Cream of Potato Soup

Better day today. Not as much fussing and spitting up. We actually slept for a stretch this afternoon and that was worth a million dollars.

Hopefully our visit to the pediatrician will be good tomorrow. We're hoping that E has gained weight and that the doctor can give us a clue as to what is causing his digestive difficulties. I'm excited because it will be the first time I've been outside since Saturday. Wow. I'm in Mommy jail.

Today I got all excited because two big heavy packages were delivered by the UPS man. I thought they were presents or something cool like that. No. They were two cases of crappy breastmilk supplement that the hospital had sent to us. Boo.

Posted by jenny at 06:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We're still up....E has been fussy and cranky since we tried to go to bed at ten. We tried nursing, cuddling, rocking, diaper changes, etc., but nothing has worked so far. Now he's moved on to a full blown wail so we took a walk. That seems to be working for now, as he's drifting off a bit. I just wish our apartment was bigger so there were more places to walk.

Posted by jenny at 01:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Ev had a pretty quiet night. Aunt Jo was over and held him for a while, giving Mom and I a little break. He was feeling a little better, but I think we're starting to narrow down why he gets an upset tummy.

It's either the vitamin drops we must put in one bottle a day or a special preemie formula we have to give him twice a day. He gets only 1 mL of the drops a day, but they smell, and probably taste, like shit. Even I think they're nasty.

The trick now will be getting him to settle down and sleep a little, mommy and daddy need some really bad.

Posted by Mike at 10:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

E's finally asleep now, at 12:30. I am wasted tired. I guess this is what being a mom is all about, huh? Oh shoot, nevermind, he just woke up. Hold on.

I had to pull his bassinet into the bathroom to take a quick shower...I had just taken one last night at midnight when he puked on me, but I was stinky this morning so I had to go again. I guess I get sweaty when his warm little self is laying on me all night.

It's nice to lay there with him all warm and cozy, especially since for so long we weren't even allowed to hold him when we wanted. But I felt bad that he didn't feel well. I think he's doing better now. That's the hardest thing about having a baby so far...that he can't tell you for sure what's wrong so you can't always figure out right away how to make it better. And it breaks your heart.

Now I'm rambling. I should try to get some sleep.

Posted by jenny at 12:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Poor Ev, he had an upset tummy last night and was up for most of it, making break-your-heart noises, as he squirmed around his basinette.

It seems the only time he was happy was when we was laying with one of us, usually on our chests. That's fine with us, but by the end of the day, mommy and daddy were very tired (mommy especially), and we were both afraid we'd fall asleep with him.

E also goes to the doctor on Friday, to meet his new pediatrician and to get checked out. We'll definitly ask about the tummy thing, and any things that we can do to help him feel better. There's no worse feeling then knowing your little guy isn't comfortable. If I could trade places with him, I would.

Let's hope Evan and Mommy get some rest today.

Posted by Mike at 10:14 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the finer joys of parenting: burping your child. Nothing is funnier then when Serpico burps a few quality burps after a bottle.

I'll have to video it this weekend.

I've taken to calling him Serpico tonight. We'll see how long that lasts.

Posted by Mike at 12:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Day 2, things are moving along.

E enjoyed a visit from the home health nurse today, and she said he looked just fine. His weight was 4 lbs, 7 ozs, and she seemed pleased with the way things were going for us. It's a good thing for him to be home with Mommy and Daddy.

Still trying to get adjusted to this new sleeping schedule. It's not bad during the day, and I actually get to nap for a bit when he sleeps, but at night it's a struggle. My body wants to be sleeping, and getting him fed sometimes seems like a huge task. But we get by, and really he's been quite a good baby so far.

We'll have to take some movies this week to show you all what life at home is like for E-Dog. He's a funny little dude and we're glad to finally get the chance to get to know him on our own terms. I'm going to go lay in bed now with E and Daddy. There's a skyscraper show on the Discovery Channel.

