Baby's First Christmas a Success!

Luke's first Christmas was a lot of fun and he was introduced to many new things. He got his first taste of solid food - oatmeal - on Christmas Eve. He was really not interested in it at all, but we tried a few more times and on the day after Christmas he actually ate some! Since then he hasn't been as interested, but we keep trying.

We had a very nice time in Houston with Grandpa Ramon, Grandma Terry, Ana Maria, Theo and big cousin Elise. Luke and Elise cooperated with nap time when the big people were having their holiday meals which was a nice treat for us. Elise got to enjoy some of the adult holiday meals and even got a bit of the Chilean Sea Bass - such discriminating taste for an 11 month old!

Luke got a bunch of stuff - clothes, books, toys and bibs and he got to meet some new cousins and aunts and uncles.

When we got back to Austin on Saturday we had something else for him to try. Since he's past the six month mark and out of the most dangerous time for SIDS we decided it was time to move him out of our room and into his crib for bedtime. He's been taking naps in his crib, but he's slept in pack and play in our bedroom since we brought him home from the hospital. I think this was a harder move for me to make then for Luke. He had no problem going to sleep in there, even after sleeping almost the whole time back from Houston! We did have to do some more of the sleep training when he woke up at 3 AM. This time it took longer than when we did it the first time. We think it was because he flipped over to his stomach and was flailing about for a while. Again, it was not a fun night for us, but he eventually fell asleep after nearly an hour of non stop crying and getting set on his back again. Poor guy! The next night was better because he didn't wake up at 3, but he did wake up at 4:30 and was wide awake. That's too late to do this progressive waiting method, so I wonder what we're supposed to do in these cases. We just let him play in his crib for a while until about 5:30 when he started to get cranky.

Six Months

Last night we let him cry. For a while he'd been sleeping through the night just fine, but for the past few weeks he's been waking up most nights. At first we thought it was because of the Thanksgiving travel or because he was getting ready to flip over, but we decided it was time we did something before we had a big sleep problem on our hands. So, around 3 AM, after some time trying to comfort him and then lie him down again unsuccessfully we let him cry using the progressive waiting method. This method was suggested by our Baby 411 book and the way it works is you let them cry for 5 minutes and then make an appearance to let them know you're still there. You're not supposed to pick them up though. You keep adding 5 minutes to the amount of time you wait before you make another appearance. It was about an hour before the cries started to be interrupted by thumb sucking sounds. Finally the crying stopped completely and the poor little guy fell asleep! This was not fun for us, but as the book promised he was happy to see us this morning and seemed to have forgotten all about it! We'll see what happens tonight and the next few nights while we're at Grandpa Ramon and Grandma Terry's house. The book says we're in for several nights of this, but after that he should be an excellent sleeper! Stay tuned for how this turns out...

Tomorrow Luke will be six months old. Today was his six month check up and we had a lot of questions since it's been two months since he's been to the doctor. He had to get a bunch of shots too, including the seasonal flu and H1N1. Poor little dude! But he did very well and only cried for a minute or two. He's up to 13 lbs 14 oz and 25 inches long, which is a nearly two pound, two inch gain in two months. He's still on track for normal growth and he got the ok to start eating solids so it's time to set up the high chair and get messy!

Simpson Christmas Weekend

On Saturday uncle Brian, aunt Lisa and cousins Sabrina, Isabelle and James came to Austin to celebrate Christmas with us and Grandma and Grandpa. This was also their first time to meet Luke and Sabrina and Isabelle got to keep taking turns holding him. He didn't seem to mind all the handling. Future babysitters??? We had a yummy lasagna dinner followed by building a gingerbread house and opening gifts. Luke got a nice soft book, some bibs (picked by Sabrina) and a crawl ball. Hopefully he'll start playing with the ball soon!

On Sunday evening we went to The Zilker Tree Holiday Festival (formerly the Trail of Lights) and we hope to make it an annual tradition for our new family. As Brad said, "we haven't missed a year yet!" The weather was a little nippy, but not too cold and Luke stayed awake most of the time. Brad and I even twirled under the tree. Here's Luke enjoying the sights and lights.

