We hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We were able to celebrate over at Tara's parent's with all three babies in tow. Kevin's mom was going to host our family, but she came down sick the day before. Our nurse for the day was able to get Andrew ready by 10:30. It was a great day with family and time for us to be thankful for our many blessings. We're thankful every day, but it was good to think back over the past year.
Our babies are now 11 months old, and boy are they changing every day. There's so much going on with them that Kevin's been compiling a list to share.
Adelaide now has two teeth on her bottom and working on one or two on the top. We have several toys that play music, and Adelaide loves to bounce and bob her head when the music comes on. She seems to be the most musically inclined. She also crawls all over the place. Adelaide loves to crawl into Andrew's room, so we've put a gate up because of all the equipment in his room. She also enjoys crawling on us as we sit with them on the floor, which she's doing right now as we're typing. A few weeks ago, she weighed in at 17lbs. 9oz.
Mattie is doing very well with her helmet. Her head is shaping up nicely, and we anticipate it coming off at the end of December. Mattie is very thoughtful and observing. She's a watcher for sure. Mattie just got her first tooth. She was the last to cut one. She hasn't crawled on her own yet. We give her assistance by placing our hands behind her feet to give her something to push off. She can roll to toys on the floor, but we're working with her on the crawling. Mattie says mama very well. She likes to say it while crying when Tara leaves the room. Adelaide is also saying mama. Mattie weighed 16lbs. 8oz. a few weeks ago.
Andrew is doing very well. He's off the ventilator for 12 hours a day now. He has required oxygen while sleeping at night, so we're monitoring him and may need to go back to 10 hours off the ventilator. The big news is that Andrew has four teeth. He's got two bucky beavers up top that are so cute. He doesn't crawl as much as Adelaide, but his crawling is better. He can move around on hands and knees, goes from stomach to sitting up, and pulls himself up to standing position. We're guessing that he'll be the first to walk. Andrew still smiles the biggest smiles you've ever seen, and has a great disposition. He's been working with a Speech Therapist, and we've heard his voice several times through a speaking valve. He's even speaking through his trach as well. Andrew weighed 13lbs. 4oz. last week.
We recently took family photos to celebrate the babies first birthday and to use as a Christmas card. We're having a hard time deciding which one to use. We shot them at the Botanic Gardens, and they turned out wonderful. Keep an eye on the blog for future postings.
For a little fun, we gave the babies American Indian names in the spirit of Dances with Wolves. Adelaide (Voice like Thunder) Mattie (Stares at Face) and Andrew (Crawls like Worm).
Praise
The babies growth and development.
Andrew weaning off the ventilator.
The babies saying "mama".
God's provision for our family.
Crawling babies.
Prayer
Andrew's lungs would continue to strengthen.
Andrew would gain weight and strength.
Mattie would crawl.
Our nursing staff has been a little depleted. Please pray for qualified nurses.
For peace and joy in our house.
Kevin's still searching for a staff position. Please pray that the right job would come.
Monday, November 29, 2010
Friday, October 15, 2010
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Tuesday, October 12
Keeping up with the blog has become harder and harder as the babies become more active and require more attention. We hope you continue to check in with us to see how the babies are doing. Our babies will be 10 months old next week. Can you believe it? Time has started to fly by. We'll be posting some new photos soon.
We have our first tooth sighting. Adelaide has cut her first tooth on the bottom. She drools quite a bit and loves to gnaw on the arm of her highchair. She's also the most vocal of the three. She has a great laugh, and we love to get her going. Adelaide also enjoys hearing herself scream out loud. She starting the motion to crawl and reaches for toys on the floor. She's really close to being mobile.
Mattie got her helmet last week. She did really well with the first fitting. She didn't fuss for the first few minutes. When she realized something was on her head, she tried to pull it off. She got used to the helmet after a half day though. We did have some trouble with pressure points on the helmet and had to leave it off overnight on the second night. Tara took her back in for adjustments, and she's now wearing the helmet 23 hours a day. We were going to paint and decorate her helmet, but after purchasing supplies from Hobby Lobby, and trying to paint the helmet; we decided to go with stickers. Mattie has butterflies and flowers all over her helmet now. The most exciting news for Mattie is that she finally turned over from back to front. And now, she does it all the time. She's really blossoming. She talks a lot more now, is more interactive, and loves being on her stomach. It's exciting to see them all develop.
Andrew had another vent clinic, and he is gaining weight at a better rate. His weight gain was more significant than the last vent clinic. The doctor has increased his feeds by 15ml. He's still taking two of his feeds by bottle, but has only taken the full feed a couple of times. Most times, the nurses will gavage the rest of his feed through his feeding tube. Andrew is now going 8 straight hours off the ventilator. He'll do that for another week, then move to 10 hours straight for 2 weeks, and then 12 hours straight for 4 weeks leading up to the next vent clinic.
Praise
Andrew's weight gain.
Andrew's increased weaning off the ventilator.
Adelaide's first tooth.
All the babies starting to teethe.
Mattie's adjustment to the helmet.
Mattie turning over.
Kevin has another interview with a different company on the 21st.
God's provision for our family.
Prayer
Continued growth and strength for the babies.
Andrew has had some increased oxygen needs lately. Pray that he wouldn't need the oxygen.
Mattie's head would shape in a timely matter.
Andrew would keep his food down.
We have our first tooth sighting. Adelaide has cut her first tooth on the bottom. She drools quite a bit and loves to gnaw on the arm of her highchair. She's also the most vocal of the three. She has a great laugh, and we love to get her going. Adelaide also enjoys hearing herself scream out loud. She starting the motion to crawl and reaches for toys on the floor. She's really close to being mobile.
