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Sunday, November 28, 2010

Power out...

As you know, there have been a series of cold winter storms blowing through here. Last winter we lost power 4 times, and used the generator each time to keep the fridge going, and cook a little. The generator also can fuel our propane fireplace. I woke up the other morning (on a calm, cold, and sunnier day) to a cold house. I turned the heat up, put Owen in his chair, and sat down to pump. My pump didn't come on...and I realized it was quiet.... no heat on in the house...Yes, the power went out... I called PG and E and reported it, guess it had been out for an hour. Our house was down to 65 degrees... Stalled a little, wrapped O in a warm blankie, and then woke Chris up to set up the generator. He needed a little help so I went out for 2 seconds to the garage, and when I came back in, Owen had pulled his tube out.. and part of his cheek...he was bleeding a bit. It was the same tube he had had in since Halloween, so it actually was due for a switch. So once the fireplace was on, Chris and I decided to replace it. His poor cheek has been soo irritated from the glue and the patch, you know how sensitive babies skin is. We wanted to give him a break but his meds were due so we replaced the tube on the other side.Jamie and her sister Nicola stopped by on their way to Apple Hill. They brought friends for Blue, Lucca and Bunk to play.
A no tube-pic! Too bad they are all with one red cheek..It is his trademark! He is rolling over now, from his stomach to his back. It is pretty neat to see him moving around better! Look at that little smirk!

Very belated THANK YOU!!!

I have been wanting to blog this forever but just haven't gotten my act together. When we were in the hospital, a group from Chris's work wanted to do a race in Owen's honor and named their team team Owen Britton!! We were just getting settled when they did the walk/run in September, but hopefully next year we can all join in!! A special thanks to Roy and Julie who organized the team, and the team members listed on the website: Roy, Julie, Deborah, Cathy, Linda, Coleen, Susan, Stacey, Barbara, and James. Together $710 has been raised for the American Heart Association in Owen's name!! If you don't know what to get someone for Christmas, this is a great idea. Thank you so much!

Thankful!

This year Wynt hosted a gathering. Chris was working but Owen and I ventured out. Owen (and I!!) had been having a rough week or two..not much sleeping going on, and Owen decided that he didn't want to breastfeed or take a bottle very well or consistently... This poses a challenge every feed, for prep: prep breastmilk in bottle,prep fortified stuff for tube, weigh Owen, attempt breastfeeding, if he doesn't want any, wait or try bottle. Then hook him up to his pump, then pump myself...and without sleep or regular walks outside (due to cold/rain) I wasn't doing well myself!

But it always gets better!! WE have soooo much to be thankful for in our lives...Most importantly: good insurance and good medicine! These two things enable us to be home with Owen, growing him here, and loving him no matter what the challenges are. We are so blessed with our little boy, and we wouldn't have him any other way!! Here O is with Aunt Wynter.
With Papa Schlitz.
Elise, Lily, and Ava playing on someone's Iphone.
The ADORABLE place settings that Wynt and the girls made! We took Uncle Chris's home and plan to use them every year for decorations.
Yummy turkey and spread! Although it was ironically a harder day for Owen and I, the exhaustion is improved when family is around, after a few nights of a few more hours of sleep, and when he flashes that little smirk my way!

Thankful for all of our support that revolves around baby O. We are sooo blessed!!

Saturday, November 20, 2010

Warning: nudity!