Belly and Feet

This week has been all about the belly and feet. He discovered his feet a few weeks ago, but he's really been grabbing them this week and has pulled them just shy of his mouth. He just can't keep his hands off of them - especially when you're trying to change his diaper. He's still rolling over frequently and he's starting to get a little more comfortable after he lands on his belly. He's starting to prop himself up on his elbows and relax instead of flailing his arms and legs around while balancing on his tummy. I can already picture him lying on his stomach in front of some cartoons, thumb in mouth.

With the start of the holiday season a lot has been going on. We took our first big road trip to Picayune to visit my mom's side of the family for Thanksgiving. Luke did pretty well during the trip considering all the commotion and the lack of naps. He got to meet a lot of the family and we're so glad Gramps was able to make it on Thanksgiving so Luke could hang out with him a little bit!

After a whirlwind trip and 1300 miles we returned to Austin to get ready for Luke's first sleep over and baptism. He got to sleep over at Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Mack's house while Brad and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary. He did just fine and I don't think he even knew we were gone! After the sleep over all the grandparents, Elise and the godparents, Ana Maria and Theo, came to Austin to celebrate his big day. He did very well during the baptism too.

Our little Houdini has been getting his arms out of the kiddopotamus almost every night so we're now wrapping him up with one arm out. We think he likes it because he can suck his thumb whenever he wants.

And the big news for this post is that he rolled over today! The first time it happened I didn't see it. One minute he was on his back and the next he was on his stomach. But when I put him on his back again he did it again! He's really starting to grow up!

First laughs

Grandma Cheryl made Luke laugh out loud and Brad caught it on tape.

Thumb time

We've been on a lucky streak because Luke keeps sleeping through the night most nights. He only wakes up if he somehow gets one of his arms out of the kiddopatomus.

He really found his thumb as you can see here. For about a week or so he was sticking it in there every chance he got. It's so cute! He's also discovered his hands and has been grabbing all his hanging toys. And he laughed out loud for the first time too. It's fun to hear the giggles come out of him when he smiles.

First Halloween

We (I) couldn't resist dressing him up for his first Halloween, even though he only wore the costume for a few minutes. He was much happier in it at home than when he wore it to my office.


Normally our Halloween preparations involve buying a bunch of candy for the neighborhood kids, hoping there will be some left at the end of the night. This year we also carved a pumpkin for Luke. We went wtih a silly pumpkin face so he wouldn't be scared.

Luke had his own treat to give for this Halloween - he's slept until 5-5:30 AM 4 of the last 6 nights!

Mr. Social

This was a busy week for Luke. Last weekend Grandpa Ramon and Grandma Terry hosted a Sip and See for him to meet his Houston family and friends. It was also his first trip out of town. He did just fine in the car and slept the whole way. He stayed awake through the Sip and See so he wouldn't miss any of the action.

Friday the girls in my department hosted a meet and greet for him since I didn't get to have a baby shower before he was born. We were celebrating Halloween at work so Luke came in his crab costume. He wasn't very happy so I had to take him out of it for the party. He was much happier afterwards and was pretty content being passed around to everyone.

We got some very nice gifts at both events. Brad and I are especially happy to have a few new books to read to him!

4 month check up

It's been a while since the last post, but this image sums up the past couple of weeks. He's been very happy and smiles all the time. His hair is starting to grow back in and the new hair looks a little bit darker. He's not sleeping through the night yet, but he's pretty close with bedtime around 8:30 and wake up sometime between 3-4:30. Brad and I are very lucky and I hope I'm not jinxing things by talking about them.

Today he had his 4 month check up. He's 12 lbs. 1oz. and 23 inches long. He's in the 5th percentile for both height and weight. The doctor was impressed with his progress so far. Although he's 4 months old they use the 2 month milestones to judge his development and he's already doing some of the things a full term 4 month old can do!

Daycare is going ok with just a couple of feeding protests while he was adjusting. In the morning we rush to get him fed and ready, while doing the same for ourselves. In the evening we rush to get him fed so we can eat in time to have a little play time before we bathe him and put him to bed. That's a sucky part of having to work, but I guess this is what people do. I do feel as if we're missing out on things sometimes. A prime example was at the doctor's office when she asked if he could push up on his elbows. I said not yet, and then he went ahead and did it!

