lovin' on some toes.

We started back up with the physical therapist coming out once a week to "work" with Jack.  She is really nice but he just stared at her and wouldn't do anything for the first 20 min or so. It was really funny. She took that to mean he likes to just "take things in". I think its probably because he rarely sees other people, and is at the age to be getting stranger anxiety but he does not know what strangers are.

Anyway, she said we need to work on him grabbing his toes more and overall work on FLEXING not EXTENDING like he does (throwing his head back, scooting on his back etc)

I always think its funny when babies chew on their toes, so naturally I had to take pictures of my own baby doing it. :)

Not sure if he should focus on chewing on fingers or toes

The therapist also told me that his fingers and ability to manipulate toys is his strength. That made me laugh inside because, ok, yes, he can hold toys, but it reminded me of those backhanded compliments I used to get when I played softball. "Tricia, you are REALLY GOOD at cheering on your teammates!" (from the bench) was implied. 

It was nice of her though. She probably thinks I'm upset that Jack is 10 (corrected 7) months old and not sitting up yet. Yes it would be nice, but Jack does things when he is good and ready as his past has shown us.

Oh, and I took the "just diaper" picture because I am amazed at how well his scar has healed (to the left of his belly button in the picture)

Here is a picture of his room in the "new" house. I've been meaning to take pictures but I had to put away the laundry first which finally got done.

And on another wall in his room, his "welcome home Jack" sign from the NICU that lots of his nurses signed. They took that picture the night before he went home too. I think it was Maggie who said that he looked like George with the oxygen tubing and feeding tube across his face. He has so much more hair now!! And no tubes of course is the best part.

Finally! 159 days in the hospital, now 159 days home!!!

"Hi Mommy!" 

Mr. Hedgehog

"Me and daddy play lots of fun games"

"And I get LOTS of kisses"

Mommy loves my blue eyes

The hat can also double as a mohawk. :)

Playing with my STILL amazing fingers.

Yesterday, Grandma found that Jack has another tooth on the bottom and the other side coming in! Which explains the grumpy baby lately. :)

He is doing a lot more "talking" these days which is really cute. We need to get out the camcorder so I can remember it later.

That's about all. I'm getting really excited for Christmas already...hopefully everyone will stay healthy. I want to make up for last year!

AND I'm especially missing all of the Evergreen NICU peeps these days. I get all choked up thinking about everyone there and all they did for Jack, and me and Mike too! Love you guys!!

view from the downstairs window this morning.....

Um, ya. So, I was downstairs in our (spilt level) house this morning doing a workout video with Jack playing happily with some toys on the floor next to me and I looked up to see two deer staring at me. I grabbed Jack so he could look at them, since I figured they would run away once they saw me, but oh no, they stayed around for about a half hour. Jack had a great time looking at them eating our rose bush and tree, he thought they were pretty funny. Who needs the zoo?

Then I figured "why not take some pictures?" I mean, I've never been this close to a (live) deer before. 

Now, a few hours later, I'm thinking maybe its not so cool that they were eating my rose bushes and little tree.....

Anyway, it was fun :)

Here is Jack thinking I am a pretty cool mommy for inviting those animals over for him to see and laugh at

"That was so fun mommy!"

(Can you tell we are easily entertained over here?) :)

What we've been up to.

Last week was my 26th birthday and so my parents came over and babysat Jack so Mike and I could go out for dinner- our first date since Jack has been home!! Auntie Katie had come over to say hi too and she took all these pictures while we were gone of Jack having fun with her and Grandpa and Grandma. Thanks Katie!

Other then that, life has been pretty normal. After going back and forth with the decision, we finally decided that it was best for Jack to get the H1N1 vaccine after hearing how sick people we know have been getting with the swine flu - mainly I was worried about the really bad cough because I know that that could not go well for Jack. So, on halloween we stood in line for almost 3 hours to get it. Well, Mike stood in line and I waited in the car with Jack so he would not be exposed to the massive crowds. I know people are on both sides of the fence on getting this vaccine and I don't think I would have got it for Jack if he did not have lung disease just for the fact that there has been so much controversy about it. But, yet again, him having lung disease takes these decisions away from us and they become necessities.

