The boys' first tractors.
Friday, July 14, 2006
The hot wheels collection
The boys have a good start with their collection. They will be playing in the dirt under the maple tree before you know it.
The latest hot wheels
The boys' birthday presents from Cheryl -- Dairy Delivery for the farm boys. Just for the record the green one is Allan's and the burgundy one is Griffith's.
Flowers for Momma
My boys managed to sneak out and pick some flowers for me for their birthday. I think they may have raided Lee Todd's garden but I was afraid to ask.
Friday July 14th -- Happy Birthday !!!
The boys are 3 months old today! Very hard to believe. I don't know what they'll do to celebrate, but based on the toe jam I keep finding between Allan's toes, he gets around. I would take some of his booties in, but wearing froggie booties could possibly affect his game and might make it a little harder to pick up chicks. Still he is awfully cute and booties might be just fine amongst those in the NICU. Dad reports that he had a good night and slept well which is amazing because they've put some kid in the unit who just won't quit crying. At least we know that we aren't going to have to tiptoe around the house and keep things quiet when the boys come home.
Griffith also had a good night with LeeAnn the Canadian. Honestly, I don't know how I am ever going to teach the child to talk properly if he keeps being exposed to all of these jacked up accents! Anyway, he is still on the cannula but his oxygen requirement is very low (1/8 Liter) which is good. He and his brother both had their eye exams yesterday and, aside from not liking being messed with, they both did well. Their eyes seem to be developing the way that we hoped that they would. No word yet on whether they are going to be blue or brown, though. We'll keep you posted. Maybe one of each? (One child blue and one child brown, not each of them with, oh, nevermind. You know what I mean.)
I should be able to do a little better with the posts now. We have acquired a laptop and have gone wireless at the house. Michele got us all hooked up (thanks, Michele!) and the last two posts have been made from the coffee table. No big plans for the weekend other than getting in as much snuggle time as we can.
Griffith also had a good night with LeeAnn the Canadian. Honestly, I don't know how I am ever going to teach the child to talk properly if he keeps being exposed to all of these jacked up accents! Anyway, he is still on the cannula but his oxygen requirement is very low (1/8 Liter) which is good. He and his brother both had their eye exams yesterday and, aside from not liking being messed with, they both did well. Their eyes seem to be developing the way that we hoped that they would. No word yet on whether they are going to be blue or brown, though. We'll keep you posted. Maybe one of each? (One child blue and one child brown, not each of them with, oh, nevermind. You know what I mean.)
I should be able to do a little better with the posts now. We have acquired a laptop and have gone wireless at the house. Michele got us all hooked up (thanks, Michele!) and the last two posts have been made from the coffee table. No big plans for the weekend other than getting in as much snuggle time as we can.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
Thursday July 13th - Sorry for the delay
Sorry for the delayed post. We've had a couple of long days. The bad news is that Griffith isn't going home soon after all. Turns out that his big ol' belly ache is apparently the result of a stricture in his small intestine. It isn't totally blocked but there is an area where there is something holding up progress which is why he keeps "blowing up" his belly (he gets gassy and his stomach gets big and tight) and why it wasn't getting any better. They've done studies but can't really tell what it is or where it is exactly (we can put a man on the moon.....) The stricture is likely scarring, maybe from inflammation from all of the antibiotics he had to be on. In any event, that's what we've got. This is going to require surgery and sooner rather than later. Right now he is scheduled for Tuesday. The up sides are that this is a problem with a solution. And that this was figured out before we got home. And that he will get to stay in the NICU where the nurses and doctors already know (and love) him. They can't tell how long this will delay his homecoming but we hope not for too long. He feels much better right now. He's on IV fluids and limited milk and now that we aren't cramming a bunch of milk down him every 3 hours, his belly has gone down. He is loving the fact that he is getting all sorts of good lovin' from Mom and Dad and all his nurses. There will be no living with the child. Every time I put him down some one else picks him up. He sticks his little head right up under your chin and settles down peaceful as a lamb.
Allan is learning a hard lesson -- the one who is doing what he is supposed to do doesn't get the nearly as much attention. He's been doing very well on the nasal cannula although he was working a little hard at it tonight. He may end up back on the Cpap intermittently to give him a little bit of a rest. This breathing on your own all the time is hard work. He is up to a whopping 5 pounds 12 ounces. Some of that is likely water weight but there is no doubt that he is quite a big boy. He has clearly become the big brother in every sense of the words.
Keep the boys in your thoughts and prayers -- especially on Tuesday.
Allan is learning a hard lesson -- the one who is doing what he is supposed to do doesn't get the nearly as much attention. He's been doing very well on the nasal cannula although he was working a little hard at it tonight. He may end up back on the Cpap intermittently to give him a little bit of a rest. This breathing on your own all the time is hard work. He is up to a whopping 5 pounds 12 ounces. Some of that is likely water weight but there is no doubt that he is quite a big boy. He has clearly become the big brother in every sense of the words.
Keep the boys in your thoughts and prayers -- especially on Tuesday.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Big ol' belly ache - Wednesday July 12th
Poor Griffith isn't feeling well at all -- his belly is swollen and he is uncomfortable. He is supposed to have another upper GI study this morning to see what's going on. The first one that he had (a couple of weeks ago) showed an area of slow down but that apparently didn't cause concern in and of itself. Since he has continued to have problems, though, they are going to try to double-check it and see if there is something there that needs more attention.
Allan, by all reports, is just hanging out and making slow but steady progress. Happy as a little clam is our Allan. Honestly, he's as precious as he can be. Still, if Griffith wants to kick his little butt for having triggered all of these events, I can't really blame him either. I'm not saying Allan's morally culpable, but I can also see where Griffith has a few issues to settle with him! Still, Griffith is going to have to do a little growing if he is going to tussle with Allan.
I will try to give you the update on the tests later.
Allan, by all reports, is just hanging out and making slow but steady progress. Happy as a little clam is our Allan. Honestly, he's as precious as he can be. Still, if Griffith wants to kick his little butt for having triggered all of these events, I can't really blame him either. I'm not saying Allan's morally culpable, but I can also see where Griffith has a few issues to settle with him! Still, Griffith is going to have to do a little growing if he is going to tussle with Allan.
I will try to give you the update on the tests later.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
Tuesday afternoon - not much to report
Sweet little ol' Allan continues to do well with the alternating cannula/cpap. He is up to 9 hours on the cannula with 3 hours on the cpap.