He has a big week ahead - Grandpa Ramon and Grandma Terry are hosting a sip and see on Saturday for his Houston debut. This will be his first time out of town and we hope he does well during the car ride. Next week the girls in my office are hosting a meet and greet for him since he couldn't wait for my shower. We have a Halloween costume for him and he may wear it for the meet and greet. I haven't decided if it's too much for him to be all dressed up without trick or treating. What do you think?

Daycare

Ana Maria and Elise left last weekend after a very nice visit. I'm glad the cousins got to meet and spend a little time together. It was pretty lonely to come home on Monday to an empty house without Elise's giggling and Ana Maria whipping up a tasty dinner.

After the Prellers left we were out of family to take care of Luke so it was time for him to start daycare. Brad and I took him on the first day. Luckily it was kind of hectic in there so there wasn't much time for us to dwell. I called to check on him on once, but it was a long day for me. The first few days were an adjustment for him too and he didn't eat very much. I was worried but after a couple of days though he got his appetite back. They took footprints of the kids and put them on a little sign above their cribs so it makes it a little more homey. When I picked him up on Friday one of the teachers told me he was such a good baby and so laid back. It's nice to hear that from someone who's been around a lot of babies.

He just keeps getting bigger, some days it seems he's grown overnight. After squeezing him in some of my favorite outfits a little too long he's totally out of the newborn sized clothes. In fact I think he's already outgrown a few of the 0-3 month things we had in a different drawer. He's like a little weed! He started losing his hair too, I wonder if it will look the same when it starts growing again. He's really talking to us and smiling and laughing now. His happiest time seems to be in the mornings and right after his belly is full. Now that he's reacting to us he's starting to be more fun.

Changing of the Guard

Ana Maria and Elise have been on Luke duty since last week and they got right into the swing of things! The cousins started off on the same eating and sleeping schedule so Ana Maria had a good first day. They haven't been in synch like that since then, but they've been pretty good for her so far. I think she'll do just fine with a few of her own!
On Saturday we all went down to Lady Bird Lake to get a little exercise and fresh air. We got to use the Baby Bjorn for the first time and we showed Ana Maria our brick at Lou Neff Point. Luke slept the whole time, but Elise really enjoyed checking out the trail and all the people we passed. The walk was a little longer than we planned so when we got home it was time for all of us to take a little nap. Afterwards we watched the Texas game in our burnt orange. We ended the day with an early bird dinner at Maudie's. Of course Ana Maria had to get some Mexican food in while she was here!


We only have a few more days left before little Luke has to go to daycare. The doctor says he'll be fine, but it's scary with the swine flu and all the other illnesses out there. Wish us luck next week when the three of us are on our own! I don't know how we're going to do it, we sure are going to miss Grandma Cheryl, Auntie Ana Maria and big cousin Elise!

Chunky Monkey

The biggest news is Luke was 11 pounds yesterday! He's finally getting enough food and I think he's made up for those weeks when he didn't gain that much. Yay! He's made it to the 10th percentile for weight so maybe he'll catch up before he's 2.

Grandma Cheryl finished her shift taking care of Luke last week. They had a great time together and she was a huge help for my first week back at work. While she was here we tried to get some good routines established. One of them is story time before bed. We haven't been able to this regularly, but I think he really enjoyed Pat the Bunny that night!

Back to reality

It's been a busy two weeks. Last weekend we had the Ferro and Simpson grandparents over to visit and watch the UT game. Luke had a good time and enjoyed getting some extra attention.

On Monday I decided to get Luke weighed again before I had to return to work on Wednesday. It's a good thing I did this because he hadn't gained as much as we expected. He was 9 lbs 2 oz and we discovered he hasn't been getting enough food. That explains the extra fussiness! Poor little guy. As soon as we found that out we upped his feedings and he's now a happy camper. It's amazing what a difference this has made. He's like a different baby and much more content.

He's changed alot over the past week or so. Even though he hasn't gained that much weight Brad measured him and he is definitely getting longer - he measured 23 inches yesterday! He's made good progress with his tummy time and can push up on his arms a little more, hold his head up and turn it from side to side. Check him out! He's able to do it for a longer period of time before he gets frustrated. He's much more alert, makes eye contact and follows you when you move. He's smiling and laughing alot and starting to make more sounds. I wish we could understand what he's trying to say.

