7-15-08

Aunt Tiffany came to visit

Blake was sucking on his palm

He fell asleep with his hand still stuck to his face

We are kind of at a standstill with Blake's growth again. Even though I am splitting my milk to where the hind (fattier part) is what he gets, he is not getting enough protein. His lab work showed his protein levels are low and he has not been putting on weight. He was 4.9 last night for his bath again. He has been staying between 4.6 and 4.9 on his weight. The doctors are concerned about it so they made a change to where he gets 1/2 breast milk and 1/2 formula mixed together. They went up on his bottle feeds to every other feeding. So every other he gets a bottle and the other ones he gets it through his feeding tube. They also changed his feeding tube. He no longer has it in his mouth but through his nose instead. This way he can get a better grip on sucking the nipple of the bottle. We tried today and he was so used to the tube being there, the milk would leak out the side of his mouth where before it held it in. Guess we have to work on that. The speech therapist said she is really impressed with how well he has been handling bottle "nipple" feeding. They are now also letting him take as much as he wants when he bottle feeds. He has to do a minumum of 30 cc's but he can have more if he wants. This evening he took 40 and was worn out. So last night I went to weigh him before I gave him his bath he decided to grace me with a shower of his own. He pee'd all over my clothes, arms, his legs, wires and the floor. It was a fountain. Guess it was going to happen some time. He loved his tub bath. One of the doctors was working on Isabelle next to us and came over to say hi to Blake. He was bent over and him and Blake were just staring at each other, and when one of the nurses laughed at him and asked what he was doing, he said "Leave us alone, we are having guy time." It was so cute, we started laughing at them. Blake loves to be held up on my shoulder so that he can check everybody out and see (well try to) what is going on. He normally just stares over at Isabelle's isolet since there is always a lot of action going on there. I think it helps with his reflux too and makes him feel better. He still has really bad reflux. I bought a swing and bouncer today since they said he can use it up there. Of course we get the swing together and it doesn't work, but the bouncer did, so we put Blake in it and oh my gosh he looked so big to me till I got him in the bouncer and realized how small he still is. The waist strap that should only go to the belly button or lower covered his entire front area and came up to the top of his chest right under his chin. It was so cute. I will have to take a picture of him in it. The doctor is not sure if he will get out in 3 weeks or not because he still has a lot of milestones to hit, but we are getting there one at a time and I am very proud of him and how he is doing. We have also started the whole breast feeding thing. I always swore I would never do it because it grossed me out, but I am starting to come around to it. It still is weird but I am becoming more comfortable with the idea. Oh, my best friend from high school Tiffany came to see him yesterday. Dad I know you are reading this so don't worry, you are going to get to hold him in a few short weeks when he gets out. He is getting a lot of practice being held so that he can with stand the lengthy time that you and mom will hold him since I know you won't let him go. haha. Just kidding. I have my appointment with the Internal Specialist on Thursday for my blood pressure. I have got so much water weight from it fluctuating and being high. You can see it in my face in the pictures. Blahhh I can't stand it. I look like I have had botox.