A little scare...

Wednesday morning, I woke up to feed Caden and he had a red ring on his upper lip. It looked kind of like a kool-aid mustache. At first I thought that he'd scratched his upper lip. I went on our 5AM routine of making his bottle, changing his diaper, then heading downstairs to watch the news while he eats.

When he was done, I took a better look at his lip. It didn't look like a scratch mark now that I was awake.

Then I remembered that one of Holly's daycare kids had had thrush, so that got me a little worried. I took him to bed, then went back downstairs to do some research.

I had found out that redness around the mouth was not a symptom of thrush, so I was a little relieved. But, I still didn't know what it was.

NOTE: It's not too common, but thrush can be a sign of HIV in infants.

About this time, Holly appeared at the top of the stairs with her usual morning question. "How much did he take?" I told her, then I proceeded to tell her about the redness on his top lip. She told me that it couldn't be thrush because that was not a sign. I told her that I had just found that out when she called down the stairs.

She wasn't thinking anything of it at first, then she went to look for herself. She thought it looked like a rash or something, but wanted me to take him to the doctor to get it checked out. So, I agreed to not go into work so that I could take him in when the doctor's office had an opening.

This is sometime between 6:30 and 7 AM that this is being decided. So, Holly decides that she wants to be there too. She called the parents of the kids that were supposed to show up and said that Caden was going to see the doctor.

Holly called the doctor around 8:30 AM; when they opened; and they had an appointment at 10:10 AM.

By now, Caden was awake. We looked at the redness and it had lightened up a bit, but we were going to take him in just to be safe.

When we got to the doctor's office, we waited a short while before they called us back. The nurse asked the usual, "Why are you here? What are his allergies? Do we want him weighed?"

And of course we weighed him! He now weights 17 lbs. 14 1/2 oz.

When Dr. Krenzer came in, she asked us what our concern was. She then looked at Caden and said that it looks like he was sucking on his lips. She said that's all that it appears to be.

Boy did we feel stupid.

We also asked her about thrush since the other baby had had it, if she could look since we were there. She said his mouth looks fine. The whiteness on Caden's tongue just seems to be formula and nothing else.

We were relieved about that as well.




Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Christmas Officially Over...

Christmas is officially over, but Caden hasn't had all of his "Christmas.'" We haven't had Christmas at Grandma Sharen's yet.

Caden is making out like a bandit this year. I think he has already received more toys than I got in the first 5 years of my life.

Caden has got everything from his first Teddy bear (with his name on it), to a book subscription until he is 5 years old, to a turtle that he can pull that teaches him colors, to a drum that teaches letters and numbers, to...

The list goes on, but I'm sure you don't want to read just that.

Starting on Christmas Eve, Caden was sitting up on his own. We sat him down at Holly's aunt's house so that everybody could open up their gifts, and he wanted to sit all by himself. And he did it!!! I'd say he sat there a good 20 minutes before he moved to much for his muscles to control.

Since then (I'm writing like it was a month ago or something), he has sat up for about 20 minutes by his self every day. He really likes sitting up; as some already know. Pretty soon he'll be able to sit up by his self, and keep him self up for longer amounts of time.

I'm so proud of my little boy.




Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Changes

• Caden now has a website http://caden.vermule.com


• Caden's videos are now located at this site.

Caden at the Zoo

Caden at the Zoo

We went to the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo had lights and other stations setup inside some of the exhibits. This is a picture station inside of the Pavillion.

He loved the lights and other things at the zoo. I can't wait until Spring, so that we can take him and see the whole zoo. The only parts they had open was: the Aquarium (minus a couple exhibits), the Creatures of the Night, the Pavillion, and the Treetop Restaurant.

The Pavillion had art made by animals and you could buy them. They were also selling coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies.

The Treetop Restaurant had crafts that you could make (didn't see what).

When we were in the Aquarium, he didn't pay much attention to the animals at first. He was always looking to see who was talking or trying to find Holly or I. He did look at the penguins, but not with much interest. He actually watched the monitors more than the actual penguins. Once we got to the tunnel, (where you get to see the sharks, some large fish, and a new turtle) he perked up. One time, he was looking at a shark and the shark almost seemed to swim right at him. His eyes grew, his jaw dropped, he loved it. He also liked the jellyfish tank and the school of fish.



Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Sorry...

Sorry about it being so long between the Thanksgiving post and this one. With the holidays and a new son, it is really hard to keep everything going like normal.

I will have pictures up shortly from Thanksgiving and the time in between.

Caden will have a new place you can see his pictures from soon. The web address is http://caden.vermule.com. Right now there isn't much there, just a few photos and videos, but it will soon have a lot of photos and other content.