Returning to work this week wasn't easy, but leaving him with Grandma Cheryl made it less difficult. My coworkers made me feel welcome with some breakfast tacos, a cake and some beautiful flowers. We also went to lunch that day so it was a nice return. It's been good to get a break from being at home for 3 months and it's nice to think about other things again.

Luke's been great for Grandma Cheryl, just doing his baby thing and looking cute. He's even played along with the loose schedule we're trying to follow. He's eating well and taking long naps snuggled up in his crib. Aunt Kitty sent him a cd of lullablies and he listens to it to help him fall asleep. Keep your fingers crossed next week goes just as well!

Big Saturday

Saturday was a day of several firsts for Luke. He started off by taking his first nap in his crib. Until now he's been napping wherever and whenever he falls asleep, either in his bouncer, lounger, car seat or on me or Brad. He's been taking either short cat naps or long 2 hour naps at random times throughout the day. We're not sure if he's considered 10 1/2 or 3 1/2 (adjusted age) weeks old in this area of development, but between 2-4 months he's supposed to be able to have some type of schedule. Since we had a long weekend we decided it's a good time to try to get him on one, or at least figure out what his schedule is. He took two naps in his crib that day - they were only 15-20 minutes long - but he was able to go to sleep in there on his own!

He also got to go to Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Mack's for the first time to watch his first UT game. Although his outfit was way too big, he enjoyed the game and we were able to stay for most of it.

When we got home it was time to try something else new. He's been sleeping in the lounger pillow inside his pack and play and since he keeps getting longer and longer we knew it couldn't last long. Well he had no problem at all sleeping right in the pack and play so another accomplishment for the day!

Since we won our freedom last week we've been busy galavanting around town. We've been on several outings to places as exciting as Pei Wei, or Pee Wee as I like to call it, Target and Babies R Us. He's been very good on all these outings. It's been really nice for me to be able to get out of the house and feel like a normal person again.

Today's big adventure was to GSD&M to meet everyone. I wanted our visit to be very smooth and cry free. Rookie parent lesson number 5: accept that you can't predict what these babies will do, no matter how much you plan.

I pumped him full of food right before we left - 100 ml, which is more than he gets in his big bottle overnight, and I willed him to poop before we left. He followed this part of the plan. We headed out right after his belly was filled and emptied, so to speak. Once we got there he cooperated for a while, sleeping then waking up nice and peaceful, like a little angel. After about half an hour though he started to cry. And he looked hungry. Only 1 1/2 hours after I stuffed him he was hungry. And I thought I had a good 3 hours. It turns out he had a burp in there, but he was hungry too. I had to give him the bottle of formula we've been toting around with us. He was a happy little camper after that, but I had to use Jerry's office to change him. That formula really makes them go more often. He let Barbara and Brenda hold him, and this time he had more than some gas for Brenda. Luckily Jerry hadn't returned yet so we were able to use his office for the dirty work once again.

We were there for a while and despite my anxiety we had a good visit. He performed all his tricks and I got to use a bunch of goodies from the the diaper bag! As difficult as it's been I can't believe it's been 10 weeks already and that I only have 2 left with him.

Freedom!

Luke had another big day today. His first outing was to Dad's office to see where he goes everyday and to meet all his co-workers. We had a nice visit and he seemed pretty at ease with everyone there.

We made it out to eat! He was feeling much better today and was ready to make his first appearance at a restaraunt. Can you tell where we went? Yes, we are pretty predictable and we went to Maudie's. Where else would he make his public debut? I tried to slip him some salsa, but Dad caught me :) He was very good and even fell asleep by the time our food came. We had a great time, got to relax a little and Mama got to to have a margarita! Here's to many more outings with our cutie pie!

Eventful day

Luke had his 2 month check up on today. He's 8 lbs. 12 oz. and 21 inches long now. He's in the 50th percentile for all his measurements. We haven't been giving him enough tummy time so we need to do it more often so he can get stronger. He had to get 3 shots at this appointment and Dad had to hold him while they gave them to him. Luckily the nurse was quick and he only squealed for a few seconds. We were very brave too and didn't squeal at all. He was very sleepy after the shots, and since I was already out and he can officially be out among the people now we made some more stops. One of them was the post office and normally I would never attempt the post office, but by some stroke of luck there was hardly anyone there and no line.