Hi all, if you know us or have followed the blog closely you would know that bathtimes have historically not been enjoyable for Owen. He has near passed out twice back in the sponge bath days. Thankfully those are OVER! He projectile vomited 3 times all over me and him tonight. Thank goodness for soap and water (although I admit I never feel clean for very long...) He sat in his little bumbo chair and watched me shower, and then I bathed him in the sink. He enjoyed it as you can see.The little man is likely at 12 pounds. Our morning weigh in did not occur this am, but he was very close yesterday. He got another vaccine on tuesday at his 4mo appt, and he hasn't been sleeping well since. His Pediatrician said he looks very good, of course just small for his age, about 5th%tile! His poor sleeping could just be coincidence...Guess we were spoiled with him being such a good sleeper because man I feel like I am losing it without sleep. I try to sleep when the baby sleeps but he is a cat napper and then we feed him thru the night so I am listening for gagging/the pump. Geez I am thankful I am not working this week. I can't add 2+2 or even finish sentences correctly. Chris slept out on the couch last night for some "quality" sleep, since he does have to function in the world and does need to add 2+2 correctly.
Not much new here, procrastinating mopping the kitchen floor right now when really all I want to do is sleep. Owen's next feed is going to start in a bit so hard to go to sleep, wake up, go back, etc, you get it... Never had a problem going back to sleep, but it has been hard with that mother's ear listening for O.
Tomorrow I am hosting the mom and babies group here. Hopefully the weather cooperates!
Just thought I would blog but should get to mopping our beautiful '77 linoleum.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

One woman band (when chris is at work:)

Just have to laugh at myself-I felt like a music artist today-bouncing Owen in his chair with my foot, whilst breastpumping, whilst on hold, also whilst on the net?! Brings a whole new level to multi-tasking that I am sure most parents can understand. Im holding him right now if there r any typos! Today started like what seemed like groundhog day with O gagging and vomiting...BUT he has had an awesome day breastfeeding! 5-5-7-7-6-3minutes!! (that's prior to each feed!) wahhoooo! Also he has figured out how to pop his paci back into his mouth. K maybe it's not that smooth but its pretty cute. the other news on him is that we have to re-tape his face daily! He also pulled his tube out a few inches today but i caught him in the act and pushed it back in. ok must go back to play my crazy song!!!

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Family Beach Pics

The last day at the beach was actually the best weather. So we had to make it down there to get some pics. O went with me the day before in the sprinkles but it was just so beautiful the last day.Of course O threw up all over his cute overall outfit so he was forced to wear random items of clothing. He must take after me!

Want to go back now!

Bodega Bay 2010

Well we made it! We voted for a later date for our annual family trip to Bodega this year, anticipating some hardships with Owen. We did it! Unfortunately Uncle Brian and Austin couldn't make it as Austin had a cold, but we appreciated Austie keeping his germs away from O. This was our favorite and nicest house that we stayed in. The views were so great that you felt like you were on the beach while indoors.Grammy and Owen having some cuddly time.
We ventured out to the beach in the rain. Owen was more prepared than all of us with his cute windbreaker!
Another trek to the beach with the womens.
Elise was looking thru the telescope and stating "I'm on a mission." (yes it is the wrong end!) Her shirt said Glamour Kitty and she enjoyed acting like a kitten the whole weekend.
Relaxing on the couch. Julian was quite the babysitter.
We enjoyed lots of good food, exercise, movies, games, laughs, and stories. The time went by fast. It was so nice to let go a little of our routine and just be a little! I didn't write down any of Owen's feeds, or calculate anything, which felt really nice. We tried one week of bottle feeding pre-ng feed (vs breastfeeding) and his weight is the same. Guess we will go back to hit or miss breastfeeding. It is fine with me, I just wish something would be hit instead of miss:(

Otherwise he is just the happiest little guy. He is sleeping so well and we have adjusted his diuretic so that he wakes up (from his pee:( ) around 2. That way I get a few hours before he wakes. He also has weaned himself off of 2 night feeds, so we are increasing the volume thru the day to make up for that. Can't say it bothers me tho!!

Have connected with another mom from Ron's house. Her baby is having similar feeding issues, which is unfortunate. She is such a good support person for me though and I am so glad to have her in my world!


Go Giants!

Chris was very very excited to watch the world series final game with Owen. Papa rich supplied Owen's onesie way before we knew the Giants would make it to the series!

