major huge accomplishment!

WOW! WOW! WOW! This is big, big, big...ok HUGE... news. Ready?

I AM LEARNING TO EAT! Seriously! I am! I am! Guess how much I ate today???

Well to give you a better perspective, let me provide a little background. Most of us CHARGErs have difficulty swallowing, especially if we have the nerve defects (facial palsy, hearing loss, etc.). Up until about a month ago, I wouldn't eat more than a few spoonfuls in an entire day. Then we got me up to about two ounces a day (a little less than a jar of a baby food).

But these past two weeks, I have made TREMENDOUS progress!

Today was my really big day...NINE OUNCES! Yes, you read that right...NINE OUNCES! I had about three at each meal.

Mom has been sitting me down religiously for breakfast, lunch and dinner to get me in the routine. We started a "food diary" to monitor my intake...and that seems to help too. She also talked with my nutritionist in Seattle and we are going to try to cut back on some tube feeding to see if that further encourages my desire to eat. So basically Mom has to "starve" me a bit and show me what hunger is. But at the same time, we need to watch my weight very closely because my tube feedings are VERY high in calories and we don't want to take too much away. (Plus I lost a pound this past week from that yucky stomach bug...and that's a lot of weight for a lil' guy to lose!)

All of this is so exciting. Mom keeps asking everyone, "guess how much Maxwell ate today...c'mon guess!" And of course no one shows quite the level of enthusiasm that she wants. I think she expects the high school band to start playing or something! :)

But seriously folks...this is huge. I am actually opening my mouth, closing my mouth and then swallowing! Might seem simple to you, but trust me, it's not. It requires a lot of coordination to accept the texture and flavor and then move that food properly.

The fun part is that I get songs, happy dances, and clapping for just about every bite. That mommy sure is crazy about me! Or is she just crazy??? :)

YAY FOR ME! YAY FOR ME! YAY FOR ME! :)

Oh and if you weren't already impressed, guess what my diet consisted of today? Fruit, veggies and prunes (all pureed baby food of course)! That's a lot of variety and tastes for me! Usually I am just a banana mix kind of guy. :) The variety is a big accomplishment too. Wonder what I will eat tomorrow???