We planned to celebrate by going out to dinner, but he wasn't ready for that. He got really fussy before we left and we had to change our plans. Poor little guy, he had a rough day. Maybe he'll be ready tomorrow.

Chugging along

Dad took Friday off so he could stay at home with Luke while I took care of some appointments. They had a nice time and I didn't check in with them once!
He's been doing well over the past week, getting a bit stronger and bigger each day. He's getting pretty long for the boppy lounger, we'll see how much more time we can squeeze out of it. The past few days his pattern has been to sleep most of one day, then stay awake most of the next. I wonder if this is normal. Each day brings different things so it's hard for us to know what's normal.

We're still figuring out his different cries, but we may have the hunger one down. Lucky for him he gives us an extra hint by trying to eat his hands or anything else that comes near his mouth. Sometimes it seems he's eating the whole day because it can take up to an hour for him to eat, then he's hungry another hour or so later. Just keeping that tiny belly full is a full time job!

Sometimes we think he's bored so we've been trying to entertain him with some of his toys. He doesn't seem too interested yet.

Full Term

Yesterday was Luke's original due date. These seven weeks have flown by, but they seem like they've lasted forever too. We can't imagine how it would be if we just had him yesterday. He's 7 lbs 13 oz today so he's a real sized baby now!

He doesn't sleep for very long stretches during the day anymore, so that makes it harder for me to get things done. That's fine though since taking care of him is my main job now. Luckily he is still sleeping pretty well at night - hope I'm not jinxing things.

We're looking forward to being able to take him out in public - only 2 more weeks til we get the green light! Can you guess where we're going to take him first?

Our first week alone went fine, but I'm glad the weekend is here and that Dad is home! I tried to take a walk each day or have some other little activity to get out of the house. Aside from that most of our days were spent preparing to feed, feeding, cleaning up after the feeding and trying to keep him happy.

It's amazing how much Luke has changed in his short 6 weeks of life. See how big he looks in the bouncer? Spending all our time with him it's hard to notice every change, but we're trying to be conscious of them. He doesn't make the cute kissy face anymore when he wakes up and stretches. I'm glad he came early so we could see it (see rootin tootin video). One positive change is that he has been sleeping better at night, at least 2 or more hours straight this week, and he's not sleeping as much during the day.

He's also figured out he can cry. He didn't make much of a peep until about a week and a half ago, but now he's definitely shrieking! When we told his doctor at his one month appointment he didn't cry she laughed and said "oh he will". We thought "sure, she doesn't know our little cutey pie is too sweet to cry". Another lesson learned :) We haven't figured out what any of his crying means yet, but most of the time he stops if we feed him. Hope we're not fattening him up too much!

Here he is in action getting a little tummy time in. He's not as content doing it as he was in the beginning. We're getting a video camera soon so the videos should be better quality and more exciting!

Just the two of us

Brad had to go back to work today so Luke and I are on our own for the first time. It was nice to have him at home last week to get some time together as a family.

Since we've been cooped up inside for the past few days we started off the day with a walk to the duck pond right outside our neighborhood. He was sleeping, so he didn't get to learn about ducks this time.


He was a very social baby last week. After Grandma Betty left, (we are missing her help for sure!) Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Mack came by to visit him. Then Lenny and Becky stopped by to meet him. Becky asked if he'd squirted us in the face yet - well, not us yet, but he got himself this morning! Grandpa Ramon and Grandma Terry came up on Friday for a short visit and to bring us lots of culinary goodies! He was his usual charming self for all his guests.

He's getting bigger right before our very eyes. He's already outgrown the clothes he was wearing when we brought him home 2 weeks ago. Thanks to everyone who gave us multiple sizes!

We're still working on the night time sleeping. He has been sleeping a little better at night, but it still takes a while to get him back to sleep after he eats. And he's already figured out he wants to eat too when we're ready to have dinner. How do they know? I'm quickly learning how to scarf down my food.

