Nacho is Concerned about Phoenix

Mormor's Visit

At his first pediatrician's appointment, Phoenix was found to be in good health and he has grown to 19 1/2" and 5 lbs. 12 oz. No shots this time (phew!). Due to his prematurity, he will have to wait another month, at least, before his first vaccinations / immunizations. He has his next appointment scheduled in June. Soon after we got home, Phoenix's Mormor arrived in Redmond for her first long visit! We had bath time... and a lot of snuggle time with Mormor. Steph and Lisa are very grateful for this time so that we can rest and get some things done around the house! And Mormor has been learning all of Phoenix's little quirks and habits. Phoenix has been quite content with Mormor holding him ALL day!

Little Boy Blue

... come blow your horn! It gets a little chilly here at night, still. So, we try to bundle up! We're excited for warmer weather coming soon! Phoenix has his first pediatrician's appointment on Monday, the day after Mother's Day. His first shots are expected and hopefully, he has gained weight since coming home! This will be Lisa's first Mother's Day as a mother and she's quite pleased!

Home, at Last!

After 13 days back in the Bend NICU, including a "rooming-in" for the last night, Phoenix was discharged on Tuesday, May 5th (Cinco de Mayo) to come home! Phoenix successfully passed his hearing test (ultrasonic); a car seat study (maintaining at least 90% oxygen saturation, while strapped into a car seat for an hour); 72 hours of eating 46 - 50 ml of milk, by mouth only, every 3 hours; gaining at least 20 grams daily; and finally the "room in" which consisted of Steph and Lisa staying in a hospital family room, overnight with Phoenix, tracking all of his care (ad lib, on demand feedings, burpings, diaper changes, temperature checks... all while making sure he still gained weight) with no probe monitors on Phoenix. In the morning, the neonatologist and the charge nurse did an exam and 29 days after he was born, we were finally allowed to take Phoenix home! We survived the first night at home... after his bath, we were up every 2 hours for his "on demand" feeds and multiple diaper changes. One of our chihuahuas (Nacho) thinks it's his job to notify us if Phoenix makes even a peep or moves a muscle. He is absolutely fascinated with Phoenix and whines if he can't see him or be near him! I think Phoenix already has a furry friend for life (Nacho)! This morning, we sang Happy Birthday to Phoenix, to celebrate his one month birthday! This is kind of funny, since he wasn't even due to be born for another 3 weeks, from now!

I want to be just like Mommy!

The LION says "ROAR" (or yawn....)!

SMILE for the camera!

Preparing to go home!

Phoenix is doing very well, now. He is eating between 46 - 50 ml every 3 hours, by bottle. He is using a higher flow nipple, so that he doesn't get tired sucking and he actually finishes his bottle in less than 5 minutes. It used to take around 20 - 30 minutes on the slow-flow nipple and he often got too tired to finish it and would need to be gavaged (fed by tube) whatever was left in the bottle. Phoenix is now 5 lbs. 2.8 oz. In some of the photos, you can really see his face filling out and he's starting to look more "baby-like". He will be measured (body length and head circumference) tonight, after his bath, and I will update it at that time. Last Sunday, he was 18 1/2" long. Some of these photos he was sleeping (or "pretending to sleep") because he does not appreciate the camera flashes! He closes his eyes a lot when the camera comes out! It will be easier to take photos later, when he can be either outside in the sun or in a brighter room, where a flash may not be required. Phoenix had his oxygen saturation probe and cable removed yesterday, since he has been totally off of any oxygen or even room air flow (through his nasal cannula) for 2 days. Now, the only cable still connected is the one with the three leads checking his respiratory rate and heart rate. He of course, still finds ways to get tangled up in those, but it's much easier to maneuver him in and out of the bed and into different holding positions! He does still have his gavage tube in his nose (for those feedings that he refuses to eat -- when he's just too tired). Although, he just pulled that out today (again)! We're learning different positions to hold him in to try to help alleviate the gas he has after his meals. So, fewer wires and cable connections is great for us! His doctor says that as long as he doesn't have any set backs, and continues eating as he does, Phoenix could be discharged from the hospital as early as later this week! The medical staff are basically treating him as a full-term baby, now. They told us to go ahead and bring in his car seat. And, we were told to schedule his first pediatrician appointment. Also, Steph and Lisa will be completing an infant CPR class on Tuesday. All of this news is both exciting and a bit nerve racking! We've been spending so much time at the hospital(s) that we don't even have his room done! We will probably need to go without some sleep in the next couple of days to at least finish painting his room! I want to make sure the paint is dry and has had time to cure before he comes home, so that there are no lingering fumes. Thankfully, Phoenix's Mormor (Lisa's mom) has generously offered to come down from Seattle to stay with us to help with the transition and care for Phoenix. This will help us also, so that while Mormor cares for Phoenix, Steph and Lisa can get caught up on general house work and yard work that has been neglected for a few months, since Lisa was first admitted into the hospital, due to medical complications with this preganancy! Phoenix will be in great hands with his Mormor, whom Lisa refers to as the "baby whisperer"! And, we will surely get some good baby care tips, as well.

Lunch time!

Phoenix's First Bath!

Late last night (just after 2 am on Monday morning) Phoenix had his first submerged bath! Prior to this, he just had sponge baths. He will now get a "real bath" every Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, here in the NICU. He has his leads (to monitor heart rate, respiratory rate, and oxygen saturation), his gavage (feeding) tube, and his nasal cannula (for oxygen) all still attached to him, but none of these things are attached to anything else while he is bathing. Phoenix was measured and weighed again and he is now 18" long and 4 lbs. 12.5 oz. (2168 g). Phoenix is up to 42 ml of milk, every 3 hours now. This is based on his current weight, so it will increase as his weight increases. Needless to say, he has not been able to actually "eat" (bottle feed) this larger amount. But, his doctor says he has to be able to not only tolerate the feeds, but do it himself (bottle feed or breast feed) the 42 ml every 3 hours BEFORE he will be allowed to go home. Right now, he will only eat between 2 ml - 20 ml before he has to be gavaged (tube fed) depending on how tired or hungry he is. This, of course, is worrying his mommies who are trying to figure out just WHEN he might be able to come home with us! We're still trying to work out our routine to spend time with Phoenix at the Bend NICU, while Steph is back to work and Lisa tries to keep up with the back log of laundry and housework that still needs to get taken care of (in Redmond). This now includes yard work, since Spring is here. Phoenix seems to be a night owl like his Mor (Lisa) which makes it interesting to schedule bonding time with him, while still being available throughout the day for his feedings and other "hands on" time (burping, diaper changes, temperature taking, and occasional kangaroo care). Please keep Phoenix in your thoughts and prayers that he will learn to do all of these things (eating, digesting, breathing, and maintaining his temperature, heart rate, and oxygen saturation) that we take for granted, since our bodies do it automatically.... so that he can "graduate" from the NICU and we can take him home!