Brother's belly swelled up again this morning. He is a gassy little fellow, for certain. He ate his lunch well though. The docs are going to decide whether to re-do the upper GI exam to see if they can see any thing new this time. If he doesn't get this sorted out in short order, though, he won't get home this week.
Brother's belly swelled up again this morning. He is a gassy little fellow, for certain. He ate his lunch well though. The docs are going to decide whether to re-do the upper GI exam to see if they can see any thing new this time. If he doesn't get this sorted out in short order, though, he won't get home this week.
Tuesday July 11th
The boys are doing well. Allan seems to be tolerating the switching back-and-forth between the C-pap and the cannula. No word yet on when we'll try for the cannula exclusively, but within a couple of days, I would guess. It is just so nice to be able to see his face and it is so much easier to pick him up and hold him when he's on the cannula. He got a bath last night and didn't really like it one bit. He's not the one we expect tantrums from, but he has it in him. He settled down afterward though and he and Dad hung out. He's such a big-eyed little boy and he studies you so intently. He had lost a little weight -- he was about 5 pounds 4 ounces last night.
Griffith is once again on the countdown for home. No ETA yet, but maybe by the end of the week. We aren't mentioning it to him this time for fear that he will act up again. The medicine he is on for his belly seems to be helping. It seems that he is just a gassy little fellow which isn't all that unusual for preemies. (I am beginning to think that I could tell them that he had sprouted a horn between his eyes and they would say that is uncommon but not unknown in little ones.) He's eating well though and burps like a truck driver (but you have to work at it). He weighed in at 4 pounds 11.5 ounces last night. He is such a little cuddler. After he ate last night, he laid on my shoulder for about an hour. He was mostly awake, laying there smiling and looking up at me. I can see a lot of sitting in our future if he is going to be so darned sweet.
Griffith is once again on the countdown for home. No ETA yet, but maybe by the end of the week. We aren't mentioning it to him this time for fear that he will act up again. The medicine he is on for his belly seems to be helping. It seems that he is just a gassy little fellow which isn't all that unusual for preemies. (I am beginning to think that I could tell them that he had sprouted a horn between his eyes and they would say that is uncommon but not unknown in little ones.) He's eating well though and burps like a truck driver (but you have to work at it). He weighed in at 4 pounds 11.5 ounces last night. He is such a little cuddler. After he ate last night, he laid on my shoulder for about an hour. He was mostly awake, laying there smiling and looking up at me. I can see a lot of sitting in our future if he is going to be so darned sweet.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Monday afternoon - July 10th
All was well in the NICU this morning. Both boys are doing just fine. Griffith ate his lunch like a trooper. He is so terribly spoiled I'm not sure what is going to happen when he has to share with his brother. He wails away because he wants to be fed -- right now. And he wails away because he want to be held - right now. Not long on patience is ol' Griffith.
Allan, on the other hand, is completely laid back. He whines a little if he thinks you are treating him harshly, but mostly he just wants to sleep or sit quietly and look around.
Allan, on the other hand, is completely laid back. He whines a little if he thinks you are treating him harshly, but mostly he just wants to sleep or sit quietly and look around.
False Alarm - Monday July 10th
Well, Griffith didn't make it home this weekend. His temperature was a little low on Friday and his belly was puffy with gas and he just wasn't quite himself. It was all quite a let-down, but we don't want him to come home until he is absolutely ready for it. Right now we don't have an ETA on it, but we hope to have him home by the end of the week. (We aren't sure that he didn't fake it just to stay with his brother. I'll have to remember this when he tells me that he is too sick to go to school.)
That said, the boys both had a good weekend. Sunday was their original due date so we celebrated it as a kind of birthday. They ate milk, of course, but managed to sneak out again (really the security there is the pits) and brought back petit fours with baby booties on them for Jennifer and Cheryl. Even at their tender age, the boys recognize the superiority of Magee's Bakery.
Griffith got a little present from Cheryl yesterday, a farm animals book that she read to him. He was quite interested in it, especially the "baa-ing" of the sheep which made him smile. I'm sure there is a joke to be made about Englishmen and sheep, but this is a family blog. Dad liked the book, too, and went right home and added some to the nursery menagerie. If one of the boys doesn't come home soon, there won't be an inch of the walls that isn't covered in something! Griffith has gained a little weight after stalling for a while. Last night he was 4 pounds 10 ounces.
Allan was a whopping 5 pounds 7 ounces last night. He is getting to be quite the biggie boy. They are switching him back and forth between the Cpap and the nasal cannula to try to build up his tolerance to being on the cannula full time. He did very well with it yesterday so we are hoping that this will be all it takes to get him over the hump. It is so nice to be able to see his pretty little face. I probably went overboard with the pictures of him, but I had to make up for the rash of Griffith photos from the past 10 days or so.
That said, the boys both had a good weekend. Sunday was their original due date so we celebrated it as a kind of birthday. They ate milk, of course, but managed to sneak out again (really the security there is the pits) and brought back petit fours with baby booties on them for Jennifer and Cheryl. Even at their tender age, the boys recognize the superiority of Magee's Bakery.
Griffith got a little present from Cheryl yesterday, a farm animals book that she read to him. He was quite interested in it, especially the "baa-ing" of the sheep which made him smile. I'm sure there is a joke to be made about Englishmen and sheep, but this is a family blog. Dad liked the book, too, and went right home and added some to the nursery menagerie. If one of the boys doesn't come home soon, there won't be an inch of the walls that isn't covered in something! Griffith has gained a little weight after stalling for a while. Last night he was 4 pounds 10 ounces.
Allan was a whopping 5 pounds 7 ounces last night. He is getting to be quite the biggie boy. They are switching him back and forth between the Cpap and the nasal cannula to try to build up his tolerance to being on the cannula full time. He did very well with it yesterday so we are hoping that this will be all it takes to get him over the hump. It is so nice to be able to see his pretty little face. I probably went overboard with the pictures of him, but I had to make up for the rash of Griffith photos from the past 10 days or so.
Griffith on 7/9
Griffith sleeping the sleep of the innocent in his new hat (courtesy of Cheryl) and with his new book about farm animals.
Allan on 7/9
Allan on what should have been his birth date. He's wearing the Old MacDonald outfit that cousin Bailey Marie picked out for him.
