Month Four

Nicknames: munchkin, little bit, squirmy, droolie
Temperament: So happy. He smiles and laughs all the time for all sorts of reasons. The best is when you get this deep hoarse sounding belly chuckle that he just can't control. He sounds like a twenty pack year smoker, but in the small package it's adorable. He is still a huge flirt and will flash his gummy smile at anyone who stops to talk with us. He's been a big hit with all the church ladies at the congregations we've been trying and the nurses in my office. We also get comments from everyone on how alert he is. He loves sitting up and taking it all in. We've starting carrying him face out in his baby carrier and he loves people watching. He's sleeping better at night but naps during the day are hit or miss and he's a definite night owl. I've heard from other people that their little ones are in bed by 7:30 or 8 but our little man is going strong every night until at least 10 or 11. Since I don't make it home from work often until 6:30 or later, this is working for us for now because then we get to spend some awake time together but it doesn't leave much time for catching up on anything else.
Stats: 14.5 pounds, 23.5 inches
Looks: Plump and rosy cheeked. He's definitely filled out now and you'd never know that he started off a bit scrawny. Evidently he must also have big feet because they don't fit into the footed jammmies that fit him everywhere else. He's also starting to have hair that isn't just peach fuzz. The fair skin and deep blue eyes are still here too. We have no idea who he looks like......




Accomplishments: better head control, grabbing and transfering toys, using the baby exersaucer, lifting his chest up off the floor during tummy time
Things he loved the most: riding around in the baby carrier. Scott has been taking him on hikes through the local metro parks and the fall colors have him mesmorized. He still loves it too when we "wrestle" with him by shaking his head, tummy or legs. He cracks up almost every time especially in the morning.
Things we loved the most: The giggling. We have a whole new hobby centered around trying to find things that will make him laugh.
Things he could do without: Middle of the night diaper changes. The wet diaper may have been why he woke up but once he's awake heaven help you if you try to fix the diaper problem when he has an empty stomach. The crying is heart wrenching.
Things we could do without: The drooling. No signs of teeth yet but he's constantly soaked with drool and you've got to be careful or you'll get an unexpected shower.
Item/toy he loved the most: Fingers - yours or his. He constantly has his hand in his mouth or in front of his face where he can inspect things and if your hand gets close it is fair game.
Items/toy we loved the most: The baby carrier. It's made getting out with him so easy for the places where a stroller just doesn't work well like at parks, festivals and the pumpkin patch. I had a sling that we had tried out before but without the back support it wasn't comfortable to use it for long periods of time.
Item we all hated: The fingernail clippers. Turns out being a surgeon doesn't prevent unfortunate accidents with the nail clippers. Luckily things seem to be healing well.
Surprises: I don't want to jinx it because it's a recent development but we're finally getting close to him sleeping through the night. He'll wake up once between 2 and 3 for a quick feeding and diaper change and then he'll go back to bed until 6:30 or 7.

Momentous events of this month: We all went on our first airplane ride together when we went to Texas in early October. It went surprisingly well. Josh was awake for most of both flights but since he loves people watching so much he found it quite entertaining. The gentleman sitting next to Scott had a huge handlebar mustache that was fascinating. We also went to the Sauerkraut festival and pumpkin picking to get a little local fall flavor.

Two months versus 4 months (He's gained 5 pounds since then)















Things we're looking forward to next month: Dressing up for Halloween. He has an owl costume that is so cute I can't wait to dress him up in it. We're going to sit on the front porch together to hand out candy to the trick or treaters so the neighborhood moms can Oh and aw over him. While I will definitely miss my boys I'm also looking forward to our girl's weekend in Austin to celebrate my mom's birthday. I am counting the days until my hot stone massage.

It's the Great Pumpkin

It is definitely fall here in Ohio - the trees are all different colors, the wind is brisk and the nights are made for sleeping with the windows open. To prepare for our first major family holiday, a trip to the pumpkin patch to find the "Great Pumpkin" was in order.

Josh got all dressed up in his flannel shirt to head out to the farm



I wonder if mom will ever be ready so that we can go



Finally, we're all set



Wow the sun is bright. Good thing we have the farm hat.



Josh got to go on his first hayride out to the pumpkin patch. Hand sucking however took priority over admiring the countryside.



There were lots of pumpkins to pick from. Josh wanted one that was just his size.





It was hard work and a rest stop was required.





Mom and Dad got to eat warm apple fritters but all they had for me was the same old stuff.


Finally we found a good one.


So we got to hop back on the hay wagon with our "mom" pumpkin and our "baby" pumpkin





It was all very hard work and Josh was definitely in need of a nap. I guess carving the great pumpkin will have to wait for another day.

Month three

Another month has flown by. Sorry I wasn't able to post more - I'm slowly adjusting to being back at work.

