The Sattler Scoop: Adjusted Birthday

Yesterday was Casey's Adjusted Birthday. In other words, the day she should have turned one according to my originally anticipated due date. In medical terms, this date is important because it represents the age doctors and medical personnel use to gauge whether she is meeting expected milestones. It's also the age I use when I really don't feel like explaining to a stranger why my fifteen month old is so tiny. As I thought about the significance of this date, all of these months could be pretty well summed up with that one word..."Adjusted."

ad·just·ed

Webster's defines it as "accommodated to suit a particular set of circumstances or requirements"

From the second that Casey entered this world at 26 weeks, 5 days, and our entire world was shaken, our lives have revolved around the idea of adjusting:

Adjusting to the sudden end to what we thought was going to be another three months of pregnancy
Adjusting to the roller coaster ride of good days and bad that only a NICU parent can truly understand
Adjusting to the struggle of watching our child spend months just learning how to do "simple" things, like eating and breathing
Adjusting to my life-alternating diagnosis as an insulin dependent Type 1 Diabetic
Adjusting to life after surviving 4 months of every spare second spent in a hospital
Adjusting to caring for a medically fragile child and the many weekly appointments and specialists involved in her care
Adjusting to the long, lonely months of RSV isolation that come with protecting a preemie's undeveloped lungs
Adjusting our own expectations for when our child will make certain age appropriate accomplishments
And just plain adjusting to our new "normal"

I'm sure the list could go on, but isn't that what life is all about? Adjusting. So many times others have said, "I don't know how you all did it." At the end of the day, these were our circumstances, and I think any parent would tell you that you do whatever is necessary to ensure the best for your child. Was it easy? NO! Would I wish this situation on anyone? Absolutely not! However, to look at all that our sweet miracle has overcome, I can say that it has been worth every painful, overwhelming, uncomfortable, joyful, proud, and amazing moment...despite all the adjusting that it required. Happy Adjusted Birthday, Doodlebug! We love you so much!

Here is a little glimpse into our celebration yesterday that resulted in this cuteness:

I'm pretty sure her internal monologue went something like this:

"What is this you've put in front of me?"

"I shall ever so delicately bring a tiny morsel up to my mouth."

"Hmm, it's not bad, not bad at all!"

"Mom, have you tried this stuff?"

"Where has this goodness been all these months?"

And this would be the point that our child who spent two months mostly refusing to eat started stuffing pieces of cookie cake in her mouth as though it might be her last encounter with such deliciousness!

Apparently, this is what you get when you ask for the "Hang in there Monkey" design. I guess it is one of the less popular choices, based on the fact that it is barely recognizable. At least it still tasted good!