Allan - back on the cannula
Allan is back on the cannula part-time. He's wearing his new hat that Cheryl (Griffith's nurse) got for him.
Thursday, July 06, 2006
Thursday afternoon postscript
There won't be a post in the morning, for sure. Jay and I have to do training for the oxygen equipment and monitor, infant CPR and shaken baby syndrome. And we have to meet the company who is setting up the oxygen at the house for that, too. We are doing that regardless of whether Griffith flies the coop tomorrow or not.
I'll update as soon as I can.
I'll update as soon as I can.
Thursday afternoon July 6th
Sweet baby Allan is doing well on the cannula. No one has told him that he's moved up. Don't want him to realize what he's doing and then stop. It is just so nice to be able to see his pretty little (not so little) face.
Griffith's temp was a little low at lunch so they are running a few more tests. They won't say he will come home tomorrow and they won't say he won't. Cagey of them, no? Any way we are keeping our fingers crossed that it was just the air conditioning and not something else that caused the dip. We'll keep you posted.
Griffith's temp was a little low at lunch so they are running a few more tests. They won't say he will come home tomorrow and they won't say he won't. Cagey of them, no? Any way we are keeping our fingers crossed that it was just the air conditioning and not something else that caused the dip. We'll keep you posted.
Griffith -- The Great Escape ?
Well, don't say it too loud, but it looks like Griffith is going to make the great escape tomorrow. Oh.My.Goodness. Jay's response to my phone call: What do we need to do? Well...ummm....dunno...YOUR part of WE needs to get the nursery painted so that the ME part of WE has a place to lay the baby down.... I think THAT is where we should start. But that's just me.
Cheryl did Griffith's hearing screening yesterday and she says that he hears very well, but she will make no representations about how well he listens. (I know, I know, good luck with that.) She confirmed that he is spoiled rotten and tried to blame it on the night nurses, but when I called back in yesterday afternoon she had been holding him for quite a while. So she has to share the blame. She needed to get her cuddling time in before he heads out in to the great wide world. I hope she was telling him to be very good when he comes home. He'd better watch out. I have her numbers so if he gets too out of hand she will come and jerk a knot in his tail!
Allan has been very good this week, too. He weighs nearly 5 pounds and 4 ounces. We are hoping that hearing about Griffith will make him step up to the plate. It may be working because he moved from the Cpap to the nasal cannula this morning. He seems to be doing well with that and we are hopeful that he won't be too far behind Griffith in getting to come home.
I am getting home computer and will be blogging from there, but it is going to be sporadic at best for a little while because, well, because we'll have one of our babies home and we'll be busy doing -- I don't know what exactly, baby stuff? Boiling water? Tearing rag strips?
Cheryl did Griffith's hearing screening yesterday and she says that he hears very well, but she will make no representations about how well he listens. (I know, I know, good luck with that.) She confirmed that he is spoiled rotten and tried to blame it on the night nurses, but when I called back in yesterday afternoon she had been holding him for quite a while. So she has to share the blame. She needed to get her cuddling time in before he heads out in to the great wide world. I hope she was telling him to be very good when he comes home. He'd better watch out. I have her numbers so if he gets too out of hand she will come and jerk a knot in his tail!
Allan has been very good this week, too. He weighs nearly 5 pounds and 4 ounces. We are hoping that hearing about Griffith will make him step up to the plate. It may be working because he moved from the Cpap to the nasal cannula this morning. He seems to be doing well with that and we are hopeful that he won't be too far behind Griffith in getting to come home.
I am getting home computer and will be blogging from there, but it is going to be sporadic at best for a little while because, well, because we'll have one of our babies home and we'll be busy doing -- I don't know what exactly, baby stuff? Boiling water? Tearing rag strips?
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
4th of July recap
The boys had a good Independence Day. They were very excited about the holiday although they understand that it really isn't good to mention it to Dad who won't admit it, but thinks of it as The Day It All Started to Go Wrong.
It was also the day that I realized that Griffith has somehow come to be spoiled, spoiled, spoiled and I'm not sure what we are going to do about it. First off, Caitlyn announced to Jay that Griffith's "happy time" seems to be from 3 to 5. That would be in the AM. Apparently that's when he is wide awake and very interested in being entertained. She finally went and got a mirror for him which was the source of much fascination. Vain little fellow. I went to nurse him and needed to do his care at lunch time. Rosa had him out and was talking to him and when I took him from her and laid him down to change his diaper he began to scream like he had been scalded. The instant, the very instant I picked him back up, he stopped. Completely. I laid him back down to have another go at it and he did it again. Yelling like a banshee, turning red, and shaking his little fists. I would like to think that we'll break him of this, but I'm pretty sure that he'll just break us. He pretty much had me trained yesterday and it only took two tries.
Allan was (as usual) a very good boy yesterday. He is down some on his pressure and seems to be tolerating that well. Maybe we'll make it on to the cannula soon. The doc said that he just needs to get more mature. Good luck with that. He is a boy, after all. Krista thought it was very funny that Allan had almost peed in Jennifer's ear, but this morning she didn't think it was quite so funny. Last night, while Krista was changing him, Allan gave an enormous explosive poo and actually shot it out of the bed and on to Krista. She said that he never woke up while he was doing it, either, which is pretty darned impressive. Frankly, I'm pretty sure he was awake through the whole thing. He was just playing possum and it worked like a charm.
I took some pictures of the boys in 4th of July onesies and will try to post them shortly.
It was also the day that I realized that Griffith has somehow come to be spoiled, spoiled, spoiled and I'm not sure what we are going to do about it. First off, Caitlyn announced to Jay that Griffith's "happy time" seems to be from 3 to 5. That would be in the AM. Apparently that's when he is wide awake and very interested in being entertained. She finally went and got a mirror for him which was the source of much fascination. Vain little fellow. I went to nurse him and needed to do his care at lunch time. Rosa had him out and was talking to him and when I took him from her and laid him down to change his diaper he began to scream like he had been scalded. The instant, the very instant I picked him back up, he stopped. Completely. I laid him back down to have another go at it and he did it again. Yelling like a banshee, turning red, and shaking his little fists. I would like to think that we'll break him of this, but I'm pretty sure that he'll just break us. He pretty much had me trained yesterday and it only took two tries.