Nicknames: munchkin, little bit, Bunsen (as in Bunsen burner - he radiates so much heat)
Temperament: He's still fairly mellow but there are a few things he has a definite opinion about. He's very alert and social and likes to talk alot when he meets new people. He also hates being alone and will definitely let you know that he is unhappy if he wakes up and finds you've left him by himself. Occassinally you can convince him to fall asleep in his crib but most often he will only fall asleep if you're holding him or if he's in his carseat. Our baby who napped all the time has been replaced by one who never naps. We're lucky if we can get him to sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time during the day. I guess he feels he's got some catching up to do.
Stats: 12 lbs, 22.5 inches
Looks: He's starting to have a few baby fat rolls on his arms and legs and he's definitely getting a little bit of a belly. Happily he's finally starting to outgrow his newborn clothes and some of the 0-3 month stuff will now fit. At the rate he's going he may not wear them long but that's OK with us.
Accomplishments: lifting his head up on his own, begin able to sit in the Bumbo, grabbing and shaking toys
Things he loved the most: Standing - He still needs lots of balance control but he doesn't need his weight supported and he loves standing up. The "hand attack"- Scott will take his whole hand and cover Josh's face with it while shaking his fingers. Sounds strange but Josh loves it. Baths are another surefire way to bring out a smile. He loves it when we make lots of bubbles and giggles and coos everytime we wash his hair.
Things we loved the most: He definitely recognizes us now and will flash a huge smile when we talk to him. Bedtime stories are also so fun since he'll pay attention to our voices and he's such a sweet snuggler.
Things he could do without: Gas. Now that he's a more voracious eater he gets a lot more gas buildup and it makes him a very unhappy baby
Things we could do without: The lack of napping and his refusal to follow any sort of routine. It makes it hard to get other things done.
Item/toy he loved the most: His Wub-a-nub pacifer. It has a little stuffed cat attached to it and since it's bigger and heavier he can control it much better on his own.
Items/toy we loved the most: The Singing Sunshine we got for his crib. It plays music and has blinking lights so it's great for distracting him from being fussy which usually means he'll then go to sleep.
Item we all hated: I really can't think of anything this month. Maybe we're starting to figure this out.
Surprises: How much he can eat! After we got home from the hospital, he wanted to eat almost every hour for the first week and while he's tapered off since then, he will let you know if he goes more than three hours without eating. He's still mostly a snacker and won't eat a lot at one time but he makes up for it by eating often.

Momentous events of this month: I went back to work and Josh and Scott started their days together. We also had a visit with our cardiologist who stopped all the heart medications. It makes life so much easier not to have to worry about the medicine schedule and all the diapers from the diuretics. We also took another trip up to Grand Rapids to visit with Gra and Aunt Lori came to visit us on her way back to Texas.

Things we're looking forward to next month: Our first plane trip as a family to Houston, picking apples and enjoying the fall weather (I'm assuming it will be fall in Ohio sometime soon. We might as well live in Texas for as hot as the summer has been).

Look how much I've grown:





Other pics from this month

"dog" napping





From the Meier garden







Around the house







passed out on the couch after a few too many

Month Two

The day we left the hospital, Josh was two months old. We're so happy that his surgery went well and hope that we've earned a few months of smooth sailing.

Nicknames: buddy boy, muchkin, little bit, cheeky (or stinky cheeky depending on his diaper status)
Temperament: so happy and inquisitive, he's always either smiling or looking like he's thinking hard.
Stats: weight 8 lbs 15 oz. length 22 inches
Looks: He's still a little on the scrawny side but he's working on a fat roll on his arms and thighs. We're hoping that a fixed heart will let him start to bulk up a bit. He still has reddish brown hair and blue eyes so the recessive trend is still in force. We also think he might be a lefty because he definitely likes his head on that side and is always chewing on his left hand.
Accomplishments: head and eye control
Things he loved the most: playing on his play mat, flirting with the nurses/anesthesiologists
Things we loved the most: the constant smiling and laughing, how sweet he looks in his jammies
Things he could do without: blood draws and IVs, the xray torture rack, the hiccups/coughing
Things we could do without: the disruptions to his sleep patterns since being in the hospital
Item/toy he loved the most: the green pacifier, the vibrator from the hospital (the bouncy seat can't even compete), Gigi the giraffe and her soothing music, Rico the monkey
Items/toy we loved the most: same as above since they helped with sleep
Item we all hated: the nasogastric tube and calorie fortifier from the hospital
Surprises: Just how hard it was to hand him to the anesthesiologist the morning of his surgery. I knew he needed the procedure and we thought we were ready for it, but it was beyond nauseating to hand him off to someone to take him to the OR. How quick his surgery was - given how small his heart and body are, it's amazing how fast they placed all their fancy IVs and then did the procedure. We were also surprised by how little pain he seemed to have. He was on a morphine drip for three days but since then has needed very little pain medication and doesn't seem to hurt at all except for during those dreadful hiccups. Ouch.


Two weeks


Two months








Momentous events of this month: His heart is fixed! Meeting Gra and Ba then losing Ba so quickly.

