Baby's First

There's nothing quite like seeing your baby take her first steps, read her first words, dress herself for the first time or take off on a bike for the first time... Unless your child has some sort of medical condition that requires them to learn other new things, take other kinds of "first steps".

I was talking to a friend today and was reminded of all of the firsts DJ and I have had since her diagnosis.

A lot of DJ's firsts were not with me. I got hear her first words and see her take her first steps, not to mention all of her school and sports firsts. I did not get to see her ride a bike or help her learn how to read; I get to thank her step-mom for that. Seriously, my sincerest thanks!

A lot of DJ's diabetes firsts were at diabetes camp or at her dads. When DJ was diagnosed she took it like a champ. She didn't even cry when she had to take her first shot, when she found out she would have to take them everyday she was mad, but she didn't even cry... right away. After the first few days she started testing her own blood sugar, I got to see that one. At diabetes camp, less than a year after diagnosis and at the tender age of 7, DJ learned how to take a shot in her stomach (before it had been strictly the arm or the leg) and she learned how to give herself a shot in the leg and stomach. The following year, at age 8, she learned how to give herself shots in her arm-a lot more difficult than the leg, thank you very much.

When DJ was in third grade she lived with her dad and it was there that she began to prepare to get her insulin pump. The first step was getting an insulin pen, she loved that thing. In 4th grade, she was living me again, she went to visit Dad for summer vacation and got the insuiln pump she had been so impatiently waiting for. She learned how to attach her infusion set and to run the pump through the steps to get it set up and working all by herself. When DJ came home from that summer vacation she was teaching me how to take care of her.

A few other firsts DJ had were sleep overs (with non-family member, it took a few years), counting carbs, reading food lables and most recently going to a non-diabetes related camp.

I can't speak for anyone but myself, and I don't want to take away from the excitement of DJ's "normal" firsts... but I just cannot explain to you how special each and every one of those diabetes firsts have been. Each time DJ makes some kind of progress I feel so proud and so excited, but a little part of me is sad because I know that it's one less thing she needs me for and she is one step closer to independence.