1, 2, 3, 4, 5, ......12!!!!

My apologizes on the technically difficulty in Friday's nights post. Here is what happened after I see that my hubby was holding a milk box for Sloane:

What I see next makes me want to scream! Sloane sucks from the straw and after she swallows, she says "ahhhhh!" It is clear from the milk moustache that she loves it. I review in my head how many times I have tried chocolate milk with no success! Only her father! My daughter will do anything for her daaaaadddddyyyyy! That thought elicits my first internal scream. The next one comes from the fact that obviously this milk is NOT thickened. I am the heavy on this ALL the time. My hubby will treat Sloane to liquids in their natural form which is probably another reason why she will do anything for him. He is the fun one!! My third internal scream comes when I wonder: does she like the chocolate milk, does she like the straw, does she like the milk because it is not thickened??? I have no idea what hooked her?? My final, very loud internal scream comes because my daughter is drinking milk and loving it!! There are many "ahhhs" and "more, more" chants coming from the milk moustache in the back seat! My hubby is on Operation Fluids for the next 48 hours seeing as though he is winning more battles than I am!


And battles were won these last 48 hours!! Sloane sipped through about 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, oz. all the way to 12 oz. yesterday and today. 2 sippy cups! UNBELIEVABLE!! I do think the novelty of the straw has kept her hooked. She is starting to learn that drinks can quench her thirst...I think??? I am starting to learn when she is thirsty because she will ask for "ice" (crushed ice chunks). SO when the opportunity arises I am offering a drink in hopes that she will learn a drink helps when you are thirsty. 


Of course, I tried the chocolate milk thickened in her cup with her straw and she looked at me like I was nuts. I am sure if her daddy does the same she will gulp it all down. For the past 2 days, she has been sipping away at water flavored with Mio drops! I only hope this trend continues. 


So here is the Operation Fluids timeline:
1. Sloane was on 5 ounces of milk 3X a day for the past 6 months. 
2. Then the nutrition clinic dropped one feed making it 2 feeds a day but increased the volume to 6 ounces in each one of those feeds on May 2nd stating that she needed to increase the volume because she would below the appropriate fluid range for her age/size.  
3. Next the ped kept her at 2 feeds a day but decreased the volume back down to 5 oz. each feed in hopes that she would get thirstier on May 10th. The ped's goal is to have her taking in the appropriate amount of fluids, not by tube though...by mouth!!
4. After, the ped calls to check in on May 17th to get a status, she says that we can try decreasing the 2 feeds down to 3 1/2 oz. and she was that does to her motivation to drink. I THINK the lesser volume has helped to motivate Sloane to drink more! Fingers crossed!!!