Labor and Nicu story!!

When I started this blog I just jumped right into it, then realized there are my babycenter friends who probably don't know too much about me, and might enjoy hearing our labor story!! 10 Months ago when X was born it was the absolute hardest time I've ever had to go through..I was already on hospital bed rest, a emotional wreck from the isolation and scared to death of my baby possibly being born early.. Tom and I had a quick little tour of our hospitals Nicu, I can remember it so clearly just like it was yesterday..As we were leaving I saw what I thought was the tiniest baby ever, she was in a overhead warmer bassinet and I had asked the nurse about her..She was a 32 weeker and weighed 3 1/2 pounds, I just remember how small she was and that terrified me even more because I was only 25 weeks at the time..The morning I had X was like any other in the hospital, I had nst's done throughout the day and all was well, I wasn't registering any contractions and felt pretty good, I was a little crampy but the nurses chalked that up to being slightly backed up down there, if ya know what I mean..It was around midnight and my husband and I were getting ready to call it a night, I went to the restroom and that is when everything changed..My membranes were bulging and I had no clue! I realized at that moment we were going to have our son whether I liked it or not. I was immediately taken to L&D where they put me on Mag to try and stop the contractions( I hadn't even felt them until this point)Xander was breech and kicking the crap out of my cervix and was eventually going to break my water anyways..The last ultrasound they took showed one of his feet going through my cervix..OUCH! When they saw that I was rushed to the OR to get our little guy out..This whole time which was about 2 hours so far, I was a basket case..Crying and just praying so hard that Xander would be o.k. If not for my husband( who is by the way, the best husband and daddy)I would of lost it.. At 3 a.m. on the nose they delivered X via emergency c-section..His apgars were 5 and 6..The first time I saw him he was already in a isolette and the nurse held him up inside of it real quick so I could see him. He was absolutely beautiful and perfect( All 2 lbs 5 ozs of him).

X was wrapped in bubble wrap and on a vent


Thankfully I had received two rounds of steroids to help X out and he was able to move to the bubble c-pap three hours after he was born..






That was the start of the longest 65 days of my life..Everyday brought new challenges for Xander, on two different occasions they thought he had nec, thankfully he was just severely anemic and needed red blood cell packet transfusions, I remember on one occasion Tom and I went to visit X and he looked so bad..He was pale and so lethargic when we were doing his care..I just knew something was wrong. His nurse that night was getting him ready to do one of his windows( trying out the low flow nasal cannula) and immediately after taking off his cpap he just crashed, all the alarms were going off and the cpap went straight back on. I knew he wasn't feeling well and just wanted the damn doctors to do something, anything..Later that night X was stable and we left to go home, around 5:30 the next morning I got a phone call from one of the doctors saying Xander had a seizure and his o2 requirements were higher than ever..at 55%..X had been on room air at 21% since going to cpap..and that they were going to take x-rays and do a head ultrasound..I just felt so hopeless and my heart was breaking not knowing what was going on with my little boy..By time I had got to the hospital a couple of hours later, X had a complete turnaround!! Thank God!! He was becoming crit dependent and was in desperate need of blood..As far as the seizure they chalked that up to not being anything serious, he never had anymore and all of his tests had came out clean..That was the last major chaos that happened..The rest of the stay was X growing and learning how to feed and getting off all o2..


X about two and a half weeks old



X and mommy getting some kangaroo care time, that paci is huge!


First time wearing big boy preemie clothes!!


First day in a open crib!!






No equipment!!! Such a beautiful face!!



GOING HOME!!!!!



So that was how it all went down..X just turned ten months on Friday and is the joy of my world..I thank god everyday for protecting him and keeping him safe and with us..I am so proud of my little guy and love him more than I could ever say!!

Randomness

Not to much has been going on around here lately, which is great! Saturday Tom and I went wheeling in our jeeps and had a blast! This was only the second time I've been away for a lengthy time from Xander since he came home last August, and I really don't like it..I am a stay at home mom and there are some days I say "I could really use a break", but honestly being away from X for any period of time bothers me..I have a insane amount of adjusting to do since I plan on going back to school in September..Naturally I am a worry wart anyway, but it is seriously bad news when I can't spend a day away from him without wondering from everything to if he is getting fed enough to OMG I hope he knows I'm coming back!! Talk about separation anxiety!! I still had a great time and mostly all was well with X when we got home. The poor guy has been working on getting teeth it seems like forever, there are days I say "yep tonight is the night" and I just know he will wake up with teeth!! But nope, not yet. I've been saying any day now for like 3 months! Besides that I have been trying new foods for Xander, he is eating mostly stage two baby foods and his favorite is Mixed veggies, I really need to start a routine schedule because right now i am just giving him a little bit of this and that here and there..I'm scared to try any cheeses or meats or really anything like that without him having teeth, so i am just easing him into different things slowly. These pics are just random mostly, the one of X in his diaper is funny, when he is in his room playing on his play mat he thinks it's fun to knock it completely over, he will either kick it with his feet or try and pull himself up until it falls over, he thinks it is the coolest and will keep doing it until he wears himself out..

