My monkey is getting so big! He is weighing in tonight at a hefty 5 lbs. 10 ozs!! He loves to eat!! They have taken him off his daily dose of caffeine. He has to be off the caffeine for at least 4 days before we can start a countdown to come home! We are hoping to start an eight day countdown on Sunday. Any brady or desat will cause him to have to start the countdown over again, so the nurses say not to be super hopeful because most babies start their countdown over and over until the docs figure out why the bradies are occuring. He will be 36 weeks gestation next Monday, so hopefully this will cause him to just naturally quit having them. I am very hopeful to have have him home before Thanksgiving!!

 
 
 
 


When we saw Luke last night, we found him with his hands up in the air completely asleep!! It was TOO CUTE! He does not like for his hands to be wrapped up!!

Tagged by Meg....

I got tagged!! Ok, I'm such a talker, most of you probably know all of this anyway!!! But, for those of you who don't, here are seven things you might not know about me!!

1. I once dated a guy in college who had a 14 foot python that he kept in a cage in his kitchen (in his apartment)! This should have been a clear and distinct red flag that I should not have dated him....

2. Some mean little girl called me a hippo in second grade and I got so mad and hurt that I called her a starving Ethiopian (well, she was really skinny!!). That comment has stayed with me too long! Let it go Rhonda, let it go...

3. I have "peed in the Plaza" in New York City. You know, the fancy smanchy hotel next to Central Park? They have fabulous bathrooms!

4. I can have quite a potty mouth and often have the humor of a 12 year old boy!! I'm obsessed with body functions and love to joke about them (much to the chagrin of my husband and best friend).

5. I am a picker. Not my nose, of course, but I do pick the skin around my fingers till they bleed. It's gross and ugly but I can't stop!! It's a nervous habit!! I also LOVE to peel people when they get sunburned and I was a really bad scab picker when I was a kid. If you ever need something picked or squeezed, I'm your girl! I'm weird. Don't hold it against me.

6. I got saved in 2006, but often wonder if I'm doing all I'm supposed to be doing to live up to that commitment.

7. I can't swim underwater. I have to hold my nose everytime I go under! I've tried, really really tried, but I can't do it! Luke's gonna have swimming lessons....

Ok, next I tag Courtney Snuggs......

!!!!!

5 POUNDS 5.2 OUNCES!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? GOD IS SOOOOO GOOD!!

Luke is a chunker

Hey all! Just an update (no pics yet...I'm too tired to load them right now)! Luke is doing AWESOME!! He now weighs...get this... 5lbs 2ozs!!! What a big boy! I am so proud that he is a good eater! I actually got to feed him a bottle last night and it was wonderful! It made me feel like a real mommy! :) Also, he is in a portable crib right now and he is off of his nasal canuallas. That means he has nothing stuck to or stuck on his sweet little face! He did have a brady this morning, but it was his first since the 22nd and it was right after he ate (he seems to have them mainly when his is eating or right after he eats). But they seem to be getting further apart, so I think its a good sign. I'm gonna head off to bed now so I can actually get to church on time tomorrow! I hope everyone had a great Saturday!

 
 
 
 



MY LITTLE MONKEY IS EATING FROM A BOTTLE!! LOOK AT HIM GO!!! OH HAPPY DAY!!

 
 
 
 



Don't you just love the pointy hat?? He looks like the travelocity roaming gnome!! "You'll never roam alone!!"

A Great Day!!

After complaining so much in my last post (sorry for venting), I went to the hospital and when I saw my little monkey, my heart jumped for joy!! He had NO feeding tube in!! YAY!! This is HUGE! He took ALL of his feeds today by a bottle!! Woo hoo!! He just started bottle feeding on Saturday & has had 2 per day since then. But today is only Tuesday and they decided he was doing SO well, that they put him on total bottle feeds! And he seems to be tolerating it pretty well! He has a few desats (drops in oxygen) but this is to be expected since preemies aren't born with a functioning sucking reflex. But he really is doing better than I could have hoped for! I even got to watch him take a bottle today. I still can't feed him until they are confident that he has the ability to remember "suck, suck, breathe". He forgot a couple of times today but it was still so wonderful to see him drink from a real bottle! The nurse says that if he tires out, then they will put his tube back in so I don't need to be disappointed if that happens. She also said that he will most likely lose a little weight since he is actually burning a lot of calories drinking from a bottle. He used no calories when the food was fed through his tube, so it makes sense that he might lose a little. Speaking of weight, he is up to 4lbs. 12.2 ozs. Chunky monkey!! We have our eyes on that 5 pound mark!! I'm a little bit better today. Last night I was REALLY down about not feeling like a real mommy. But seeing him eat like a normal baby has really cheered me up! He even burped like 4 times!! Loud!! And I got to change his diappy today! Weird thing to get excited about, but he will be 1 month old on Friday and I'm SO ready to feel like his mommy!! If you get a chance, check out my "Little Miracles" link and see the progress that baby Kayleigh has made since her super-early arrival. She was a micropreemie and she is getting so big! Her mommy and daddy have "then" and "now" pics posted. AMAZING!! I hope everyone is doing well and as always, thanks for the continued prayers for monkey!! God continues to pour his blessings over us! love you all!