Mattie got her helmet last week. She did really well with the first fitting. She didn't fuss for the first few minutes. When she realized something was on her head, she tried to pull it off. She got used to the helmet after a half day though. We did have some trouble with pressure points on the helmet and had to leave it off overnight on the second night. Tara took her back in for adjustments, and she's now wearing the helmet 23 hours a day. We were going to paint and decorate her helmet, but after purchasing supplies from Hobby Lobby, and trying to paint the helmet; we decided to go with stickers. Mattie has butterflies and flowers all over her helmet now. The most exciting news for Mattie is that she finally turned over from back to front. And now, she does it all the time. She's really blossoming. She talks a lot more now, is more interactive, and loves being on her stomach. It's exciting to see them all develop.
Andrew had another vent clinic, and he is gaining weight at a better rate. His weight gain was more significant than the last vent clinic. The doctor has increased his feeds by 15ml. He's still taking two of his feeds by bottle, but has only taken the full feed a couple of times. Most times, the nurses will gavage the rest of his feed through his feeding tube. Andrew is now going 8 straight hours off the ventilator. He'll do that for another week, then move to 10 hours straight for 2 weeks, and then 12 hours straight for 4 weeks leading up to the next vent clinic.
Praise
Andrew's weight gain.
Andrew's increased weaning off the ventilator.
Adelaide's first tooth.
All the babies starting to teethe.
Mattie's adjustment to the helmet.
Mattie turning over.
Kevin has another interview with a different company on the 21st.
God's provision for our family.
Prayer
Continued growth and strength for the babies.
Andrew has had some increased oxygen needs lately. Pray that he wouldn't need the oxygen.
Mattie's head would shape in a timely matter.
Andrew would keep his food down.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Tuesday, September 28
We've been enjoying the great Texas weather with the babies over the last few days. We spread a blanket under one of our trees in the backyard and all three babies took naps. Adelaide seemed to enjoy the time the most. She had a very excited look in her eyes, and she kept licking her lips and kicking her legs before she finally fell asleep. We're excited that The Three Peets are now 9 months old.
Adelaide is turning over with regularity now. She also cries out when you step away from her to get attention. She gets very slap happy at night, and with just a little dance or a funny face, we can get her laughing. It's a scream to watch her. She will help pick her bib out by reaching into the drawer to select one. Adelaide is taking 3 solid food meals a day and weighed 15lbs 7oz. at her 9 month appointment. She was also in the 100 percentile for height.
Mattie continues to catch up to Adelaide in weight. She's now 15lbs. 1oz. She's also ranked high in height. Mattie turns over with help, but she's getting close to doing it on her own. We think she's teething too. Mattie's been chewing on her nipple and cries while eating some times. We've decide to get a helmet to shape her head. She's been fitted and will get her new helmet on October 4.
Andrew is now off the ventilator for 4 hours twice a day. He does very well, and we love having him mobile. He still has spit up issues, and is a slow grower. Andrew weighs a little over 11lbs. He has gone a day or so without spitting up, but no longer. Andrew turns over by himself. We finally got a speech therapist to see him, and hope to have occupational and physical therapy lined up soon. We've had a difficult time getting any agencies to come to our town.
Praise
Andrew doing better and better off the ventilator.
Mattie improving developmentally.
Adelaide and her slap happy self.
Kevin has had a phone interview, and 3 back to back interviews with one company. It looks promising. He also has an "in" with another company that has an open position.
Growth and strength for the babies.
Tara's been getting steady jobs as a tutor.
Prayer
Andrew would hold down his food and grow.
Mattie would feel better.
Strength for Tara.
Adelaide is turning over with regularity now. She also cries out when you step away from her to get attention. She gets very slap happy at night, and with just a little dance or a funny face, we can get her laughing. It's a scream to watch her. She will help pick her bib out by reaching into the drawer to select one. Adelaide is taking 3 solid food meals a day and weighed 15lbs 7oz. at her 9 month appointment. She was also in the 100 percentile for height.
Mattie continues to catch up to Adelaide in weight. She's now 15lbs. 1oz. She's also ranked high in height. Mattie turns over with help, but she's getting close to doing it on her own. We think she's teething too. Mattie's been chewing on her nipple and cries while eating some times. We've decide to get a helmet to shape her head. She's been fitted and will get her new helmet on October 4.
Andrew is now off the ventilator for 4 hours twice a day. He does very well, and we love having him mobile. He still has spit up issues, and is a slow grower. Andrew weighs a little over 11lbs. He has gone a day or so without spitting up, but no longer. Andrew turns over by himself. We finally got a speech therapist to see him, and hope to have occupational and physical therapy lined up soon. We've had a difficult time getting any agencies to come to our town.
Praise
Andrew doing better and better off the ventilator.
Mattie improving developmentally.
Adelaide and her slap happy self.
Kevin has had a phone interview, and 3 back to back interviews with one company. It looks promising. He also has an "in" with another company that has an open position.
Growth and strength for the babies.
Tara's been getting steady jobs as a tutor.
Prayer
Andrew would hold down his food and grow.
Mattie would feel better.
Strength for Tara.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Thursday, September 9
We've had a few doctor's appointments this week and thought we would update everyone on how the babies are doing.
Andrew had his monthly vent clinic with Our Children's House. We transported him ourselves this time instead of calling for CareFlite. Everything went very well with the transport, and Andrew slept the whole trip. The doctor thought he looked and sounded great. Andrew is now being weaned off the ventilator for three hours twice a day for two weeks, and then he will be moved to four hours twice a day for two weeks until the next vent clinic. Andrew hasn't gained much weight over the last month (10 ounces). The trach trials (vent weaning) takes a lot out of him, and he burns a lot of calories trying to breathe on his own. He weighed 11lbs 8 ounces, so the staff is increasing each feed by 10ml to 110ml. He still gets two bottles by mouth twice a day as well. His x-rays looked good, but the doctor noticed a small spot on his left lung. He didn't seem to worried about the spot though. Andrew is also going to be receiving a speaking valve to go over his trach, so we can hear his voice. We're really excited to hear him talk, babble, and cry. Andrew has been getting tastes of the solid foods that Adelaide and Mattie eat. He seems to like the taste of most of the items.
