Today was a big day for the little boy! :)
He started out by waking up relatively late. He slept in until just after 10. I got him up and brought him into our bedroom. He was wearing his green striped PJs with three turtles on them that say, "One.. Two... Three... Cute as can be!" And it's true, he is cute!
Caleb sat on my arm with his feet pressed against Eric's side. Eric tickled him, and the baby laughed and smiled. They played for about twenty minutes, although when Eric's attention started to wane, the baby reminded him who was boss with a few swift kicks in the ribs. Yeah, try to play the game, will you, daddy?? Take THIS! *kick*
When he was finishing playing, I brought him downstairs and we filled up the bathtub for the first time. Normally he just gets a sponge bath or is suspended via hammock over the water in the tub. Today he's old enough and his scar is healed enough for a bath where he can sit in the water. We didn't use a lot of water, just enough for his bum to be covered and his legs to splash if he kicked. At first he was like, "OMGNO!" but then he realized the water was just fine. I did try to put him in the deeper end near the end of our bath, and he said no thanks to that one. One step at a time, I guess.
After that he had his first 100% formula bottle. He's been on fortified breast milk since he was born (26 calorie for those of you who know). Now he's taking so much volume per feed, and my supply is dwindling so I'm moving him to formula. For me, this is a big stress reliever, because it's hard to realize that you can't make enough food to feed your own child. I've gone through a lot of emotions over it, and I think finally I've come to terms with it. As for Caleb, he drank 3oz both feeds he's taken it, and doesn't seem to mind a bit.
After an afternoon nap, Grandma and I packed up the little dude and drove him to the Bellevue city park. We walked the 1/2 mile loop around the park, with the little one in the stroller. We stopped at a bench to watch the baby ducks (well, Caleb mostly kept his eyes clothes with the bright light and the wind, I don't think he noticed the ducks at all). The walk was seemingly enjoyable for him. Today was very hot--81 degrees at 6pm when we were on the walk, but very breezy.
Caleb may think the camera is part of my body... it's always pointed at him!
Now that we got home, he's having a little bef0re-bed cranky time. :) Boys!
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Days days days
The days go by really quickly. We have all kinds of things to do, nearly every day!! Caleb is doing fantastic. He has his moments (like today when he didn't sleep too well last night, and then cried a lot this morning.) but overall he's coming into his own schedule.
He will sleep anywhere from 4-7 hours at night (I have no idea how to predict which he will do, there doesn't seem to be a pattern). When he wakes up he hollars and is delivered a bottle. When he's finished sleeping he'll not fall asleep after the bottle, but instead look around the room wide-eyed.
We will get up and go downstairs and have some "kick boxing" time. He has a little chair he sits in and kicks and punches at a plastic blow-up ball. When he's finished with that he'll huff and puff. When picked up he'll usually need a diaper change, followed by a short nap. Then it's time for another bottle.
Somewhere in there we usually include a bath and some smile-time. He's starting to smile and have the beginnings of a laugh. He has also mastered sticking out his tongue! (Grandma taught him this) If you're not paying enough attention to him during a diaper change, you might just look down to see that he has a huge grin and his tongue sticking out at you.
Usually near the early evening/late afternoon there is a cranky period. He's unsure what to do. If it's a VERY cranky period we turn on the vacuum cleaner and he actually calms down quite well to that sound. At 10pm/10:30ish he has his nightime bottle and hopefully falls asleep quiet happily.
Friday we have a weight check... let's see how massive he is!
He will sleep anywhere from 4-7 hours at night (I have no idea how to predict which he will do, there doesn't seem to be a pattern). When he wakes up he hollars and is delivered a bottle. When he's finished sleeping he'll not fall asleep after the bottle, but instead look around the room wide-eyed.
We will get up and go downstairs and have some "kick boxing" time. He has a little chair he sits in and kicks and punches at a plastic blow-up ball. When he's finished with that he'll huff and puff. When picked up he'll usually need a diaper change, followed by a short nap. Then it's time for another bottle.
