Salems little big brother turned 2 today...

He didn't seem all that impressed with the festivities...

He didn't care about the yummy birthday muffins,

...he got none!

He didn't care about snack time,

...he got the same thing he always does.. milk in a bottle.

He didn't care about bubble time,

...he got bubbles in his eyes.
He didn't care about fun time at the park,

... he doesn't walk, ride, swing or slide...

He didn't care about double layer chocolate cake with chocolate pudding and chocolate glaze,

...it's not like he got some pureed in his bottle.

So to Kages 2nd birthday he says... "Meh!"

to see/ read about big brothers b-day click the link....
http://crowecrew11.blogspot.com/

What a cute kid... whoa deja vu... again

It amazes me how much Salem looks like Kage. And it amazes me how much Kage looks like Scout.

The three of them are absolute clones. The only way to tell them apart is to check the bar code on their feet. OK - there's not really a bar code. And you can tell them apart, cause they are all roughly a year apart. But the real issue is when you are looking at pictures.

The other day, I saw a picture on the piano and asked "alright, who took a picture of Kage in a dress?" It was a picture of Scout from a year ago.

I have a picture of Scout in my office from when she was several months old. She looks exactly like Salem.

There are times (many times) when Tree and I have to ask each other which one is in a picture.

So where do I stand when people ask if I think cloning is ethical, moral, and legal? I guess by my actions I agree with it.

first lasts...

Salem is the caboose, but since our family of 9 kids, boasts 5 cabooses, I'd like to get off at the next station.

Therefore Salem is our Ender. He is also the last of all the firsts.
This very night is the last night that he will retain his 6 month old status.
In this 6th month...
he gained some weight,
tried baby food (didn't like it)
started smiling on cue.
started chewing on fingers, sometimes his own....
trys to wiggle out of a diaper change,
looks more like his daddy every day...
cut his first tooth... a last first...

little by littlest...

Salem exploring his cloth jungle.
he's a little wary... but curiosity gets the best of him and he reaches, kicks, pushes, pulls...he's really into it..

30 seconds later he's spent,its time to be chauffeured onto something new...

sześć miesiąc (that's pollock for 6 months)

I can't believe it's already been 6 months... It has been a very loooong six months.
Salem is doing well. Post-op is great.
His smiles are worth their weight in gold and his giggles, though few and far between are priceless.
~it feels like little Salem has always been a part of our lives.

Stats:
6 months.
11lbs 7oz 23 inches

almost up to par for a 2 month old.

Life threatening? a hernia.. for real?

Salem had a hernia that needed to be repaired. The surgeon said it could be life threatening. So he got to spend some time at Primary Childrens Hospital! Sterile & clean twinged with whimsy! I recommend it!

He had a great surgeon. They did a laparoscopy to make sure he didn't have any other holes or abnormalities.(hence the bellybutton owie!) He is recovering very well.
We are back to smiles!
:)

the "period of purple crying"

You have to watch a video and take a quiz about the period of purple crying now before you leave the hospital...

Well folks it's here and according to the video.. we have about 3 more months of this...

time & attention

Salem is enjoying the extra attention his hospital stay afforded him.
He got the IV removed from his head after it failed..and here he is sporting a full head wrap.
After much fluids and a massive dose of caffeine he is feeling almost spunky...
Little tough guy!

Resting and recovering

Salem and Tree spent the night in the hospital and Salem will be there for at least 48 hours. He is doing better and is finally eating. The doctor has cut back on his IV and Tree says his color is looking better.

They are not sure why he was not doing well. They say it is not RSV, not H1N1, but not really sure what it IS.

Hopefully we will find out soon.

Havin a bad day

Salem hasn't been feeling well for a couple days now. He has had a little cough, diarrhea, boogery nose, and way too much vomitting for someone this small.

Today he hasn't eaten hardly eaten anything and his coloring is very pale. He has just been laying around, not even crying. The few times he's tried to cry, it just comes out a quiet, sad, barely audible squeek.

His heart and lung monitor has gone off several times, which is very uncommon.

We are at the emergency room now.  I figured we would be up all night worrying about him till the doctor's office opens, we might as well be awake with someone in the medical field checking him out justin case he's very sick or quite dehydrated.

ER doc looking at him now.

Monitor, shmonitor....

okay so Salem wears an infant electrode belt kit. the belt goes across his chest, with electrodes (little black square) that attach on the right & left ribs, you have to put goo...or surgical lubricant on the electrodes.. its cold & wet & sticky.. he hates it.. a lot!     Attach the 'trodes to the lead wires, connect the lead wires to the monitor cable and there you go. All wired up and ready to go.

shot time! OUCH!

Salem got his 2 month shots! Grover tried to make him feel better...

5 lbs 11 ounces! little piggy! doing good! nothing much to report... he's 2 months -healthy & growing... but still just pretty much eats & sleeps..

VIP = Very Important Preemie!!!

Salem is our very important preemie right now... but last year Kage held that title...and the year before Scout was our VIP...