Allan was (as usual) a very good boy yesterday. He is down some on his pressure and seems to be tolerating that well. Maybe we'll make it on to the cannula soon. The doc said that he just needs to get more mature. Good luck with that. He is a boy, after all. Krista thought it was very funny that Allan had almost peed in Jennifer's ear, but this morning she didn't think it was quite so funny. Last night, while Krista was changing him, Allan gave an enormous explosive poo and actually shot it out of the bed and on to Krista. She said that he never woke up while he was doing it, either, which is pretty darned impressive. Frankly, I'm pretty sure he was awake through the whole thing. He was just playing possum and it worked like a charm.
I took some pictures of the boys in 4th of July onesies and will try to post them shortly.
Monday, July 03, 2006
Afternoon update - July 3rd
The boys were fine at lunchtime.
Griffith had a belly full of gas and kept tooting while he was eating, but it didn't seem to bother him much. He has a little hernia that they were checking out today and I swear every time someone said the word "testicles" he would grin. All boy, that Griffith.
Allan was down on his pressure again today and was pretty sleepy so I didn't stress him out. Yesterday his nurser (Jennifer) was changing him and left him free for a minute while she bent over to get something out of the drawer. A respiratory tech yelled at her and she jumped up just in time to avoid him peeing in her ear. I'm pretty sure he was trying to take his revenge on her for all of the poking and prodding. Daggone resp tech. Foiled again.
I will be out tomorrow for the holiday so no update until Wednesday!
Griffith had a belly full of gas and kept tooting while he was eating, but it didn't seem to bother him much. He has a little hernia that they were checking out today and I swear every time someone said the word "testicles" he would grin. All boy, that Griffith.
Allan was down on his pressure again today and was pretty sleepy so I didn't stress him out. Yesterday his nurser (Jennifer) was changing him and left him free for a minute while she bent over to get something out of the drawer. A respiratory tech yelled at her and she jumped up just in time to avoid him peeing in her ear. I'm pretty sure he was trying to take his revenge on her for all of the poking and prodding. Daggone resp tech. Foiled again.
I will be out tomorrow for the holiday so no update until Wednesday!
Monday July 3rd
Happy 4th of July Eve to everyone ! The boys had a good weekend.
Allan weighed in at a whopping 5 pounds 1 ounce last night. Hard to believe that he has come so far in 3 months. He has the sweetest chubby legs, arms, cheeks -- everything, really. He is terribly sensitive about it, though. I mentioned last week that he had learned how to pout and make his lower lip quiver. Well, he continues to employ the technique with great accuracy. Alissa was talking about his cute chubby thighs and he had a meltdown. Yesterday, I was talking about his little chubby fingers and he did it again. So, when you meet him (finally), ixnay on the ubby-chay talk, okay? We don't want him to develop an eating disorder.
Griffith is doing his best to catch up in the weight category. He was 4 pounds 9 ounces last night. His big accomplishment this weekend was learning how to nurse. He will be alternating between formula-enhanced bottles and breast-feeding when he comes home, provided that the does well with it and so far his been a little rockstar. He's a very clever little boy. And awfully sweet. One of his nurses commented on how sweet and calm he's been since he is off of the vent. Yes, yes, he is. He kept trying to tell y'all that he didn't want to be on it and NO ONE was listening. That's very frustrating. Even when you are only 10 weeks old. Now that he has gotten his way, he's as jolly a little fellow as you would ever want to meet. Please make a note of it.
You can see from the pictures that Dad has been very busy this weekend. Eric (husband of my niece Jennifer) came over and helped begin painting the nursery. The farm is based on my family's homeplace and looks great, if you ask me. They have to put in the animals, but the base paint wasn't quite dry enough for that yesterday. Things are coming together -- about time, hunh?
Allan weighed in at a whopping 5 pounds 1 ounce last night. Hard to believe that he has come so far in 3 months. He has the sweetest chubby legs, arms, cheeks -- everything, really. He is terribly sensitive about it, though. I mentioned last week that he had learned how to pout and make his lower lip quiver. Well, he continues to employ the technique with great accuracy. Alissa was talking about his cute chubby thighs and he had a meltdown. Yesterday, I was talking about his little chubby fingers and he did it again. So, when you meet him (finally), ixnay on the ubby-chay talk, okay? We don't want him to develop an eating disorder.
Griffith is doing his best to catch up in the weight category. He was 4 pounds 9 ounces last night. His big accomplishment this weekend was learning how to nurse. He will be alternating between formula-enhanced bottles and breast-feeding when he comes home, provided that the does well with it and so far his been a little rockstar. He's a very clever little boy. And awfully sweet. One of his nurses commented on how sweet and calm he's been since he is off of the vent. Yes, yes, he is. He kept trying to tell y'all that he didn't want to be on it and NO ONE was listening. That's very frustrating. Even when you are only 10 weeks old. Now that he has gotten his way, he's as jolly a little fellow as you would ever want to meet. Please make a note of it.
You can see from the pictures that Dad has been very busy this weekend. Eric (husband of my niece Jennifer) came over and helped begin painting the nursery. The farm is based on my family's homeplace and looks great, if you ask me. They have to put in the animals, but the base paint wasn't quite dry enough for that yesterday. Things are coming together -- about time, hunh?
Friday, June 30, 2006
Friday afternoon June 30th
The boys both had eye exams today and both did fine. Well, sort of fine. Neither of them like it very well and they both apparently threw a fit. Allan got so mad that he threw up on them. Well done. I've been saying all along that he has hidden depths of fiestiness. It just takes the right provocation to get him going. Alissa said something that didn't suit him today when we were changing him and he stuck his lower lip out and cried. I swear it was just because she hurt his feelings. Poor little fellow. Looks like I've got a pouter. (Doesn't get that from MY side of the family. I'll take full responsibility for the temper, but not the pouting!)
Griffith did fine with his eye exam, too. He threw a temper tantrum, but every one expects that from him. Once they left him alone, he settled down and slept . He ate a good lunch, burped like a trucker and fell asleep snuggled up against my chin. It is going to be hard to put them down when they come home.
Griffith did fine with his eye exam, too. He threw a temper tantrum, but every one expects that from him. Once they left him alone, he settled down and slept . He ate a good lunch, burped like a trucker and fell asleep snuggled up against my chin. It is going to be hard to put them down when they come home.
Friday - excellent boys.
We still have two very excellent boys.