Somewhere in there we usually include a bath and some smile-time. He's starting to smile and have the beginnings of a laugh. He has also mastered sticking out his tongue! (Grandma taught him this) If you're not paying enough attention to him during a diaper change, you might just look down to see that he has a huge grin and his tongue sticking out at you.
Usually near the early evening/late afternoon there is a cranky period. He's unsure what to do. If it's a VERY cranky period we turn on the vacuum cleaner and he actually calms down quite well to that sound. At 10pm/10:30ish he has his nightime bottle and hopefully falls asleep quiet happily.
Friday we have a weight check... let's see how massive he is!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Friday appt post script
Hmm... dunno how to edit things and it's too late to try to figure it out. :)
Just wanted to say he's right on track, right in the middle as far as growth goes. Just a bit either above or below 50% in all categories of height, weight and head size. Not so bad for a baby that had such a rough start!
Just wanted to say he's right on track, right in the middle as far as growth goes. Just a bit either above or below 50% in all categories of height, weight and head size. Not so bad for a baby that had such a rough start!
Friday appointment
So I'm a little late...
We went to see our regular pediatrician on Friday. Just your normal two week check-up. The little guy is weighing 9.5lbs according to their scale. He was more than that the Friday before, so they just claimed the difference in scales. All I know is that he's big!
He's doing great as far as the regular check up goes. He is a little advanced in the fact that he will smile at us. He is a little behind in the way that he hasn't started to reach for anything in front of him yet. Well, today I swear he reached for something, so we'll call it even. hehe He does track things visually and reacts to noises.
They checked his thyroid levels and gave him 4 shots and an oral vaccine. They tried drawing blood out of both arms, so each limb is poked full of holes. :( He was NOT happy at all about this development. He was having a good time at the doctors, and yet this ruined his mood. I don't know if I've ever heard him scream like that. Luckily when I was able to hold him he calmed down. But he was so instantly tired that he passed out in my arms. He slept until about 4am with little waking inbetween.
He'll have another weight check in 2 weeks, and another appointment in 4 months. We're not having as many appointments and doctor visits now. It makes me wonder if he'll be so "good" next time. hehe He'll not be used to getting poked and proded.
We're starting to get out in the world a little more. We can go for walks and to the store and to friends' houses now. Not for long, we are not pushing it, but he's still out there in the world looking around. There are so many things to show him, so many things to learn!!
We'll get started on all that... after we try to get some sleep tonight...
We went to see our regular pediatrician on Friday. Just your normal two week check-up. The little guy is weighing 9.5lbs according to their scale. He was more than that the Friday before, so they just claimed the difference in scales. All I know is that he's big!
He's doing great as far as the regular check up goes. He is a little advanced in the fact that he will smile at us. He is a little behind in the way that he hasn't started to reach for anything in front of him yet. Well, today I swear he reached for something, so we'll call it even. hehe He does track things visually and reacts to noises.
They checked his thyroid levels and gave him 4 shots and an oral vaccine. They tried drawing blood out of both arms, so each limb is poked full of holes. :( He was NOT happy at all about this development. He was having a good time at the doctors, and yet this ruined his mood. I don't know if I've ever heard him scream like that. Luckily when I was able to hold him he calmed down. But he was so instantly tired that he passed out in my arms. He slept until about 4am with little waking inbetween.
He'll have another weight check in 2 weeks, and another appointment in 4 months. We're not having as many appointments and doctor visits now. It makes me wonder if he'll be so "good" next time. hehe He'll not be used to getting poked and proded.
We're starting to get out in the world a little more. We can go for walks and to the store and to friends' houses now. Not for long, we are not pushing it, but he's still out there in the world looking around. There are so many things to show him, so many things to learn!!
We'll get started on all that... after we try to get some sleep tonight...
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
MY doctors appointment
I had my 6 week checkup today. I am doing just fine, thanks for asking.
