Friday, Mattigan will be 7 months old (4 months adjusted age). Wow. It doesn't seem possible that we have a 7 month old child!
Every day brings changes, big and small. It is fascinating to watch Matti think about things. She sees a new toy, a cartoon, meets someone new, hears a sound and you can see this look come over her face. The wheels are spinning in her brain, you can almost reach out and touch the comprehension. I know she doesn't understand what it means for example when she hears Khaleesi bark, but she listens, files it away into the 'things I like' category, and then starts laughing. I think it's just awesome to hand her a little pumpkin, watch her eyes get HUGE, and wait for her to give me that look that says, "What the heck IS this, Mama? It's so cool!"
Let's see...other changes... Mattigan has been sleeping through the nights in her crib in her own room. She fights falling asleep, whether it's for a nap or bedtime, but she inevitably nods off holding Lambie. (Thank goodness Lambie likes to take a spin in the dishwasher while Lionel gives him a day off because Lambie gets a little icky.)
Can't remember if I said Mattigan has decided she prefers sleeping on her stomach. I flip her over, she rolls back, repeat...repeat... So she wins this battle. I think she'll be crawling the second she figures out how to move her arms. For those of you musically inclined, "She's got legggggs, she knows how to use them."
Let's see...Matti is outgrowing her clothes (lengthwise) like a weed. Mama and Matti need to play dress up with the clothes in the 0-3 and 6 month totes to see what we need next time we go shopping!
Mattigan took solid foods right in stride. She eats like a prizefighter, about 3oz of formula, 3oz of cereal (oatmeal or rice) and 1.25oz of veggies/fruits. Although in the beginning her arch nemesis Peas was a no-go, she's okay with them now. She even loves her 'strawberries' which is code for her reflux medicine.
Matti has taken a dislike to strangers. She gives them the ultimate
pouty sad face and cries. If Mama or Daddy is holding her she will turn
her head and bury it in our shoulder. But she gets over it fairly quick
and soon enough is all grins.
I've said it before and I'm saying it again, we aren't waiting around for our child to develop her personality, that's for sure. She's stubborn, fiesty when she's angry, but generally pretty happy.
Miss Matti doesn't like us holding her bottle all the time so she helps hold it and now she drinks from her sippy cup all by herself. I found one at Ikea that she seems to like. Granted, it ends up all over the front of her, but she holds the handles and decides when she's had enough. This is great for giving her a little apple prune juice with her vitamin in it or her formula thickened with a bit of rice cereal (good for reflux). Matti also likes to grab the spoon when we feed her so she can keep it in her mouth. However, she is continuously angered at the lack of food on said spoon (since she ate it!) and yells at us. I call her the Little Tyrant. You simply cannot shovel food into her fast enough.
Weighed in last Thursday at 11 lbs 6.5 oz and I didn't catch her length. Something like 24 cm? She got her flu shot. Made her angry and if looks could kill, that nurse would be in some hot water. All in all though less of a fuss than her 6 month shots.
The pediatrician thinks Matti's reflux is doing okay. I think it's not so great, though not something I'm freaking out about. She's shown some signs of increased reflux activity so I set her up with a GI specialist. They'll probably just monitor her for a little while; reflux tends to peak at 4-6 months. Matti is gaining weight and shows interest in eating so that's a plus.
We bought a secondhand freezer this weekend. Seems to be in good condition so I'm scouring it today with Clorox and then I can shift some food into it. Any recipes or advice on freezing meals/baby food is more than welcome!
Mama and Daddy are doing well. Glad we have family nearby to give us a day here or there to be husband and wife for the span of a movie or dinner. We are working to get in shape and attempting to eat healthier. I think we're making a good effort with increased water, veggies, fruit, exercise and less fried foods, sweets, and couch sitting. :) Luckily the summer is nearly over so we can get outdoors again and not be crispy fried ourselves! We have been able to get out with Matti in the stroller and Khaleesi on her leash. Soon it'll be bike rides. Though someone is going to have to break the news to Khaleesi that she can't ride in the tow-behind bike trailer........Or can she......
Monday, September 22, 2014
Tuesday, September 9, 2014
Gooooo Biggggg Reddddd
Mattigan watched her first Huskers game with Mama, Daddy, and The Khaleesi to kick off the season with a win against Florida Atlantic 55-7 and then another win against McNeese State 31-24. In keeping with true Husker heritage, Matti was sporting their colors in style.
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| Onesie provided by Uncle James |
More Mattigan
Mattigan is nearly
6 1/2 months old!
Matti likes:
prunes, green beans, bananas
Husker football
"talking" to her toys
dancing
singing
Matti dislikes:
peas
falling asleep for naps
Monday, August 25, 2014
Monday Mayhem
Happy Monday!
Let's see, so far our Monday has been
- Laundry
- Breakfast for Matti
- Mama getting her eyebrows waxed while Matti slept in her carseat carrier
- Mama shopping for food and treats for Khaleesi while lugging Matti around in her carrier
- Mama shopping for food for the rest of us while Matti waved her hands like she just don't care
- Mama putting away said food
- Feeding Khaleesi
- Feeding Matti
- Laundry
So pretty much nothing accomplished today. Just kidding! Seriously, lugging Miss Mattigan around in her carseat while loading unloading the shopping cart and car is more of a workout than going to the gym. Which is a good thing as I haven't made it there lately. :)
Now it's time to FINALLY clear photos off my phone and ipad onto backups so said phone and ipad can speed back up. They're running just a tad slow nowadays, not to mention balking at letting me take any photos!
Speaking of photos. Here's one for your enjoyment. Tomorrow is 6 months for Matti! Any bets on her height, weight, and length when she goes to the doctors on Wednesday?
Let's see, so far our Monday has been
- Laundry
- Breakfast for Matti
- Mama getting her eyebrows waxed while Matti slept in her carseat carrier
- Mama shopping for food and treats for Khaleesi while lugging Matti around in her carrier
- Mama shopping for food for the rest of us while Matti waved her hands like she just don't care
- Mama putting away said food
- Feeding Khaleesi
- Feeding Matti
- Laundry
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| Matti and Mama Playing at Chuck E. Cheese with Cousins |
Now it's time to FINALLY clear photos off my phone and ipad onto backups so said phone and ipad can speed back up. They're running just a tad slow nowadays, not to mention balking at letting me take any photos!
Speaking of photos. Here's one for your enjoyment. Tomorrow is 6 months for Matti! Any bets on her height, weight, and length when she goes to the doctors on Wednesday?
Sunday, August 3, 2014
Kevin Bacon & French Toast
Mama and Daddy enjoyed a nice morning date while Oma and Matti played. Breakfast at Postino's, a walk thru the Farmer's Market, a little Christmas shopping in the antiques stores, drinks at Dutch Bros, a movie, and all topped off with a stop at the gas station where we found Sam Adam's Octoberfest! Enjoyed the movie a lot - Guardians of the Galaxy. Long live Kevin Bacon!
Tequila
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| Aiyiii! Arreba arreba! This one's for you Great-Grandma Abare! |
For margaritas at the Holiday Inn"
Oh have mercy my only thought
Was tequila makes her clothes fall off
I told her put an extra layer on
I know what happens when she drinks Patron
Her closet's missing half the things she bought
Yeah, tequila makes her clothes fall off
She'll start by kicking out of her shoes
Lose an earring in her drink
Leave her jacket in the bathroom stall
Drop a contact down the sink
Homeward Bond
Mattigan and The Khaleesi bonding...
Khaleesi sneaks up on a sleeping Matti so she can rest her giant head on tiny feet. Funny because Khaleesi won't allow us to take any photos where we place Matti next to her.
Khaleesi sneaks up on a sleeping Matti so she can rest her giant head on tiny feet. Funny because Khaleesi won't allow us to take any photos where we place Matti next to her.
I enjoyed a spot of tea to celebrate Prince George's
birthday and a guest lecture from Professor PirateSox. The audience even
included celebrity guest Her Royal Highness, Ruler of 1530 lands and
the Salted Pool of Avondale, The Khaleesi. Today's topic is the
Aerodynamics of Teeth Growing as clearly demonstrated by
the Professor.