Posted by jenny at 09:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Day 1 is in the bag.

E-Hova^* did pretty good overnight, getting up a few times to eat, but sleeping most of the time.

I'll be honest, neither Jennifer nor I really slept much. He'd coo or stretch or gurgle and one of us was perched on the side of the basinette making sure he was okay. I think we forget he's a month old, since he feels almost brand new again that we have him home.

Jennifer watched him most of today while I did the house-stuff, vacuuming, a little bit of shopping, watching the USA/Canada hockey game. You know, the important stuff.

Tomorrow morning we have a visit from the Home Health Care nurse, who wants to just make sure everything is cool. That's standard for preemie babes sent home from Hamot.

It was strange for us not to be at Hamot today - the first day since mid-January neither of us was there. It had become such a routine, that I think will take a few more days to break ourselves of.

The moment it all felt real, finally, is when the three of us layed in bed today, watching the Olympics, with him laying between us. It was awesome.

* - Thanks for Matt for the nickname today. nice call.

Posted by Mike at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

E-Dog is home, safe and sound. After failing his car seat test four times, the doctor decided to lend us a special preemie car seat for a few months, and E passed in that with flying colors. We were discharged and unplugged and sent on our way. Now the fun begins. Wish us luck! And don't worry, we'll still keep posting updates.

P.S. The belly cam has now become the E-Dog cam. He's here to stay.

Posted by jenny at 09:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Another full day at Hamot, and I am worn out. So is E-Dog...he's had so many shots and tests and exams in the past few days that he really couldn't be bothered. It was all I could do to get him to eat today. I think we've all had enough.

He passed his hearing test with flying colors, but failed his car seat test twice. His oxygen saturations dropped dramatically each time he was in the seat. So now we're kind of on hold...he can't come home until we figure out a way for him to ride safely in the car. That could mean getting a car bed or special seat of some sort, or caffeine shots, or something else. I think they might try again tomorrow. I'm not sure, the doctor was kind of vague and I didn't press the issue. We'll find out more tomorrow.

Mike and I are going to spend the evening cleaning and just kind of tuning out everything. I hope it helps. And tomorrow we'll find out what is in store for E.

Posted by jenny at 05:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Happy one month birthday to our little baby bundle! Today I spent 12 hours at the hospital because we're breastfeeding on demand in anticipation of E-Dog's homecoming. Looks like we'll probably do our rooming in Saturday night and he'll come home with us on Sunday. Yikes.

Today E did well feeding (and burping!). He made his move into the open crib, which he really seems to like. He also got his hepatitis b vaccine and his Synagis to help protect him from RSV. He did not enjoy getting two shots. E also got a final evaluation by the occupational therapist (he did beautifully) and a brain sonogram to see if he still has a cyst from when he was first born. Hopefully that will come out okay.

Tomorrow is more of the same as far as feeding, and he has his car seat test. He has to sit in his car seat for an hour without any breathing trouble. I'm sure he'll do fine with that. I think E will also have a hearing screening tomorrow, maybe we'll get to give him a bath for the first time. Nothing but excitement during our days at Hamot.

Anybody want a cat? We're looking for a loving home for Kitty, as we are trying to eliminate all allergins from our home. She's a sweet cat, and loves to sit on your lap or run into your fist, and we really hate to give her up. Unfortunately, E-Dog is a sensitive lad and we have to do what's best for him. E-mail me if you're interested. We're also trying to get our house clean and dust free in our few spare hours every day. Could it get any more hectic?

Posted by jenny at 10:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We left the hospital around 8 tonight because I was having gallbladder pains, and I came home and went to sleep. I woke up when Mike came to bed at 1:30 and I'm feeling much better, but now I'm awake and thinking and not sleeping. Which is bad because, as Mikaele reminded me today, sleep is precious and we're about to get none of it.