I am having a little trouble with the old emotions as of late, but as my doctor pointed out I am in the "high risk" category for post partum depression. Oy.
Um... what else? I went shopping at Target and bought the baby a bunch of stuff.
I adore him. I absolutely adore him!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is beginning to like me now. hehe That sounds silly, but he's starting to bond with me as the primary caregiver. He is more likely to respond to my attentions to him than before, although he still can say, "Bugger off!" and just scream in my ear if he feels like it.
Friday is his next appointment... he's nearly 10lbs as of last Friday, I wonder how much weight he's gained in a week. I think they might be taking him off the fortified food soon as he's packing the pounds on quite nicely. He is taking a lot of volume at this point.
Ooh, must go make another bottle. He's starting to wiggle himself awake.
I am having a little trouble with the old emotions as of late, but as my doctor pointed out I am in the "high risk" category for post partum depression. Oy.
Um... what else? I went shopping at Target and bought the baby a bunch of stuff.
I adore him. I absolutely adore him!!!!!!!!!!!!
He is beginning to like me now. hehe That sounds silly, but he's starting to bond with me as the primary caregiver. He is more likely to respond to my attentions to him than before, although he still can say, "Bugger off!" and just scream in my ear if he feels like it.
Friday is his next appointment... he's nearly 10lbs as of last Friday, I wonder how much weight he's gained in a week. I think they might be taking him off the fortified food soon as he's packing the pounds on quite nicely. He is taking a lot of volume at this point.
Ooh, must go make another bottle. He's starting to wiggle himself awake.
Friday, May 11, 2007
Myologist? No Urologist!
So it's getting harder to come up with boring titles, and nearly impossible to come up with witty ones. Therefore you get horridly bad ones.
We visited the baby's urologist today. Don't ask me to pronounce her name because I cannot. Basically what she said is the same thing they said before. He as a little tad bit of kidney reflux (urine going from the bladder to the kidneys instead of the other way around). So in order to prevent infection he's on antibiotics for the next several months.
At about 3 months they'll want to do another ultrasound. She says that he'll just grow out of this. It is hereditary in some sort, so either Eric or I probably had this, but never knew about it. We just have to watch out for bladder/kidney infections.
Too many kidney infections can lead to high blood pressure, and let's face it, he doesn't need that.
Other than that, the appointment left me wondering why I left the house before 7am to get to it. Caleb was apparently wondering as well as he urinated all over their exam table to show them that he did, indeed, have excellent kidney function.
We visited the baby's urologist today. Don't ask me to pronounce her name because I cannot. Basically what she said is the same thing they said before. He as a little tad bit of kidney reflux (urine going from the bladder to the kidneys instead of the other way around). So in order to prevent infection he's on antibiotics for the next several months.
At about 3 months they'll want to do another ultrasound. She says that he'll just grow out of this. It is hereditary in some sort, so either Eric or I probably had this, but never knew about it. We just have to watch out for bladder/kidney infections.
Too many kidney infections can lead to high blood pressure, and let's face it, he doesn't need that.
Other than that, the appointment left me wondering why I left the house before 7am to get to it. Caleb was apparently wondering as well as he urinated all over their exam table to show them that he did, indeed, have excellent kidney function.
Whoa... it's *how* much??
Ok... just received one preliminary statement from Children's.
This is just part of his care there, this doesn't include anything from Evergreen or any prenatal stuff.
As of May 4, my current account balance: 249,576.60
Ooh. How about that raise??
Well, if we're still paying this off when he's 18, it will be well worth it. Not only that, but by then he can get a job and help out! LOL
This is just part of his care there, this doesn't include anything from Evergreen or any prenatal stuff.
As of May 4, my current account balance: 249,576.60
Ooh. How about that raise??
