Sunday, October 18, 2009

Week Recap

So have y'all forgotten about us? Its been over a week...but in my defense its been a crazy week. I've had an event going on for work so I was leaving here before 7 and getting home after 10 for a couple of days. Plus, Friday was Reed's birthday so we've had that going on. I iced his cupcakes Thursday night (PS, this was the first time I have frozen cupcakes but I have a friend that does it all the time. I just put them in tupperware...they turned out great) but the real extravaganza started Friday.

Friday morning, Beau and I took Reed to breakfast at Chick-Fil-A, that afternoon I went over to his school for cupcakes (my company has an on-site daycare) and that night we met family at our favorite Mexican restaurant for dinner...Gaines stayed home with Terri (the nanny). That was the first time that Beau, Reed and I have been out to dinner since Gaines came home. We had a great time and Reed seemed to really take to the whole birthday thing. Presents, cake, extra attention...what's not to love.

My mom stayed with us all weekend so Beau and I were really able to spend a lot of time with Reed. He's been a real trooper since March so I wanted to really make his birthday super fun. Saturday afternoon we took him to the fair that happened to be in town. Two highlights there...he pointed to one of the cows in the livestock area and said..."Hippo". Also, he must have been impressed with the ferris wheel because he kept looking at it and saying, "Beautiful". I've never heard that word out of his mouth and there he his using it to describe the ferris wheel. Sidenote there, is the ferris wheel not the scariest ride? I hate them.

Saturday evening I let Reed paint pumpkins and by default, his whole arms while I was in the kitchen (newsflash...two year old + paint = giant mess). Today Beau and I were able to take Reed to church before heading to Playhouse Disney Live this afternoon. Reed is now the proud owner of a Handy Manny hat (among various other very generous gifts) and he got to see the "real" Mickey Mouse. I broke the news to him tonight that as of sundown...the birthday celebration was over. He was so worn out he went to bed early tonight.

The Gaines update is really just about the spitting up. Last week he only gained one ounce...he should be gaining an ounce a day so last week was not so good for him. I kind of think his spitting up is worse even though we changed formula (Similac Neosure) and medicine (bacloven?? I think). Our pulmonologist consulted with a GI specialist this week to come up with the new medicine. It's actually a medication for something else but happens to really work well on reflux...supposedly...I don't think it's working too great. He is taking more at each feeding but still spitting up almost every feeding. I'm waiting until he's weighed on Wednesday to call back. He should be weighed again Wednesday so I think we'll know a lot more then as to how he's doing. I wasn't so excited about last week's weight gain but I won't be concerned unless it happens this week too.

Also, I think that Gaines is making some progress with his head control and development. He's doing better about not holding his head so far back and has been playing with his toys a good bit. Please keep this prayer request in mind this week...I really would love it if you all would pray for his head control to keep developing. He has to get that down before he can master sitting up, standing, walking etc. I'll feel so much better about things once we have that under control. Its probably my biggest concern right now...he's doing great on his oxygen.

I think that's about it. It's been a long week and I'm worn out. Please continue to keep Gaines and our family in your prayers and forgive the lack of posting. I'll try and be better this week.

Love to all,

Brittany

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Wow, what an exciting week! Happy Birthday to Reed! Praying for Gaines' head control and God's hand to continue to be over his development.

Diana said...

Happy birthday Reed! Praying for the reflux issue. Both of my girls have severe reflux and we have been down the road of trying all sorts of medications to help them. My girls are actually have surgery in two weeks to fix their reflux. Praying that you guys don't have to go down that road. Also, praying for the head control.

The Schulte Family said...

I am a mommy of a reflux baby (and pyloric stenosis). My Reid had pyloric stenosis at about 1 month of age and had to have surgery to relax the pyloric muscle. Not sure if it would help, but it might not help to check it out. He was not gaining weight and at 1 month, was still his birth weight. He also had severe reflux after that and was put on Reglan (I think) to make food (milk) move from the stomach to the digestive tract faster.

They always told me that the antacids were to make the spit up less acidic and painful, they wouldn't lessen the amount. But each child is so different.

Hopefully he grows out of it soon. You've definitely had a harder road with your little guy, but this is also very frustrating. Good luck!

The Speck family said...

Hi friends~ we were in the Georgetown Univ. NICU for 10 weeks with major lung issues, a CP diagnosis, reflux, etc. so I check in on you guys to see how your sweet boy is doing. Bennett (my son) really has only ever tolerated Nutramagin and NeoCate One~ they are both hypo-allergenic and have been the easiest things to digest....you may have already tried these, but I know how STRESSFUL the weight-gain thing is so I just wanted to pass along our info :). Your boys are so, so adorable and you both are obviously great parents!