5 Weeks

Yesterday we took him for his weekly weight check. They do this with preemies to make sure they're gaining weight adequately until they reach their original due date. We're happy to report that he's gaining above and beyond the 1 ounce per day - he's up to 6 lbs 13 oz now, which is an 11 oz gain in 7 days. He gained so much in fact that they said we can wait until his 2 month appointment to have him weighed again. He even went 5 hours between feedings last night. Hooray! We took him out for a long walk this morning to celebrate. He slept the whole time.

Sleeping

Trying out the crib - he was sleeping until I woke him up to take this picture.

He can't sleep flat on his back, but he can sleep like this...


We're still trying to figure out the night time sleeping situation. The doctor's office says it's normal for him not to be able to sleep flat on his back for a few months, especially since he was early. So we can relax and let him sleep wherever/however he likes for now.

Rootin Tootin

Luke has his days and nights mixed up. The past few days he's been sleeping like a little angel, but at night he's wide awake. He sleeps in cousin Elise's boppy pillow during the day and in the pack and play at night (Note to everyone expecting, you need to get a boppy pillow!). He really does well in the pillow, but he doesn't dig the pack and play that much. Thank goodness he doesn't cry all the time, he just squirms and makes little sounds.

He's been a great source of entertainment for us with his funny looks and movements. Here's a short video of him waking up and blowing his trademark kiss. This is part of his stretching routine. Listen carefully for some sound effects, courtesy of Luke. Please forgive the camera work as we had a difficult time trying to contain our laughter and hold it steady.

Looking good

Luke's first doctor's appointment went well. He's up to 6 lbs. 2 oz. and 18 1/2 inches long. He's supposed to gain about an ounce a day so he's right on track since he left the hospital. The doctor told us we needed to get out of the hospital mentality now that we're home. That means no need to dress, kiddopotamus and swaddle him and no need to take his temperature every 3 hours - just if we think there's something wrong with him. Basically we're supposed to let him tell us when he needs what instead of following a strict schedule. I guess we're (or I'm) falling into the typical first time parent mold of being overly cautious. I am glad we can turn down the AC a bit though!

Perhaps I am biased, but you can't deny this baby is dang cute!

Tuesday

Grandma Betty arrived yesterday to give us more support while we get used to having a baby. She'll be here all week and has been very helpful so far, watching him while we sneak in a little nap and even getting up for his 2 AM feeding!

Tomorrow he has his first doctor's appointment so we'll get to see how much he's changed since we took him home. It was nice to get daily reports on him in the hospital, but we're glad he's home instead of there. He seems to want more food now so that must be a good sign. I wonder how long it's going to take us to pack him up and get going in the morning.

Here he is with his cute giraffe buddy from his great aunt Shay. You can't see it, but It goes perfectly with his giraffe outfit.

Settling in

Things have been going well at home and we're slowly learning to adjust to Luke's schedule. This boy thing is taking some getting used to - I was peed on twice just yesterday! It is nice that he sleeps most of the time so we are able to do some non-baby things. I don't think we can ever move - the house has been taken over by baby stuff. It's a little toasty at our house as we try to keep him warm. I hope we're being over-cautious and can be more comfortable soon!

On Sunday Grandma Cheryl and Grandpa Mack came over to bring us dinner and spend some time with Luke. He had his first tummy time. He was able to lift his head and turn it from side to side without getting too frustrated. He also got his first bath at home and smells like a nice clean baby again.

HOME!

For everyone waiting on pins and needles - we made it to South Austin! We all survived the rooming in night without any incident. We had to continue to check his temperature, change his diaper and then feed him every 3-4 hours. The nurse came in a couple of times to do various assessments, but we handled all the regular care.

This morning the doctor evaluated him one last time before writing the discharge orders. After a lot of waiting around we finally left the hospital about 2:30. We got him snugly in the car seat and headed home.

Since we've been home he's eaten, slept in his pack and play and checked out cousin Elise's boppy pillow. The Simpson family is home!

Decision Day

He made it through the 48 hours in the open crib - woohoo! - but he has to continue maintaining his temp. I'm waiting to speak to the doctor to see what the verdict is and if he's really going home tomorrow.

My friend Brenda stopped by to drop off some goodies for Luke and to see him without his cool shades. He was kind enough to save some gas for her arrival.