Well, if we're still paying this off when he's 18, it will be well worth it. Not only that, but by then he can get a job and help out! LOL
Wednesday, May 9, 2007
Heart Doctor Visit
We saw our cardiologist today! How funny that my 1 month old baby has a cardiologist. But that he does. I love his cardiologist. She is so amazing and bright. She's the same age as me, so it's kinda strange to look at what life paths people take. I try to organize a party for 200 people on board a cruise ship--she saves baby's lives. Her name is Meg and she's a lot of fun and just excited to be helping people. :) (In fact, one of her friends is the baby's pediatrician--they remind me a lot of each other!)
ANYHOW... we started the day with a little surprise. He was going back to sleep at 6am. He doesn't do that. Usually he lets me get to bed and then "WAH!" But today, since I needed to be up, he thought he would go to sleep. We got him into the car and off to the doctor's. He doesn't like the car. Most babies love the car, mine will only tolerate it if we're on the freeway, otherwise he says: "WAH!"
When we got to the doctor, I had to visit the restroom to unload the 40lb diaper that he made for me while yelling, then we went to get weighed and measured. I didn't see how long he was, but this kid is now just over 9lbs!!! This was followed by our echo. The ultrasound went really well, with one pause in the middle to heat up his bottle when he got too fussy. It was during his breakfast time and he wanted some. Then, for fun, he loaded his pants once again.
His O2 levels were sitting around 95/96, which is normal because after he got his tummy full and emptied it, he fell asleep. Zzzzz. They poked, proded and did whatever they could to him and he just took it all so well!
The heart looks and sounds great, and I felt a burst of happiness when my cardiologist used the statement, "When they removed his heart disease..." Oh how wonderful! There is no sign of the turbulent blood flow or the stiff chamber, so those issues worked themselves out.
What they are looking at now: When they do the switch, the little things (such as the connections to the lungs) that were attached to the arteries are now stretched a little further because of the new placement. They just are watching to make sure that everything stays in a good spot and there are no issues from the stretching. But all looks well at this point.
As my cardiologist said, "He's so freakin' cute!"
We need to go back: next month.
They took him off one dose of his Lasix (this drug that makes him have to weeeeeee a lot). We're keeping everything else the same now, as they don't like to muck with too much at a time. Which is fine with me. I would like him off more of the drugs, but I'll take what I can get.
After the doctor's, we went and visited my work. :) It was so great to see everyone. Caleb announced he was there with a "WAH!" and after he gathered everyone around him he promptly went to sleep. He's heavy to carry around now, the little porker! :) My arm is tired!! But he was introduced to most everyone, but we kept it short. It was getting close to lunch time and he's still "new."
Speaking of lunch time, I need to get working on that!
ANYHOW... we started the day with a little surprise. He was going back to sleep at 6am. He doesn't do that. Usually he lets me get to bed and then "WAH!" But today, since I needed to be up, he thought he would go to sleep. We got him into the car and off to the doctor's. He doesn't like the car. Most babies love the car, mine will only tolerate it if we're on the freeway, otherwise he says: "WAH!"
When we got to the doctor, I had to visit the restroom to unload the 40lb diaper that he made for me while yelling, then we went to get weighed and measured. I didn't see how long he was, but this kid is now just over 9lbs!!! This was followed by our echo. The ultrasound went really well, with one pause in the middle to heat up his bottle when he got too fussy. It was during his breakfast time and he wanted some. Then, for fun, he loaded his pants once again.
His O2 levels were sitting around 95/96, which is normal because after he got his tummy full and emptied it, he fell asleep. Zzzzz. They poked, proded and did whatever they could to him and he just took it all so well!
The heart looks and sounds great, and I felt a burst of happiness when my cardiologist used the statement, "When they removed his heart disease..." Oh how wonderful! There is no sign of the turbulent blood flow or the stiff chamber, so those issues worked themselves out.
What they are looking at now: When they do the switch, the little things (such as the connections to the lungs) that were attached to the arteries are now stretched a little further because of the new placement. They just are watching to make sure that everything stays in a good spot and there are no issues from the stretching. But all looks well at this point.