Swimming with the Fishes
Shark feeding, starfish petting, stingray waving, and seahorse roundups. Our first visit to the Sealife Aquarium with Aunt Theresa and Anna (Mama and Mattigan).
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A Friend's Birthday
Mattigan attended her first birthday party today. Lots of fun. Plus Mama and Daddy got to visit with their friends which was a great bonus!
Matti turns 5 months
1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5
Matti is now
5 months old!
1 ~ 2 ~ 3 ~ 4 ~ 5
Matti is growing along just fine. She's upwards of 10 lbs, eating like a teenager, and dancing up a storm. Matti turned 5 months old on July 26th. That's 2 months adjusted age (which is what we go by for developmental milestones.)
LOVES
- Staring at faces
- Reading books with Mama and Daddy
- Swatting her toys that hang overhead
- Music - Disney to Sinatra to Melissa Etheridge to AC/DC
- Lambie and Lionel (her wubba pacifiers)
- Riding in the car
- Touring around in her BabyBjorn carrier
- Swimming in the bath tub
- "Standing" or "sitting" with Mama and Daddy's help
DISLIKES
- Reflux, it's no fun
- Being buckled into her car seat
- Being set down after snuggling asleep with you
- Tummy time
MILESTONES- Rolls from back to stomach
- Better at holding her head up while on stomach
- Notices her hands
- Starting to teeth (note drool and hand-chewing)
- Looks for you while playing peek-a-boo
- Eating more
- "Talking" at us
However, Khaleesi has been giving Mattigan kisses (very sloppy, wet, drooly kisses says Matti) and is always watching over her. If Matti cries about anything besides being hungry Khaleesi comes to get me like Lassie. (As if I didn't hear for myself. Lol) Khaleesi also supervises baths. Also, Matti will be swinging away and then Khaleesi has to go set her head on Matti's lap to make sure she's ok. Crazy kids. :)
Monsoons Haboobs & Unicorns
Narrated by: Professor Ludwig Von Drake (that wacky sciency uncle of Donald Duck)
Well, we were recently hit with the usual summer storms. A haboob (dust storm) followed by a monsoon (rain storm). They are intense!
The haboob usually starts out as a yellow haze in the distance that becomes brown as it nears. This is followed by the taste and smell of dry dirt which you can then feel as a grittiness in your eyes and sneeziness in your nose. (Is too a word. Look it up.) The storm then rages on with no visibility and winds that are not only high winds but also low. As in under your lawn furniture.
Hot on the heels of the haboob is the monsoon. Think of a rainstorm you've driven in where the water comes down so fast that your windshield wipers can't keep up with it. Then take THAT and do this: (THAT x 4) + (wind raised to the 8th power) and you sort of get an idea of what we're talking about.
Then with a gentle sigh the monsoon sweeps away towards the next target as you survey the damage to your pergola, grill, firepit, table, radio, lights, roof tiles, and so on. Obviously it is not the fault of the haboob nor monsoon that a giant chose that moment to stomp on your pergola and ride his pet unicorn over the top of your grill and firepit. Obviously. And everyone knows that unicorns love to take the glass out of your outdoor table and fling the entire pane 10 feet to the back wall so they can hear the shattering. I've been told it reminds the unicorn of the tinkling noise made by a thousand fireflies in flight. To me it just sounds like a call to the insurance adjuster. But hey, to each his own.
Well, we were recently hit with the usual summer storms. A haboob (dust storm) followed by a monsoon (rain storm). They are intense!
The haboob usually starts out as a yellow haze in the distance that becomes brown as it nears. This is followed by the taste and smell of dry dirt which you can then feel as a grittiness in your eyes and sneeziness in your nose. (Is too a word. Look it up.) The storm then rages on with no visibility and winds that are not only high winds but also low. As in under your lawn furniture.
Hot on the heels of the haboob is the monsoon. Think of a rainstorm you've driven in where the water comes down so fast that your windshield wipers can't keep up with it. Then take THAT and do this: (THAT x 4) + (wind raised to the 8th power) and you sort of get an idea of what we're talking about.
Then with a gentle sigh the monsoon sweeps away towards the next target as you survey the damage to your pergola, grill, firepit, table, radio, lights, roof tiles, and so on. Obviously it is not the fault of the haboob nor monsoon that a giant chose that moment to stomp on your pergola and ride his pet unicorn over the top of your grill and firepit. Obviously. And everyone knows that unicorns love to take the glass out of your outdoor table and fling the entire pane 10 feet to the back wall so they can hear the shattering. I've been told it reminds the unicorn of the tinkling noise made by a thousand fireflies in flight. To me it just sounds like a call to the insurance adjuster. But hey, to each his own.
Wednesday, July 2, 2014
Musical Mattigan
Matti slept well after Joe left for work this morning. Even during Khaleesi's epic battle against the shadowcats. Which was pretty darn loud. Khaleesi did at least five laps across the top floor running full speed from bedroom to bedroom. I tell you she corners like a snowplow on rollerskates. Which is to say, not well. But it IS hysterically funny.
However after Matti had her breakfast and her lunch she's been awake almost all morning! So I put Matti in her pack-n-play. She only wanted to sleep with me holding her which makes me feel all gooey inside but I'm trying to get stuff done so I resisted the big pleading eyes. For a while she was amused by smacking the toys hanging over her crib, but still no sleepy girl. Don't get me wrong. She's not fussing. But no nap by noontime?! Uh oh for later.
We played kick-the-piano for a little bit with a small toy piano. This made her smile. (And it's a great way to encourage her to kick her legs.) But since Miss Matti wasn't falling asleep....
I turned on the Pandora and some lullaby type music. BAM! She's out. :)
Mattigan is our daughter for sure. She loves her music. Daddy better break out his guitar and who knows, maybe Mama will even get some practice in on the harmonica.
After the laundry is done, dishes washed, bottles made, dinner prepped, office overhauled, and Khaleesi petted. ;)
Of course.
However after Matti had her breakfast and her lunch she's been awake almost all morning! So I put Matti in her pack-n-play. She only wanted to sleep with me holding her which makes me feel all gooey inside but I'm trying to get stuff done so I resisted the big pleading eyes. For a while she was amused by smacking the toys hanging over her crib, but still no sleepy girl. Don't get me wrong. She's not fussing. But no nap by noontime?! Uh oh for later.
We played kick-the-piano for a little bit with a small toy piano. This made her smile. (And it's a great way to encourage her to kick her legs.) But since Miss Matti wasn't falling asleep....
I turned on the Pandora and some lullaby type music. BAM! She's out. :)
Mattigan is our daughter for sure. She loves her music. Daddy better break out his guitar and who knows, maybe Mama will even get some practice in on the harmonica.
After the laundry is done, dishes washed, bottles made, dinner prepped, office overhauled, and Khaleesi petted. ;)
Of course.
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
Almost 4 months
Disclaimer: It's been very sucky dealing with the insurance companies and various state agencies and I'd love to whine on here. It's been very hard to stay zen with one part of my brain saying we should be happy Matti is doing well and the other part aggrieved at dealing with these groups. I'll share my Facebook post with you:
"Define "Dealing with insurance/state agencies".
Me, blindfolded, jumping through hoops of differing sizes held by fiends also carrying blowtorches, winches, and various tools of torture whilst the strains of on-hold elevator music drown my hopes and dreams.
Or something like that. :) "
Me, blindfolded, jumping through hoops of differing sizes held by fiends also carrying blowtorches, winches, and various tools of torture whilst the strains of on-hold elevator music drown my hopes and dreams.
Or something like that. :) "
However, I am going to withhold further airing my grievances. Though I am maintaining my right to rant at a later date.
It's been a while like I said it would be. You're going to look at these pics and say HOLY COW she's HUGGGGE! But to help tide you over until I figure out my sharing of the photos, here's a couple.