Mattie met with her Pulmonologist the next day. He's the same doctor at Our Children's House that Andrew visits. Mattie his been off of oxygen for over a month, and we've kept her on her apnea monitor only overnight. The doctor told us that we're taking the monitor away. Last night, Mattie was monitor free for the first time in 260 days since her birth. Tara was up every two hours checking on her. It feels great to have Mattie free of any tubes or wires. Cook Children's will be picking up all her equipment this week. The doctor has removed her diuretic and one of her inhalers. She weighed in at 14lbs 8 ounces. When we reviewed the growth chart with the doctor, he showed us a chart that didn't adjust for her prematurity. She was right at the bottom curve of a full term baby in weight and height. We're so excited for her. She's really becoming more active too. She babbles and talks to us, and the other night, Kevin had her squealing and laughing as he blew on her stomach.
Adelaide is doing wonderful. She woke up in a great mood today. She does usually, but today was even more so. Adelaide giggled and smiled all morning. She's been eating very well and has increased her intake. We're not sure how much she weights, but we're guessing fifteen and a half pounds. The babies all have nine month checkups next week, so we'll have results then.
Praise
Great reports on Andrew.
More weaning for Andrew.
Mattie being free and clear of all tubes and wires.
Adelaide and her wonderful laugh and smile.
Job opportunities for Kevin (a possible interview next week).
Prayer
Andrew would gain more weight.
Andrew getting stronger on his trach trails.
Rest and strength for Tara.
Kevin would find a job.
Andrew had his monthly vent clinic with Our Children's House. We transported him ourselves this time instead of calling for CareFlite. Everything went very well with the transport, and Andrew slept the whole trip. The doctor thought he looked and sounded great. Andrew is now being weaned off the ventilator for three hours twice a day for two weeks, and then he will be moved to four hours twice a day for two weeks until the next vent clinic. Andrew hasn't gained much weight over the last month (10 ounces). The trach trials (vent weaning) takes a lot out of him, and he burns a lot of calories trying to breathe on his own. He weighed 11lbs 8 ounces, so the staff is increasing each feed by 10ml to 110ml. He still gets two bottles by mouth twice a day as well. His x-rays looked good, but the doctor noticed a small spot on his left lung. He didn't seem to worried about the spot though. Andrew is also going to be receiving a speaking valve to go over his trach, so we can hear his voice. We're really excited to hear him talk, babble, and cry. Andrew has been getting tastes of the solid foods that Adelaide and Mattie eat. He seems to like the taste of most of the items.
Mattie met with her Pulmonologist the next day. He's the same doctor at Our Children's House that Andrew visits. Mattie his been off of oxygen for over a month, and we've kept her on her apnea monitor only overnight. The doctor told us that we're taking the monitor away. Last night, Mattie was monitor free for the first time in 260 days since her birth. Tara was up every two hours checking on her. It feels great to have Mattie free of any tubes or wires. Cook Children's will be picking up all her equipment this week. The doctor has removed her diuretic and one of her inhalers. She weighed in at 14lbs 8 ounces. When we reviewed the growth chart with the doctor, he showed us a chart that didn't adjust for her prematurity. She was right at the bottom curve of a full term baby in weight and height. We're so excited for her. She's really becoming more active too. She babbles and talks to us, and the other night, Kevin had her squealing and laughing as he blew on her stomach.
Adelaide is doing wonderful. She woke up in a great mood today. She does usually, but today was even more so. Adelaide giggled and smiled all morning. She's been eating very well and has increased her intake. We're not sure how much she weights, but we're guessing fifteen and a half pounds. The babies all have nine month checkups next week, so we'll have results then.
Praise
Great reports on Andrew.
More weaning for Andrew.
Mattie being free and clear of all tubes and wires.
Adelaide and her wonderful laugh and smile.
Job opportunities for Kevin (a possible interview next week).
Prayer
Andrew would gain more weight.
Andrew getting stronger on his trach trails.
Rest and strength for Tara.
Kevin would find a job.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Wednesday, September 1
We can't believe it, but it's been 3 weeks since our last post. Time is flying by with the babies. We are all doing really well, and we're having a fun time with the babies.
Adelaide is doing great. She loves to study our faces, and then when you smile at her, she grins really big. She is doing really well trying solid foods like rice cereal, bananas, prunes, sweet potatoes, and barley. She's still rolling over on occasion, but it's not happening all the time. She also enjoys playing a xylophone with her feet.
Mattie is growing and getting bigger. She's only a pound and a few inches behind Adelaide. She's around 3 weeks behind Adelaide developmentally. She's talking a lot more now. Mattie hasn't turned over by herself yet, but we're working with her. When we read to her, she actually helps turn the page, which is really cool. We're looking into companies that provide helmets to shape babies' heads. Mattie's is flat on the back from being in the incubator for so long. We found out that it's not just a cosmetic fix, but there may be structural issues.
Andrew is doing fantastic. He's been weaning off the ventilator. He started a couple of weeks ago doing 30 minutes off twice a day. He then moved to 1 hour twice a day for a week, and today, he did 2 hours twice a day. He'll be evaluated by the doctor next week, and we're hoping for more weaning. He's done very well with the trials. We thoroughly enjoyed taking him around the house on his first trial. We took him into the living room, and couldn't stop looking around at the pictures and the furniture. It was really cute. He did have some problems with spit ups and throwing up on occasion, but the doctor has changed his medications, and he's doing really well. Andrew has learned to turn his mobile on and off by kicking it.
Praise
Andrew's weaning on the ventilator.
Mattie's development.