Caden's first Christmas is right around the corner, and has kind of already started. He opened his gifts from grandma Debbie last night. He loved them. We'll be in South Dakota this coming Christmas weekend. And we still have grandma Sharen's and Grandpa Cecil's (AKA Jay).





Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Caden's First Thanksgiving

Since we have room in our house, we are going to have Thanksgiving at home this year. Holly is going to cook.

Don't laugh.

Now I said not to laugh.

Okay, you can laugh a little. Debbie is helping, so don't worry...too much.

We've invited several people, but as expected, a lot of people have prior plans, are making their own dinner, or can't make it for other reasons. We are just glad that we can have Thanksgiving in our new home.

We have a lot to be thankful for this past year, and for many years to come. We're thankful for every day that God gives us, our beautiful son, our wonderful new home, Holly's thriving home daycare, our families, my career, the love that we recieve, and so much more. I'm sure you don't want to read everything that we are thankful for, but those are some highlights.




Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

I'm so proud...

I took Caden to the doctor yesterday. Both Holly and myself had butterflies in our stomachs because we were so curious as to see his new weight.

As you know, Caden had a feeding tube in and decided to pull it out about 4 weeks ago, and this appointment was not only his 6 month appointment and flu shot appointment, but it was to determine if he was gaining enough weight on just what he was taking out of the bottle.

Well, he weighed in at 16 lbs. 7 oz.!!! He is also now 27 inches long. For weight, he is holding steady at about the 30th percentile. But for his height, he jumped up to the 75th percentile!!! If he keeps this up, he is going to be a tall boy.

The doctor was so happy with the progress that he is making. He is sitting up with minimal support, he is taking at an average of 5 oz. a day by bottle, he is talking to us, playing "games" with us, playing with toys now more than ever.

Going back to the "games," he has this new thing. He shakes his head "no" and waits for us to do it. And then when we do it, he laughs and does it again. It is so cute, I hope to get it on video and upload it soon so that those not local can see it.

I also have a bunch of pictures to upload. I am going to upload some photos today that we got taken professionally.

From the move into the new house, I have yet to set up the computer. Even when I do, I have to find a power source. The corner that is "perfect" for the computer and desk has no outlet. So, for now, I have to find a way to run an extension cord so that it does not pose as a hazard to the kids.



Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

6 month pictures

The crib

We finally broke down and put Caden to sleep in his crib last night. When we decided to do it, Holly almost cried, but she did fine. Even I thought that she would be the one checking in on him.

Nope.

• 1:30AM - I thought I heard him, so I checked on him. And he was fine.


• 2:00AM - He was kicking a little, so I looked in. This time I think he was trying to kick off his covers; as both he and his mother love to do.


• 2:30AM or 3:00AM - I thought I heard something outside, so I looked around, but didn't find anything, so I decided to check on him again.

Am I horrible or what?

Except for me getting up, he did great. He slept there all night and seemed comfortable. He was so comfortable that he didn't want to wake up this morning.



Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Caden is suprising us yet again.

Last week he took a full six-ounce bottle in ten minutes on two seperate feedings!!! Holly and I were shocked. As you may imagine. He has been taking about 4-6 ounces in 30-50 minutes on the norm. I am just so proud of my beautiful son.

But, the good news doesn't end there.

Yesterday, while I was at work, Caden wanted to sit up. Which as we know he really isn't supposed to do because of his age and syndrome. When I got home, I let him sit in the corner of the couch; I let him do this to get used to the feeling of sitting up and to try to help him strengthen his neck and back; and he didn't want to sit back.

He leaned forward a bit and sat up, sort of. He was wobbly, and he leaned to the side and forward a little more than he should, but he was doing it. And he sat there for a short while.

Today, I went home for lunch, and I was holding him some. Part of the time, I was holding him facing away from me with my arm around his belly and waist so that he could hold his head up, and we was doing a great job. He has been able to do that for a few days now.

I laid him down on his back in his gym so he could play and watch TV. He started to cry. I think part of it was that he didn't want me to put him down, but the rest was that he wanted to sit up. He'll get to that point soon enough.

I know that he doesn't understand that he can't sit up all of the time yet. But, he obviously wants to.


Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Caden's first pumpkin patch.

Caden looking around

I almost didn't get to go. I was scheduled to work from 1 to close at Nobbies, but someone changed hours with me so that I could work from 11 to 5. Then I tried to pawn that schedule off so that we could go during the day more, but it didn't work out for me. I still worked.

Caden slept about half of the time, but he seemed to enjoy or was at least inquisitive about what he saw.

I have more pictures posted at his picture site.

Sorry...

Sorry that it's been a while since the last posting. It's been kind of hectic lately. I've been working a few extra hours at Carlson, and I got a temporary part-time job at Nobbies (Nobbies is a party store).