I'm a little apprehensive. I always assumed I would be a good mom but now I have to put my money where my mouth is. I hope I can handle it. I guess my biggest fear is that he will not gain weight and we'll backtrack because he's such an erratic breastfeeder and there's no way to measure how much he's getting. It's these little fears that keep you up at night. But we'll handle it. Mike, although I don't think he knows it, is a great dad and always does his part with Evan. I'm sure the three of us will figure it out, and muddle through together.

Posted by jenny at 01:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Remember that rumor about E coming home this weekend? It's not just a rumor. The kid is coming home this weekend.

We are terrified, but excited.

We have a lot to do before the weekend. They pulled his feeding tube this morning. He's going into an open crib tonight. I can't believe how quickly this is happening. Kind of like the way he was born, don't you think?

Posted by jenny at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Big news kids! E-Dog is a monster, he's 4 lbs., 2 ozs. today! And he's off of his oxygen! A handsome, happy little boy with less tape on his face, breathing room air. What a great day.

Breastfeeding continues to go well, and we got to do two feedings tonight, two hours apart. In between times, Mike and I played with E and changed the poopiest diaper ever. Wow. It was insane, and we were laughing so hard we could barely finish the job. The poor kid was looking at us like, "Man, I have the craziest parents." Which he does.

Posted by jenny at 10:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Real-life, very exciting video of Evan laying in his bed. Okay, its really not terribly exciting, but its cool.

MPG (zipped, 14mb).

Enjoy!

Posted by Mike at 10:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm free, I'm free! I had my follow up doctor's appointment this afternoon, and it looks like I'm all healed. I'm allowed to drive again and return to regular activity, but was cautioned to still stay away from heavy lifting. I've lost my pregnancy weight (all five pounds of it!!) plus eight extra pounds so far--gotta love breastfeeding! My blood pressure was down to what it usually is, and we couldn't be happier.

Dr. Dailey did ask how Evan was doing and reassured us that this probably won't happen in the next pregnancy. This was nice to hear, because we had heard conflicting reports. Apparently I'm at higher risk for it to happen again, but about 75% of second pregnancies in preeclamptic women are completely normal. So maybe we won't have to be so nervous if we decide to try this again a few years down the line. For now, we're going to enjoy our little peanut that's already here.

Posted by jenny at 02:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's Monday, and we're still a hair under four pounds. But E-Dog is doing so well. His oxygen is down to 1/64 of a liter (as low as it can go) and his sats have been steady at 100 or high 90's, so the oxygen is probably coming off in the next day or so. He will be very happy about that I'm sure.

E is also doing well with the bottle, but today he did wonderfully on the breast too! He latched on and paced himself well, and fed for about fifteen minutes before drifting off to sleep. This is such a relief for me because I really wanted him to be a breastfed baby, at my actual breast instead of pumping and bottle feeding. I'm sure he's just going to keep getting better, he was so pleased with himself today and so were we. It was an excellent day.

Posted by jenny at 08:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Whoa baby...3 lbs., 15 ozs. today! Looks like E's going to hit the big 4 pound mark at the same time as his month birthday. I think he deserves a party. We're so proud of him!

E-Dog is doing better with feeding by mouth too. Doctor's orders are to "nipple" him once a shift, or when alert. E did well today, taking a full bottle at 9 am and 3 pm. The nurses said he was very awake at three and looking for Mommy, because I'm usually there by then during the week. Isn't that sweet? But he was also up at 6, so I fed him a full bottle for the first time. Usually when I do it he only takes about half and then pukes. E took the whole thing this time, and he only spit up a little bit. He's getting the hang of things, for sure!

Posted by jenny at 07:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Weigh in: 3 lbs., 12 oz. We've got a hefty baby on our hands. I tell you, when he hits 4 pounds we're having a party. Not much new to report. Our little E continues his daily struggle with the bottle. Today I gave him one at three and he gulped down half of it out of pure excitement. He then looked bewildered as he puked it back up. We now have to learn to pace ourselves.

