February 21, 2016: His Most Important Birthday

I know... I've been so busy getting ready for the new baby, and helping my husband getting settled with his new job, I'm behind on my posting. Duncan has been doing great the past couple weeks. I did do one stupid thing though, a week ago I was getting his insulin to him in the morning. Duncan takes his Lantus first thing in the morning, so like always I woke up, grabbed two syringes and went to the fridge to pull out his two vials of insulin. First, his Lantus, because that's his 24 hour and has to be taken at the same time everyday. I drew it out as normal, flicked the syringe to get the bubbles to the top like the nurses showed me on day one in the hospital, and then I picked up the vial and pushed the excess insulin into the vial like I was supposed to, just to find out I put the excess Lantus INTO the Apidra vial! I had to throw the Apidra away and start a new one all over again. I felt really stupid, mainly because I've read many stories where people who have struggled with type one for years mix up their insulin, and I've thought, "Really? How could you do that? you've had this illness for like 20 years and you mixed up the insulins? I've been dealing with it for like 5 months and haven't made that mistake!" To all those people I have thought that about I'm so sorry, I got cocky.

This past week has been a very emotional week for me. Duncan was born on the 22nd of February, and as we got closer to his second birthday the thoughts kept coming that we almost didn't have a birthday to celebrate. The reality of what we have been dealing with for the past 5 months hit me hard, and the pregnancy hormones didn't help. I almost lost my boy. This was the most important birthday I would ever celebrate, because it really was a celebration of life. His life. He has only been on this earth for two short years, but in those years he has turned our life upside down and inside out. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost my Duncan.

The biggest question is... What do I do about a birthday cake? I called around to all the bakeries I could find in our area and asked them if they made Sugar Free birthday cakes. They all said "No". My step-mom texted me, "Have you tried Baskin Robbins? An ice cream cake would be fun." So I got on the phone and called and sure enough they could make me a regular cake, but put Less Sugar ice cream in it. That sounded reasonable, after all I was told I didn't HAVE to go sugar free, but I SHOULD go sugar free when possible. I talked it over with them, and found out that an ice cream cake with less sugar ice cream would cost around $45, and that's just for feeding 6-8 people. WHAT! Off to Wal*Mart to find something I could use. Now, I love to bake. I love to decorate cakes and I love birthdays! I show up at Wal*Mart and they have a "Sugar Free Section" in their baking section. I find a "Sugar Free" Angel Food Cake. Whoo Hoo! Then I get a call from my step-Mom, "Jen, I just saw online that Wal*Mart sells sugar free icing in their baking section. I think it's Betty Crocker." I ask the baker behind the counter, "If we have it, it'll be in the baking isle with the cake mix." I went over and sure enough there it was!

I also got some no sugar added ice cream because Wal*Mart has the best selection.

I filled the middle of the Angel Food Cake, and made my own ice cream cake. It cost me half as much to do so and it tasted good too. I cheated this year by buying his cake when normally I would bake it, but next year I know what I'll be doing for him.

He loved it, and the rest of the family was happy to go sugar free for his birthday as well. It's been a very emotional week, and I made it through. My baby turns 2, and he's healthy and perfect... That's really all I can ask for. I thank God every day for that little boy, and I'm grateful he listened when my husband and I prayed for him to be alright. We're adjusting and taking control. Next step... Potty Training!