Feeding Tube Awareness Week and Other Stuff

This past week was Feeding Tube Awareness Week. Being a mother to two children with feedings tubes (and one of those children with two different feeding tubes at that!), feeding tube awareness is important to me. While a blessing that has allowed my children to thrive when their bodies couldn't otherwise, tube feeding has its hard days. It is hard to have holes, sometimes multiple holes, in your babies' bodies. It is hard to watch them be uncomfortable and suffer through infections and other complications that come with these tubes. It's hard to have your child want so badly to eat but not be able to. It's hard to not know what is around the corner or how long the tube will continue to work for your child. And, it is hard to have people stare. I've been abundantly lucky in this regard...mostly, people have been so good about asking us questions instead of staring (for the record, I never mind someone asking us about it...I am happy to educate. I do mind, however, when someone asks what is "wrong" with my kids). We've only had a few "ew grosses" from other kids. But there are those times when people say stupid (probably misguided and unintentional) things that sting. Like the time a woman said, well within earshot, what kind of mother makes her just-learning-to-walk baby wear a backpack. Those things are easy to let go when you have so many wonderful people, both real life friends and family and those I've become close with through internet groups and the like, support you so unfailingly. And show that support publicly through blog and Facebook posts. One of the biggest blessings that my childrens' disabilities is this entire world of friends that have opened up to me as a result of having kids with special needs. I've met some very dear friends in hospital playrooms and conferences and internet support groups. This week, I was especially humbled by the blog posts my sister and an internet friend wrote in support of Tube Feeding Awareness Week.

Anyway, in other news, things with the baby have been going well. Fetal monitoring has continued to show the baby is doing well. I hit 31 weeks today! Every Saturday that passes and he is still in is a success. However, today, we received some not-so-great news. It seems these days, it is just one thing after another. We own (and rent out) our house in Eugene and rent a home up here. The market is just too tough to sell our old house in and so we are just holding tight for now. Our lease here is up on June 1. We knew our landlord was looking for a job back in this area (they live several hours away) and that, upon lease expiration, would rent to us on a month-to-month basis. Well, he called today and told us that he found a job here and would be moving back into this house at our lease expiration. So...that means, this baby will be born sometime between now and the second week in April. I will, in all probability, be having a c-section due to the baby's position (which is highly unlikely to change). Then, since we had to put off our trip to Cincinnati for Charlie until May, we HAVE to go in May (putting off until then already was pushing it for Charlie). So...that means, c-section, baby born, trip to Cincinnnati for a week of invasive surgical procedures with a toddler and newborn in tow and then moving on top of all that. We can't begin to look for a house until about April...so, it is going to be a VERY busy spring. I'm trying to not get overwhelmed and focus on the fact that I have 4 months to pack and organize in anticipation of this move. But...sheesh! Can we add anything more to our plates?