Adelaide doing so well with everything.
The fun times we have with the babies at home.
Taking Adelaide and Mattie to church with us.
Our first Saturday morning walk as a family.
Prayer
Kevin's job search. He's had one interview (the position was entry level), but he has another promising interview tomorrow.
Wisdom for Kevin and Tara as we make a decision on Mattie's helmet.
Andrew would get stronger and stronger on his trials.
Adelaide is doing great. She loves to study our faces, and then when you smile at her, she grins really big. She is doing really well trying solid foods like rice cereal, bananas, prunes, sweet potatoes, and barley. She's still rolling over on occasion, but it's not happening all the time. She also enjoys playing a xylophone with her feet.
Mattie is growing and getting bigger. She's only a pound and a few inches behind Adelaide. She's around 3 weeks behind Adelaide developmentally. She's talking a lot more now. Mattie hasn't turned over by herself yet, but we're working with her. When we read to her, she actually helps turn the page, which is really cool. We're looking into companies that provide helmets to shape babies' heads. Mattie's is flat on the back from being in the incubator for so long. We found out that it's not just a cosmetic fix, but there may be structural issues.
Andrew is doing fantastic. He's been weaning off the ventilator. He started a couple of weeks ago doing 30 minutes off twice a day. He then moved to 1 hour twice a day for a week, and today, he did 2 hours twice a day. He'll be evaluated by the doctor next week, and we're hoping for more weaning. He's done very well with the trials. We thoroughly enjoyed taking him around the house on his first trial. We took him into the living room, and couldn't stop looking around at the pictures and the furniture. It was really cute. He did have some problems with spit ups and throwing up on occasion, but the doctor has changed his medications, and he's doing really well. Andrew has learned to turn his mobile on and off by kicking it.
Praise
Andrew's weaning on the ventilator.
Mattie's development.
Adelaide doing so well with everything.
The fun times we have with the babies at home.
Taking Adelaide and Mattie to church with us.
Our first Saturday morning walk as a family.
Prayer
Kevin's job search. He's had one interview (the position was entry level), but he has another promising interview tomorrow.
Wisdom for Kevin and Tara as we make a decision on Mattie's helmet.
Andrew would get stronger and stronger on his trials.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
Tuesday, August 10
Our big news is that Andrew is being weaned off his ventilator. He had an appointment on August 6th and over the last four days, the nurses have been slowly weaning him off his rate (the amount of times the ventilator breathes for him in a minute). They removed his rate for two hours twice a day for a couple of days, then four hours twice a day, and now they are trying him with no rate for twenty four hours. Yesterday was a hard day for him, and he was exhausted. They had to put his rate back on last night to give him break, but so far today, he's been with no rate. If all goes well this week, he will try a trach collar trial for an hour a day on Monday. This is where they will remove the ventilator completely, and he will have the trach with only a small humidifier attached. He's gained only a few ounces over the last few weeks, but the doctor says he's a slow grower. We are now feeding him two full bottles twice a day and pumping the rest in through the feeding tube. He does pretty well with it. Some times he's too tired to feed and can't complete the whole bottle. We're not pushing him, so he doesn't get turned off by bottle feeding. He is trying to turn over from back to stomach and still smiles all over the place.
Adelaide is doing wonderful. She turned over from back to stomach three times over the last three days. She lifts her head very well, so we put her in a bouncy entertainment chair. She bounced, laughed and hit the keys to start the songs. She's picking up her feeding amount after struggling for a couple of days last week. She's trying rice cereal mixed with pears once a day.
Mattie is doing great off her oxygen. We still put the monitor on her overnight, but during the day she's free as a bird. She's getting better at lifting her head during tummy time, but hasn't attempted a rollover. We love hearing her laugh when we make funny sounds or blow on her stomach. She's got a great laugh. She eats oatmeal with pears once a day along with her bottles.
Praise
Andrew's weaning off the ventilator and the changes they've made for him.
Andrew taking whole bottles.
Mattie doing well off oxygen.
Adelaide's development.
Prayer
Kevin has left his company and is seeking employment as a video producer/director. He's looking for a staff position.
Rest for Tara. She's exhausted.
Strength for Andrew during these trials.
Mattie's development would increase.
Adelaide is doing wonderful. She turned over from back to stomach three times over the last three days. She lifts her head very well, so we put her in a bouncy entertainment chair. She bounced, laughed and hit the keys to start the songs. She's picking up her feeding amount after struggling for a couple of days last week. She's trying rice cereal mixed with pears once a day.
Mattie is doing great off her oxygen. We still put the monitor on her overnight, but during the day she's free as a bird. She's getting better at lifting her head during tummy time, but hasn't attempted a rollover. We love hearing her laugh when we make funny sounds or blow on her stomach. She's got a great laugh. She eats oatmeal with pears once a day along with her bottles.
Praise
Andrew's weaning off the ventilator and the changes they've made for him.
Andrew taking whole bottles.
Mattie doing well off oxygen.
Adelaide's development.
Prayer
Kevin has left his company and is seeking employment as a video producer/director. He's looking for a staff position.
Rest for Tara. She's exhausted.
Strength for Andrew during these trials.
Mattie's development would increase.
Sunday, July 25, 2010
Sunday, July 25 2010
We're back again. It's so hard keeping up with the updates. We're getting more used to having Andrew at home and the schedule that we keep. We're tired most times and there's always something to be cleaned or done around the house. The sad part is that we have help with Andrew, and it still feels pretty busy to us.
Adelaide is doing great. When she's on her stomach she lifts her head really well and reaches out for toys next to her. She's also discovered her feet and grabs them with her hands. She's close to turning over from back to stomach. She was on her side this weekend and almost made it. She continues to coo and talk. She weighed in at 13lbs. 14oz. this week at the doctor's.