An eventful day

Luke's up to 5 lbs 11 oz - that's a gain of almost 4 oz. in one day! At that rate we may have to get second jobs to pay for his food! He made it through the first 24 hours in the open crib. 24 more to go while keeping his temp at an acceptable level.

They wanted us to room in with him tonight, which means he would go home tomorrow. We asked to do the rooming in Friday night instead. He still has a lot to accomplish before he can go home and we'd like a little more time for him to get it all done. Sometime this afternoon he'll have the circumcision, the nurse said he'll need lots of cuddling afterwards. She said every baby is different, so let's hope he isn't too traumatized. Next he has to have the car seat study and the overnight monitoring. If all these things go well and we pass our practice night with him, he'll get to see his new home on Saturday!

Another Try

Luke's been moved back into an open crib. 46 hours of maintaining his temperature to go! As of last night he was 5 lbs 7.8 oz. Hopefully we'll get to take him home Friday or Saturday.

Here's a short video of him eating that Dad took on the Blackberry last night.

No homecoming yet

We arrived at the hospital this morning very refreshed and prepared for our rooming in night and homecoming tomorrow. But, when we walked in to the NICU he was back in his isalet. Since they put him in the open crib on Friday his temperature had been consistently on the lower side, but last night it went too low and they had to put him back in the isalet where it's a bit warmer. The doctor said he'll need to remain in the isalet for another 2-3 days and then he can go back in the open crib where he'll need to maintain his temperature for another 48 hours. So, we're looking at closer to next weekend when we can bring the little dude home. It's disappointing, but we'd rather he be 100% when we take him home.

The good news is he's doing well otherwise - continuing to eat pretty well on his own and gaining weight. If I remember correctly from last night he's up to 5 lbs 4 oz!

Moving ahead

Grandpa Ramon came to visit Luke and to bring him his glider. He ate like a champ for him, sucking down 65 ml in record time!

Things are moving quickly - last night he had overnight monitoring done, where they record all his monitoring and review it to make sure he didn't have any problems. Today they'll do the car seat study, which I think just monitors him while he sits in the car seat for some amount of time. Then there's the circumcision, which may also be today. He's supposed to have a bath today too, so we'll be there for that so we know how to bathe him. Either tonight or tomorrow night we get to "room in" with him, which means we'll stay in a room with him at the hospital overnight and experience what it will be like when we take him home. One last chance to practice before we're on our own! So assuming he passes all these tests I think he may come home Monday evening, after Brad gets off work.

Big Changes

Time ran out for me yesterday and I finally got booted out of my courtesy room. It was a good run, two weeks of not having to drive back and forth (for me at least). Now I get to hang out in the Ronald McDonald family room, which is another awesome feature this hospital has. It's like your own living room, equipped with a couch, recliners, tv, computers and kitchen stocked with drinks and snacks. NICU parents who commute in daily can hang out and relax in between feedings. They sure do their best to make you comfortable here. Thanks Ronald McDonald volunteers!

The doctor put in a new order to only tube feed him if he's had a couple of poor feedings in a row, instead of if he doesn't eat well once. We are happy about that - it seems a baby would be like a regular person and might not be hungry on demand every 3 hours. So they've left the tube in his nose in case they need to use it again - that way they don't have to put it back in.

He's up to 4 lbs 15 oz now and he's in an open crib! They just put him in there this afternoon and they'll monitor his temperature closely to make sure he stays warm. I just spoke with one of the doctors and she said we could take him home Sunday or Monday if all goes well! Yikes! He still has to reach several milestones so we'll keep you posted on his graduation from the NICU!

Two Weeks Old

Luke is now 35 weeks and up to 4 lbs 12 oz. He's still in the isalet,which is slowly working its way down to 27 Celsius while he maintains his temperature. Once he comes out he could go home 3 days later, so we have a little more time. They had to put in a feeding tube again last night because he wouldn't eat during one of his feedings. They assure me this is not a setback and is very common for babies his age. Still, you don't want to see a tube in his nose, especially since he's been doing so well so far.

Last night my friend Barbara stopped by to meet Luke. He was polite enough to wake up for her and show her how well he can eat most of the time.