Allan who is sweet and thoughtful in addition to being terribly pretty slipped out somehow and made bourbon brownies for his nurse Sarah. I'm going to have to keep an eye on them. Apparently after I leave at night the two of them hang out "after hours." I'm pretty sure she is setting a precedent that I can't keep up. He was up to 4 pounds 14 ounces last night. We very nearly have a five pound baby! He is doing well weaning and we hope to have him on the cannula by early next week.
Griffith, also sweet, thoughtful and incredibly pretty, is doing well with his bottle feeding. He needs a little encouragement every once in a while and sometimes he gets so sleepy that he can hardly finish, but he works really hard at it. And burps like a full-grown man. Honestly, people have stopped in the hall outside the nursery to look and see who that was. I'm pretty sure that they think it is me. I have to confess that I don't know what he weighed. Dad was doing that while I was holding Allan (to make up for the photo neglect). If Jay told me what he weighed, then I forgot it. His nurse Cheryl has been gone for two weeks but is back today. We're pretty sure that she is going to be very impressed with all of his accomplishments. His nurses are also doing a pretty good job of spoiling him. This twenty-four hour per day constant doting is going to be hard to duplicate.
Allan who is sweet and thoughtful in addition to being terribly pretty slipped out somehow and made bourbon brownies for his nurse Sarah. I'm going to have to keep an eye on them. Apparently after I leave at night the two of them hang out "after hours." I'm pretty sure she is setting a precedent that I can't keep up. He was up to 4 pounds 14 ounces last night. We very nearly have a five pound baby! He is doing well weaning and we hope to have him on the cannula by early next week.
Griffith, also sweet, thoughtful and incredibly pretty, is doing well with his bottle feeding. He needs a little encouragement every once in a while and sometimes he gets so sleepy that he can hardly finish, but he works really hard at it. And burps like a full-grown man. Honestly, people have stopped in the hall outside the nursery to look and see who that was. I'm pretty sure that they think it is me. I have to confess that I don't know what he weighed. Dad was doing that while I was holding Allan (to make up for the photo neglect). If Jay told me what he weighed, then I forgot it. His nurse Cheryl has been gone for two weeks but is back today. We're pretty sure that she is going to be very impressed with all of his accomplishments. His nurses are also doing a pretty good job of spoiling him. This twenty-four hour per day constant doting is going to be hard to duplicate.
Thursday, June 29, 2006
On a roll ?
I don't want to cause a commotion, but the boys may be on a roll. They were both excellent this morning and at lunch.
Allan was wide awake and checking out the world this morning. He was asleep when I got there, but woke up when we started to change his diaper. He's done well with the decreased pressure so far. They are leaving him alone for today and will try to turn it down a little more tomorrow. Baby steps.
Griffith was a real sweetheart at lunch. His nurse, Amy, had him out this morning snuggling and he really liked it. Smiled all over himself apparently. Since getting off of the ventilator and the C-pap, he has been the most contented little fellow you can imagine. He still has his momma's frown lines between his eyes, but less reason to exhibit them. For now. I'm sure they'll reappear as soon as someone crosses him.
Allan was wide awake and checking out the world this morning. He was asleep when I got there, but woke up when we started to change his diaper. He's done well with the decreased pressure so far. They are leaving him alone for today and will try to turn it down a little more tomorrow. Baby steps.
Griffith was a real sweetheart at lunch. His nurse, Amy, had him out this morning snuggling and he really liked it. Smiled all over himself apparently. Since getting off of the ventilator and the C-pap, he has been the most contented little fellow you can imagine. He still has his momma's frown lines between his eyes, but less reason to exhibit them. For now. I'm sure they'll reappear as soon as someone crosses him.
Very good boys
That's what we have a pair of. Both boys had a good night.
They increased Griffith's feeds and he seems to be tolerating that very well. He's picking up speed on the eating. Caitlyn reported that it only took him 15 minutes to finish his bottle last night. He is continuing to poo, too, so we are hoping that he has put his belly issues behind him. I was looking at a picture of Simon (Jay's brother) yesterday and I think Griffth may resemble him. When I mentioned it to Jay, he said that he had thought the same thing, but was afraid to mention it because he "wasn't sure that Simon was good-looking." (Sorry Simon.) As I pointed out to Jay, MY BABY is QUITE good-looking so you can take that for what it is worth.....
Allan has done well with the decreased pressure and I got to hold him for about an hour last night. He's the most cherubic little fellow you can imagine with tiny blonde eyelashes that curl up so sweetly. Other than (a very cute) Winston Churchill, I'm not sure who he resembles. Just Allan, I suppose.
They increased Griffith's feeds and he seems to be tolerating that very well. He's picking up speed on the eating. Caitlyn reported that it only took him 15 minutes to finish his bottle last night. He is continuing to poo, too, so we are hoping that he has put his belly issues behind him. I was looking at a picture of Simon (Jay's brother) yesterday and I think Griffth may resemble him. When I mentioned it to Jay, he said that he had thought the same thing, but was afraid to mention it because he "wasn't sure that Simon was good-looking." (Sorry Simon.) As I pointed out to Jay, MY BABY is QUITE good-looking so you can take that for what it is worth.....
Allan has done well with the decreased pressure and I got to hold him for about an hour last night. He's the most cherubic little fellow you can imagine with tiny blonde eyelashes that curl up so sweetly. Other than (a very cute) Winston Churchill, I'm not sure who he resembles. Just Allan, I suppose.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
Wednesday afternoon
Sorry for the late post -- I had to make a run to Babies R Us this morning. Did better this time. No hyperventilating about baby wipes.
The boys are doing very well today. Griffith seems to be getting over his stomach issues -- he's eating like a little rock star and pooing in a way that seems to satisfy the doctors. The threat of another barium enema apparently was all the encouragement he needed. We had a great time at lunch today and when I left he and Jenny were hanging out. Rumor has it that the two of them have been dancing in the NICU. No one on whether he's leading or not....
Allan is also having a very good day. They have gone down on his pressure and his O2 if he tolerates it, then they'll go down again in a few days and, with some luck, he may be on the nasal cannula next week. I sure so. I do like seeing his pretty little face.
The boys are doing very well today. Griffith seems to be getting over his stomach issues -- he's eating like a little rock star and pooing in a way that seems to satisfy the doctors. The threat of another barium enema apparently was all the encouragement he needed. We had a great time at lunch today and when I left he and Jenny were hanging out. Rumor has it that the two of them have been dancing in the NICU. No one on whether he's leading or not....