Mattie is weaned off her oxygen! Praise God! We received the results from the review of her monitor, and the doctor felt that we could take her off the oxygen. We still put her on the pulse ox monitor when she naps and sleeps, but that's really only for our comfort. The doctor said that we need to wean ourselves off the monitor in the next few weeks. Mattie weighed 12lbs. 9oz. at her last doctor's visit, and she's moved up the the 40 percentile.
Andrew is doing really well. We've moved some of his bottle feeds up to an ounce. His orders are for 20ml twice a day, but some nurses are pushing him to try a little more. He's doing an excellent job of grabbing toys and pulling them to his mouth. He has one toy that he holds with one hand and spins the ferris wheel with the other.
Praise and Prayer - We want to do something a little different this time. We bought a world map and put it up in Andrew's room. We know that many people from all over the world have been praying for our family over the last 7 months, and we thought it would be neat to praise God for the wonderful answer to your prayers. We'd like to put pins in the map of each location that people have prayed for us. So, if you or someone you know have been praying for us, please let us know where you're located. Please respond to this post and let us know.
Adelaide is doing great. When she's on her stomach she lifts her head really well and reaches out for toys next to her. She's also discovered her feet and grabs them with her hands. She's close to turning over from back to stomach. She was on her side this weekend and almost made it. She continues to coo and talk. She weighed in at 13lbs. 14oz. this week at the doctor's.
Mattie is weaned off her oxygen! Praise God! We received the results from the review of her monitor, and the doctor felt that we could take her off the oxygen. We still put her on the pulse ox monitor when she naps and sleeps, but that's really only for our comfort. The doctor said that we need to wean ourselves off the monitor in the next few weeks. Mattie weighed 12lbs. 9oz. at her last doctor's visit, and she's moved up the the 40 percentile.
Andrew is doing really well. We've moved some of his bottle feeds up to an ounce. His orders are for 20ml twice a day, but some nurses are pushing him to try a little more. He's doing an excellent job of grabbing toys and pulling them to his mouth. He has one toy that he holds with one hand and spins the ferris wheel with the other.
Praise and Prayer - We want to do something a little different this time. We bought a world map and put it up in Andrew's room. We know that many people from all over the world have been praying for our family over the last 7 months, and we thought it would be neat to praise God for the wonderful answer to your prayers. We'd like to put pins in the map of each location that people have prayed for us. So, if you or someone you know have been praying for us, please let us know where you're located. Please respond to this post and let us know.
Bath Time Pics
No, the picture's not upside down. This is Tara looking down on Andrew after his bath. 
Mattie has more hair than her Daddy.
Adelaide and her princess towel. Thanks, Walchshausers.
Mattie has more hair than her Daddy.
Adelaide and her princess towel. Thanks, Walchshausers.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Wednesday, July 14
Hi Everyone. We've had Andrew home for a little over a week, and so far, we're doing good. The first few days were tough. He did great, but we were a little overwhelmed and stressed. There's a lot involved in getting him into a new place with all the equipment and the new nursing agency. There's going to be some growing pains for sure. He has been sleeping through the night on most nights. He does wake up and want to play on occasion. The nursing agency has been great. Our head nurse has organized his whole room for us and helped get him settled. We had a very rough first trach care. We did it in his crib and the mattress was too soft. He kept sinking down, and then we gagged him, and he threw up. We have now wheeled Kevin's mobile work bench in from the garage. It has a good hard surface, is mobile, and is plenty high enough to the work we need to do on him. It looks awful as a furniture piece in the foyer though. Andrew had his first Pediatrician appointment, and she said he looked great. He weighed 10lbs. 7oz. Andrew also goes everywhere in style. He has ambulatory service for the next six months. If we have to take him somewhere, then we call CareFlight, and they take him. It's really helpful.
Adelaide and Mattie had a tough time the first couple of days when Andrew came home. There was a lot of activity in the house, and we had lots of visitors. They had a hard time getting down at night, but have been much better since. Adelaide's been eating really well lately, and both girls are drooling all over the place. We think they're starting to teethe. We've been very blessed with three sweet, smiling, lovable, and good-natured babies. It makes it easier to care for them.
Praise
Our Moms, and they're continued care for our babies. They have been doing such an awesome job, and we want to thank them for taking their time to help us. We know they wouldn't have it any other way.
Our friend from church who cut our grass for the last two months. It was another burden we didn't have to worry about.
Our church family, and their willingness to continue to nourish us and provide meals.
Our friends who painted Andrew's nursery while we went to Tara's Mom's birthday. They did an incredible job. And one of those friends who helps us run the errands we can't get to.
Prayer
Continued patience and strength for Kevin and Tara.
Growth and strength for Andrew.
Healing of Andrew's bottom. He's got a bad rash.
Mattie to be weaned off oxygen.
Adelaide and Mattie had a tough time the first couple of days when Andrew came home. There was a lot of activity in the house, and we had lots of visitors. They had a hard time getting down at night, but have been much better since. Adelaide's been eating really well lately, and both girls are drooling all over the place. We think they're starting to teethe. We've been very blessed with three sweet, smiling, lovable, and good-natured babies. It makes it easier to care for them.
Praise
Our Moms, and they're continued care for our babies. They have been doing such an awesome job, and we want to thank them for taking their time to help us. We know they wouldn't have it any other way.
Our friend from church who cut our grass for the last two months. It was another burden we didn't have to worry about.
Our church family, and their willingness to continue to nourish us and provide meals.
Our friends who painted Andrew's nursery while we went to Tara's Mom's birthday. They did an incredible job. And one of those friends who helps us run the errands we can't get to.
Prayer
Continued patience and strength for Kevin and Tara.
Growth and strength for Andrew.
Healing of Andrew's bottom. He's got a bad rash.
Mattie to be weaned off oxygen.