E also got some Valentine love...a card from Aunt Louise that I took down to show him and put on his isolet, and a red and white blanket and hat that an old woman crocheted for him. All the NICU babies got one, I guess this woman does this for every holiday. Isn't that sweet? He was a happy little love today.

Posted by jenny at 09:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Today's weight: 3 lbs, 11 oz. Evan was fussy and crying all morning until he puked all over his crib around 1, then he settled down a bit. He had a nice big poop around three and slept the rest of the afternoon, tolerating all his feedings. The nurse thought maybe something I ate got into the breastmilk and it didn't agree with him. I'll have to take note of that.

E woke up at 6 to play with Daddy, and we got some nice pictures while he was awake. Mike will post those tonight. E seems a little happier this evening and was sleeping peacefully by the time we left him. Such a good boy!

Posted by jenny at 07:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

E is three (weeks old) as of yesterday and we celebrated with a move to the intermediate nursery. It's just across the hall from the room he was in, but it's for babies who are more stable and are now just there to grow and learn the basics of feeding by mouth. Quite a few new babies have come in since the weekend, and several more are expected this week, so we are glad to move to the quieter and lower stress environment of the other side.

Last night was okay for him. He has good days and bad days as far as feeding goes. He only took about a third of each of his bottles yesterday, and seemed to be struggling a bit. The nurses don't seem worried though because he is making a good effort. The suck/swallow/breathe ability becomes easier as he gets older, so this is something that will be helped with time. We'll keep working on it.

Posted by jenny at 10:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last night and tonight have been great with E-Dog. He was calm and alert when we had him out of his crib, and he didn't set off any alarms or become agitated. He's getting the hang of the breastfeeding, but still isn't able to do a "full" feeding....he just sort of snacks. Dad and I have gotten to really concentrate on him and his cues, so that is helpful too.

In news from the nurse, he's up to 3 lbs, 9 ozs (though we didn't get to check today as the NICU was buzzing with the arrival of new babies). His oxygen has been taken down a little again, and he's doing well with that. But the best news is that E has been trying to eat from a bottle at his 9 am feeding, and he took an entire bottle this morning! As he tolerates that, more feedings will be given by mouth, and that's one check on our list towards coming home.

Posted by jenny at 07:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Feeding update: Breastmilk is no longer being fortified. Back to the all-natural stuff. They also increased his feedings again (33 ml). And he's been doing well with them for the last day, so maybe that did the trick. Nurse Sherrie thinks that maybe he just had an upset tummy.

They put the kid in clothes now, which is really funny. He just swims in everything. The newborn t-shirts he's been wearing are like gowns on him, but we did get some preemie things over the last few days so maybe he'll do a little better in those. We'll take some new pictures today so everyone can see.

We're also going to give him a few days off from visitors, because he does get easily stressed. Any extra noise or people around really gets him going, and it seems to have been bothering him more in the last few days. They had to bring his oxygen up again and he was setting off his alarms a lot. So maybe some quiet time will help him out, and help us to spend more time getting the breastfeeding off the ground. We'll let everyone know when it's safe to come visit again.

Posted by jenny at 10:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's been a long 2 days in the camp here. Seems the little one has taken to spitting up after his feedings the last 2 days or so, and then gets all stressed out about. The current thinking is that it could be any of the folllowing things:

a) they are fortifying the breastmilk with some additional nutrients and minerals. He may not like that. b) He's getting too much food, or in too short of a time. i think we forget how small his tummy really is. c) he gets stressed out really easy. It seems that even if more then a few people are around, and even though he's in his isolet, he gets stressed. He sets off bells and gets the hiccups, his sign that he's worked up. After we left tonight, he tolerated his feedings better. They spaced them out a bit, and lengthened the time it takes to give him the feeding, and he seems better.

