I can't find my toes, did you eat them?
This sign on our bathroom mirror makes me giggle every time I read it!
I graduated from my preemie clothes! Check out my NEWBORN sleeper!
Thursday, February 23, 2012
A couple pics.
This sign on our bathroom mirror makes me giggle every time I read it!I graduated from my preemie clothes! Check out my NEWBORN sleeper!
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Home Depot?
We figured it was time for another update since many of you have been asking for one! The past few days the doctors have been talking about letting Caden go to "Home Depot". This is NICU talk for letting the baby go home. They don't say that because when they do the babies tend to act up and stay in the NICU longer. :)
They are estimating it should be within the next week, but could be as early as Friday. We are breaking the trip up into several days and stopping to see friends and family along the way, which has been the recommendation of our doctors. He can't handle more than a few hours sitting in a car seat and we are 16 hours from home...depot.
He is about 18 and 3/4 inches long and weighs about 5lbs, 12oz. He is taking over 75% of his feeds and even went 24 hours once taking all of his feeds. Once he is taking 100% of his feeds consistently, he can leave.
We continue to enjoy Ann Arbor with recent stops at a local ice cream dairy store, a greasy burger joint that was featured on Food Network, and a reptile museum. We've even been into Detroit twice - Michelle got her hair cut and colored for the first time since getting pregnant.
The resources that are being provided to us by the hospital continue to amaze us - we are learning an incredible amount of information, more than what would have been available to us back home. This hospital is truly one of the best in the world. We have met with lactation consultants, occupational therapists to assist with bottle feeding, infant massage, etc, etc, etc. They have all given us contact information so that we can contact them once we get back to Valley Center if we have any further questions.
We met with a doctor to discuss test results on Braxton and Tarson. They were able to determine that none of their health issues were genetic and were rather just random and a cause of a high risk multiples pregnancy. The risk of a baby having the same health issues in future pregnancies would be roughly 2-3%. This was very encouraging news.
We look forward to seeing friends and family in the next few days and finally getting back to home depot. We are planning some sort of open house/come see our baby after we return and have a few days to ourselves to settle into a routine and make sure he adjusts well to life outside the NICU. We will post that information to the blog and facebook.
As always, a big thank you to everyone for all that you have done for us along the way.
They are estimating it should be within the next week, but could be as early as Friday. We are breaking the trip up into several days and stopping to see friends and family along the way, which has been the recommendation of our doctors. He can't handle more than a few hours sitting in a car seat and we are 16 hours from home...depot.
He is about 18 and 3/4 inches long and weighs about 5lbs, 12oz. He is taking over 75% of his feeds and even went 24 hours once taking all of his feeds. Once he is taking 100% of his feeds consistently, he can leave.
We continue to enjoy Ann Arbor with recent stops at a local ice cream dairy store, a greasy burger joint that was featured on Food Network, and a reptile museum. We've even been into Detroit twice - Michelle got her hair cut and colored for the first time since getting pregnant.
The resources that are being provided to us by the hospital continue to amaze us - we are learning an incredible amount of information, more than what would have been available to us back home. This hospital is truly one of the best in the world. We have met with lactation consultants, occupational therapists to assist with bottle feeding, infant massage, etc, etc, etc. They have all given us contact information so that we can contact them once we get back to Valley Center if we have any further questions.
We met with a doctor to discuss test results on Braxton and Tarson. They were able to determine that none of their health issues were genetic and were rather just random and a cause of a high risk multiples pregnancy. The risk of a baby having the same health issues in future pregnancies would be roughly 2-3%. This was very encouraging news.
We look forward to seeing friends and family in the next few days and finally getting back to home depot. We are planning some sort of open house/come see our baby after we return and have a few days to ourselves to settle into a routine and make sure he adjusts well to life outside the NICU. We will post that information to the blog and facebook.
As always, a big thank you to everyone for all that you have done for us along the way.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Just for fun!
Nap time with Daddy!
Awake after eating.
One of our nieces LOVES watching the last video we posted of Caden getting a bath. Since that video is so "worn out," we decided to add a new one.
Saturday, February 11, 2012
5 pounds!
You read that correctly...Caden has reached 5 pounds and is 18 1/4 inches long!!! He begins most meals with a bottle, and finishes about half of each meal before tuckering out (he gets the rest of his meal through a tube). He is having fewer and fewer Bradys, and self recovers from MOST of the ones he does have.
Dan and I are still staying at RonnieMac, and continue to find great restaurants in and around Ann Arbor. We are looking forward to coming home soon (cross your fingers for late February)!
Dan and I had a great time at Build-A-Bear!
Our little towhead.
Friday, February 3, 2012
NO MORE NASAL CANNULA!!
Caden has been without ANY oxygen support (not even the tent) since 10am today and has done great!! His levels occasionally drop below the ideal 85%, but he has self recovered every time so his doctors are very pleased! When he is able to maintain this for 5 days, he'll be one step closer to going home!!
In order to go home, he must...
1. Remember to breath without stimulation (ideally, without oxygen support)
2. Maintain his temperature (he's been doing this for a week)
3. Eat on his own (where Caden needs the most work).
On a side note, this was my supper last night. I didn't know where to start it was so pretty!
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
RonnieMac
Caden actually took a step back yesterday, and went back on the nasal cannula full time. He also spent most of the day sleeping, so they decided he should only attempt feeding by mouth once per shift. This will ensure that he doesn't use all of his calories eating. The nurses and doctors aren't at all concerned with this step back, and blame it on him being a preemie. His oxygen levels have been much more steady today than we've ever seen them, so we feel good about the changes made yesterday. He is up to 3 pounds 15.5 ounces!
We have been living at the Ronald McDonald house for the past month, and have found this to be a wonderful place. The Ann Arbor house holds 29 families, and is usually full. Each family is expected to complete a daily chore, and donate $10 per night to stay. Volunteers come in and cook a meal each night for supper.
RonnieMac:
RonnieMac from Caden's room:
View of hospital from RonnieMac:
Garden inside RonnieMac (the plaque has names of some of the big donors to this Ronald McDonald house)
Living room:
Dining room:
Play room: (we spend ALL our time here..haha!)
Kitchen: There are 5 "mini-kitchens." Each family has designated fridge space in one of the fridges, as well as a locked pantry area.
We even found time to go to the Michigan vs Indiana game.
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