I took Caden to the doctor last Thursday. The doctor wasn't happy, but she wasn't sad. He only gained 1/2 an ounce. So, he now weighs 14 lbs. 12 1/2 ounces. She said that the feeding tube has to stay in until his 6 month appointment at the beginning of November. She also said that we need to go back to tube feeding the rest of the morning bottle. Lately, we have only been tube feeding the rest of the before bed bottle.

Well, that night, Caden decided to pull his tube out again. The tube was ready to be replaced any way, so we figured that if he took enough of his bottle before bed, we wouldn't try to put a new one in. We'd let him sleep a night without a tube stuck in his nose.

HE TOOK THE WHOLE BOTTLE!

We were ecstatic. It was a good thing too because we checked and we had no more tubes. Holly called and said that we needed one since we were out and she told them that we thought we had one left. They said they would put us on the list to get a delivery on Friday since our normal deliveries happen on Wednesday.

Well, the tube didn't come by 5. So, Holly called and they said that something had happened and we weren't put on the list. So, the receptionist said that he would drive over hisself and deliver on to us. We were very happy that he was willing to go out of the way for us.

It turns out though, that we didn't need the tube quite yet.

Caden took around 4 ounces from his morning feeding, normally 3-4 ounces. Then he took the next three full 6 ounce bottles, normally 2-3 ounces. We couldn't believe it. We then figured if he could take at least 5 ounces before bed, we could leave the tube out another night. And he did! And Saturday was a repeat of Friday; and so was Sunday!

He did good on his bottles yesterday as well. There was just one where he took 3 ounces instead of the now normal of 5 ounces.

Holly called Dr. Krenzer and she didn't disagree with keeping the tube out, but at the same time she didn't agree. She said as long as he consistantly does 5 ounces a feeding, he should be fine without the tube in and we'll find out how he does with a weight gain on his next visit. Of course, if he doesn't do good, we'll have to put the tube back in, but we're all praying for that to not happen.



Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

A House in the Near Future

We are buying a house. It can be seen HERE. We are so excited. It's going to be a great place for Caden to grow up.

The best parts are: he'll still get the same great services (therapists and such) that he is right now, we're only moving 3 blocks, we'll own our own home, and our address stays virtually the same; '4741 S 83rd St' to '4741 S 80th St.'




Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

The Results are in...

NEGATIVE!!!!

There is nothing wrong with my chromosomes. They said that if I was to have another child, there is a very, very slim chance that they would have Prader-Willi.

They said there are no deletions & no rearrangements.

So, what happened to Caden was purely an accident. I love him to death, and I wouldn't change my son. He is God's gift to my wife and myself. I just wish that we could do something for him so that he wouldn't have the future problems with eating.

I guess the say, "God only gives you what you can handle." probably applies.




Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Back from the trip...

I only have a few seconds to write.

I just wanted to let everyone know that Caden did awesome on the trips to and from Wisconsin.

I'll post pictures and write more when I have more time.



Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Push-ups...

Caden is now starting to do some push-ups. He is holding hisself up and picking up his head some to look around. On Saturday, Holly had set him down on the floor for "tummy time" and he picked himself up and lifted his head. He looked around some before getting irritated. We tried it again 3 more times that day and he did the same thing every time. (Video soon)

We are so proud of our little boy.

Caden also got his first haircut on Saturday. He had about 1 - 1 ¹/₂ inches cut off. He looks so different without all of his hair. (And of course, pictures will be up soon.)

He is also smiling a lot more, especially in the morning. And he giggles a lot. He smiles/giggles the most in the morning when he wakes up. We think that he is going to be a morning person. He is starting to giggle when you tickle his feet and give him raspberries. And of course there is the once in while giggle when he see's daddy.



Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Still no word.

As you've been able to tell from my silence about it, we haven't heard anything about my test results.

Since last Tuesday was 14 days, Holly called last Wednesday to see if the doctors had heard anything. They hadn't.

So, I think Holly is going to call today to see what is going on. It is now 21 days. We understand that yesterday was a holiday, so it is technically 20 days. But, the test process doesn't need 24/7 monitoring.

I'll let you know.

Caden in the Bath

Caden in the Bath

I just thought that this picture was so cute that I had to post it.

South Dakota Trip Photos

Caden's second roadtrip, being planned

We are going to Wisconsin. We are going to stay in Peshtigo, WI. We are going to leave Omaha on Thursday, September 8th after I get off work and drive half way and stay in Platteville, WI. Then we'll get there early afternoon on Friday the 9th. We are going to come back Monday, September 12th. The trip back we'll driving the whole distance in one day.