It's been a while like I said it would be. You're going to look at these pics and say HOLY COW she's HUGGGGE! But to help tide you over until I figure out my sharing of the photos, here's a couple.
Matti will be 4 months old tomorrow. She was 8 lbs 0oz at her last doctor appointment. 4 month checkup tomorrow. Doing great except for some reflux. She no longer spits up like that girl in Poltergeist. (That is the movie I mean right? I don't do horror movies...) But she does have some spit ups that show she's still not 100% normal. Of course, who's 100% normal? :p Anyways the new medicine seems to be helping. (1st one seems to have bothered her more.) Mattigan is starting to splash a little in the bathtub, likes to hit her toys hanging above her crib, and sleeps longer at night now. She also lost a bunch of hair so she's sporting a look I call the Kastanza or Matti Baldwin.
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| Cousins Mattigan (left) and Dominic (right). As if you didn't know which was which... ha ha ha |
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| The Khaleesi guards her tiny human as they sleep. She actually has her giant head on Matti's tiny feet. |
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| 4th of July outfit from Grandma Barth. | It's really cute and fantastic cause it'll actually fit! |
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
@ home
The good news is Mattigan is home. Doing very well. She's up to 7# 7oz as of today.
A little reflux so she's on some medicine for that. It's the world's teeny tiniest dose.
Matti's still got the two holes in her heart (a PFO and a PDA). Both small. They should self-resolve. If not, one is no big deal many people have it. The other would require a minor surgery (NOT open heart!) around the time she would be starting school. The murmur(s) were loud enough for her pediatrician to hear today. This is a good thing. Weird note on heart murmurs. The bigger the hole in the heart, the quieter the murmur. The smaller the hole in the heart, the louder the murmur. So to go from intermittently being able to hear it to being able to hear it each time is actually a good thing. (Are you shaking your head? :) I am.)
Matti passed her vision screening so she doesn't have to return until 6 months. Then they screen for cross eyes, lazy eyes, etc.
Let's see...anything else... She's started sleeping a little longer at the beginning of the night. Then still wants to be fed pretty frequently. So she should start sleeping through most of the night soon. I figure just about the time she starts teething. :D
Mattigan doesn't track you too much with her eyes yet. But she does look for you when you talk. And she has started to take a swing with her little fists at the toys that dangle above her crib. She can REALLY scoot herself in circles like a little inchworm. You put her to bed and come back to find her head where her toes used to be. She also grunts and makes a lot of noises.
Her eyes are changing from the baby grey blue. They were originally what I think of in crayola crayon colors as 'stormy seas'. And now they seem to have a brown/green to the centers of them. Daddy's eyes are really pretty blue and green in the center. Mama's are gold brown with green to them.
So overall Mattigan is basically at or beyond the newborn stage. Matti's personality gets clearer by the day and she is even more fiesty and full of it than we originally thought. She's pretty sweet and loves to cuddle. Her favorite sleeping spot is tucked in on her belly to your chest. And she absolutely knows my weakness is when I read to her at night and she looks up from her meditative drooling to gaze with those big baby eyes as if to say, 'That's it? Read another book to me Mama.'
The bad news is I've lost track of keeping up with the blog. I don't intend to stop blogging. There's a lot of people in the family not on facebook who do like to look at this. But I need to figure out a better way to upload photos. (C'mon, admit it. I know that you're here for the cuteness not my witty repertoire.)
So don't abandon hope. I will get more on here!
A little reflux so she's on some medicine for that. It's the world's teeny tiniest dose.
Matti's still got the two holes in her heart (a PFO and a PDA). Both small. They should self-resolve. If not, one is no big deal many people have it. The other would require a minor surgery (NOT open heart!) around the time she would be starting school. The murmur(s) were loud enough for her pediatrician to hear today. This is a good thing. Weird note on heart murmurs. The bigger the hole in the heart, the quieter the murmur. The smaller the hole in the heart, the louder the murmur. So to go from intermittently being able to hear it to being able to hear it each time is actually a good thing. (Are you shaking your head? :) I am.)
Matti passed her vision screening so she doesn't have to return until 6 months. Then they screen for cross eyes, lazy eyes, etc.
Let's see...anything else... She's started sleeping a little longer at the beginning of the night. Then still wants to be fed pretty frequently. So she should start sleeping through most of the night soon. I figure just about the time she starts teething. :D
Mattigan doesn't track you too much with her eyes yet. But she does look for you when you talk. And she has started to take a swing with her little fists at the toys that dangle above her crib. She can REALLY scoot herself in circles like a little inchworm. You put her to bed and come back to find her head where her toes used to be. She also grunts and makes a lot of noises.
Her eyes are changing from the baby grey blue. They were originally what I think of in crayola crayon colors as 'stormy seas'. And now they seem to have a brown/green to the centers of them. Daddy's eyes are really pretty blue and green in the center. Mama's are gold brown with green to them.
So overall Mattigan is basically at or beyond the newborn stage. Matti's personality gets clearer by the day and she is even more fiesty and full of it than we originally thought. She's pretty sweet and loves to cuddle. Her favorite sleeping spot is tucked in on her belly to your chest. And she absolutely knows my weakness is when I read to her at night and she looks up from her meditative drooling to gaze with those big baby eyes as if to say, 'That's it? Read another book to me Mama.'
The bad news is I've lost track of keeping up with the blog. I don't intend to stop blogging. There's a lot of people in the family not on facebook who do like to look at this. But I need to figure out a better way to upload photos. (C'mon, admit it. I know that you're here for the cuteness not my witty repertoire.)
So don't abandon hope. I will get more on here!
Friday, May 16, 2014
4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4
May 4th
Slept in a little bit today. Joe and I figured we'd head up to see Matti at noon time.
9am my phone rings.
It's Matti's doctor.
"Bring your car seat with you. Matti's going home today."
WHAT!?!?!!?
Frantic clean up at Mom and Pa's. Pack, stuff, bag, box, cram, toss in cars. Clean bathroom. Make bed. Jump in pool to cool off. Shower. Let Mom and Pa know we won't be there for dinner tonight. Or tomorrow. Or the next night.
Make plans for our car to be brought to our house. Make plans for Khaleesi to stay another week at Casa de la Fish (Mom's) then be brought up to meet the new baby.
Mama and Daddy head out in our new SUV to get our Mattigan!
Slept in a little bit today. Joe and I figured we'd head up to see Matti at noon time.
9am my phone rings.
It's Matti's doctor.
"Bring your car seat with you. Matti's going home today."
WHAT!?!?!!?
Frantic clean up at Mom and Pa's. Pack, stuff, bag, box, cram, toss in cars. Clean bathroom. Make bed. Jump in pool to cool off. Shower. Let Mom and Pa know we won't be there for dinner tonight. Or tomorrow. Or the next night.
Make plans for our car to be brought to our house. Make plans for Khaleesi to stay another week at Casa de la Fish (Mom's) then be brought up to meet the new baby.
Mama and Daddy head out in our new SUV to get our Mattigan!
Fun In The Sun
May 3rd
Spent Saturday relaxing. Visited Matti and then bbq'd and swam in the pool with Khaleesi, Oma, Opa, and Molly (the yorkie). We aren't fully relaxed, with Mattigan in the hospital we're always on alert, but it was a good day spent in the sun. Lots of splashing!
Spent Saturday relaxing. Visited Matti and then bbq'd and swam in the pool with Khaleesi, Oma, Opa, and Molly (the yorkie). We aren't fully relaxed, with Mattigan in the hospital we're always on alert, but it was a good day spent in the sun. Lots of splashing!
Vroom! Vroom!
We did our car seat test! Mattigan passed, no problem. That means we are very close to going home!
Counting down the days
April 28th - May 2 Updates
Feeding tube stayed in a couple days.
Matti's echo showed she has two holes "in her heart", not surprising as we were already aware of the one. They are "small" and "tiny" (yeah, that's the medical terms used). We mentioned before that many newborns have these holes in their hearts when they are born and they close soon after birth on their own. They aren't causing her any trouble so we're playing the wait and see game. She'll have regularly scheduled echocardiograms to keep an eye on them.