As my cardiologist said, "He's so freakin' cute!"
We need to go back: next month.
They took him off one dose of his Lasix (this drug that makes him have to weeeeeee a lot). We're keeping everything else the same now, as they don't like to muck with too much at a time. Which is fine with me. I would like him off more of the drugs, but I'll take what I can get.
After the doctor's, we went and visited my work. :) It was so great to see everyone. Caleb announced he was there with a "WAH!" and after he gathered everyone around him he promptly went to sleep. He's heavy to carry around now, the little porker! :) My arm is tired!! But he was introduced to most everyone, but we kept it short. It was getting close to lunch time and he's still "new."
Speaking of lunch time, I need to get working on that!
Monday, May 7, 2007
"Normal" Baby
Caleb is starting to feel like a "normal" baby. I put that in quotes, because I've noticed there doesn't seem to be such thing as a "normal" baby. Sitting around Children's Hospital you see that there are all kinds of definitions of normal, and as one of the nurses said to me, "if you try to define normal, you'll just go crazy, you just have to define trends." He was telling me that it was "normal" for a baby's heart rate to be in the upper 150s, but since Caleb's was normally sitting in the lower 140s it was a sign that something was up with him.
Anyhow... he's learned a few things. Because of the way that we're burping him (the normal over-the-shoulder route is out with his chest hurting) he's starting to learn to hold his head up very well. He held it up for several minutes on his own today--a bit wobbly still, but up. He's able to pick it up and move it in order to look around.
He has learned to kick. I think this started when he's just been angry. He gets red, he gets mad, he flails his arms and legs about in anger. But now, he'll sit in his rocking chair in non-rocker mode and happily kick his feet. He uses this method to scootch himself further down into the chair.
Rolling is a new sport for him as well. Roll to the left, roll to the right--he can do both. He used to sleep on his side, but now he likes to roll at least once during his sleep. When we're trying to change his diaper--"roll." Unfortunatly that also usually means that he might be gearing up to do something else on his changing table.
Last night I got up to "fix" the screaming that was coming from his room. I was shocked to see that my son had rolled onto his back, moved half way down the bed, removed his hat and had his nightgown pulled up to his tummy, ready for a diaper change. At first I thought my mom had been in there and maybe just stepped out to warm up a bottle, but no. No... he's just that sneaky, that son of mine. :)
He has been feeling a bit better the past few days, but still has some tummy trouble. We are able to get some good play time in, though. He's not just yelling hours on end, which is a nice switch. I will still be glad when he's off all his medications and his tummy can adjust.
What's in the future? Well, as far as advancement I'd say he's going to be ready to laugh soon. He may also discover his feet. He looks towards sound, but has yet to reach out for things put in his line of sight, so we're heading there.
In terms of appointments, we have to follow up with Urology on... oh, right, I haven't made that appointment yet. His heart doctor is Wednesday, his regular pediatrician is next Friday. My follow up appointment is the next Wednesday.
Hopefully we'll settle down so we're not going to the doctor every few minutes! :) That will be nice.
Heck, that might even be "normal."
Anyhow... he's learned a few things. Because of the way that we're burping him (the normal over-the-shoulder route is out with his chest hurting) he's starting to learn to hold his head up very well. He held it up for several minutes on his own today--a bit wobbly still, but up. He's able to pick it up and move it in order to look around.
He has learned to kick. I think this started when he's just been angry. He gets red, he gets mad, he flails his arms and legs about in anger. But now, he'll sit in his rocking chair in non-rocker mode and happily kick his feet. He uses this method to scootch himself further down into the chair.
Rolling is a new sport for him as well. Roll to the left, roll to the right--he can do both. He used to sleep on his side, but now he likes to roll at least once during his sleep. When we're trying to change his diaper--"roll." Unfortunatly that also usually means that he might be gearing up to do something else on his changing table.
