Nap time

JR is taking today and tomorrow off work for an extra long weekend.

I was making formula in the kitchen when I realized JR fell asleep while on the computer. Evan was asleep in the bassinet next to him. The flash didn't even wake them up!
And when JR woke up, I snuck a swim (man, I look tired, even in the pool!):Later on, I went to the store while JR and Evan watched TV...

Ooooh, Evan doesn't like that channel...
And now Evan is still crying. We may be in for a few hours of nonstop crying...

Nice try

JR got a piece of junk mail, with quite an original spelling of his name...

Apres le bain

Yesterday I gave Evan a bath. It was the first bath in the kitchen sink (instead of our smaller bathroom sink). I love how after a bath and a good towel dry, his hair sticks straight up. Rather than combing it right away, I left it like that for a while because it was so cute. I don't know if the photos really capture it.
And a big yawn... (a decieving one, because he did not sleep after the bath...)
Instead of sleeping, he wanted to suck on his pacifier and gaze out the window, as he reclined back on my knees.

Daddy time

I'm starting to realize Evan's wakeful periods are not random; they are based on when JR is home. He wakes up in the morning and stays awake for Daddy's baby talk and kisses, then soon after JR leaves, he falls asleep. Then, he wakes up soon before JR gets home and stays awake to hang out with him. Today, I was stumped as to why Evan was not falling asleep after the midmorning meal as he usually does. I seriously think he knew JR was coming home for lunch! He stayed awake and was fussy, and once JR walked through the door he seemed happier. Then we (Srivalli, who also came for lunch, JR, and me) were trying to put him to sleep and he would not have that!

Finally Evan seemed to be falling asleep. JR said goodbye to Evan, kissing him, saying "I don't care if I wake you up because I'm leaving!" The minute JR walked out the front door, Evan fell into a deep sleep. He knew Daddy was gone, and so he could sleep now!

2 month checkup

We took Evan to the pediatrician yesterday. He had his vaccinations--3 shots--and cried just for a few seconds. Then he was just looking around as if nothing happened. My strong little guy! The doctor was very happy with his weight gain, his color, his chubby cheeks, and his alertness. She also said we could just wait off on that third medication, since his reflux seems to be doing better. We are still seeing the gastrointestinal specialist this Friday, as Evan still has some reflux. Overall, he's doing great!

JR and I learned a lesson Sunday night. Evan was crying from midnight to 4am, after having slept all day. I finally handed Evan over to JR after 4 hours, said "Here!" and JR put him to sleep soon after.

As for some changes--no more letting the little guy sleep for 5 hours! The pediatrician said to wake him every 3 hours during the day and every 4 hours at night. And it was as if Evan heard this and understood, because yesterday he woke up every 3 hours during the day, all by himself, and 4 hours during the night last night! Well, it's been 3 hours, and he's waking up right now--feeding time!

2 months

Today is Evan's 2 month "birthday." It's hard to believe he was born only 2 months, since the time has gone by so slowly (for me, anyway). It is wonderful to see the progess he has made since birth. Even in the 3 weeks he's been home, he's grown so much and gotten much stronger and healthier. Last night, Marie-Claire (JR's aunt) said his pyjamas were too small for him. Sure enough, his feet were at the ends and he couldn't even straighten his legs! How exciting! I felt so happy seeing his feet stretching the legs of those pyjamas! It's hard to see the daily changes sometimes since I see him so often. So gauging his length by his pyjamas will do just fine. Soon he'll be able to wear all the adorable outfits people have given us.

* * * * *

Weight

Today, like every day, we weighed our little "crevette..."

Evan weighs 7 pounds, 10 ounces.

Evan pese 3.466.