No hearing exams again until she's two. Unless we feel she needs one earlier.
Third eye exam showed no ROP (the thing that caused blindness in premies) but still immature blood vessels so she's still at risk for developing ROP. So regularly scheduled eye exams every 2 weeks.
Mama came in this week to see that Matti had lost a BUNCH of weight down to 4# 6oz. The conversation with the nurse went like this:
Mama (said with concern) : "So are we [the doctors, nurses, etc] concerned about her weight?"
Nurse (said with enthusiasm) : "Yeah, I couldn't believe it!"
Mama (said with confusion) : "That was like a half pound difference."
Nurse (enthusiastic still) : "Yeah! That was great!"
Mama (puzzled as hell) : "I'm confused. She went down half a pound."
Nurse (puzzled as hell) : "WHAAATTT?"
[Lightbulb goes on]
Nurse (much calmer) : "Aha! The night nurse miscalculated from kilograms to pounds and ounces. She went UP half a pound."
Mama (needs a glass of wine) : "Aha. Ok. So we probably didn't lose weight the last couple days. She probably was mis-weighed and now is almost 5 and a half pounds. Whew."
We are getting closer to going home. We're talking days now instead of weeks!
Feeding tube stayed in a couple days.
Matti's echo showed she has two holes "in her heart", not surprising as we were already aware of the one. They are "small" and "tiny" (yeah, that's the medical terms used). We mentioned before that many newborns have these holes in their hearts when they are born and they close soon after birth on their own. They aren't causing her any trouble so we're playing the wait and see game. She'll have regularly scheduled echocardiograms to keep an eye on them.
No hearing exams again until she's two. Unless we feel she needs one earlier.
Third eye exam showed no ROP (the thing that caused blindness in premies) but still immature blood vessels so she's still at risk for developing ROP. So regularly scheduled eye exams every 2 weeks.
Mama came in this week to see that Matti had lost a BUNCH of weight down to 4# 6oz. The conversation with the nurse went like this:
Mama (said with concern) : "So are we [the doctors, nurses, etc] concerned about her weight?"
Nurse (said with enthusiasm) : "Yeah, I couldn't believe it!"
Mama (said with confusion) : "That was like a half pound difference."
Nurse (enthusiastic still) : "Yeah! That was great!"
Mama (puzzled as hell) : "I'm confused. She went down half a pound."
Nurse (puzzled as hell) : "WHAAATTT?"
[Lightbulb goes on]
Nurse (much calmer) : "Aha! The night nurse miscalculated from kilograms to pounds and ounces. She went UP half a pound."
Mama (needs a glass of wine) : "Aha. Ok. So we probably didn't lose weight the last couple days. She probably was mis-weighed and now is almost 5 and a half pounds. Whew."
We are getting closer to going home. We're talking days now instead of weeks!
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Tubes? No tu-oh drat
A couple of days ago, Mattigan got her feeding tube out. She eats most of her feeds. She finished her whole bottle for Mama and yesterday she ate the whole thing for Daddy. Yay!
On Sunday we started Matti's 2 month immunizations. She got a couple as combos so instead of 5 there were 3. Once again things are different in premie land. So she got one shot every twelve hours to make sure she had no bad reactions such as: respiratory distress, fever, allergic reaction, etc. She yelled like a very angry banshee for a couple moments then settled in with her paci. So the only reactions she's shown have been tiredness and a difference in hunger. She spit up a bunch after one shot and today she is sleepy so she didn't finish her feed. Sooo she has her feeding tube again. Only for today we hope as she recovers from her shots. I guess you'd call this mixed news but we'll take the progress.
For some good new... Matti passed her hearing exam!
Annnnd she had an echo done with good results. I have to get the specific results today but that was nice to know in general that everything was 'good'.
Thursday she gets her third vision test. So far so good. We hope her blood vessels have "matured" so we can do the next eye exam in six months instead of every two weeks.
Matti is now 5# 2oz. She had gone up just a bit higher but lost 20 grams yesterday cause of being tired out from her shots and not eating enough. It's quite the balancing act.
So we are getting close to going home. We don't know when exactly and don't want to curse it but within the next week or so. Keep your fingers crossed!
On Sunday we started Matti's 2 month immunizations. She got a couple as combos so instead of 5 there were 3. Once again things are different in premie land. So she got one shot every twelve hours to make sure she had no bad reactions such as: respiratory distress, fever, allergic reaction, etc. She yelled like a very angry banshee for a couple moments then settled in with her paci. So the only reactions she's shown have been tiredness and a difference in hunger. She spit up a bunch after one shot and today she is sleepy so she didn't finish her feed. Sooo she has her feeding tube again. Only for today we hope as she recovers from her shots. I guess you'd call this mixed news but we'll take the progress.
For some good new... Matti passed her hearing exam!
Annnnd she had an echo done with good results. I have to get the specific results today but that was nice to know in general that everything was 'good'.
Thursday she gets her third vision test. So far so good. We hope her blood vessels have "matured" so we can do the next eye exam in six months instead of every two weeks.
Matti is now 5# 2oz. She had gone up just a bit higher but lost 20 grams yesterday cause of being tired out from her shots and not eating enough. It's quite the balancing act.
So we are getting close to going home. We don't know when exactly and don't want to curse it but within the next week or so. Keep your fingers crossed!
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Keepin' It Real
Greetings everyone! So many updates we're not even sure where to begin. :)
Mattigan is doing fantastic. She's the tiniest bit away from 5 lbs. She gets to wear clothes now and believe it or not is outgrowing her preemie outfits! We can't tell you how nice it is to see her outgrow something. Even if her preemie clothes are freaking cute because they are so tiny.
Does that make you laugh? Having such a tiny baby makes us look at newborn clothes that we would normally think 'ooooh how cute! look at how little these are!' and now say 'wow, these are giGANtic!'.
Matti is still mastering the bottle. Some feeds she has no interest in trying the bottle and others she drinks half of it while yet other times she downs the whole thing in one go. Her bottle is 50 cc's.
She is being given protein to help with her growth and weight gain which has been totally normal. As well as vitamins including vitamin D and iron. Her hemoglobin was slightly low but this is what often occurs in 2 month olds. So no worries.
Matti's second eye exam was good. Vessels are still immature, which was expected, so she'll have another eye exam in 2 weeks.
Her hearing will be tested in another week or so.
She will get her first shots in a couple more days.
Matti's heart murmur is still intermittent. Sometimes a doctor or nurse can hear it, sometimes they can't. It hasn't caused any issues so we are still just keeping an eye, or should we say ear, on it. Will most likely resolve on its own.
So we are in the final stretch to take our girl home. The last hurdles still remaining - 1) Matti taking all her food via bottle so we can ditch the feeding tube 2) Matti passing the car seat test. The car seat test is given by putting Matti in her car seat for the length of time it will take to drive her home. This is to watch her breathing to make sure the seating position doesn't cause her any issues.
So we are very close to Matti joining us at home. We can't wait but we're trying to be as patient as possible. When she's ready, she's ready. :)
Mattigan is doing fantastic. She's the tiniest bit away from 5 lbs. She gets to wear clothes now and believe it or not is outgrowing her preemie outfits! We can't tell you how nice it is to see her outgrow something. Even if her preemie clothes are freaking cute because they are so tiny.
Does that make you laugh? Having such a tiny baby makes us look at newborn clothes that we would normally think 'ooooh how cute! look at how little these are!' and now say 'wow, these are giGANtic!'.
Matti is still mastering the bottle. Some feeds she has no interest in trying the bottle and others she drinks half of it while yet other times she downs the whole thing in one go. Her bottle is 50 cc's.
She is being given protein to help with her growth and weight gain which has been totally normal. As well as vitamins including vitamin D and iron. Her hemoglobin was slightly low but this is what often occurs in 2 month olds. So no worries.
Matti's second eye exam was good. Vessels are still immature, which was expected, so she'll have another eye exam in 2 weeks.