(the very cute onsie shirt is actually Kages that he got when he was in the NICU)

Salem & siblings

Salem is doing great! Growing & growing! His siblings seem to like him and Salem likes to be held by just about anyone....except maybe Kage! :)

Sweet Salem

This is Salems sweet baby blanky that he's had with him from the beginning. It was given to us by a lady who makes these precious blankys... http://www.dablings.com/

I had just given Salem a bath and wrapped him up in his super soft, super warm blanky...

Happy New Year!!!

Salem is doing great! He's eating & sleeping & growing! Yes, he can cry but for the most part he is a pretty laid back little boy. He is still tiny. Newborn clothes are still too big for him. He is still on the oxygen & monitors but hopefully those will go away soon. He is not suppose to be doing anything "newborn" for another 2 weeks, but he watches things, looks at movement, trys to hold his binkie in, grabs his blankie... so I think he's doing "newborn" things already.

Okay so it's been awhile....

Christmas time is a hard time to begin with, but when you have a baby unexpectedly and then have to spend 5 weeks commuting back & forth to the hospital..
then bring him home & have to stay home...
THEN.. wonder how you're going to get your christmas spirit on...
whew... the blog falls by the way side!

Stats...

This is what we should be looking at...
Due Date: 01/15/2010
Week: 35+2 days (gestation)
Month: 9
Trimester: 3
Fetus Age: 33 weeks

Instead we are looking at this...
Date: 12/13/09
Week: 5+5days
Month: 1month 8 days
Baby age: 38 days
weight: 2125grms 4lbs 11oz
feedings: 40mils (even though he typically takes 50)
Meds: trace amount of oxygen, caffeine, iron & zinc

little man is 1 month old!!!

one month old December 5th, 2009

4 pounds 3 ounces

numbers, numbers, numbers....part due

let me recap...

1. all about his weight numbers

2. all about his bottle feeding numbers

3. Now it's all about the length numbers.

 how long, how many minutes, how long or fast a feeding is.

Salem needs to take 75% (more numbers) of his feeding in 30 minutes or less, at least 2 times (numbers) in a 24 hr period (did i mention numbers?) and consistantly gain weight (back to the weight numbers) to progress to the next level... 3 feedings a day.

Today: he took 27 mils in 30 minutes, little to no brady-cardia... so that's 1 of 2 (uhhh..numbers)

so here's hoping that later tonight he just as gung-ho and we can move this boy up!!!

BTW he weighs in at a whopping 4lbs 3ounces!

numbers, numbers, numbers...

first it was all about the numbers in pounds... how many grams did he gain yesterday, today...what will he gain tomorrow...
1221, 1276, 1323, 1386, 1442, 1477, 1523, 1559, 1701, 1723, 1786, 1814 (whew... 4 pounds!!!)


Now it's all about the numbers in bottles...
How many mils did he take yesterday, today, what does he need to eat tomorrow.....
10, 20, 18, 22, 27....

Pack your Bags! (Almost)

Last night, Tree and I went to give Salem his second bottle of the day - yes, he is up to two bottles per day now. He was just bathed and weighed and came in at 4 pounds 1.3 ounces. What a fatty!

He still has some things to do before he gets to come home, but that was one of his last big milestones. The 4 lb mark was one we had been anxiously awaiting.

He took 18 ml of milk last night in his bottle and earlier in the day, Tree said he took 20 or something like that.

Tree said yesterday that he will probably have to come home with oxygen because he has been having a little trouble with his O2 saturation, but I am not convinced that will be the case. Maybe... But with all the prayers and with his iron will, I believe we will continue to see him surprise everyone with his progress.

So, we'll see.

Just about there...

Well, as of last night, Salem was 1497 grams. That translates to 3 lbs, 15.25 oz. Less than an ounce to go before he is 4 pounds. That was one of the last things he has to accomplish before he can come home. Yay!

One of the other things he has to do is take all of his feedings manually (i.e. not through the tube that goes through his nose and right into his belly).

Yesterday we gave him his first bottle and he took it like a champ. He is up to 34 ml now per feeding and with his first bottle, he took 10 ml. Today, Tree went in and gave him his second bottle and he took 18 ml. This little kid is such a rock star. He can now - with the doc's approval - go to two bottles a day.

Keep your fingers and toes crossed, and keep on praying. It's working!

Here he is with his first bottle.

Here is one of Tree showing him what to do with his mouth.

(Hee hee)

Nice

binkie boy

Salem isn't supposed to suck on a binkie... he's not suppose to have the suck/swallow/breath down yet.
He has been happy to have a plug since like day 3 of life.
He sure likes his binkie..
he should do well taking a bottle...which should happen soon...just waiting for the go ahead from the O.T.

we both get very tired.... so we take naps together!!!

Happy Birthday to Salem...

Happy Birthday and Happy Thanksgiving! Salem has gotten to the ripe old age of 3 weeks. He has come so far in such a short amount of time.

Annie, the Occupational therapist, said that he is doing incredible. She said his grasp is great and his head and arm motions are good and fluid, not jerky.

He's gotten big enough now that he doesn't need to be in a heated a incubator, he is doing a good job at keeping his own temperature.

1635 grams which is right around 3lbs 9 ounces. (as of Thursday night)
33 mls at each feeding (still through the nose, but we are hoping for a bottle feeding soon)