Monday, July 5, 2010
Monday, July 5 - Andrew's Homecoming
We're bringing our son home for the first time tomorrow. He's six and a half months old, and we can't wait to get him here. It's hard for us to believe it's finally time. We've had joyful cries thinking about it. He's been doing remarkably well over the last week. The doctor has continued to wean him on the ventilator, and Andrew continues to respond well. He's on a rate of 6, which is the amount of times the ventilator breathes for him in a minute. When he arrived at Our Children's House on May 11, his rate was 35. He's had great blood work and still lights up the room with his smile. He does throw up on occasion, but the doctor doesn't seem too concerned. Andrew hit the 10lbs. mark today. Kevin and Tara are heading to the hospital in the morning. Kevin will ride with Andrew in the ambulance, and Tara will follow behind.
The girls are doing really well. Mattie met with the pulmonologist, and he's ordered a sleep study for her. She does great off her oxygen while awake, but she de-sats while sleeping. Mattie sits up really well and has been cooing and smiling more. She had a busy week last week with the pulmonologist appointment, and an appointment with the eye doctor. She's been released from the eye doctor and doesn't have to go back for any visits. For this, Mattie is grateful.
Adelaide gets up on her elbows and knees while on her stomach and rocks back and forth, like she's getting ready to crawl. She smiles a lot and is in motion quite often, kicking her legs in excitement. They're both gaining weight and getting stronger.
Praise
Andrew coming home!!!!!
Andrew weaning on the ventilator.
Dakota, Shawntal, and Michael (The Three Peet's Cousins) are meeting them for the first time this week.
Mattie weaning on oxygen and taking the next step with the sleep study.
Andrew coming home!!!!!
Prayer
Safe transport and travel for Andrew.
Patience for Kevin and Tara for tomorrow. It's going to be a very busy day.
Smooth transition for Andrew, and his new nurses.
The girls are doing really well. Mattie met with the pulmonologist, and he's ordered a sleep study for her. She does great off her oxygen while awake, but she de-sats while sleeping. Mattie sits up really well and has been cooing and smiling more. She had a busy week last week with the pulmonologist appointment, and an appointment with the eye doctor. She's been released from the eye doctor and doesn't have to go back for any visits. For this, Mattie is grateful.
Adelaide gets up on her elbows and knees while on her stomach and rocks back and forth, like she's getting ready to crawl. She smiles a lot and is in motion quite often, kicking her legs in excitement. They're both gaining weight and getting stronger.
Praise
Andrew coming home!!!!!
Andrew weaning on the ventilator.
Dakota, Shawntal, and Michael (The Three Peet's Cousins) are meeting them for the first time this week.
Mattie weaning on oxygen and taking the next step with the sleep study.
Andrew coming home!!!!!
Prayer
Safe transport and travel for Andrew.
Patience for Kevin and Tara for tomorrow. It's going to be a very busy day.
Smooth transition for Andrew, and his new nurses.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
Saturday, June 26
We are starting the rooming-in process with Andrew. We're required to room-in and take care of Andrew's feeds, medicine, diapers, and respiratory treatments. They want to make sure we know what we're doing before taking him home. Tara roomed-in for 24 hours from Thursday to Friday, and Kevin is rooming in today until tomorrow, hence the down time to write the blog. Tara did a great job during her stay, but just before she started, Andrew decided to pull his g-tube (feeding tube) out of his stomach. Luckily, the staff was around the bed when he did. There was some blood, but they got him cleaned up and put a catheter in for feeds. The inside of the g-tube was deteriorating, so it was a good thing that it came out. They put in a mickey button the next day. This is similar ot what you blow a beach ball up with. It sits flush against his skin and there's a flap you lift to insert a feeding tube. It's much easier than a g-tube. Andrew is still on target for July 6. We're not saying that he's going home; we just say that he's going fishing. We hear that some babies will slow the process down if you say "home". Andrew is still spitting up on occasion. Today, he projectile vomited, so we're a little concerned. We don't want him aspirating.
Adelaide and Mattie are doing really well. They had their 6 month checkup, and the doctor said they were thriving. Adelaide is 13lbs. and in the 80 percentile for her age. Mattie is 11.5lbs. and has increased into the 20 percentile. Both of them smile and coo. Adelaide does a lot of baby talking and loves to study our faces and smile while she's eating. It's hard not to laugh and smile back at her. We try to stay straight face, so she can concentrate. This is really a fun time with all three because of how they interact with us.
We picked a home healthcare agency for Andrew. We're really excited because two of his nurses from the Grapevine NICU are with this agency and are already assigned to him. We really liked their work ethic and attention to detail, so we know it's going to be a great fit. We're still in the process of getting his room ready. We still have things to store away and move, and of course, we still have to paint. Some friends are coming this next Saturday to help paint. We are so blessed.
Praise
Andrew getting a mickey button.
Finding a healthcare agency.
The girls are thriving.
A week and a half until Andrew's fishing trip.
Prayer
Strength and endurance for Kevin and Tara as we prepare for Andrew's arrival. There's still a lot to do and little time.
Healing of the infection around Andrew's mickey button.
Weight gain and strength for Andrew.
Mattie would wean off her oxygen.
Adelaide and Mattie are doing really well. They had their 6 month checkup, and the doctor said they were thriving. Adelaide is 13lbs. and in the 80 percentile for her age. Mattie is 11.5lbs. and has increased into the 20 percentile. Both of them smile and coo. Adelaide does a lot of baby talking and loves to study our faces and smile while she's eating. It's hard not to laugh and smile back at her. We try to stay straight face, so she can concentrate. This is really a fun time with all three because of how they interact with us.
We picked a home healthcare agency for Andrew. We're really excited because two of his nurses from the Grapevine NICU are with this agency and are already assigned to him. We really liked their work ethic and attention to detail, so we know it's going to be a great fit. We're still in the process of getting his room ready. We still have things to store away and move, and of course, we still have to paint. Some friends are coming this next Saturday to help paint. We are so blessed.