I can't wait. I'm going to be uploading some of the pictures from our trip up to S. Dakota today. We went to the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead, Caden stayed with Penny at the entrance building. He was out of it, and we didn't bring his stroller because we weren't planning on doing anything like that. You bet we'll bring it up there for the "just in case" situation(s).


Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Changes...

• I have added Caden's last known measurements to the right.


• I will be adding a photo viewer for all of his pictures.


• The picture on top is now a professional picture we had taken in his christianing outfit.

Daddy is getting tested...

Mommy and Caden went to the genetics doctor, Dr. Buehler, on Monday and he was telling her a little better about what to expect during Caden's life.

When Caden turns one, he will start getting growth hormone shots. From what the doctor said, Caden will get the shots on a daily basis, and will be administered by either me or Holly. Fun, fun, fun. He will also start to see a dietician so that he can be checked out to see what type of foods he should be eating and how much of each food.

They also said that his speech will probably be delayed (typical of a child with Prader-Willi), but he will understand what we are saying. He will have a speech therapist as well to help him so he will be on track once he starts school.

The doctor also gave Holly some more packets of information about PWS which she got through part of it and had to stop because it was making her even more worried and sad. I read the whole thing, obviously feeling horrible, but I read it so I knew. Then at the end, when they list the references, I was noticing the dates of the articles and documents referenced, the date span was from the late 1960's up until the early 1990's, and a one from 1996 and two from 1998.

So, I impressed upon Holly that the documents referenced were from earlier on into the "discovery period" of PWS and that the use of growth hormones weren't approved until 2000. So, this is a brand new generation of children with PWS, and there are medical advances and studies happening every day. Maybe this generation will have the eating more under control, and will be able to be more independent. We can only wait and see.


Now to address the title of this post. They are testing me to see if I have "issues" with what is called the "imprinting process." Even though the doctors think that it will come back as normal, they are testing me to be sure. I want to know anyway, because Holly and I plan to have at least one more child, and if I have something wrong, I don't want to put another child through what Caden is going through. I also don't want to have to put my wife and family through all of the worry that we did and are doing with Caden.

NOTE: The imprinting process is where the body "imprints" it's set of chromosomes that are to be given to offspring.

Another reason why I am getting tested is my wife had mentioned to the doctor that a child on my mom's side of the family is very heavy, 150+ lbs. at age 7, and they are worried that I may have received the imprinting "defect" through my mother's genetics. If that is so, then there is a chance that both of my brothers have the defect.

We'll find out shortly if I have it. I gave my blood Tuesday night, and it takes 2 weeks to get the results back.

When I find out you will find out as well.

Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Bottle Challenge was lost...

I just realised that I never said how the challenge went.

Caden lost 5 ounces during the week he was on the bottle challenge. So, the doctor that is sitting in for Dr. Krenzer while she is out on leave prescribed glucose to be added to his bottles.

That didn't go over very well either. He only took about an ounce for two bottles.

Since we were going out of town, we decided that we didn't want to have her family listen to him while we put the tube in. So, we put the tube in. Over the weekend the little stinker took a couple full bottles and did really good on the others.

We'll try another challenge in the future, but not right now.


Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Caden's First Trip

Grandma Debbie found out that she had friday, saturday and sunday off. So, when we were at dinner with grandma, mommy said, "Sounds like it would be a good weekend to go to South Dakota." She said it half jokingly, half seriously. Grandma said that she was just thinking the same thing.

So, of course mommy tells daddy that he needs to get off early because we have a lot to do.

Originally, mommy was working on friday, so we weren't going to leave until saturday morning after we fed Caden. So, we were going to have all night to pack and get things ready. But, mommy just took friday off so we could leave friday night. She checked to make sure grandma was okay with it after she took the night off.

And of course, she was.

We left Council Bluffs, IA around 7:30 PM after eating and dropping a key off to my sister so she can take care of Kira (It was supposed to be 6:30 PM.). We pulled into Arlington about 11:00 PM. My usual 3 ¹/₂ hour drive.

We spent the time visiting family and even visited a local attraction. We went to the "Little House on the Prairie." It's the Laura Ingalls Wilder homestead. It is located in De Smet, SD. It was pretty neat. Of course, Caden didn't pay much attention to anything. We'll bring him back when he gets old enough to actually enjoy it.



NOTE: Pictures of all, soon to come.

The Bottle Challenge

As everybody knows, Caden is on a feeding tube and we are trying to feed him by bottle as much as possible. Since he has low muscle tone, he does have a poor sucking ability. But it is getting much better.

PROOF: Yesterday Caden took two(2) bottles that were 5 ¹/₂ oz each.