Last night I got up to "fix" the screaming that was coming from his room. I was shocked to see that my son had rolled onto his back, moved half way down the bed, removed his hat and had his nightgown pulled up to his tummy, ready for a diaper change. At first I thought my mom had been in there and maybe just stepped out to warm up a bottle, but no. No... he's just that sneaky, that son of mine. :)
He has been feeling a bit better the past few days, but still has some tummy trouble. We are able to get some good play time in, though. He's not just yelling hours on end, which is a nice switch. I will still be glad when he's off all his medications and his tummy can adjust.
What's in the future? Well, as far as advancement I'd say he's going to be ready to laugh soon. He may also discover his feet. He looks towards sound, but has yet to reach out for things put in his line of sight, so we're heading there.
In terms of appointments, we have to follow up with Urology on... oh, right, I haven't made that appointment yet. His heart doctor is Wednesday, his regular pediatrician is next Friday. My follow up appointment is the next Wednesday.
Hopefully we'll settle down so we're not going to the doctor every few minutes! :) That will be nice.
Heck, that might even be "normal."
Sunday, May 6, 2007
"Wah!"
"Wah!"
The baby has decided he has taken things in stride for just too long. He has decided that life is giving him some sort of a raw deal, and he is going to tell EVERYONE about it. :) I'm not sure if he's bored, his tummy is bothering him, he's reliving dreams of his surgery, he just thinks his clothes should be green instead of blue.... whatever it is, he's going to tell everyone in the house, the apartment complex and probably even the entire block.
Several days in a row we have been wondering where the sweet, quiet, thoughtful baby has run away to. Sure he has his moments still, but most of the time he's been replaced by Mr. CRANKASAURUS REX! Oy...
Last night he did sleep for *four hours*. Total. If you add them all up. Usually he waits until I'm just asleep again before he wails. So really, I did get *some* sleep. And he was kind enough to let me pump as well.
And now... he needs his pants changed, and he's letting everyone know. So, off to get the poo out of the pantaloons!
The baby has decided he has taken things in stride for just too long. He has decided that life is giving him some sort of a raw deal, and he is going to tell EVERYONE about it. :) I'm not sure if he's bored, his tummy is bothering him, he's reliving dreams of his surgery, he just thinks his clothes should be green instead of blue.... whatever it is, he's going to tell everyone in the house, the apartment complex and probably even the entire block.
Several days in a row we have been wondering where the sweet, quiet, thoughtful baby has run away to. Sure he has his moments still, but most of the time he's been replaced by Mr. CRANKASAURUS REX! Oy...
Last night he did sleep for *four hours*. Total. If you add them all up. Usually he waits until I'm just asleep again before he wails. So really, I did get *some* sleep. And he was kind enough to let me pump as well.
And now... he needs his pants changed, and he's letting everyone know. So, off to get the poo out of the pantaloons!
Thursday, May 3, 2007
Doctor's Visit
We had an appointment with Children's Heart Clinic today at 1pm. I wasn't sure how this was going to go as the baby was due to eat at 1:30, and he has been particularly grumpy the last few days. His tummy has been bugging him very badly--we're just watching this to see if we can have a pattern. We arrived, barely on time.
Everything about babies is rushing, rushing, rushing--and you're always behind!!
On the way the baby had a fit in the car, but I couldn't pull over because of my spot on the freeway. He stopped crying by the time I got a chance to pull off. Oy... he had "crumpled" forward and was unable to get himself sitting back up, but he fell asleep like that after a bit. :( Poor baby! But he was sleeping fine.
Once we got to the hospital, we were told our first stop would be a chest x-ray. The sleeping baby was awaken, put in various positions, and taken pictures of. The sleeping baby was NOT sleeping any more. Wah... ehh... WAAAAHHH!!!!! But, he took it rather well and was comforted easily. I wrapped him in a blankie and we were on to our next stop: more torture.
EKG, O2 lvl check, poking, proding, temperature, blood pressure, stitch removal. The baby said, "Wah... ehh... ehhh... eh..." and then seemed to say, "Whatever." I was hoping he wasn't being so quiet and good because he was thinking, "Finally, I'm home again!" But he went through the whole appointment without errupting too badly. There were moments, of course, but that's to be expected.
