden has had a good day today, not so much with the eating but his drinking has improved considerably. He has had about 200ml of Pediasure that he drank himself during the day. We are so happy with our litte guy and so proud of him, he is a real little star!
He is interested in the food but more in the drinking at the moment and we are encouraging him without pressurising, the liquids and bottles are always visible and he can choose what he likes. He has however decided that he likes his Pediasure slightly warmed and to try and keep it like that while we are out and about it quite a mission. Bottle warmer? Not on your life am l buying one of those now, not when daddy's beanie can do the trick! We are going back to SA within a couple of weeks as well so it will stay warm there on its own as we enter summer! LOL...
Eating wise, he didn't want breakfast and we didn't push him as he drank well. He nibbled and snacked on 4 pom bar chips, a biscuit from the Graz open air market and then had some cereal for supper after deciding that the hospital's options for supper weren't up to scratch for his liking.
Rob, Tay and l visited the Graz open air market early this morning, which is open 6 days a week from 6am - 1pm. It sells everything from fresh produce to baked goods, fresh fish, meats, canned and bottled goods, flowers and even Christmas wreaths! Someone tried to sell me pumpkin oil today, l had never even heard of it, nevermind knowing what to do with it!
Tayden also got mommy into trouble today at the market. I had given the little monster munch a sucker to snack on (see Eva, always something to eat on hand! 50 bonus points for me!) and he threw it down on the gournd while l was busy browsing. I got poked in the back by a gentleman who rattled off in German to me (thank goodness l couldn't understand it, he sounded quite annoyed!) while gesticulating to the sucker...eish, Tayden! Eat the sucker sweetie, don't litter in the beautiful city of Graz! Just now you get mommy locked up!
Tayden managed to get a sleep in before play picnic today but l still had to wake him for it. Needless to say he wasn't very impressed because, like both his parents, he likes his sleep. He staged a silent protest at the play picnic by refusing to participate and just sat and looked at the other children, sipping from his bottle every now and again like an old pro. Rob and l just sat and smiled...and because Eva was there...ate. And ate some more. And then ate some pom bars and then some salad. And then a chocolate umbrella. Play picnic lasts an hour...so you need to look busy and eat during that time...roll on eater aerobics when l get home!
Tayden seems to have decided on a bottle now, so it is a NUK bottle with a NOVA teat, so will have to buy a couple of spare teats before we leave - trust Tay to choose a brand we don't have in South Africa! He now has 3 little NUK bottles plus his trusty little PEP number that go everywhere with us, and we have been told this will continue for quite a while. I am not complaining, he is drinking and if l have to carry 20 different bottles for him l will!
We met up with Bruce, Jill & Jason, the other South African family here in Gray, and went exploring and out for a very late lunch, since we all ate during play picnic! We jumped on a tram and went through to Edinburgh Kasteel, a lovely old castle with huge grounds. We paid to get into the grounds, not realising that we needed to pay to get into the grounds PLUS we had to pay to explore the castle. So we were in the middle of the first exhibit when we were asked for our entrance tickets to the castle, which needless to say we didn't have! Felt a bit like an idiot but my German is certainly not up to scratch to have read this info so we dashed out with big apologies.
It was a quick visit and l think that we will bring Tayden back when the weather is nice, it is a perfect picnic spot for him and there are large grounds where he can play with his ball and get rid of some of his energy. Not to mention he loves chasing the peacocks!
I forgot to mention that poor Leo had an accident a day or two ago - he 'fell' (read was thrown) into the bath and had to be left next to the heater to dry. At least Tayden hasn't pulled his signature move and thrown him down the toilet here - he did that the morning we left for Austria and there was some frantic disinfecting, washing and tumble drying of the poor creature to get him fit to travel! Heheh!
Tonight is his last tube feed, so l had better get moving with that and give it to him. Can actually not believe that if all goes well it will be the VERY LAST TIME he is tube fed. It is great that he is going so well, but please keep the other children on the program in your prayers as they are not all having as easy a time as Tayden is at the moment. I think it must be difficult for the parents to see how well Tayden is doing and although they are happy for us, l am sure they wish that their little angels were also progressing as fast as he is. But one thing l have learnt is that these kids have a mind - and time line- of their own! We have been warned to expect a protest from Tayden next week, when he will stop eating and drinking but we are prepared, knowing it is coming and will take it one day at a time.
The unit we are in also houses a very sad group of girls who are suffering from anerexia. There are about 5 young teenage girls in Ward 5 with us at the moment, and as our children learn how to eat, they struggle with overcoming this illness. One young girl in particular is having a really hard time, she is 14yr and her name is Nina. Please keep her in your prayers, she is a beautiful young women with lovely blond long hair and the saddest looking eyes l have seen in a long time. Her mom was here tonight and she just put her arms down on the table and cried as if her heart were breaking. German or no German, you could feel her sadness and the utter hopelessness that she feels to help her daughter.
Nina has been here for 9wk already and is still being fed through a gastro nasal tube. The cycle of not eating is hard to break and my heart goes out to her.
Anyway, had better dash to feed my little man. Please check out the photo section, I have updated it with photos from the last day or two and Tayden trying out all the new tastes and exploring the city.