Thursday, November 4, 2010

Halloween

Quick posting (as usual!) while Owen is getting his feed and asleep!
We had a great Halloween. It was such a beautiful day outside and Owen was soo happy even though I dressed him up multiple times... We did what we had hoped to..Make caramel corn and take lots of pictures. Somewhere in between, Owen pulled out his ng tube! At least it wasn't me this time!! Jac and I were in the kitchen making caramel corn, O was in his swing, and I look over and see his new move of him grabbing his paci. But I looked over and there was no patch on his cheek! I made a leaping bound over the bench that was in the way (only way to keep Blue out of the kitchen..ARG!), and pushed HOLD on the feeding pump, STOP on the swing, and tried to PUSH the tube back in. After one push and lots of resistance, I realized all but an inch was in his nose... He was over halfway thru with his feed so we let his tummy settle and actually got to play with him with his tube out!

It was so much fun to not have to be careful with him. I mean- I think you can know what I mean. I am careful with him anyway but he has always had tubes of some sort coming out of him so it was sooo much fun to nuzzle both cheeks!!
One of his favorite spots is on his fur (Thanks Jay!) on his changing table with his snuggle blanket (thanks Shannon!).
Our little sweet pea!
Pre-tube removal. The adults enjoyed white wine with a tootsie pop in it (yum! the sweetness around the pop leaches out into the wine). I called it a tootsie-tini! Jac showed me some of her pics from her recent Haiti trip, and we enjoyed caramel corn...
Can you believe a dietitian would give her 3 month old this much candy??? Some parents...

So Jac helped hold Owen's head steady and the first try of re-inserting the tube I thought went well. Until I noticed it was all coiled in his mouth!! The second try we got it in the right spot! Chris texted me that "we will make a nurse out of you yet!" I have thought about it for sure, and if everyone in the world wasn't going back to school right now I may consider it someday again.

Our meeting with the Lactation consultant went pretty well. Of course Owen was exhausted and didn't breastfeed or take a bottle for her...It was a major trip to get him in the car, feeding, and driving down to Arden. The alarm on the pump was going off for 20 minutes even 2 seconds but it isn't so easy to pull over on the side of 50-or safe. We came up with a plan to trial bottle feeding of my milk because our overall feeding goal is to get the tube OUT! This way we can measure more accurately how he is eating.

The first bottle Owen took 110mls (almost 4 ounces!!) We were astonished- he had never taken this much by mouth! I was hoping and praying that the Moose was back! But, Owen is consistent with his inconsistencies and the subsequent bottles he took 75mls, 30mls, 10mls, none, none, 30mls, 35mls, none.... I am calling the consultant back to see what her ideas are...I know many parents trial multiple nipples but we used the same one that he did so well on and he just didn't want it. So now feeding is taking upwards of 1.5hours because if he is rejecting the bottle I wait 15minutes and then try again...then wait another and try again... Then feed him via tube whatever he doesn't take... The plan is to try this for a week but man, I need a dose of patience if this is the way it's going to be....

Anyway, house update- deer ate my chard despite Chris's attempts to keep them out.. :( The garlic is coming up so have to figure out how to keep them out of that...

Pat the rooster is picking on 2 of our hens so we need to find other homes for them or have someone come out and take care of them....Not what we want to do but Pat is beating them up:(

Blue is in love with Owen and is protective in a very sweet way.

Chris is working his usual scheg and trying to schedule some Dad away time. I think he is going to the movies next week to see scary movies that I would never want to see!!

I'm doing the usual-exercising, sewing in my spare time, ha! and the household chores that you all know and love. I'm extending the clothesline time due to the warmer weather the last few days!

FYI Baby Paxton is home now and it appears that his surgery was a complete success. Although we hope Owen's ebsteins is never as serious as Paxton's, it is good to know that the cone procedure is an effective way to re-construct the tricuspid valve.

Happy November, extra hour of sleep this weekend, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY COURT!!