Gettin' bigger!

Luke was up to 4lbs. 11ozs. tonight! We are zeroing in on that 5lb. mark! The new pics show his chubby lil' cheeks! I can't wait until he gets his nasal cannulas BACK off so we can see all of his sweet face again. He had a really good day today. He had two successful feeds off of a bottle. I was a little disappointed today, though. I was told by his night nurse and his morning nurse that I could feed him his bottle today, but when we got there this afternoon, another, "more seasoned" nurse told us that we would not be able to do it since he is so new to the bottle. She told our nurse (who was getting the bottle ready for us) that we couldn't do it. :( Needless to say, I was not happy. I mean, you put the bottle in his mouth, he eats, I burp him, he eats again, I burp him....I got it! Done it before. With lots of babies. I promise I know how!! Nothing to it...Anyway, just a bit a miffed at that. I mean, he IS my child, right?? I know, I know, the rules are there for a reason, but come on!!! I just feel like I am missing EVERYTHING!! His first bath, his first diappy change, his first bottle...It just kinda sucks. But, I do have lots to be grateful for! I'm just ready to really feel like a mommy because I don't right now! Like tonight, he has a really sweet nurse. He had a dirty diaper and after I had to put him back in the isolette (even though his temp. was holding steady...another little irratant is being told we have to "put him back"...) and she didn't even ASK if I wanted to change him. Now I know all the other mommies are going to tell me that there will be PLENTY of diapers for me to change, but I have only changed Luke 3 times. That's it. In three weeks and 2 days, I have only changed his diaper 3 times. I guess I'm just going to have to say, "I've got...I can change him!!". It is just not natural to have to ask!! I've been allowed to change his clothes once. One time. I don't know...Maybe the nurses are just so busy and have so much on their plate, they don't think to ask if I want to do it! BUT I DO!! It's just that I feel like if they don't ask me if I want to, then I'm not allowed. I'm really not feeling like much of a mommy here lately!! It's like he's "on loan" to us for a couple of hours a day. Can you tell it's really starting to get to me? I did not mean for this to be a gripe fest and the NICU really is a WONDERFUL place and the BEST place for him for now. I'm just soooo ready for him to really be mine!! Well, I'm off to bed so I can at least dream of my little monkey! I hope everyone had a great weekend!! I will report back soon! Oh, real quick...At church today, my two friends (and new mommies themselves) Jamie and Ashley, were holding their little ones, Logan and Will and they just looked like such BIG boys!!! They are absolutely georgeous and I can't wait for Luke to join them! He has LOTS of growing to catch up with them!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You take the good, you take the bad...

Hey guys! Lots to update you on! First the bad (well, not really bad....). The docs decided to put Luke's nasal cannulas back on. There is not any oxygen pumping in them, just a flow of air. This is supposed to help with his brady's. He was having quite a few of them and they just don't want to wear him out so the "bump" of air will help him. Also, yesterday he tee-tee'd on his bed and when the nurses discovered it, his body temperature had gone down. He was having a difficult time putlling it back up so they moved him back to his isolette. :( So...he is out of his open crib and back in the little warmer. Now, for the good news! Luke now weighs 4lbs. and 10ozs!!!!!! WOW!! He gained 4 ounces in 1 1/2 days!!! He is getting BIG!! YAY!!! Also, more good news from this morning!!! HE DRANK HIS FIRST BOTTLE THIS MORNING!! What a big boy!! The nurse said he did wonderful with it!! They will start out only giving him one bottle a day and the rest tube feedings but they will slowly increase his bottle feeds depending on how he tolerates it!! It takes a lot of calories to suck a bottle so they will introduce it slowly. Also, she reported no brady's last night (the flow of air from his nose thingies are really working!). God loves us!! He really is pouring the blessings on little man and us! We are painting his nursery today and will hopefully get in his new carpet sometime next weekend. I am ready to get this nursery DONE!!! We still have a lot to do!!I will snap some pics tonight and get them posted. I have been so busy with school and traveling to the hospital that I have been too tired to write at night, but am getting used to all the craziness that is my life right now! I hope everyone has a good weekend! Love you all, and again, THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE FOR US!! WE LOVE YOU!!

Driving me crazy...