Jack is LOVING baby food now. Except veggies. He actually threw up when I gave him peas - and his reflux is WAY gone so it was just the bite of peas. Hmmm, like father like son I guess :)

Since he has not put on weight in a month we are really trying to fatten him up. I got him some new "flavors" of baby food - some of the stage 2 ones have fat in them, plus we can add a little butter. His favorite is the Vanilla Custard with bananas. And he is a big fan of the homemade full fat yogurt that Mike's mom made. Again, not crazy about giving him sugar, but the fat is taking precedence right now.

He is also rolling over alot both ways now (except when we want him to "perform") which makes me happy and he is finally interested in holding his toes. That was his next "milestone". :) So, we are getting there, slowly but surely. 

Thankfully, with our hibernation we have stayed healthy this far, he will start getting the RSV shot in a few weeks, which he will get once a month. Thankfully it is covered by insurance because each shot is around $1500. hopefully with all the precautions we are taking we can keep on the healthy road. Fingers crossed.

The goal of course is to get Jack to do his belly laugh, which they did. :)

"Love you grandma and grandpa!"

"And I love YOU auntie Katie!"

And he really liked my dad tickling his feet with his "scruff". :) Does not seem to be any feet sensitivity here so far! (result of the massive amount of heel poking)

Playing in the old school exersaucer. (really he loves it, this is just usually the only look I can get for the camera these days)

No, really. He's having a GREAT time!!

Baby Tigger all dressed up with nowhere to go for fear of the flu.

Here's hoping for healthy lungs next year. :)

Had to get a shot of the tail

Finally a smile! 

7 months corrected and almost 10 months actual!

Yesterday we saw Dr. Carter at childrens (pulmonologist- lungs) for a check up. He is very happy with how Jack's lungs are doing and said I could get rid of the oxygen in a few weeks since he has not needed it for so long. Ya, I might hold on to it for a while, I think it is a comfort for me to have it around. :) He said that if Jack were to get sick at this point and need oxygen, he would want him in the hospital anyway.

But he said his lungs sound as "clear as a bell" and he is not head bobbing anymore, or retracting either! So, he is on the way to healthy lungs, but still not there yet of course.

I was really disappointed because Jack hadn't gained ANY weight in the last month and I totally thought he had been chunking up. Still 13 lbs 10 oz. He did get an inch longer which is good, especially in terms of growing new lungs but they want him to start gaining more weight obviously. 

So, we met with the nutritionist who gave me the calculations to bring his formula up to 24 calories/ounce instead of the standard 22 calories/ounce and if he tolerates that we can try 26 calories/ounce. He was all the way up to 30 calories/ounce in the hospital before he had all his gut complications and since his reflux had been so bad the doctor let him go down to the regular concentration. Hopefully he will tolerate the thicker milk now that his reflux is gone, we'll see. 

Other then that he is doing great, I don't think his little body and physical abilities are up to where his mind is because he gets really mad about not being able to sit on his own, move forward when he is on his stomach, etc. He has started scooting on his back which is pretty funny to watch and he can get really far! It is like an upside-down worm. He loves to be startled ("Boo!!!"), he thinks that is the greatest thing ever, and he loves it when we come up with any new games that involve him getting startled. I get a big kick out of it too. 

Next week it will be one year since we found out that things were not going right for our little "tiny"- that he was not growing fast enough and I got put on the shots and all the pills and the high calorie/high protein diet. yuck yuck yuck. In some ways I can't believe it will have been a year since this craziness started and in other ways it seems like it has been much much longer.

Also, on November 17, Jack will FINALLY have been home for one day longer then he was in the hospital!! 

Early morning playtime.