Her hearing will be tested in another week or so.
She will get her first shots in a couple more days.
Matti's heart murmur is still intermittent. Sometimes a doctor or nurse can hear it, sometimes they can't. It hasn't caused any issues so we are still just keeping an eye, or should we say ear, on it. Will most likely resolve on its own.
So we are in the final stretch to take our girl home. The last hurdles still remaining - 1) Matti taking all her food via bottle so we can ditch the feeding tube 2) Matti passing the car seat test. The car seat test is given by putting Matti in her car seat for the length of time it will take to drive her home. This is to watch her breathing to make sure the seating position doesn't cause her any issues.
So we are very close to Matti joining us at home. We can't wait but we're trying to be as patient as possible. When she's ready, she's ready. :)
Monday, April 14, 2014
Tech Specs
Technical difficulties interfered with adding photos. Will try again tomorrow.
Today's update:
Mattigan finished her entire bottle for the first time! :)
Mattigan is off the oxygen altogether! :)
Mama was sick so no visiting Mattigan today :(
Still not feeling good so no visiting tomorrow either :(
Daddy visited Matti after work :)
Daddy saw Matti's face without the oxygen line :)
Daddy skyped with Mama so she could see Matti too :)
Mattigan weighs 4# 6oz :)
:) 5
:( 2
:) wins!
P.S. There is a blood moon lunar eclipse tonight though I am not sure we'll wake up to see it.
Sunday
Daddy did physical therapy with Mattigan and PT while Mama watched. Was neat to learn some new tricks for her tummy time and other positions to strengthen her muscles. Mattigan impressed us by lifting her head and turning her head to face the opposite direction. PT said this is hard to go against gravity while laying on the ground so that was fantastic.
Sunday night's tech specs for Miss Matti:
Weight 4# 4.8oz
Length 16 1/2"
Today's update:
Mattigan finished her entire bottle for the first time! :)
Mattigan is off the oxygen altogether! :)
Mama was sick so no visiting Mattigan today :(
Still not feeling good so no visiting tomorrow either :(
Daddy visited Matti after work :)
Daddy saw Matti's face without the oxygen line :)
Daddy skyped with Mama so she could see Matti too :)
Mattigan weighs 4# 6oz :)
:) 5
:( 2
:) wins!
P.S. There is a blood moon lunar eclipse tonight though I am not sure we'll wake up to see it.
Sunday
Daddy did physical therapy with Mattigan and PT while Mama watched. Was neat to learn some new tricks for her tummy time and other positions to strengthen her muscles. Mattigan impressed us by lifting her head and turning her head to face the opposite direction. PT said this is hard to go against gravity while laying on the ground so that was fantastic.
Sunday night's tech specs for Miss Matti:
Weight 4# 4.8oz
Length 16 1/2"
April Showers....
Baby Mattigan's shower was Saturday April 12th. We had a great time. It was half virtual with guests at our house in Arizona, as well as attending via computer from New York, Florida, California, New Hampshire, and Nebraska. Plus Daddy at the hospital with Matti so everyone could get a peek at her. | ||
| Tieah and Patrick at the Crown Point, NY location |
Special thanks to my mom Berni, sister Sam, brother Patrick, cousin Tieah, and husband Joe for their efforts to coordinate the shower. The decorations were super creative with a Winnie The Pooh theme.
 |
| Clothesline at our house |
 |
| Decorations at Tieah's |
 |
| Flowers from my husband |
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Flirty Thirty
Geez, more BIG news! Mattigan ate 30 cc's from her bottle today in one feeding! Yeah, 3 0. Thirty!
Mattigan also met Poppy and Grandma Stacia today. (I swear there will be photos!)
Mattigan also met Poppy and Grandma Stacia today. (I swear there will be photos!)
Wednesday, April 9, 2014
Fourgive Yet Another Post Today
"Four is the only number that has the same number of characters as its value in the English language."
And yes, Mattigan Kensi weighs more than four pounds! Officially 4# 1.4oz as of tonight.
Whoo-hoo!
Yeehaw!!
Hot diggity dog!
Fantastico!!!
Well butter my biscuits, that's great!
And yes, Mattigan Kensi weighs more than four pounds! Officially 4# 1.4oz as of tonight.
Whoo-hoo!
Yeehaw!!
Hot diggity dog!
Fantastico!!!
Well butter my biscuits, that's great!
Bottle Day!
Happy bottle day to you
Happy bottle day to you
Happy bottle day dear Mattttiiggggan
Happy bottle day to you
Congrats on your first bottle! You drank 2 cc's. Not a lot but you latched on and just started sucking. You paced yourself, taking rests so you didn't choke or splutter. For a first try (or even the first few tries) that is pretty darn impressive. You go Little one!
Love Mama
P.S. Kangaroo cuddle time now commenced.
P.S. Daddy says he's proud of you. :)
Happy bottle day to you
Happy bottle day dear Mattttiiggggan
Happy bottle day to you
Congrats on your first bottle! You drank 2 cc's. Not a lot but you latched on and just started sucking. You paced yourself, taking rests so you didn't choke or splutter. For a first try (or even the first few tries) that is pretty darn impressive. You go Little one!
Love Mama
P.S. Kangaroo cuddle time now commenced.
P.S. Daddy says he's proud of you. :)
Monday, April 7, 2014
40 Days and 40 Nights
Mattigan is 40 days old today aka 33 weeks old. Big news!Mattigan moved to an open bed, a crib. She's wearing a kimono style shirt that is gigantic on her, is
swaddled in two blankets and has a third across her as well as a touque (hat). Gotta make sure she keeps her temperature up.
Feeds have been upped. She went from 30 to 35 cc's. Still over half an hour.
Annnnd high flow oxygen is now gone (again) so she has low flow oxygen.
We also started vitamin D today.
So lots of changes today. Remember when we were excited about 1 cc increase every 12 hours? :)
Mattigan was doing great per our call to the night nurse. She weighed Mattigan tonight. Matti went from 3# 13.9oz to 3# 14.6oz. Yip yip! Cellllllebrate good times, come on!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Matti Can't Drive 55
Hello all,
Sorry the posts are slowing down. That's a good thing though as there isn't a lot to update as Mattigan is progressing nice and steady. Of course I say that but I'll write a ton in our update.
Tomorrow Mattigan will be 33 weeks adjusted (this means her gestational age) or 40 days old (from her date of birth). It gets weird telling people how old Mattigan is. Preemie speak is confusing sometimes. Some of her goals are set by how old she is from when she was born and some from how old she is counting from conception.
Anyways, she's now weighing in at.....weight for it....ha, get it? 'weight' for it....3lb 13.9oz. Yowza!
Eating 30 cc's over a half hour. Hoping to start introducing Matti to a bottle the end of this week/start of next week. That's optimistic though and we may have to wait til end of next week to start trying. She won't really feed from it yet, it's just teaching her the basics. Feeding requires a preemie to spend a lot of calories and that burns off her weight gain, so it's a balance. And remember, for a preemie to feed is like trying to learn to drive a car. We've been doing it so long we just drive. But that first time you get behind the wheel you have to adjust the seat and mirrors, watch the road, use the gas and brake and clutch, shift gears, WATCH THE ROAD!, don't forget to signal, stupid windshield wipers, WATCH THE ROADDDDDD!!!!! So yeah, it's like that. :)
In other good news, Matti's first eye exam came back with good results. Very exciting news. We didn't expect anything bad, but it's stressful each time they test her for anything. Also, that exam stresses out the baby. The staff dilates her eyes about 3 hours ahead of time, then they do numbing drops right before the procedure. The doctor holds her eyes open then uses a little paddle to rotate her eyes side to side and up and down. (Obviously you can't just ask her to look left, look right nor which ways do the 'E's point.) All this causes the baby to usually require more oxygen and attention as they are understandably upset. Mattigan did great. We didn't even know they'd done the test until the nurse told us later on because Matti wasn't behaving any different. So like usual, what we expected was not what Matti did. :)
Mattigan met her Aunt Sam, Uncle Patrick, and cousin Dominic last week via the computer. Check out the new photo of Dominic! He's getting so big. He's a happy boy. :)
Today, Aunt Kimmy got to meet Matti via computer as well. Matti interrupted Aunt Kimmy's study break. But Aunt Kimmy said that Mattigan is way more interesting. Or at least that's how Matti interpreted it.