Little bit of this and that

So I was born here in Southwest Ohio but spent the majority of my life growing up in Auburn Washington..Anyways Seattle weather you could say is consistent, rain! But Ohio on the other hand is kinda like a mix of whatever..Rain, snow, massive heat and humidity, all in one week! Friday it was about 55 degrees out, a little chilly, so we bundeled up and Xander and I took a short trip down to visit my grandma, Xans great grandma..I just think it's awesome that he has one and gets to spend time with her!! She absolutely adores him, well how could ya not:) and loves when we come over for visits..The rest of the weekend we enjoyed the change of weather..from 55 to 80!! Saturday we went to eat at one of our fave bbq joints and X got to munch on some goldfish while Tom and I got busy with some pulled pork..X is so funny when we eat because he practically pouts if he doesn't get in or what we are eating, we gave him a little taste of sweet sauce and then he was happy again!! Tom and I love to go wheeling in our jeeps so alot of the weekend was spent on making some modifications to my jeep..Xander is standing up in my driver seat!! He is such a big boy and is just balancing with his little butt on the seat, so cute!! And I just have to apologize for the pics, they were all taken from my cell phone camera which is lame!! The pics are also completely not in order and half the post is all the way at the bottom!! Such a rookie!

X may have been a dog in another life!!

So Xander and I ventured over to my sis's house for a afternoon visit today...He's been there before and never quite noticed the bow wows as he did today! My sister has a chihuahua about as big as my forearm and a american bulldog that's as big as our house!! Not long after being there I sit him on the couch and let the doggies sniff him out, and before I know it they were in a full on lickfest!! It's like they've always known each other and were best friends..Xanders face was completely slimed and he loved it..but the weird thing was he started sticking out his tongue when Bella(the american bulldog) would kiss him? Needless to say they became very close! So we had a great visit and I will be talking to my better half to see about possibly getting X a live in playmate since he obviously is smitten over four legged creatures! Another funny thing today is that X found his wee(that's his jewels)..He just grabbed it and was like huh, wow, something new to play with!! It was really funny seeing his face though..He was just in the best mood despite teething and we really had a great time..And he has been eating yo baby yogurts since yesterday like crazy, he loves them!! I'm not sure if there is any coincidence but he has been talking up a storm! Man that stuff says how good it is for baby but I had no idea!!

9 month checkup at high risk today!

Since Xander was born so early we take him to Cincinnati Childrens for follow up appts every three months and today was his 9 month checkup!! I knew today would be a good day because we knew his high risk doc was gonna ok some real food for the boy!! Up until now X has only been on formula(about 45 to 50 ozs a day)he's a moose, and some rice and oatmeal..boring..So the appointment went great!! Doc said X overall is around the 8 month age as far as all his skills go which is amazing!! His adjusted age is 6 months so that was such a awesome thing to hear!! Our little frog weighs 21 lbs and his doc was just so pleased with all of Xanders progress!! Sorry if this is a total brag post but hey, I couldn't be a happier mama for my little guy...Just seeing how far he has came brings me so much joy..And yes can I get a hallelugher for some real food!! We went straight to the store and scored X some yo baby yogurts and all kinds of goodies!! Whoooo Huuuu!!

Hello Blogworld!!

So this has been a long time coming!! I've wanted to start a blog for Xander since he came home in August of 09, just got caught up in being a first time mama and never got around to doing a blog..Xander has came a long way since his early arrival last year..Long story short, I was diagnosed with IC(incompetent cervix) at 20 weeks, went on hospital bedrest at 24 and delivered our bundle of joy at 27 weeks..Xander was born at 3 am on the nose at 2 lbs 5 ozs and was 13 1/2 inches long!! Big boy!! He was so tiny and thus started our NICU ride of crazyness! When X was first born he was ventilated for about 3 hours and then moved to the bubble cpap..I fortunately recieved to rounds of steroids that helped his little lungs! Xanders stay for a 27 weeker was about the best it could of been..He was on the vent for three hours..cpap for 5 weeks..high flow nasal cannula for 2 weeks then low flow for a week then off all o2 for good!! He had to get two red blood cell packet transfusions for anemia, bili lights, a nec and sepsis scare..X came home after 65 days in the NICU on August 26th 2009..He weighed 6lbs 8 ozs and hasn't looked back..X now at 9 months actual/ 6 adjusted weighs 21 lbs and is 28 inches long!!! I will post more on our journey soon, hopefully I get the hang of this!!