On Monday, 4 August 2005, his substitute pediatrician, Dr. Michaels, thought it would be fine to do a "bottle challenge." It's where we take out the feeding tube for a few days and only feed him by bottle. Just to see how he does. If Caden loses weight, or doesn't gain any weight, the tube will have to go back in.
NOTE: He has a substitute pediatrician because Dr. Krenzer had a baby.

In the eighteen days between his last doctor visit and monday, he gained 24 oz. Which as you can tell, is a little over an ounce a day. He should be gaining about ³/₄ to 1 ounce a day. During the last month and a half he had to play a little catch up since he spent the 6 weeks in the hospital and was on and off of IV's and other fluids that fluctuated his weight.

If Caden can keep the tube out, obviously this is what we want, but that means that we lose the daycare that was supposed to be provided for him. If he doesn't, he still gets to keep the daycare. Either way, it works itself out.

It looks as if we don't have to worry about it now though. Holly has decided to do a home daycare, of sorts. In the future, I'm sure she'll do it more of what you would think of a home daycare, but for now, it's just a couple of friends' kids. So, Holly will be able to say home with Caden. We do hope at some point to open a proper daycare in the future.

Listen to me, it sounds like I am helping her to do this. I know that if, in the future, this does happen, I will be helping her with the different aspects of it (Advertising, painting, location search, etc.). But, that will happen eventually. Not now.

I just need to hit the lottery so that she can start right now. I know that I would still work my current job, and that she would open a daycare. Obviously she would hire out for more staff, but she would still be there. And of course our kids would get to go there for free.


Until Next time, I continue to ask for and thank you for your prayers.

Bottle Battle

Now, everybody knows that it has been and will continue to be a battle for Caden to drink all of his bottle. That is the reason for the feeding tube.

Caden is up to 160 mL per bottle 5 times a day. Roughly 30 mL is 1 ounce. So, he is up to 5 1/3 ounces.

Yesterday, Caden took 100 mL of his bottle, then the next feeding he took 105 mL. I was so happy to see that he took the 100 mL, that was the most that he's ever taken. Then, he took the 105 mL, and then that was the most he'd ever taken.

Holly just called me and informed me that he took all 160 mL of his bottle. So, needless to say, this makes us very happy and proud of him.

Once he can do that for all of his feedings, he can get rid of his feeding tube.

As usual, keep praying. Our prayers are being answered.

Baptism Recognition Pictures

Click a picture to view larger
Thanks to Angie for the pictures

Caden's Baptism Recognition

First, I want to say thank you to those who attended and sent gifts. You all mean the world to us.

Since Caden was baptised in the hospital, today was just the church "recognition" of the baptism, welcome into the family of Christ, and presentation of his sponsors (godparents).

Everything went as expected. He was wide awake through the whole service. He got a little fussy when we were actually doing the ceremony, but he calmed down pretty easily.

Online Photo Album of Caden With Animals

Caden Rolling Over

Caden Rolling Over

For all that didn't believe me, here is my 2 month old son rolling over. For him having low muscle tone, I'd say that he's doing good.

How about you?

Caden and the pediatrician

We went to Caden's pediatrician visit.

We asked her about the gas levels, and she said she thinks his CO₂ level was at 58. That is on the high end of where he was running this last hospital visit. The level also goes up and down naturally based on the amount of physical activity you are doing. It is harder to remove CO₂ when you are doing more activity. Just the same, it is harder to keep your oxygenation levels up when you are doing physical activity. But, when they checked Caden's oxygenation level, he was at 99 out of 100. So, he is keeping it up above where they expect it to be (89 to 95).

He gained 12 ounces since last Wednesday, which is what she was hoping for. His weight is on the lower end of where it should be, so she is having us pump him full of calories to help him increase his weight and get where he should be for his age.

She has changed his feeding schedule and amounts again. We were at 105 ml every 4 hours, now she is changing it to 115 ml every 3-4 hours during the day and 120 ml for the feeding before we go to bed and the first one in the morning. She is trying to give us a 6 hour window in which we can get ("hopefully") uninterrupted sleep. We'll see what actually happens.

Caden vs. Dr. Norohna

Caden met with the pulmonologist, Dr. Norohna, on Monday. The doctor said that it sounds like Caden is breathing deeper. He also said that it looks like he is breathing deeper as well. So, all in all that is good to hear. They took his blood gas levels and another test, just to see how he is doing with his CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) levels and other levels.

The nurse for Dr. Norohna's office called yesterday, they said that his levels were about where they expected them to be and that everything looked good. Both Holly and I wish that they had told me "what" the levels actually were. Since we learned so much in the hospital, we would have at least had a general knowledge about them.