This weekend Mama and Daddy got the house and yard 92% picked up, cleaned, and ready for guests. Still things to do but if we can get Mattigan's room decorated then we can call it quits.
Also this weekend, we were lucky enough to celebrate Oma's 50th birthday! Fantastic time outside the Wild Horse Pass Casino at Bike Fest 2014. Lots of neat motorcycles, interesting people, and music. We met a nice Canadian couple. Eh? Tried out a new BBQ place. Then watched Sammy Hagar perform. Then capped off the night with a couple tries at the slot machines. We didn't lose much but didn't win either. Only game we really won at was called ATM. You put in your card and get money. Though even when you win at ATM, you lose. :)
Back to the grind tomorrow. On the road again...
Sorry the posts are slowing down. That's a good thing though as there isn't a lot to update as Mattigan is progressing nice and steady. Of course I say that but I'll write a ton in our update.
Tomorrow Mattigan will be 33 weeks adjusted (this means her gestational age) or 40 days old (from her date of birth). It gets weird telling people how old Mattigan is. Preemie speak is confusing sometimes. Some of her goals are set by how old she is from when she was born and some from how old she is counting from conception.
Anyways, she's now weighing in at.....weight for it....ha, get it? 'weight' for it....3lb 13.9oz. Yowza!
Eating 30 cc's over a half hour. Hoping to start introducing Matti to a bottle the end of this week/start of next week. That's optimistic though and we may have to wait til end of next week to start trying. She won't really feed from it yet, it's just teaching her the basics. Feeding requires a preemie to spend a lot of calories and that burns off her weight gain, so it's a balance. And remember, for a preemie to feed is like trying to learn to drive a car. We've been doing it so long we just drive. But that first time you get behind the wheel you have to adjust the seat and mirrors, watch the road, use the gas and brake and clutch, shift gears, WATCH THE ROAD!, don't forget to signal, stupid windshield wipers, WATCH THE ROADDDDDD!!!!! So yeah, it's like that. :)
In other good news, Matti's first eye exam came back with good results. Very exciting news. We didn't expect anything bad, but it's stressful each time they test her for anything. Also, that exam stresses out the baby. The staff dilates her eyes about 3 hours ahead of time, then they do numbing drops right before the procedure. The doctor holds her eyes open then uses a little paddle to rotate her eyes side to side and up and down. (Obviously you can't just ask her to look left, look right nor which ways do the 'E's point.) All this causes the baby to usually require more oxygen and attention as they are understandably upset. Mattigan did great. We didn't even know they'd done the test until the nurse told us later on because Matti wasn't behaving any different. So like usual, what we expected was not what Matti did. :)
Mattigan met her Aunt Sam, Uncle Patrick, and cousin Dominic last week via the computer. Check out the new photo of Dominic! He's getting so big. He's a happy boy. :)Today, Aunt Kimmy got to meet Matti via computer as well. Matti interrupted Aunt Kimmy's study break. But Aunt Kimmy said that Mattigan is way more interesting. Or at least that's how Matti interpreted it.
This weekend Mama and Daddy got the house and yard 92% picked up, cleaned, and ready for guests. Still things to do but if we can get Mattigan's room decorated then we can call it quits.
Also this weekend, we were lucky enough to celebrate Oma's 50th birthday! Fantastic time outside the Wild Horse Pass Casino at Bike Fest 2014. Lots of neat motorcycles, interesting people, and music. We met a nice Canadian couple. Eh? Tried out a new BBQ place. Then watched Sammy Hagar perform. Then capped off the night with a couple tries at the slot machines. We didn't lose much but didn't win either. Only game we really won at was called ATM. You put in your card and get money. Though even when you win at ATM, you lose. :)
Back to the grind tomorrow. On the road again...
Wednesday, April 2, 2014
Dom Arigato Mr Roboto
Kangaroo time. Baby Roo is enjoying her nap. She looks very comfortable. Mama is kinda envious.
Mattigan is wearing her first onesie tee. It is gigantic on her so it really looks like more of a kimono style bathrobe. But whatever. As Will Smith would say, she makes it look good.
Matti is up MORE to 3# 8oz! She's actually just below 9oz! So do a little dance cause Mattigan is over 3 1/2 pounds!!!!
She was 14 1/2 inches long at birth. She is now 15 3/4 inches "tall".
Our feeding/rounds times have changed to be 8:30-11:30-2:30-5:30. Still at 29 cc's but now being fed over 45 minutes instead of an hour.
Her breathing has been good. She still d-sats which means 'desaturatizes'. Her oxygenation drops a little while she pauses in between breaths. Versus apnea where she would breath for a moment or two. No significant apneas or Brady's. So we have lowered her high flow oxygen to 1 liter and her rate is still 21-30%. So pretty much what we breathe.
For a couple weeks now she has also been picking up her head and looking around. If she wants to see Daddy or Mama when she is kangarooing then she will crane her head back to look at us. Or she'll lift her head off our chest, turn her neck, and put her head down facing the other way. Strong little bugger.
As said previously, Mattigan is getting more vocal. Still usually quiet noises but she'll grunt or whine if you disturb her.
She still has a murmur sometimes. It's hard to hear and most the time nurses and doctors can't. So no concerns there at this time.
Her fingernails are also getting sharper. Mama knows because Mattigan is sharpening them Wolverine style on my neck right now.
Mattigan is on her way to being homebound. She needs to keep growing, get off breathing line, feed from a bottle, and keep her temp. She'll have to pass a car seat test which checks to see if she'll have As and Bs on her way home. This position is harder so if she tolerates it that's good. Progress in all areas so we are optimistic. :)
Mattigan is wearing her first onesie tee. It is gigantic on her so it really looks like more of a kimono style bathrobe. But whatever. As Will Smith would say, she makes it look good.
Matti is up MORE to 3# 8oz! She's actually just below 9oz! So do a little dance cause Mattigan is over 3 1/2 pounds!!!!
She was 14 1/2 inches long at birth. She is now 15 3/4 inches "tall".
Our feeding/rounds times have changed to be 8:30-11:30-2:30-5:30. Still at 29 cc's but now being fed over 45 minutes instead of an hour.
Her breathing has been good. She still d-sats which means 'desaturatizes'. Her oxygenation drops a little while she pauses in between breaths. Versus apnea where she would breath for a moment or two. No significant apneas or Brady's. So we have lowered her high flow oxygen to 1 liter and her rate is still 21-30%. So pretty much what we breathe.
For a couple weeks now she has also been picking up her head and looking around. If she wants to see Daddy or Mama when she is kangarooing then she will crane her head back to look at us. Or she'll lift her head off our chest, turn her neck, and put her head down facing the other way. Strong little bugger.
As said previously, Mattigan is getting more vocal. Still usually quiet noises but she'll grunt or whine if you disturb her.
She still has a murmur sometimes. It's hard to hear and most the time nurses and doctors can't. So no concerns there at this time.
Her fingernails are also getting sharper. Mama knows because Mattigan is sharpening them Wolverine style on my neck right now.
Mattigan is on her way to being homebound. She needs to keep growing, get off breathing line, feed from a bottle, and keep her temp. She'll have to pass a car seat test which checks to see if she'll have As and Bs on her way home. This position is harder so if she tolerates it that's good. Progress in all areas so we are optimistic. :)
Tuesday, April 1, 2014
Tuesdays with Mattigan (Who the heck is Morrie anyway?)
Tuesday scoots along. Mattigan has the hiccups. They aren't delicate ladylike hiccups either. Poor kid.
