Wavey's Birthday Eve

We just put Waverly to bed. Her last night as a 10 year old. Another year has passed.

Tomorrow is going to be a difficult day. A fun day of celebrating, but emotionally rough. 

Our now 11 year old will wake up in her bed, after a night of being fed by a pump via her g-tube. We will unhook her tube, give her some meds and change her diaper. We will dress her, brush her teeth, wash her face. Support her body as we shuffle into the family room for some cartoons with her brother. We will reposition her, so her body doesn't stiffen. Stretch her legs and massage her feet. More diaper changes, feeding tube hook up for lunch. Trips in her wheelchair and time in her stander.  Snuggles on the couch. She will hold a favorite toy made for babies.

Not exactly what we had envisioned for our 11 year old daughter. 

However we will laugh together. We will sing "Happy Birthday" over and over again, because it always makes her smile. We will read "Click, Clack, Moo" and watch "Cinderella". We will light candles on a cake and relish in the chocolate icing for her. We will hold hands. We will kiss her on her cheeks. We will hold onto the moment and celebrate the 11 amazing years we have had with her.

She is pure joy.

I will cry as I say goodnight tomorrow. I will watch old videos and weep when I hear her sweet voice I so desperately want to hear just one more time.

And I will hope that we will be able to celebrate 12 years together in 365 more days.