Today, Caden's physical therapist and "teacher" were supposed to come by for the first time at 10:15AM. They are going to come once a week to my understanding. But, only the teacher showed up. The "teacher" said that it was very unusual for the physical therapist to not show up. But, the "teacher" did what she came to do anyway. She is going to help him with playing with his toys, like batting at them, and things like that.

They are also going to set up a time where we can meet all of the people that will be working with him. (i.e. the physical therapist, the "teacher," the occupational therapist, etc.)

Caden's baptism.

Caden before his baptism.

Caden's Baptism Certificate

Caden with his certificate.

I asked the pastor who performed the baptism on Caden, Pastor Carlos Schneider, to write down the history of why sea shells are used when children are baptised.

Here is what he wrote:

"Whether the baptismal shell originated with John, the Baptist is not known for sure, but there are medieval paintings that show John, the Baptist using a shell in his hand to pour water over the heads of the one being baptized. That seems to be the origin of the tradition of using a scallop shell in pouring the water in Holy baptism. A scallop shell is fan shaped and has grooves or lines on the outside. The inside is bowl-shaped, making it suitable for scooping up the water and pouring it over the head of the person being baptized.

Because Baptism is in the name of the Triune God, over time, three drops of water were added to the bottom of the shell, as a symbol for the Holy Trinity.

Because shells are closely associated with water, it may have been a very easy process to integrate the shell as a symbol for Baptism."

Miles of Smiles

When I came home, I found out that my wife had put Caden in his crib for the first time. I looked in on him, and he looked so comfortable. (Picture to come.) I left him in the crib after she left for work and kept checking on him to make sure that he was alright.

I heard him fussing a little bit, so I went to check on him. He was awake. So, I called out his name and he smiled. He looked at me as I moved closer and he smiled some more. His smile just melts my heart.

Even though the Lord chose to burden us with Caden's disability, he also chose to bless us with a beautiful baby boy that is so sweet. Now that we have him, my wife and I don't know what we'd do without him. I know that we are exhausted from everything, but he is completely worth it. I know my wife agrees with me on that.

Is the shirt correct or what?

Is the shirt correct or what?

I couldn't have a cuter boss.

Caden did something so amazing last night. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. He rolled over!!! And of course it happened completely unexpectedly, and my camera was no where near me. They said he would be behind on physical development, and here he is 7 weeks and he's already rolled over.

Now how is that for completely amazing?!

Mommy is sick

Holly is not feeling well today. I think she caught what ever my mother-in-law, Deb, is trying to shake.

This just means that I have to stay home and take care of Caden today. What a day for her to be sick too!! We have his case worker coming by at 9, his doctor appointment at 10:50, and Children's Home Healthcare coming to pick up his oxygen equipment sometime after noon.

Oh well, everybody is sick once in a while.

FACT: Children are sick at least 3 or 4 times a year.

A Father's Day Gift

I have my son home!!! This is the best gift that I could receive for Father's Day.

They circumcised him at about 8 AM this morning. When they checked it, up until the time we left, they said he looked fine.

He came home on 3 prescriptions. One is the antibiotics that he was on for his urinary tract infection; which he'll only get today, tomorrow, and Tuesday.

The second is actually for diaper rash. Since he's had the problems with urinating and he got the surgery to fix it, as well as his circumcision, they prescribed a special ointment to make sure a rash is not caused. He only has a single refill on this ointment.

The third is for the reflux that he's had into his left kidney that was caused by a full bladder and the urinary tract infection. I'm not sure how long he'll be on this. We'll have to see what the doctors say throughout the weeks.

Tomorrow, there are many a calls to be placed to several doctors. He has a lot of follow up visits. He has his pediatrician, the pulmonologist, the geneticist, and the doctor that "over saw" his surgery. We think that is all that he has to see.

Other missing pieces...

Caden did get baptised in the hospital before his operation. Oh yeah, he got an operation on his urethra...

Details, pictures, and video on both to come.

Some missing bits and pieces...

The doctor's took Caden off of the caffiene. They did a blood test to see how much caffiene was in his blood, and they were expecting to see somewhere between 10 and 20. But, it was a 3. So, Caden coming off of the oxygen is all him!!!

He is also keeping his carbon dioxide level between 50 and 55. Not the mid to upper 60's like before when he was on oxygen. So, he is Daddy's little fighter. Mommy would disagree, but we all know the truth. She just carried him for 9 months for me and takes care of him with me. ;-P

No Oxygen Support

As of 3PM today, Caden is on no oxygen support whatsoever. They took the nasal cannula out and everything. So, now he is only on the antibiotics and the caffeine.

I am so proud of my little boy. He is so strong and such a fighter.