Ok, so here are the pics I tried to post Monday night! I don't know what is going on, but just when I figured out (or so I thought) how to use Picasa3 (my photo service), it goes and gets screwy on me! I am seeing the pictures on my computer, but at school I can't see them!! Are you guys being able to see them?? Tonight was a good visit! Luke is doing just wonderful!! His nurse told me she wanted to put him in her pocket and take him home with her because he is just so cute!! Well, duh...I mean, he has ME for a mom right?? (hee hee) Anyway, he is holding his own temperature and doing great! Also, I have to tell you how good God is and how the body of Christ really is providing for us. Today, I received a letter from my sister and she sent us $100 for gas and food!! Then, at the hospital, there was an anonymous card sent to me and Tom with $94 in it! It wasn't signed or anything! Can you believe that?? Also, a sweet friend from Sunday School gave me $20 to put towards gas and my mother in law's neighbor gave us a $20 gift card to Walmart!! This is ALL in addition to the $350 my sweet school friends gave when I was in the hospital AND the extra $60 they gave in gas coupons AND the $50 gift card for Cracker Barrel!! To top it all off, another dear sweet friend of mine stuck $50 in a card!!!! I'm not even gonna tell you about all the gifts... Guys, I just can't tell you the number of blessing after blessing we have received during this time! It is unimaginable!! THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO HAS GIVEN THEIR MONEY, FOOD, TIME, PHONE CALLS, EMAILS, AND PRAYERS TO US DURING THIS TIME!!! YOU WILL ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS HAVE A PLACE IN MY HEART AND IN BABY LUKE'S!! GOD AND YOUR LOVE HAs GOTTEN US THROUGH!! With that said, NO MORE MONEY!! I swear...we are fine...I promise!! I love you all!! You all ROCK!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Out of the isolette!

Well, the docs moved Luke out of his isolette today! This is a step up! YAY! He is now in a "crib" (really just a plastic open bed, not really a crib). He is expected to be able to hold his own body temperature in this bed. So far he is doing pretty well, but as you can see from the pictures, he is definitely layered!! Tonight he had two outfits on, he was swaddled, he had two thick folded blankets on him and his small little blankie that Jay-Jay (Jennifer Cox) bought for him!! LOTS of layers!! This is gonna help keep him warm until he realizes "hey, I have to do this on my own!!". Also tonight, he reached 4.28 lbs. We are thrilled he is putting on weight!! His little face is rounding out and he is losing some of that "saggy baggy" look. He is beautiful!! I am also seeing some sweet dimples when he smiles from dreaming (or gas...). I love them and could just eat him up!! I started back to work today. It was so good to see my kiddos! It's only been three weeks, but I swear they have grown so much. I got lots of hugs and even a few surprise gifts!! I walked a lot today and am a little sore & tired so I think tomorrow I will sit down a whole lot more!! My friends were awesome and they are even taking my kids to watch them at the end of the afternoon so I can leave before the buses to go home and take a shower before I go to the hospital. I could not work with a better group of women!! They are the BEST!! A BIG thank you to Meg, Maribeth, Casey, Cheryl, Mandy, Michelle, Angela, and Cayla (all of the kindergarten teachers at OES)....and of course to my bosses, Christa and Holli. God has blessed me with the best job and best place to work!! Well, I am calling it a night!! I'm very very sleepy and getting up early is not something I have had to do for the past few weeks....

 
 
 

Here is daddy doing Kangaroo Care and holding Luke's feeding thingy at the same time! Check out all blankets on him tonight!

 
 
 
 



He is getting to be such a big boy!! His face is really filling out!! YAY!!

4 LBS. and growing...

Monkey hit the 4lb. mark tonight! YAY!! He is officially 4lbs. & .06 ozs! The high fat/high calorie formula they have him on is seriously doing the trick! Also, they removed his nasal cannulas (the nose tubies that send air in) AND they took his feeding tube out of his mouth (where the tape kept getting yucky) and put it in his nose. Soooo....we can actually see his cute face now! Where are the pictures, you ask? Well, I didn't know that all of this had happened this afternoon (we were just there at 12:00). When we left, he looked the same as he had for the past few days. And when I got there tonight I got the nice surprise of seeing his little face. I go to my purse to get the camera, and realize that I had left it at home :(!! Of all nights to do that....pics will come tomorrow! He really is changing so much! Tomorrow I go to my friend Christy's baby shower! Her sweet Lanie and Monkey actually have the same due date!! It's funny to think that Lanie looks alot like Luke right now, only she is still where she is supposed to be!! In her mommy's belly!!

I am God's Pumpkin...

While doing my nightly blog search, I came across this on kimbosmithcorner.blogspot.com. I really like it!

I am God's Pumpkin!

A woman was asked by a coworker, 'What is it like to be a Christian? 'The coworker replied, 'It is like being a pumpkin.' God picks you from the patch, brings you in, and washes all the dirt off of you. Then He cuts off the top and scoops out all the yucky stuff. He removes the seeds of doubt, hate, and greed. Then He carves you a new smiling face and puts His light inside of you to shine for all the world to see.' This was passed on to me by another pumpkin. Now it's your turn to pass it to other pumpkins in your patch.

 
 
 
 


Monkey is two weeks old today!! Time is flying! Also, he is up to 3.15lbs. as of tonight! Praise God...He is sooooo good to us!