Tayden has had a good day today, not so much with the eating but his drinking has improved considerably. He has had about 200ml of Pediasure that he drank himself during the day. We are so happy with our litte guy and so proud of him, he is a real little star!
He is interested in the food but more in the drinking at the moment and we are encouraging him without pressurising, the liquids and bottles are always visible and he can choose what he likes. He has however decided that he likes his Pediasure slightly warmed and to try and keep it like that while we are out and about it quite a mission. Bottle warmer? Not on your life am l buying one of those now, not when daddy's beanie can do the trick! We are going back to SA within a couple of weeks as well so it will stay warm there on its own as we enter summer! LOL...
Eating wise, he didn't want breakfast and we didn't push him as he drank well. He nibbled and snacked on 4 pom bar chips, a biscuit from the Graz open air market and then had some cereal for supper after deciding that the hospital's options for supper weren't up to scratch for his liking.
Rob, Tay and l visited the Graz open air market early this morning, which is open 6 days a week from 6am - 1pm. It sells everything from fresh produce to baked goods, fresh fish, meats, canned and bottled goods, flowers and even Christmas wreaths! Someone tried to sell me pumpkin oil today, l had never even heard of it, nevermind knowing what to do with it!
Tayden also got mommy into trouble today at the market. I had given the little monster munch a sucker to snack on (see Eva, always something to eat on hand! 50 bonus points for me!) and he threw it down on the gournd while l was busy browsing. I got poked in the back by a gentleman who rattled off in German to me (thank goodness l couldn't understand it, he sounded quite annoyed!) while gesticulating to the sucker...eish, Tayden! Eat the sucker sweetie, don't litter in the beautiful city of Graz! Just now you get mommy locked up!
Tayden managed to get a sleep in before play picnic today but l still had to wake him for it. Needless to say he wasn't very impressed because, like both his parents, he likes his sleep. He staged a silent protest at the play picnic by refusing to participate and just sat and looked at the other children, sipping from his bottle every now and again like an old pro. Rob and l just sat and smiled...and because Eva was there...ate. And ate some more. And then ate some pom bars and then some salad. And then a chocolate umbrella. Play picnic lasts an hour...so you need to look busy and eat during that time...roll on eater aerobics when l get home!
Tayden seems to have decided on a bottle now, so it is a NUK bottle with a NOVA teat, so will have to buy a couple of spare teats before we leave - trust Tay to choose a brand we don't have in South Africa! He now has 3 little NUK bottles plus his trusty little PEP number that go everywhere with us, and we have been told this will continue for quite a while. I am not complaining, he is drinking and if l have to carry 20 different bottles for him l will!
We met up with Bruce, Jill & Jason, the other South African family here in Gray, and went exploring and out for a very late lunch, since we all ate during play picnic! We jumped on a tram and went through to Edinburgh Kasteel, a lovely old castle with huge grounds. We paid to get into the grounds, not realising that we needed to pay to get into the grounds PLUS we had to pay to explore the castle. So we were in the middle of the first exhibit when we were asked for our entrance tickets to the castle, which needless to say we didn't have! Felt a bit like an idiot but my German is certainly not up to scratch to have read this info so we dashed out with big apologies.
It was a quick visit and l think that we will bring Tayden back when the weather is nice, it is a perfect picnic spot for him and there are large grounds where he can play with his ball and get rid of some of his energy. Not to mention he loves chasing the peacocks!
I forgot to mention that poor Leo had an accident a day or two ago - he 'fell' (read was thrown) into the bath and had to be left next to the heater to dry. At least Tayden hasn't pulled his signature move and thrown him down the toilet here - he did that the morning we left for Austria and there was some frantic disinfecting, washing and tumble drying of the poor creature to get him fit to travel! Heheh!
Tonight is his last tube feed, so l had better get moving with that and give it to him. Can actually not believe that if all goes well it will be the VERY LAST TIME he is tube fed. It is great that he is going so well, but please keep the other children on the program in your prayers as they are not all having as easy a time as Tayden is at the moment. I think it must be difficult for the parents to see how well Tayden is doing and although they are happy for us, l am sure they wish that their little angels were also progressing as fast as he is. But one thing l have learnt is that these kids have a mind - and time line- of their own! We have been warned to expect a protest from Tayden next week, when he will stop eating and drinking but we are prepared, knowing it is coming and will take it one day at a time.
The unit we are in also houses a very sad group of girls who are suffering from anerexia. There are about 5 young teenage girls in Ward 5 with us at the moment, and as our children learn how to eat, they struggle with overcoming this illness. One young girl in particular is having a really hard time, she is 14yr and her name is Nina. Please keep her in your prayers, she is a beautiful young women with lovely blond long hair and the saddest looking eyes l have seen in a long time. Her mom was here tonight and she just put her arms down on the table and cried as if her heart were breaking. German or no German, you could feel her sadness and the utter hopelessness that she feels to help her daughter.
Nina has been here for 9wk already and is still being fed through a gastro nasal tube. The cycle of not eating is hard to break and my heart goes out to her.
Anyway, had better dash to feed my little man. Please check out the photo section, I have updated it with photos from the last day or two and Tayden trying out all the new tastes and exploring the city.