* * * * *

Tomorrow we take him in for his 2 month checkup. About a week ago, the doctor wanted to start him on a new medication for reflux. After waiting a few days for the medication to become available, there was confusion between the pharmicist and the doctors about the dosage and the form of the medication (why don't pharmicists understand this is for a little baby and geltabs won't work?). JR and I never picked up the medication. And I don't think we're going to, because Evan doesn't seem to need it anymore! He still takes 2 types of medications, at a higher dose for the past week, and his reflux has not been that bad. He is doing so much better!

Il a grossi!

Hier, Evan a pris 34 grammes, et aujourd'hui il a pris 66! Maintenant il pese 3.386 kilos.

In ounces, I believe it's 7 pounds, 6 ounces. He is growing. So after 6 days of no weight gain, no more waiting for the ounces to pile on!

Expressions

Here are some photos of Evan's funny facial expressions. OK, so maybe they are "reflexes," especially considering the following faces occurred within seconds of each other, but still, it's interesting and cute.

What do these faces say to you?

My Apologies

I want to apologize for thye first part of the previous post, which I have since deleted. I did not want to scare or worry anyone. Sometimes, my fears are completely irrational, beyond the normal, healthy motherly concern. It's embarrasing. Evan looks great, eats great, and I'm sure it will just take a little time until he outgrows the reflux.

* * * * *

Je suis desolee pour ce que j'avait ecrit hier. Je ne voulais pas faire peur a personne. Moi, parfois j'ai tres peur mais ce n'est pas normal. J'ai honte d'etre comme ca mais j'essaye de me calmer. Evan, lui, va bien. Il est beau, il mange tres bien, il faut juste du temps pour grossir.

Je tape avec une seule main parce que je le tiens contre moi. Il dors maintenant, tres profondement...

Reflux

We went to the pedriatrician, and I always feel better after that. She's really nice, very caring, and a great doctor too. We still don't know why Evan hasn't gained weight lately--he eats great and doesn't spit up too much. He will get a higher dose of his reflux medications until the doctor can track down the medication she wants to start him on (it's amazing how difficult it is to find medications for infants...). Evan will also see a specialist in gastrointestinal medicine, and may get tests done.

JR and I are so tired of worrying all the time. After the NICU experience, it's almost like I'm conditioned to worry. But as JR says, we shouldn't think of him as a sick baby. He looks great, and over time things will improve. Sometimes it's just hard to be patient, to enjoy him in the present moment. And no matter what people tell me of time flying by, it seems to be traveling along at a snail's pace, broken up only by routine feedings, bottle cleaning, laundry, etc. I will try harder from now on to really enjoy my sweet, beautiful boy.

Settling in

First, here are some photos my friend Elaine took when she visited me one day last week:
And here are some from a few days ago (no, the photos with the bibs were not taken the same day!), including one with Evan sleeping on his Daddy:

Go Broncos!


What's up?
Waving hello...
Having a calm evening with Daddy:
The calm evenings do not happen often, actually. Sometimes Evan will cry for 3 or 4 hours straight, before finally falling asleep. JR and I are learning how to deal with this and how to establish a routine that works for him. I guess these things just take time. Most of the time, though, Evan is happy and alert or sleeping peacefully.

He now weighs 7 lbs, 4 oz (3.3 kilos). I'm about to weigh him again actually (I weigh him every day on a scale we rented). He is growing daily!

More photos at home

Exploring his bouncer...

After a good meal with Mommy...

More bouncer time, (when it was too hot to hold him yesterday) :

Homecoming

Today is the big day! Evan is coming home...around noon. I will write more later, unless he keeps me so busy I can't ;).

It really is like a new birth. Everything has changed so drastically that the NICU already seems like so long ago.

We got home around 2pm, and gave Evan a tour of the house. I think he was excited and overwhelmed because he did not sleep all afternoon and evening. JR and I took turns holding him, holding his pacifier in his mouth, attempting to put him down to sleep with no success. JR's aunt and uncle then held him and he finally fell asleep around 11pm. And what a great night! He slept so soundly, did not cry at all--I had to wake him up to eat! So JR and I were able to get at least some sleep (mine was very light--if he coughed I jumped up to see if was okay). And, as you probably guessed from the fact that I'm blogging, he's sleeping now.