The nurses said that he has been awake every time that they come over to his crib. He has been awake almost the whole time that we were there; from about 2:30 PM to 10:30 PM. I only remember him falling asleep twice. Once when Holly was feeding him, and once when she was rocking him specifically to try to get him to fall asleep. But, as soon as she put him in the crib, he looked around as if saying, "Hey! Why did you stop?"

He was still droopy-eyed, so we we're pretty sure he would fall asleep pretty quick.

I forgot to mention...

Holly decided late last night that we were going to go to South Dakota for her cousin's wedding. So, we are going to go out of town for the night.

We are so afraid to leave him. We don't want something to happen and us be 3 1/2 to 4 hours away. His doctors and nurses said that he is very stable and that we should go. They said it would be very good for us to get away and visit family.

So, we are going to visit him, and then head up. I know that everybody will be so surprised and happy to see us.

He pulled it out!!!!

At 5AM this morning, my little boy basically pulled the vent out. They decided to completely remove it and keep it off since they were going to do it any way.

He is doing so good.

They have him on antibiotics to help with his infection, and caffeine to try to help him breath deeper. They also have him on a "high flow" of room air. (Room air is defined as 21% oxygen. That is what everybody breaths.) The "high flow" is to help expand his lungs at all times to encourage them to open more.

Vent Removal?

They are talking about taking Caden off of the vent tomorrow. His gas levels have been good and they've turned the settings down far enough that they think they can pull it.

They are going to check his levels at 7AM to see if they are good enough to pull it, and then monitor it after that.

Tears of Sadness, Tears of Joy

Last night, my wife and I were crying when we left the hospital. They let us do something that we have not been able to do since he was re-admitted on Saturday. They let us give our little boy a kiss.

You never realize how much something that can seem so insignificant really is until it's not allowed. And when it is a way to express your love, it hurts even more when you can't do it.

My wife and I keep saying that we wish that we could hold our son, kiss him, and tell him that it's going to be alright, but we can't. He's in a special heating bed they call an isolette. So we can't hold him; we can barely even touch him. That's why when they let us give him a kiss last night, we were so happy.

It's an infection!

Holly called the hospital this morning, and they said that he has yeast in his urine. I'll call it a "baby yeast infection." It could be a type of bladder infection or even a urinary tract infection. They are running some more tests to find out what is causing it.

They have had him on antibiotics since last night. They wouldn't do any harm to him if he didn't have an infection, but he does. So, it's good that they have him on them.

How long he stays in the hospital, all depends on the infection. It could be anywhere from 2-10 days.

We are just so glad that God was telling us to call and get him to the hospital. They said that if we wouldn't have called, there was probably a good chance he wouldn't have been able to fight this off, and we may have lost him. But, that is not the case. We did call. And he will now be alright.

At one point when Holly was holding Caden, she just had a look on her face like she was holding her dead child. I never want to see that again. It scared and hurt me so much that I just wanted to break down. I don't know what I would do if something happened to him, or her for that matter.

Except for the fact that he was sick, there was a moment yesterday when I was holding him on my chest that I thought to myself:

"My family is sleeping. My wife is comfortable in the bedroom, my son is comfortable on me, and my little girl (Kira, our cat) is sleeping on the couch. This is what I have been waiting for, and now my life is as complete as it should be."

The ER & Caden's Return

After Caden came home, he was running kind of a low temperature (95.4˚ F). So, Holly called the doctor and he said to try a "skin-to-skin" hold. Then, to try his temperature again. So, she did it and his temp went up to 96.1˚. We decided to wait a short while to see what it would do since it already went up. So, an hour later we tried it again. It was 96.4˚ this time. So, we decided to go to the ER.

We got to the ER and the doctor checked him out and his rectal temperature was 97.5˚. Which is on the low end of normal. So, he sent us home.

We stopped to get something to eat and then went home. Holly decided to take a nap after we ate, and she asked me if I was okay by myself with him. Which I said, "Of course!" Then she went to take a nap.

He didn't wake up when I changed his diaper. It didn't surprise me a whole lot, due to his syndrome. When Holly woke up, she checked him and his temp was 95.4˚. She had me call the doctor again and all I received was a nurse. She asked some questions and said that she would have the doctor call back.

The doctor called back and Holly answered the phone. They asked her some questions, then they said to pinch him to see if we get any type of a response out of him. We didn't get one. She pinched him on the cheek, on the arm, and on the leg. And, nothing. They said to hang up immediately and call 911.

Holly did and they sent an ambulance. I would have to say about 30 seconds after she hung up the phone a police officer was at our door. Then about another 30-60 seconds after that, the EMT was at our door. Then about another 30-60 seconds went by, and the Ralston Fire Department was here. We were shocked at how fast they got here. The EMTs tried to rouse him by calling his name and figiting with him, and he finally peeked out of his eyes, and wiggled a foot. All we could think at that moment was, "What a relief!" They took him in the ambulance to the Children's Hospital ER again.