So, just another day and another new thing to deal with. To say we're both mentally and physically exhausted would be an understatement of epic proportions. We keep saying that we need a break, even for an afternoon, but I think we'd both feel guilty doing something selfish for us, while he's still in the hospital. Maybe this weekend we'll go do something, relax for a little bit, maybe catch a movie. We'll see. It's a long way to the weekend.

Posted by Mike at 12:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I've never been one to really stick with things...diets, exercise plans, study schedules. I am great for about three days and then I get lazy and stop doing what I am supposed to. So this breastfeeding thing has been a real stretch for me.

Breastfeeding is not easy, especially when all you are feeding is an electric pump. I've been getting a little discouraged lately, as it has to go with me everywhere, and I have to stop every two to three hours to do the deed. I know it would be the same if E were at home, but I would be feeding him instead of these stupid plastic horns.

I know it's the best thing for E though...he needs the extra nutrition to grow, and all of those good things that come from Mom to boost his immune system. So I've been sticking to it, even though it's not fun or comfortable and I would rather sleep. Luckily Mike is committed to making this work too, and will often help by getting me set up, washing pump parts, etc. That helps a lot.

Yesterday was the big payoff. The nurse let me put E to breast during the 6 o'clock feeding...just to see what he would do, and to get him used to the idea that this is the chuck wagon. And wouldn't you know, the little bugger latched right on. He sucked for a while but was easily distracted, so I had to keep reminding him what he was there for. He did well, and I think he even got a little something something (evidenced by the fact that he spit up on me when we were finished).

When he was latched on, looking up at me with shining eyes, it made all of this worthwhile. I felt so connected to him, and it made me really happy. I feel a little guilty that his dad can't experience this too. It was such an amazing moment.

Posted by jenny at 02:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

E-Dog is two weeks old! Today was our family conference with the neonatalogist, social worker, and E's nurse. It was nice to sit down and go over everything, and we got to ask questions about what's going to happen over the next few weeks.

His feedings continue to increase (26 ml today) and tomorrow he's done with his iv. He also continues to gain weight, tipping the scales at 3 lbs, 6 ozs today. Towards the end of next week we'll try feeding by mouth (at my actual breast--whoa!). He might take to that easily because he already gives the nurses a hard time when they take away his pacifier!

In order to go home, he needs to be taking all of his feedings by mouth, gaining weight, and able to keep warm in an open crib. The doctor seems to think all of that will be happening by the end of this month, so we're pretty excited. Everyone is pleased with his progress, and we're hoping that he continues doing well so he can bust out of there.

Posted by jenny at 07:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Some good news to share! We had a great night with little E...fed him (he's up to 21 ml each feeding now), changed him (big poopy, Mom was proud) and held him for 45 minutes. It was so nice. But better than that, he's gaining weight! He's back up to his birth weight of 3 pounds, 1 ounce. Hooray! And they put him on a different iv solution because his feedings are getting big enough that he's getting his nutrition from those. Before long he should be off the iv entirely. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of E-Dog....he's doing just what he needs to so he can come home soon.

Posted by jenny at 08:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Last night was an interesting one in the NICU...things continue to be crowded and there were rumors of triplets on their way as nurses scrambled for extra beds and iv pumps. Little E was having a good day, more squirmy and awake than I had ever seen him. But then we took him out to hold him and feed him dinner. That went fine until he spit up. It wasn't much, and he seemed okay, so the nurse told us to just make sure we fed him slowly. We did, and he seemed happy when we put him back in his bed. Then, as we were saying our goodbyes, he spit up again and it went in his bed and up his nose. That set him off and he got really fussy (I would too, with puke up my nose). So the nurse had to change his bed and his canula, suction him, and get him all settled again. We stayed with him for another half an hour to try to calm him, but he was still a little upset when we left. We felt so bad because he looked so unhappy, and we couldn't do anything to make him feel better. I called at 11 pm though, just to make sure he was okay and settled, and the nurse said he had an excellent night, was breathing well and was very happy. So Mom and Dad could go to bed happy too.

Posted by jenny at 03:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)