Praise
Andrew getting a mickey button.
Finding a healthcare agency.
The girls are thriving.
A week and a half until Andrew's fishing trip.
Prayer
Strength and endurance for Kevin and Tara as we prepare for Andrew's arrival. There's still a lot to do and little time.
Healing of the infection around Andrew's mickey button.
Weight gain and strength for Andrew.
Mattie would wean off her oxygen.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Tuesday, June 15 - Power of Prayer
It's been awhile since we posted updates. We hope everyone is doing well and that you haven't given up checking on us. Thank you for continuing to pray for our family and for looking at our blog.
Andrew has had a great few weeks. It all started on Saturday, June 6. His doctor called us with an update. He told us that he had just seen Andrew, and it was the best he'd ever seen him. He hadn't spit up, he wasn't laboring on his breathing, and his lungs looked better. The doctor made some weaning changes to Andrew's vent and wanted to check his blood work on Monday. On Sunday, our church had a prayer night, and Kevin went to have the elders pray for the family and specifically for Andrew. The next day, Andrew's carbon dioxide had come down to 42 from 57, and the staff decided to wean him even more off the ventilator. This time they weaned his pressures. They gave him a week on these settings, checked his blood work, and the carbon dioxide levels came up a little to 51. Still a very good number. Yesterday, they felt he was doing so well that they weaned his rate, again! This time down 4 to 14. It's a big jump. Well, this morning his carbon dioxide was 48! We're so excited to see his progress. One of the nurses practitioners has told us that she thinks he's "turned the corner". We believe that the prayers that he's received has helped him to improve, and we thank God for it. Andrew is 9lbs. 2oz.
The girls are doing great. Adelaide's been eating better. She still has trouble in the late morning feed. We started mixing in formula bottles with the breast milk bottles since the supply in the freezer is almost out. Tara has done an awesome job of providing for them all. The girls are smiling and cooing all the time, and we think Adelaide is close to a chuckle. We're really enjoying spending time with them. We took them for their first walk last night. It's so hard to find the time to get them out, but there was a gap in between the feedings last night at dusk, so it worked out great. We also took them to meet their great grandmother for the first time. Mimi's birthday was on July 9, so we met her halfway for lunch. The girls did great on the trip, and we had several people stop by the table to ask if they were twins. We have the feeling that it was the start of many more table visits. Adelaide is 12lbs. 10oz. and Mattie is 9lbs. 5oz.
Praise
Andrew "turning the corner"
Great blood work results on Andrew.
Andrew not laboring after the changes on his vent.
Adelaide and Mattie eating better.
Our babies will be 6 months old on Friday.
Prayer
Continued growth and strength for Andrew.
Adelaide and Mattie would adjust to the formula.
Finding time to make preparations for Andrew's homecoming (getting his room ready, painting, interviewing agencies, etc.)
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Wednesday, June 2
We had a Care Conference yesterday, and the staff at Our Children's House have pushed Andrew's tentative release date out to July 6. He's not as far along as they had hoped he would be, and his ventilator settings are still too high. While we're a little frustrated of having two more weeks added, we're thankful that Andrew will have more time to grow and get stronger before coming home. We certainly wouldn't want him to come home before he's ready. They have weaned him a little off the ventilator last night and will have a blood gas to see if his numbers will change. He also had some bacteria in his trach that they're treating with antibiotics and an infection in his g-tube area that is starting to clear after antibiotics. He weighs a little over 9lbs.
The girls are still doing good. We're trying a few different techniques to help Adelaide while she's feeding. Some days she takes her minimum, and other days she really struggles. We'd like her to be more consistent, so her doctor suggested a few things to try. The Nexium medicine that she's on seems to be working for her acid reflux. She arches her back and cries less frequently while eating. Adelaide and Mattie are starting to smile more and more each day. It's a great feeling to walk up to them in their crib, and they look up and start grinning really big.
Praise
The girls acid reflux is less.
Andrew's infection has started to go away.
Andrew is starting to get weaned off the ventilator.
Mattie takes her bottle consistently.
Prayer
The new techniques for feeding Adelaide would work, and she would take her minimum for each feed.
Strength for Kevin and Tara as we travel to Dallas each day to visit Andrew. Help us to remember the goal.
All the details of Andrew coming home (training and using the equipment, finding a home healthcare service, preparing his room and rearranging the home) would go smoothly.
Growth and strength for all the babies.
The girls are still doing good. We're trying a few different techniques to help Adelaide while she's feeding. Some days she takes her minimum, and other days she really struggles. We'd like her to be more consistent, so her doctor suggested a few things to try. The Nexium medicine that she's on seems to be working for her acid reflux. She arches her back and cries less frequently while eating. Adelaide and Mattie are starting to smile more and more each day. It's a great feeling to walk up to them in their crib, and they look up and start grinning really big.
Praise
The girls acid reflux is less.
Andrew's infection has started to go away.
Andrew is starting to get weaned off the ventilator.
Mattie takes her bottle consistently.
Prayer
The new techniques for feeding Adelaide would work, and she would take her minimum for each feed.
Strength for Kevin and Tara as we travel to Dallas each day to visit Andrew. Help us to remember the goal.
All the details of Andrew coming home (training and using the equipment, finding a home healthcare service, preparing his room and rearranging the home) would go smoothly.
Growth and strength for all the babies.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Wednesday, May 26
We've all been doing well over the last week. Tara's pretty exhausted, but is settling into a routine with the girls. Kevin's been busy building his business and working on projects.
Adelaide is still doing great. She continues to gain weight. She also suffers from acid reflux, but we recently started her and Mattie on a stronger medicine. So far, so good. She's around 12lbs. and is smiling a lot and cooing at us. She also sleeps for 5 hour periods overnight, which is a great relief.