Here are some photos at the NICU then at home, from yesterday:

Getting ready to leave the NICU...






Yay! I'm going home, I'm going home!


C'mon, guys! Hurry and get me out of here!

Final countdown?

Evan should be coming home tomorrow. He hasn't had any episodes for over 4 days (it will be 5 days tonight). So everything is "on track" as the nurse told me this morning.

Evan really wants to come home. Last night when JR and I arrived, the nurse was holding him and rocking him and telling us he didn't sleep, that when she tried to put him in his bed he cried out as if the bed was full of needles. I gave him his bottle, and he was so sleepy.

He even slept through the burping...

Then he fell into a deep, peaceful sleep on Daddy's chest. What was that nurse talking about? When we come in, when we hold him, he is so calm! Hahaha. When we put him back in his bed he woke up, and almost cried but I patted him and tried to soothe him. He wants to come home, he wants to be with his Mommy and Daddy all the time.

He is doing so well and is really like a "normal newborn" now. As the doctors and JR's aunt (also a doctor!) told me, when he comes home I cannot think of him any longer as a sick or abnormal baby. When he comes home, we have to treat him like the normal, healthy baby he now is. Strange as it may sound, it will be a difficult adjustment after being connected both physically and emotionally to all those monitors and machines. But nothing can make me happier knowing our little Evan is healthy, and will be with us home soon.

Hopefully, the next posting and photos will be of his homecoming, a new birth.

Little Tomato

Last night JR and I went to the hospital for Evan's evening feeding, as usual. We got there about an hour after the second blood transfusion finished (they didn't want to give all the blood at once so they did it in two sessions over two days).

He woke up and started crying (when he wants to eat he wants to eat NOW) and he was so red. I was shocked. "He looks like a little tomato," I told JR. When he was calm, he was still so pink. "So is that the normal color for healthy babies?" I asked the nurse. Indeed. JR and I were so used to his pallor that it was so amazing to see him so pink (and red when crying).

This morning the nurse said he is very energetic, and he didn't have any episodes last night. I think this blood transfusion will help him so much; I have a feeling he'll be a lot better now.

Sunday or Monday the doctor wants to have a sleep study done. She is nervous he is still having episodes on and off, and wants a more thorough evaluation. They will transport Evan to the Children's hospital near Stanford Medical Center and do it there. Then, maybe he will be discharged from there. We shall see...

Pinked up

I found out Tuesday that Evan needed a blood transfusion because his iron level is low. As people have told me, this is very common and is done for most premature babies. The doctor told me it sounds scarier than it is, that it'is very simple, just an IV. Yet Tuesday I was so emotional. The nurses decided to give me my own personal box of Kleenex and leave it at Evan's side at all times. I guess it was just sort of a shock to me, because I thought he was doing so well and would be coming home soon.

I wanted to give my own blood, but once I got to Stanford Blood Center, the nurses were all so sure that I would not be able to. I was only 5 weeks postpartum and the rule is you have to be at least 6. To their shock, my iron level was fine. Still, it took 2 hours to go through the process since I was an exception to all their rules. I guess they don't have many cases like this. Anyway, after every nurse there felt my arms for my elusive veins, they called on the master vein-poker, who got the needle in with one very carefully planned stick. I tried to escape after a couple minutes (I had to pump! I was late!) but they forced me to stay there for 20 minutes and eat cookies and juice.

The blood needed to be tested for over 24 hours, so Evan got the transfusion last night. JR was holding him and giving him a bottle when the blood started going in. We left before it was done (it takes a couple hours), so I called this morning and the nurse told me Evan really "pinked up". He will get more blood this evening, so maybe he'll be even pinker tonight! I can't wait to see him looking better.

As for when he's coming home, he had a brady episode late Tuesday night. And he needs to go 5 days without an episode... So maybe Sunday?