Allan is also having a very good day. They have gone down on his pressure and his O2 if he tolerates it, then they'll go down again in a few days and, with some luck, he may be on the nasal cannula next week. I sure so. I do like seeing his pretty little face.
Tuesday, June 27, 2006
Tuesday afternoon
New pictures. Yes, yes, I know, they are of Griffith again. I promise I will devote an entire photo shoot to Allan just as soon as we can see his pretty little face again.
The boys were doing fine at lunch today. Not much to report, really. Griffith is still having some stomach issues and we are all anxious to get that sorted out so that we can start the countdown to coming home again.
The boys were doing fine at lunch today. Not much to report, really. Griffith is still having some stomach issues and we are all anxious to get that sorted out so that we can start the countdown to coming home again.
Griffith in green
This is Griffith in his outfit that Bailey got for him in Florida. The alligator is supposed to match his disposition, but you can see that he is smiling.
Tuesday morning -- June 27th
A pretty quiet night from both of the boys. Dad got to feed, change and hold Griffith ("got to" Isn't that funny? I wonder how long we'll think of it that way once they get home?). Griffith really seems to be getting the hang of the feeding thing. He slurps down his bottle like a pro. He even seems to enjoy being burped. He rears back his head and look around. Bright-eyed nosy thing. He got to wear his alligator sleeper that Bailey got for him (a match for his personality?), but we didn't get a good picture of it. We'll have to try again. It is all about the photo opportunities, after all.
Allan had a great night. Nurse Sarah was on and she spoils him rotten. I thought I was going to have to wrestle her to get to hold him last night. As I was leaving, she said she was going to get him back out when he woke up. When Jay went in this morning, she was sitting there with him. I am suspicious that she held him all night. Which is fine as long as she is planning on coming home with him. Allan is a very big boy -- he weighed 4 pounds 13 ounces last night. He is much bigger than Griffith now who was only 4 pounds 7 ounces. Of course, he was off his feed for a week. Now that his stomach is getting sorted out, I'm sure he'll catch up with his brother fast.
Allan had a great night. Nurse Sarah was on and she spoils him rotten. I thought I was going to have to wrestle her to get to hold him last night. As I was leaving, she said she was going to get him back out when he woke up. When Jay went in this morning, she was sitting there with him. I am suspicious that she held him all night. Which is fine as long as she is planning on coming home with him. Allan is a very big boy -- he weighed 4 pounds 13 ounces last night. He is much bigger than Griffith now who was only 4 pounds 7 ounces. Of course, he was off his feed for a week. Now that his stomach is getting sorted out, I'm sure he'll catch up with his brother fast.
Monday, June 26, 2006
Monday afternoon -- June 26
The boys were great at lunch today. Allan had been a little sweetheart all morning. He woke up for a little while when I was changing him and we held hands for a few minutes. Tonight is my turn to hold him while Dad feeds Griffith so we'll get a little lovin' in later today.
Griffith had spent most of the morning sleeping. I got to feed him at lunch time and he did great. He did manage to spit up all over me (welcome to motherhood) but that was my fault (again, welcome to motherhood). I thought he was through burping because he had let a big one go, but there was more air down there and I must have pushed it out when I lowered him because he let a second grown-up sized burp fly and a stream of milk with it. We then had to discuss that that stuff didn't grow on trees and it was not to be spit out unnecessarily. We'll see if that helps.
Griffith had spent most of the morning sleeping. I got to feed him at lunch time and he did great. He did manage to spit up all over me (welcome to motherhood) but that was my fault (again, welcome to motherhood). I thought he was through burping because he had let a big one go, but there was more air down there and I must have pushed it out when I lowered him because he let a second grown-up sized burp fly and a stream of milk with it. We then had to discuss that that stuff didn't grow on trees and it was not to be spit out unnecessarily. We'll see if that helps.
Monday - June 26th - weekend review
Before any of you start with me, yes, I recognize that Sweet Little Allan did not get equal billing with the photos this time. (My secret is out -- I really do love Griffith more. I'm just glad I won't have to pretend.) In my defense, Allan really hasn't been doing anything -- he's been laying around, sleeping a whole lot and, apparently eating -- he was 4 pounds 11 ounces last night. Plus, the C-pap covers up his pretty little face so photos aren't nearly as much fun. They are working on weaning his pressure down with the C-pap and then he'll graduate to the cannula. At any rate, I will try to rectify the situation with Allan and his photos this week. Nurse Jennifer is back from vacation and I'm sure that she'll make sure that he gets plenty of attention.
Griffith seems to be feeling better. He started back with the bottle-feeding on Saturday (he hadn't eaten since the previous Saturday) and has been as happy as a little clam with that. He really has the hang of it. In his haste to suck it down before someone takes it away, he forgets to swallow sometimes, but no more so than any little one. He can burp like a fraternity boy, too. Dad has yet to get one of them out of him, but I think that's because he's afraid he's going to break him when he pats him on the back. When he's through eating, he lies there and grins like the Cheshire Cat. He's been very alert the past couple of days, too. He loves to be held up so that he can check out the scenery in the NICU. He's tired of lying in bed all the time. No ETA on him going home yet. I'm sure they'll give this eating stuff a few days to make sure that he's going to do it and gain weight.
Griffith seems to be feeling better. He started back with the bottle-feeding on Saturday (he hadn't eaten since the previous Saturday) and has been as happy as a little clam with that. He really has the hang of it. In his haste to suck it down before someone takes it away, he forgets to swallow sometimes, but no more so than any little one. He can burp like a fraternity boy, too. Dad has yet to get one of them out of him, but I think that's because he's afraid he's going to break him when he pats him on the back. When he's through eating, he lies there and grins like the Cheshire Cat. He's been very alert the past couple of days, too. He loves to be held up so that he can check out the scenery in the NICU. He's tired of lying in bed all the time. No ETA on him going home yet. I'm sure they'll give this eating stuff a few days to make sure that he's going to do it and gain weight.