Mattigan continues to thrive. She's not afraid to tell us when we aren't doing things the way she wants them, when she wants them, or how she wants them. You better be ready if you're going to wake this little sleepy dragon because the doctors took her off the caffeine so no more morning lattes for little Miss Matti.
She's up to 3# 6oz and almost at 7oz. Fantastic weight gain. Doctors are happy with it. We're happy with it. If you're happy with it and you know it clap your hands. If you're happy with it and you know it clap your hands. Oh. Sorry. There's been a lot of singing to Mattigan lately. :)
Mattigan is at 29 cc's still but once the doctors do their formula/weight/weight gain/calories calculation, she's probably due to go up any time. She's graduated to the BIG syringe that holds her food. This one goes up to 60 cc's. We're still using a machine to "inject" her food into the gavage feeding tube over 1 hour's time. Eventually they'll start compressing the time down to 45 minutes then 30 minutes. We spread it out over an hour to give her time to "eat" it. Otherwise she'd feel like us after a Thanksgiving meal. We want her to not be hungry but not overfull. Otherwise she won't eat the next time we feed her.
We're enjoying the space in her room on the 4th floor in the Nursery ICU. She has a roommate. It would be nice to be in a private room so we could turn on our tv or make noise and not disturb them, but they seem nice and I think they'll be out of here the end of this week or beginning of next. We have a couch, two chairs, and a footrest. The tv I mentioned is a tiny 10" screen that is held to the wall on a swivel arm. I believe they're basically leftovers from when adults used these rooms. But hey, I'm not complaining. Most of the time I leave it off, but sometimes it's nice to use it.
We're waiting for Daddy to get done with work so he can come play. If Mattigan is alert enough Mama will show Daddy how we do physical therapy and then they'll have father-daughter cuddle time. Then back to Oma and Opa's house and probably some leftovers from last night's delicious dinner. We're getting awfully spoiled at not having to fend for meals ourselves. All 4 of us now that I think of it. Not that The Khaleesi nor Mattigan contributes much to meal time beyond their occasional tribute donations.
Mattigan continues to thrive. She's not afraid to tell us when we aren't doing things the way she wants them, when she wants them, or how she wants them. You better be ready if you're going to wake this little sleepy dragon because the doctors took her off the caffeine so no more morning lattes for little Miss Matti.
She's up to 3# 6oz and almost at 7oz. Fantastic weight gain. Doctors are happy with it. We're happy with it. If you're happy with it and you know it clap your hands. If you're happy with it and you know it clap your hands. Oh. Sorry. There's been a lot of singing to Mattigan lately. :)
Mattigan is at 29 cc's still but once the doctors do their formula/weight/weight gain/calories calculation, she's probably due to go up any time. She's graduated to the BIG syringe that holds her food. This one goes up to 60 cc's. We're still using a machine to "inject" her food into the gavage feeding tube over 1 hour's time. Eventually they'll start compressing the time down to 45 minutes then 30 minutes. We spread it out over an hour to give her time to "eat" it. Otherwise she'd feel like us after a Thanksgiving meal. We want her to not be hungry but not overfull. Otherwise she won't eat the next time we feed her.
We're enjoying the space in her room on the 4th floor in the Nursery ICU. She has a roommate. It would be nice to be in a private room so we could turn on our tv or make noise and not disturb them, but they seem nice and I think they'll be out of here the end of this week or beginning of next. We have a couch, two chairs, and a footrest. The tv I mentioned is a tiny 10" screen that is held to the wall on a swivel arm. I believe they're basically leftovers from when adults used these rooms. But hey, I'm not complaining. Most of the time I leave it off, but sometimes it's nice to use it.
We're waiting for Daddy to get done with work so he can come play. If Mattigan is alert enough Mama will show Daddy how we do physical therapy and then they'll have father-daughter cuddle time. Then back to Oma and Opa's house and probably some leftovers from last night's delicious dinner. We're getting awfully spoiled at not having to fend for meals ourselves. All 4 of us now that I think of it. Not that The Khaleesi nor Mattigan contributes much to meal time beyond their occasional tribute donations.
Monday, March 31, 2014
Mon-zzzzzzzzz-day
Mattigan is 3# 5oz almost 6. She is sound asleep on my chest under a blanket. She can be picky about positioning if we hold her in our arms, like she was yesterday for Oma and Opa but she is doing great otherwise. All the same outside of that. Probably up her feeds today or tomorrow. Mama is way tired so I'll be leaving this as a short post.
Saturday, March 29, 2014
SQL Saturday
Today Mama and Daddy are volunteers at SQL Saturday. (SQL is pronounced as 'sequel'.) This is sponsored by a user group that Daddy belongs to. The group gets together to talk, teach, and learn about computer databases. Once a year the local group holds a free conference that we volunteer at. It was a lot of fun and we met a lot of interesting people. Not to mention got to brag about our girl.
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Middleweight Champion
Mattigan is now......drumroll please...... over 3 lbs!
It's too early to do math so no weight conversions right now but she's about 3# 1oz. She went up 42 grams yesterday. Yippy skippy!
She was a little tight sounding yesterday and her heart rate is still a little fast so we made the decision to put her on high flow oxygen again because it is warm moist air. She's sounding better with that and after a nurse got her nose cleaned out. It might also be a bit of reflux making her congested so we have her bed tipped up a bit and I'll hold her during the next round so she'll be upright anyhow. Her heart rate we'll keep any eye on but it might be that the low oxygen was making her work a little harder (which can make her burn calories which means less weight gain). No As or Bs.
She might be moved back upstairs to the 5th floor because they don't usually keep babies in the 4th floor nursery while they are on high flow oxygen. But they're waiting on that since she's healthy otherwise. Mama and Daddy hope she'll stay downstairs because there is more room for us while visiting. But of course, whatever is best for Matti.
It's too early to do math so no weight conversions right now but she's about 3# 1oz. She went up 42 grams yesterday. Yippy skippy!
She was a little tight sounding yesterday and her heart rate is still a little fast so we made the decision to put her on high flow oxygen again because it is warm moist air. She's sounding better with that and after a nurse got her nose cleaned out. It might also be a bit of reflux making her congested so we have her bed tipped up a bit and I'll hold her during the next round so she'll be upright anyhow. Her heart rate we'll keep any eye on but it might be that the low oxygen was making her work a little harder (which can make her burn calories which means less weight gain). No As or Bs.
She might be moved back upstairs to the 5th floor because they don't usually keep babies in the 4th floor nursery while they are on high flow oxygen. But they're waiting on that since she's healthy otherwise. Mama and Daddy hope she'll stay downstairs because there is more room for us while visiting. But of course, whatever is best for Matti.
Wednesday, March 26, 2014
One Month Down!
Dear Baby Mattigan,
You decided to make a dramatic entrance into this world that we won't be forgetting. You were 2lb 2oz at birth, Little One. Although you were whisked away by the doctor to get checked out, Daddy and Mama heard your first cry and Daddy snapped your first picture.
In your first month you gave us a scare when you got tired and we needed to help you breathe, but all in all it's been okay. We are tired from the long days commuting back and forth to the hospital to see you. Daddy puts in full days at work but still enjoys visiting you afterwards. Mama spends her days at the hospital with you learning the ropes of you being a preemie and getting lost in the hospital.
At 2lb 15oz you are getting heavier for a featherweight. Your hair is long enough to curl a little around your ears and down your neck. You look adorable when you wake up and it's sticking out in different directions. Your pinky fingers are still curved in a bit towards your ring fingers. Which Daddy says resembles his. So you have long fingers like Mama but Daddy's pinkies. Your ears are usually flattened to your head from the oxygen line, sorry kid. Your nose shape is a little more natural but the oxygen line's prongs still intefere with us deciding whose nose you got. We think Daddy's. And you got Mama's eye shape but Mama thinks maybe you'll have Daddy's eye color when your eyes settle from baby blue. Loving the color they are now which is a stormy blue that usually looks dark but occasionally seems bright. You had a lot of firsts this month. First cuddle with Mama, Daddy, Oma, Opa. First bath from Mama and Daddy. First kisses from Mama and Daddy. And we also had some firsts. The Khaleesi's first introductionto you via blankets with your baby smell. Mama's first (and last!) medical helicopter ride. Daddy's first night on a hospital cot.
