Baby's First Christmas

As we wrap up (or unwrap, rather) baby Brittney's first Christmas, I am faced with contemplative thoughts about what her diet will be like this time next year. I hate to admit it, but I have become incredibly analytical about the food our loved ones serve at holiday gatherings, and I have reached the conclusion that I will likely fix a dish to bring to most of these events. I would like to spend the next year testing PKU friendly recipes to share with our family. We are very blessed that Brittney's case is so mild that she will be able to enjoy many of the items on the menu; however, the traditional ham, cream cheese dip, and bacon wrapped green beans will probably not be an option. A delicious carrot dish with brown sugar would be wonderful! Or a low protein apple crisp for dessert... yummy.

One of my New Year's Resolutions, for Britt's sake, is to become a vegetarian. I know this will be difficult with the cuisine our families are used to preparing (everything has meat in it!), but I want to face those obstacles before Brittney has to so we don't wind up sitting at a get-together feeling guilty that Britt can't eat anything there. I also don't want to spend every get-together pulling out Brittney's separate lunch box, making her feel like she's completely different and isolated from everyone else. My diet can never be exactly like hers because our needs are different, and my body would not be well nourished on her diet, but she will not be able to eat meat, and that is something I can do without compromising my own health. I am also feeling very blessed that our family members are so open to trying these new recipes and are so in love with Brittney that they are bending over backwards to accommodate her.

Andy is still finding it difficult to come to terms with the fact that Brittney needs special accommodations. I feel like he is still in denial about some times. I worry about him a lot. She's very lucky to have a Daddy who cares about her as much as he does. She's his whole world.

What happened?

People ask it a lot: "Where did the time go?" And truthfully, I often thought that people who ask that question simply aren't being present in their own lives because when we are present, every moment has an opportunity to sink in and stick. That thought, obviously, ended promptly when Brittney arrived. Now I'm barely able to keep up with the laundry, much less the moments flying by. I was inspired to revisit this project (or more plainly remembered I had a blog) when I stumbled upon the blog of an old friend from high school. I enjoyed looking at the pictures of her family and can't even imagine that the girl who sat in front of me in Mr. Richard's physics class senior year has a husband and a four-year-old son. Even less comprehendable to me is the fact that I, too, have a husband, a 5 month old little girl, a career, a house, a car, a car payment. When did that happen? When did I become a responsible adult? Where did the time go?

To update, Brittney's phenylalanine (phe) levels have dropped to 2.7, and we've started feeding her green beans and, for the first time today, sweet potatoes. She isn't fond of either. She also tried to sit up by herself today, holding her torso weight with her arms for a second before toppling over onto her face. Her daddy felt bad that he got so excited about her new strength that he didn't think to put a pillow to cushion her if she fell. She forgave him by trying to eat his face, her idea of baby kisses. She grabs both sides of his (or my) face, sometimes the ears or hair, and pulls him in, grunting, for a slobbery smooch. Needless to say, it's ADORABLE!

Britt also got a letter in the mail today from a jolly ol' fellow who'll be making a visit at our house this year! It's postmarked 'Nashville,' so I imagine one of his regional elves really sent it, but we won't tell her that. **wink, wink** I still have a ton, as in all, of my shopping to do for the holidays. Maybe Santa could spot me this year and I'll hit him back on the next go round. ...No? Well, it was worth a shot.