Friday, June 23, 2006
Friday - June 23rd
There really isn't much to report this morning. And that's not a bad thing. Griffith seems to be getting over the mystery stomach bug. He's kicking up more of a fuss every day so things are getting back to normal. He twists, he turns, he squawls and kicks. I don't know how he manages, but he can pretty much turn himself over. Especially if he is mad. A good Brannon temper tantrum empowers a boy, I suppose. He has some cute new outfits from Aunt Evelyn and from Bailey Marie (a sleeper with an alligator on it to suit his disposition!). He's a huge fan of the pacifier and sucks on it so hard that he sounds like Maggie Simpson.
Allan continues his run of contented days and nights. He is still on the C-pap and doesn't seem to be having trouble adapting to it. I don't like it because it covers up his pretty little face, but, with any luck, he won't have to keep it on for too long. He is also spending a lot of time sleeping. Some of the nurses have said that means they are growing so we'll see. Allan is now the only boy on his ward. He has a harem of 4 baby girls. Life is so much easier for him than for Griffith!
I don't know if there will be a report this afternoon or not. I have to find something to wear to my niece's wedding tomorrow night. If all goes well, I'll be back in after seeing the boys at lunch. If not, then I will be scouring the mall for hours until I find something that won't shame the family name.
Allan continues his run of contented days and nights. He is still on the C-pap and doesn't seem to be having trouble adapting to it. I don't like it because it covers up his pretty little face, but, with any luck, he won't have to keep it on for too long. He is also spending a lot of time sleeping. Some of the nurses have said that means they are growing so we'll see. Allan is now the only boy on his ward. He has a harem of 4 baby girls. Life is so much easier for him than for Griffith!
I don't know if there will be a report this afternoon or not. I have to find something to wear to my niece's wedding tomorrow night. If all goes well, I'll be back in after seeing the boys at lunch. If not, then I will be scouring the mall for hours until I find something that won't shame the family name.
Thursday, June 22, 2006
Thursday June 22nd Update
Tuesday night Allan weighed in at 2000 grams (4 pounds 4 ounces or so). Quite the accomplishment! To celebrate (and emulate his brother) he extubated himself yesterday morning. Guess he decided he really is a big boy now. Unlike his brother, he was quiet and calm about the whole thing and really hasn't fought being on the C-pap. He doesn't like it and gets a little cross-eyed trying to look at that thing on his nose, but, other than that, he seems to be doing fine with it. (Isn't that just the way? Griffith had to fight tooth and toenail to get off the vent and Allan just sails along -- lah-de-dah. No wonder Griffith has a messed up stomach. Biitterness will take its toll.) If all goes well, Allan will be on the Cpap for a few days and then, depending on his blood gases, will go to the nasal cannula. He gained a little more weight yesterday and weighed in at 4 pounds 6 ounces.
Griffith still isn't feeling well. His stomach still is upset and although he isn't as puny as he was Saturday night, he still isn't quite himself. They haven't come up with a good explanation. He has a UTI that they are treating with antibiotics and are giving him several other broad spectrum antibiotics trying to catch whatever else he may have. They are also doing a number of rude tests to see if they can hit upon something. He had a tiny baby barium enema yesteday and they are doing an upper GI study today. Since he is on IV's and not eating, he hasn't gained any weight and is still at 4 pounds 3 ounces. So he is now our little boy in every sense of the word. I keep him apprised of Allan's progress in the hopes of encouraging a little healthy competition.
Griffith still isn't feeling well. His stomach still is upset and although he isn't as puny as he was Saturday night, he still isn't quite himself. They haven't come up with a good explanation. He has a UTI that they are treating with antibiotics and are giving him several other broad spectrum antibiotics trying to catch whatever else he may have. They are also doing a number of rude tests to see if they can hit upon something. He had a tiny baby barium enema yesteday and they are doing an upper GI study today. Since he is on IV's and not eating, he hasn't gained any weight and is still at 4 pounds 3 ounces. So he is now our little boy in every sense of the word. I keep him apprised of Allan's progress in the hopes of encouraging a little healthy competition.
Tuesday, June 20, 2006
No post tomorrow but don't worry
As noted in the blog yesterday, Momma realized this weekend that we are going to have boys home sooner rather than later. Soooo -- I'm not going to be in tomorrow. I'm going to buy cribs and mattresses and, God willing, baby wipes that will not kill my children. It could be a very harrowing day.
Anyway, I won't be in to the office so there won't be a post.
Anyway, I won't be in to the office so there won't be a post.
Tuesday June 20th - Holding Steady
My pretty boys had a good night last night.
Sweet Allan, finally fed up with all the attention going to Griffith, decided an ambush was in order. His nurse was sitting at the foot of his bed, charting, and I was changing his diaper. Despite having filled it, he apparently saved just enough in reserve so that when I lifted his legs to slide the clean diaper under him, he fired -- on the bed clothes, out of the bed and on to her chart. Without exaggeration, it was propelled a good 3 feet. He is gifted. Gifted, I tell you. And wily. He has done the explosive pooing before, but not for weeks. The pretty face hides a calculating mind. In other news, he continues to gain steadily -- 4 pounds 6 ounces. And that was after the poo.
Griffith isn't quite himself. He's still got the stomach crud, whatever it is it seems to be responding to some of the antibiotics, but he doesn't act as fiesty as usual. Still, he kept knocking part of the oxygen hood off yesterday so that the nurse had to tape the lid on it. And when they came to take his X-ray earlier this morning he tried to fight them off. He's trying to rally.
I am trying to figure out how to use the card reader to post some new photos, but have been defeated thus far. I'll try again later.
Sweet Allan, finally fed up with all the attention going to Griffith, decided an ambush was in order. His nurse was sitting at the foot of his bed, charting, and I was changing his diaper. Despite having filled it, he apparently saved just enough in reserve so that when I lifted his legs to slide the clean diaper under him, he fired -- on the bed clothes, out of the bed and on to her chart. Without exaggeration, it was propelled a good 3 feet. He is gifted. Gifted, I tell you. And wily. He has done the explosive pooing before, but not for weeks. The pretty face hides a calculating mind. In other news, he continues to gain steadily -- 4 pounds 6 ounces. And that was after the poo.
Griffith isn't quite himself. He's still got the stomach crud, whatever it is it seems to be responding to some of the antibiotics, but he doesn't act as fiesty as usual. Still, he kept knocking part of the oxygen hood off yesterday so that the nurse had to tape the lid on it. And when they came to take his X-ray earlier this morning he tried to fight them off. He's trying to rally.
I am trying to figure out how to use the card reader to post some new photos, but have been defeated thus far. I'll try again later.