Things we're looking forward to next month: Cooler weather so we can do more walks and explore the outdoors in our new neighborhood, Mom going back to work so Josh can hang out with Dad.

Other favorite pictures from this month

It's good to be home!

Home again! As we were hoping just having the nasogastric tube out and eating his own food has completely restored our happy baby. He slept most of the way home, ate great last night, only woke up once and has smiled more today than the previous 8 weeks combined. Other than a slight cough, a few new scars and several new medications to manage we have little residual effects from our two weeks away.






Charly, Sadie, Hobbes and Ella were also quite glad to see us and we loved sleeping in our bed. Only plan now is to be lazy and enjoy the next ten days before I have to start my new job. After the summer we've had I think it will be the least stressful transition of all.

New Heart Day #10

We woke up today with a prevailing thought that we have to get out of here. Our normally happy, mellow baby has spent most of the last 48 hours crying and very little of it sleeping. We're not really sure what the problem is but ever since he had all those procedures done yesterday he's been almost inconsolable. Personally, I think he is having reflux around his feeding tube and that he hated the fortifier they were adding to his breast milk/formula combo (it smelled horrible). But the nurses and doctors keep dismissing him as just a colicky baby despite the fact that he's never been like this before. He screamed with each feeding, lying down, swinging, and snuggling. In fact the only way to keep him happy is to either walk or wheel him around the hall.



He would fall asleep for brief periods of time but would almost instantaneously be bright eyed the minute you stopped moving. Since we'd been on the floor Thursday night I hadn't slept so Scott took over on Friday night. He finally got him to sleep at about 5am and we put his next feeding just straight down the Nasogastric tube. I felt quite justified when he started gurgling formula up through his mouth and they finally agreed to start some Zantac (which by the way we do prophlactically in all adults with a tube in). In the midst of all this he threw up everything including the nasogastric tube.

When the team came by for rounds they thought we were doing well from a cardiac standpoint and thought we'd be ready for discharge on Sunday. Luckily knowing the system I asked what they had planned for us overnight - the answer as I suspected was absolutely nothing. So, I reasoned that we could just as easily be discharged Saturday afternoon. We were hoping that our happy baby would return when back on his regular diet in his normal environment but even if not, we couldn't face another night of pacing the same 40 yards of hallway (his security bracelet wouldn't let us go any farther). After some reasoning they seemed fine with my plan but wanted his feeding tube replaced. Now I didn't have a problem with the tube if it was needed but insisted that we be allowed to feed him without the fortifier through his normal bottle first. As suspected he did fine with this and after a little arm twisting on my part they sent us home with just the supplies so I could put the tube back in only if necessary once we were home. Another job perk I suppose.

So after his pacer wires were removed and one last bit of torture with a repeat chest xray on the rack,




a quick bath and change of clothes



and waiting for all of our paperwork




we are on our way home




Ohio here we come

New Heart Day #9

Sorry for the lack of updates yesterday. After attending Stan's funeral then driving back from Grand Rapids we were trying to squeeze in as many snuggles as possible. Since we've been able to hold the baby whenever we like, we've definitely been taking fewer pictures but here are a few from the last 24 hours.

My new room is much less complicated although it's a bit clausterphobic


And now that I'm awake, I rarely take my eyes of Mom or Dad.


Thankfully I've got Eeyore, lamb bear. Echo, Rico and Gigi to keep me company



Josh had a rough day yesterday but only because he needed a bunch of minor things done - a new IV, replace his nasogastric tube, removing his central line, repeat blood draws, etc. All of them left him pretty upset and he didn't nap much so many snuggles were necessary. I now have a taste of what it's like to have a less mellow baby and let's just say we hope he quickly goes back to his regular self.

About 8pm last night we got the word that there was finally a room ready out on the floor and thus ended our stay in the PCTU. While we were sad to see his nurses go, it was an exciting step towards being able to go home. Since there is less nursing care on the floor, there's a lot more for us to do and despite the sleeplessness, it feels good to get back into a little bit of our routine.

Today, Josh graduated from needing his oxygen and is on all his medicines by mouth. He continues to have periods of fast and slow heart rates but the electrophysiologist believes they're not coming from the sinoatrial node (which controls the heart rate) but are instead due to some premature contractions from the atria that occasionally get recognized by the rest of the heart. In short, they're still not worried about them and don't think it needs further testing at this time. He had his post-surgical heart ultrasound today and all the veins are where they are supposed to be and everything seems to be working normally. So, the last issue standing between us and going home is working on his feedings. Since he had the breathing tube in for so long he seems to have forgotten how to eat either at the breast or with the bottle so he's pretty uncoordinated. Evidently this is pretty common so we'll likely have to take him home with the nasogastric tube in so we can give him food and medicine through there if he can't process it by mouth. Hopefully he'll be able to coordinate his mouth again quickly and it won't need to stay long. Since I have placed many a nasogastric tube in my times on the floor they say they're comforrtable sending us home if he doesn't have any trouble today/tomorrow.

Hopefully that means our next post will come to you from Ohio!