His O2 lvl in his blood: 100%. YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!
His EKG: "Beautiful." YAYAYAYAYAY!
His chest x-ray: "Nice." YAYA... you get the picture...
His weight: "Great!"
He is now 8lbs and 5oz. They were *very* impressed with his weight gain. Heart babies are generally smaller to grow if there are issues, so this shows he is taking enough calories to heal and enough to grow as well. They liked this so much that they said that he was able to take 1-2 feedings of straight breast milk if we wanted. They thought that in a while he might be off fortified milk altogether. Wow.
The nurse practitioner was so impressed with him, she said she couldn't believe how fantastic he was doing. I think this is because of all the love and support that he's been getting from you all--all the prayers and hopes and meditations and good thoughts are all getting to the right spot. The baby is listening and he's putting all that great energy to fantastic use! Way to go, kiddo!
And, yeah, of *course* I have time to write in the blog. For those of you that do not know, I am about to spill the secret of motherhood: Maternity leave is all about sitting on the couch in your underwear eating bonbons... kids practically take care of themselves! All you have to do is start them up in the morning and they just run all day until it's time to put them away at night. Soap operas, bad chick-flicks and ice cream--and when you return to work all that weight you gain can be explained by "I haven't lost the baby weight yet"--another secret, that all falls right off when the baby pops out!
Shhh.... don't tell anyone...
Everything about babies is rushing, rushing, rushing--and you're always behind!!
On the way the baby had a fit in the car, but I couldn't pull over because of my spot on the freeway. He stopped crying by the time I got a chance to pull off. Oy... he had "crumpled" forward and was unable to get himself sitting back up, but he fell asleep like that after a bit. :( Poor baby! But he was sleeping fine.
Once we got to the hospital, we were told our first stop would be a chest x-ray. The sleeping baby was awaken, put in various positions, and taken pictures of. The sleeping baby was NOT sleeping any more. Wah... ehh... WAAAAHHH!!!!! But, he took it rather well and was comforted easily. I wrapped him in a blankie and we were on to our next stop: more torture.
EKG, O2 lvl check, poking, proding, temperature, blood pressure, stitch removal. The baby said, "Wah... ehh... ehhh... eh..." and then seemed to say, "Whatever." I was hoping he wasn't being so quiet and good because he was thinking, "Finally, I'm home again!" But he went through the whole appointment without errupting too badly. There were moments, of course, but that's to be expected.
His O2 lvl in his blood: 100%. YAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!
His EKG: "Beautiful." YAYAYAYAYAY!
His chest x-ray: "Nice." YAYA... you get the picture...
His weight: "Great!"
He is now 8lbs and 5oz. They were *very* impressed with his weight gain. Heart babies are generally smaller to grow if there are issues, so this shows he is taking enough calories to heal and enough to grow as well. They liked this so much that they said that he was able to take 1-2 feedings of straight breast milk if we wanted. They thought that in a while he might be off fortified milk altogether. Wow.
The nurse practitioner was so impressed with him, she said she couldn't believe how fantastic he was doing. I think this is because of all the love and support that he's been getting from you all--all the prayers and hopes and meditations and good thoughts are all getting to the right spot. The baby is listening and he's putting all that great energy to fantastic use! Way to go, kiddo!
And, yeah, of *course* I have time to write in the blog. For those of you that do not know, I am about to spill the secret of motherhood: Maternity leave is all about sitting on the couch in your underwear eating bonbons... kids practically take care of themselves! All you have to do is start them up in the morning and they just run all day until it's time to put them away at night. Soap operas, bad chick-flicks and ice cream--and when you return to work all that weight you gain can be explained by "I haven't lost the baby weight yet"--another secret, that all falls right off when the baby pops out!
Shhh.... don't tell anyone...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)