Monday, June 19, 2006
Ups and downs...
We had a big weekend. Up and down, but we are ending in a good place.
Griffith had his first bottle feeding on Saturday and he did great. He's such a clever boy. He drank 25 of 30 mls which is excellent. He slopped and slurped around, but generally knew exactly how to operate a bottle. He got a little worn out with all the work and some times he would forget that he had to swallow after he got a mouthful, but, other than those minor drawbacks, he gets a gold star. Cheryl started talking about his discharge and I suddenly panicked about not having a crib or diapers, etc. So Jay and I spent Saturday afternoon looking at cribs and such. While we were at Babies R Us I thought it would be advisable to purchase a few diapers, baby wipes, etc. Not a lot, just some so that I felt like I had made a start. That did not go so well. Decisions about spending a couple of hundred dollars on cribs, no problem. What baby wipes to purchase defeated me utterly. Over. Whelmed. Sensitive? Scented with calming lavender? Huggies ? Pampers? Apparently, I don't have enough sense to pick out baby wipes and they are going to send me home with two infants who are entirely dependent upon me for survival. What could they be thinking? At any rate, Lee and Jay came to the rescue and tossed some wipes in the cart and moved me along.
Despite having had such a good day, Griffith didn't have a good night. He picked up some bacteria and got sick to his stomach. He felt rotten Saturday night and had to go back on the vent Sunday morning. He didn't even fight with them so you know he was feeling puny. The good news is that the meds they are giving him must be working because he was getting back to fighting form last night -- tugging on his tubes and giving Cheryl the stink-eye because she had put him on the vent, put in a catheter and taken a bunch of blood. There's not much he can do about it now, but you can tell that he'll remember her. Caitlyn called early this morning to let us know that he had managed to extubate himself (again) this morning. He is currently under an oxygen hood and doing well. He was all bright-eyed when I was there this morning. He still isn't quite as fiesty as usual, but he's making a come back.
Allan continued his run of good behavior -- he's doing well with the weaning, putting on weight (4 pounds, 5 ounces). He even managed to make his dad a Father's Day card with his footprints -- or someone's footprints. They seem inordinately large to actually be my short cubby boy's prints, but it is the thought that counts. We get to snuggle tonight so we'll try to make up for all the attention that Griffith is getting.
Griffith had his first bottle feeding on Saturday and he did great. He's such a clever boy. He drank 25 of 30 mls which is excellent. He slopped and slurped around, but generally knew exactly how to operate a bottle. He got a little worn out with all the work and some times he would forget that he had to swallow after he got a mouthful, but, other than those minor drawbacks, he gets a gold star. Cheryl started talking about his discharge and I suddenly panicked about not having a crib or diapers, etc. So Jay and I spent Saturday afternoon looking at cribs and such. While we were at Babies R Us I thought it would be advisable to purchase a few diapers, baby wipes, etc. Not a lot, just some so that I felt like I had made a start. That did not go so well. Decisions about spending a couple of hundred dollars on cribs, no problem. What baby wipes to purchase defeated me utterly. Over. Whelmed. Sensitive? Scented with calming lavender? Huggies ? Pampers? Apparently, I don't have enough sense to pick out baby wipes and they are going to send me home with two infants who are entirely dependent upon me for survival. What could they be thinking? At any rate, Lee and Jay came to the rescue and tossed some wipes in the cart and moved me along.
Despite having had such a good day, Griffith didn't have a good night. He picked up some bacteria and got sick to his stomach. He felt rotten Saturday night and had to go back on the vent Sunday morning. He didn't even fight with them so you know he was feeling puny. The good news is that the meds they are giving him must be working because he was getting back to fighting form last night -- tugging on his tubes and giving Cheryl the stink-eye because she had put him on the vent, put in a catheter and taken a bunch of blood. There's not much he can do about it now, but you can tell that he'll remember her. Caitlyn called early this morning to let us know that he had managed to extubate himself (again) this morning. He is currently under an oxygen hood and doing well. He was all bright-eyed when I was there this morning. He still isn't quite as fiesty as usual, but he's making a come back.
Allan continued his run of good behavior -- he's doing well with the weaning, putting on weight (4 pounds, 5 ounces). He even managed to make his dad a Father's Day card with his footprints -- or someone's footprints. They seem inordinately large to actually be my short cubby boy's prints, but it is the thought that counts. We get to snuggle tonight so we'll try to make up for all the attention that Griffith is getting.
Friday, June 16, 2006
Friday morning -- June 16th
Griffith had a very satisfactory day yesterday. Off the vent and enjoying life. Or not hating it quite so much. Of course, he immediately dedicated himself to pulling out his feeding tube over and over again. Jenny finally had to put in an NG tube (through the nose) instead. I don't think he has figured out that it is there yet. Once he does, I'm pretty sure he's going to start to work on it, too. We aren't really sure when they are going to try bottle-feeding him, but within a couple of days. We think he's going to be all right with it -- he loves his pacifier (especially with sugar water on it) and really works it over for long periods of time. A bottle ought to be no problem. I think he had gained a little weight last night, but I haven't the vaguest idea how much. We were all a little tired from the all-nighter and I simply can't remember either his or Allan's weight.
Allan was worn out last night. They did his follow up eye exam yesterday and that takes it out of him. He did fine with it, though. We are pretty sure that he gets a big boy bed like Griffith today which will be nice (for us, anyway.) They are continuing to drop his pressures to wean him from the vent and he seems to be tolerating it very well. No word on when they are planning on trying to extubate him yet. He has started to reach up and mess with his tube, though, so maybe he has more of his brother in him than we realize. He may sneak his out, too.
I have a mediation this afternoon so there will likely be no posts again until Monday. Enjoy the pictures and I'll try to have new ones for the first of the week!
Allan was worn out last night. They did his follow up eye exam yesterday and that takes it out of him. He did fine with it, though. We are pretty sure that he gets a big boy bed like Griffith today which will be nice (for us, anyway.) They are continuing to drop his pressures to wean him from the vent and he seems to be tolerating it very well. No word on when they are planning on trying to extubate him yet. He has started to reach up and mess with his tube, though, so maybe he has more of his brother in him than we realize. He may sneak his out, too.
I have a mediation this afternoon so there will likely be no posts again until Monday. Enjoy the pictures and I'll try to have new ones for the first of the week!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