We love getting to know you. Seeing your personality show through a little more each day in the way you look around you or smack the nurses hands away from your face. We love the way you grip our fingers with such strength, and how you nuzzle into us when we hold you, and how you sound like a kitten when you settle in but a tiger when you get upset. You are one feisty wee girl.
You tell us what you like and what you don't. You do NOT like getting the tape replaced around your feeding tube, nor the leads removed for your bath, nor being called a princess. We all know princesses are vile creatures which cage the poor dragons. But you and your valiant steed Khaleesi ride to their rescue.
So far you like being "contained" as the nurses call it. You are always more calm when you are swaddled with your weighted bean bag on your legs or bum. That bag is called a "frog" and it has two arms that are also weighted. You love the arms being tucked around you. You also love bath time duringwhich you stay calm and alert. And you love being read to or talked at, especially while we hold you. You and Mama just finished your first chapter book, "The Borrowers". If she stopped reading while you were still awake, you would lift your head, crane your neck back, and look at her as if to say, "why'd you stop reading?"
You are an amazing person and we are so lucky to have you in our lives.
Love,
Mama and Daddy
Happy 1 Month Birthday! Daddy and Mama love you very much.
You decided to make a dramatic entrance into this world that we won't be forgetting. You were 2lb 2oz at birth, Little One. Although you were whisked away by the doctor to get checked out, Daddy and Mama heard your first cry and Daddy snapped your first picture.
In your first month you gave us a scare when you got tired and we needed to help you breathe, but all in all it's been okay. We are tired from the long days commuting back and forth to the hospital to see you. Daddy puts in full days at work but still enjoys visiting you afterwards. Mama spends her days at the hospital with you learning the ropes of you being a preemie and getting lost in the hospital.
At 2lb 15oz you are getting heavier for a featherweight. Your hair is long enough to curl a little around your ears and down your neck. You look adorable when you wake up and it's sticking out in different directions. Your pinky fingers are still curved in a bit towards your ring fingers. Which Daddy says resembles his. So you have long fingers like Mama but Daddy's pinkies. Your ears are usually flattened to your head from the oxygen line, sorry kid. Your nose shape is a little more natural but the oxygen line's prongs still intefere with us deciding whose nose you got. We think Daddy's. And you got Mama's eye shape but Mama thinks maybe you'll have Daddy's eye color when your eyes settle from baby blue. Loving the color they are now which is a stormy blue that usually looks dark but occasionally seems bright. You had a lot of firsts this month. First cuddle with Mama, Daddy, Oma, Opa. First bath from Mama and Daddy. First kisses from Mama and Daddy. And we also had some firsts. The Khaleesi's first introductionto you via blankets with your baby smell. Mama's first (and last!) medical helicopter ride. Daddy's first night on a hospital cot.
We love getting to know you. Seeing your personality show through a little more each day in the way you look around you or smack the nurses hands away from your face. We love the way you grip our fingers with such strength, and how you nuzzle into us when we hold you, and how you sound like a kitten when you settle in but a tiger when you get upset. You are one feisty wee girl.
You tell us what you like and what you don't. You do NOT like getting the tape replaced around your feeding tube, nor the leads removed for your bath, nor being called a princess. We all know princesses are vile creatures which cage the poor dragons. But you and your valiant steed Khaleesi ride to their rescue.
So far you like being "contained" as the nurses call it. You are always more calm when you are swaddled with your weighted bean bag on your legs or bum. That bag is called a "frog" and it has two arms that are also weighted. You love the arms being tucked around you. You also love bath time duringwhich you stay calm and alert. And you love being read to or talked at, especially while we hold you. You and Mama just finished your first chapter book, "The Borrowers". If she stopped reading while you were still awake, you would lift your head, crane your neck back, and look at her as if to say, "why'd you stop reading?"
You are an amazing person and we are so lucky to have you in our lives.
Love,
Mama and Daddy
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
4 score and several moves ago
Mattigan moved to the 4th floor! She's now in the Nursery/NYICU in a room shared with one other baby. Matti is doing great. She is on the low flow oxygen at 25% (we breathe 21%). Eating 25 cc's at her max feed. Still eating through a gavage tube. Sucking vigorously on the pacifier and her hands when she is hungry. No As and Bs lately.
So we are moving forward to our next big steps:
- eating from a bottle
- gaining enough weight to stay warm
- breathing room air
So we are moving forward to our next big steps:
- eating from a bottle
- gaining enough weight to stay warm
- breathing room air
Monday, March 24, 2014
That's just the Weight She is
Sunday
Mattigan weighed in at 2# 13oz. Still doing well with her oxygen at the lower 1.5 level.
Monday
Mattigan is up to 2# 14oz. Went up 34 grams yesterday!
Oxygen is back down to low flow!!! (Where we just were before the PICC line infiltrated.) New nasal cannula. I'd add a photo but she's asleep so I won't disturb her. She hasn't had her morning coffee so she might be grouchy if I wake her. As the saying goes at our house... Let sleeping dragons lie.
Mattigan is now 26 days old. She'll be one month old on Wednesday. Mama and Daddy have now been in the hospital for more than one month. It has been a long stressful haul with more hospital time to follow. We don't have any idea when Mattigan will be ready to go home but she is doing very well. We are looking forward to getting her home so we can finally have some alone time with her and of course to not have the commutes to and from the hospital nor cafeteria food. I'm sure we'll be wishing we could bring at least one or two of the nurses home to help. Mattigan can smell fear and sense weakness.
Thank you to Mom and Pa for letting us (including Khaleesi) crash their house while Mattigan does her growing-feeding magic tricks. Whether it's the dinners you make, the transportation or the company you provide, it's a huge help. And we might forget to tell you every day but THANK YOU!
Mattigan weighed in at 2# 13oz. Still doing well with her oxygen at the lower 1.5 level.
Monday
Mattigan is up to 2# 14oz. Went up 34 grams yesterday!
Oxygen is back down to low flow!!! (Where we just were before the PICC line infiltrated.) New nasal cannula. I'd add a photo but she's asleep so I won't disturb her. She hasn't had her morning coffee so she might be grouchy if I wake her. As the saying goes at our house... Let sleeping dragons lie.
Mattigan is now 26 days old. She'll be one month old on Wednesday. Mama and Daddy have now been in the hospital for more than one month. It has been a long stressful haul with more hospital time to follow. We don't have any idea when Mattigan will be ready to go home but she is doing very well. We are looking forward to getting her home so we can finally have some alone time with her and of course to not have the commutes to and from the hospital nor cafeteria food. I'm sure we'll be wishing we could bring at least one or two of the nurses home to help. Mattigan can smell fear and sense weakness.
Thank you to Mom and Pa for letting us (including Khaleesi) crash their house while Mattigan does her growing-feeding magic tricks. Whether it's the dinners you make, the transportation or the company you provide, it's a huge help. And we might forget to tell you every day but THANK YOU!
Rub-a-dub-dub Daddy's got you in the Tub Matti!
Then Daddy "helivac'd" Mattigan out of her bed and into her bathtub. It was his first time lifting Matti out of her bed too - which he handled like a pro despite her size and the multiple tubes/wires you have to drag along.
The PT helped get Mattigan situated, showing Mama and Daddy how she uses a 'big' blanket to swaddle the baby in her bath.
Next, the pampering began. Mama was a little jealous. Daddy needs to rub her
hands and feet! :) Mattigan loved being spoiled by Daddy with her mani-pedi. We're pretty sure Daddy enjoyed it just as much if not more than our daughter did.
Mattigan was alert and looking around the whole of bath time. Mostly she stared at Daddy. After Daddy got her out and dried off we took turns kangarooing. It's adorable the way she'll be asleep on Daddy's chest then peek up at him when he talks.
Like father,
like daughter.
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