Mattie got checked by the pulmonologist yesterday. He said that her lungs sounded great. She's still on a little bit of oxygen, and he thinks she'll be off in the next few weeks. He wants us to start weaning her each day for a few hours at a time. Last Saturday, we kept her nasal cannula off for 3-4 hours with no issues. He's reducing some of her medications and increasing others due to a cough that she has. She's a little over 9lbs now.
Andrew is doing well, but the same pulmonologist wants his rates and pressures on his ventilator to be lower. His carbon dioxide fluctuates from the 50's to 60's. He also has a new roommate. A big, big three month old. We try to spend the night twice a week. Tara will go one night, and Kevin goes another. We've been doing training classes on cleaning and changing his trach, assessment and treatments, and safety. It still makes us very nervous, but the more practice the better. Andrew has acid reflux still, and the staff is doing a culture to see if there's bacteria in his trach tube that would have come from his stomach. If there is bacteria there, it would mean his acid reflux is still coming into his lungs. The doctor said he would try a stronger medication first before performing a nissen.
Praise
Adelaide gaining weight and getting bigger.
Mattie's lungs sounding good besides her cough.
Andrew and his ability to light up a room. He continues to smile and grin.
Prayer
Andrew's protection while at Our Children's House.
Andrew would grow and gain weight, so his lungs can grow, and his numbers would get better.
Andrew's culture would come back with no bacteria from his stomach.
We would absorb all the knowledge we're getting.
We would find a good home healthcare agency for Andrew.
Adelaide and Mattie's acid reflux would improve.
Adelaide is still doing great. She continues to gain weight. She also suffers from acid reflux, but we recently started her and Mattie on a stronger medicine. So far, so good. She's around 12lbs. and is smiling a lot and cooing at us. She also sleeps for 5 hour periods overnight, which is a great relief.
Mattie got checked by the pulmonologist yesterday. He said that her lungs sounded great. She's still on a little bit of oxygen, and he thinks she'll be off in the next few weeks. He wants us to start weaning her each day for a few hours at a time. Last Saturday, we kept her nasal cannula off for 3-4 hours with no issues. He's reducing some of her medications and increasing others due to a cough that she has. She's a little over 9lbs now.
Andrew is doing well, but the same pulmonologist wants his rates and pressures on his ventilator to be lower. His carbon dioxide fluctuates from the 50's to 60's. He also has a new roommate. A big, big three month old. We try to spend the night twice a week. Tara will go one night, and Kevin goes another. We've been doing training classes on cleaning and changing his trach, assessment and treatments, and safety. It still makes us very nervous, but the more practice the better. Andrew has acid reflux still, and the staff is doing a culture to see if there's bacteria in his trach tube that would have come from his stomach. If there is bacteria there, it would mean his acid reflux is still coming into his lungs. The doctor said he would try a stronger medication first before performing a nissen.
Praise
Adelaide gaining weight and getting bigger.
Mattie's lungs sounding good besides her cough.
Andrew and his ability to light up a room. He continues to smile and grin.
Prayer
Andrew's protection while at Our Children's House.
Andrew would grow and gain weight, so his lungs can grow, and his numbers would get better.
Andrew's culture would come back with no bacteria from his stomach.
We would absorb all the knowledge we're getting.
We would find a good home healthcare agency for Andrew.
Adelaide and Mattie's acid reflux would improve.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
Bad Math
We said it would be 6 more weeks, but if you do the math correctly, it's actually around 5 weeks until Andrew can come home. This makes us even more happy!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Tuesday, May 18
Andrew is doing really well. They've come down on his settings on his ventilator, and his carbon dioxide and other gas tests look good. He's been bottle feeding too. He took 15ml today. Tara had her first trach care class with him this afternoon, and Kevin will have one on Thursday. We met with the staff during our Care Conference today, and we have a tentative date for his release. It's June 22nd, which is 6 weeks away. We're excited to have a date, but also know that it's going to be a long 6 weeks of traveling back and forth. What's new, right? The joy of knowing he'll be coming home over shadows the drag of the hectic schedule. We have been able to spend the night with him a couple of nights a week, which makes it much easier. Andrew got moved out of his private room because another child that needed to be isolated was given the room. He had a roommate for one night, but she got discharged, so he's got the big room to himself. Andrew loves to smile. He smiles more than both girls combined. He has the biggest grin when people talk to him. It's really awesome.
The girls are doing great. The acid reflux is getting better, but still there. Adelaide seems like she's 12lbs. She's really getting big. Both girls had great evaluations at Our Children's House Grapevine. They passed their physical and occupational therapy tests. They gave us a few things to work on in regards to feeding. We really need to get the acid reflux under control, so they can thrive.
Praise
We have a release date for Andrew.
The babies doing so well.
Andrew settling in.
Prayer
Protection over Andrew while at Our Children's House.
The acid reflux would lessen for all three babies.
Strength for Kevin and Tara as we juggle our schedules and travel to Dallas.
Pray that Kevin and Tara would retain the knowledge they're getting in class and would not be fearful of how we have to take care of Andrew.
The girls are doing great. The acid reflux is getting better, but still there. Adelaide seems like she's 12lbs. She's really getting big. Both girls had great evaluations at Our Children's House Grapevine. They passed their physical and occupational therapy tests. They gave us a few things to work on in regards to feeding. We really need to get the acid reflux under control, so they can thrive.
Praise
We have a release date for Andrew.
The babies doing so well.
Andrew settling in.
Prayer
Protection over Andrew while at Our Children's House.
The acid reflux would lessen for all three babies.
Strength for Kevin and Tara as we juggle our schedules and travel to Dallas.
Pray that Kevin and Tara would retain the knowledge they're getting in class and would not be fearful of how we have to take care of Andrew.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
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