He sat in the ER for about an hour, all of the while 2 doctors and a resident doctor looked him over. One of the doctors was the doctor that saw him in the morning. The other doctor was one of the doctors that saw him while he was in the NICU. He overrided a rule that all babies that are released from the NICU have to go to the PICU at Children's so that he could go back to the NICU and even have some of the same nurses that he had before. Part of the reason why he re-admitted him, was that he was only released yesterday.

He is on the ventilator again. His CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) levels are about what they have been, but his pH level is low. That means that his blood is really acidic. His level was at 7.0, and they want him between 7.33 and 7.43. I know that doesn't sound like much, but come on, this is medicine, everything is measured in the smallest possible quantities. They put him on Sodium Bicarbonate to help with his pH levels; which is working; but, they had to put him on the vent because that shot his CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide)levels up.

When we left this evening, his CO₂ (Carbon Dioxide) levels were at 62, and his pH was at 7.31. So, he is already on his way to his recovery.

They think that he may have an infection of some sort, and that is why his pH is bad and his temp was low. They have him on antibiotics to help if that is the case. If it is not, then it does no harm.

We'll just have to wait and see.

We have Caden's diagnosis.

Caden has been diagnosed with a genetic disorder called Prader-Willi Syndrome. It is a disorder caused by a deletion on the number 15 chromosome. It causes the people with it to have hypotonia (low muscle tone) at birth, difficulty feeding early on in life, some problems with learning, and eating problems.

The hypotonia fades as time goes on and he get's stronger. The troubles with taking a bottle also fade since his muscles will get stronger. There will also be a physical therapist that will be assigned to help Caden

The problems with learning can also be helped with an occupational therapist. We will also do what we can to help him learn on his own.

With the eating problems, it's not a problem with getting them to eat like you normally have with a child. It's getting them to stop. The part of your brain that controls when you're hungry and when you're full, the hypothalamus, doesn't work properly in people with PWS. It'll tell them when they are hungry, but it doesn't always flip the switch and tell them that they are full. So, they can eat, and eat, and eat until they hurt or kill themselves. To make matters worse, the hypothalamus also controls your metabolism, and people with PWS have a lower than normal metabolism.

So, people with PWS tend to be obese. In the past, some have died from literally eating themselves to death. It tends not to happen anymore with the help of others.

Caden will get stronger and smarter as he goes along through life, and he can live a pretty normal life, but we have to teach him about his disorder as he grows and try to help him.

So, we ask for all of your prayers as we make this journey through life with our "PERFECT" and "BEAUTIFUL" son. We also ask that nobody treat him any differently so that he fits in as best as he can with "normal" people.


You can read more here:
Prader-Willi Syndrome Association (USA).
Googled search on PWS

Caden's hospital room

Caden's hospital room

Caden's hospital room

Caden's hospital room

Caden's hospital room.

Holly feeding Caden.

Holly feeding Caden.

Caden taking a bottle in the hospital.

Penny holding Caden

Penny holding Caden

Caden's great aunt Penny holding him while he is sleeping.

Juanita holding Caden

Juanita holding Caden

Juanita holding Caden

Juanita holding Caden

One of Holly's friends visiting Caden.

Liz holding Caden

Liz holding Caden

Liz holding Caden

One of Holly's close friends.

Where to begin...?

I have a lot to add, and I probably won't remember it all. It may take a few posts for me to get it all down...or at least as much as I can remember.

I'll start this post with how he arrived on Friday, May 6th instead of the following week when we originally thought.

My wife was doing fetal "kick" counts to check his movements day-to-day, she was to do them after every meal for 1/2 an hour. After she ate lunch she was doing her count and he only moved 5 times, that was lower than the normal 10 or 11. So, she called her doctor's office and they said to wait another hour and see how many more times he moved. She waited the hour and only felt 3 more movements. So, she called the doctor's office back and they said to get to the hospital and see the neonatel specialist that we had been seeing for about 5 or 6 weeks and he would do a biophysical profile.

Before I left work to meet her and her mother at the hospital, my lead said to make sure that I check in all of my work before I leave in case I wasn't coming back. My thoughts were, "She freaked out once or twice before, so I'll be back on Monday and go on leave either Tuesday or Wednesday." Boy was I wrong. (Thanks for the jinx Chad.)

They didn't get a very good strip when they did the fetal monitor, so they called her doctor and before we knew it she was in a room. One of the nurses had mentioned when we went to the waiting room that we may be having the baby on that day, but we were like, "Nah!" But, we were still a little concerned.

When she was in her room the nurse that was asking the usual hospital admittance questions was like, "It looks like Dr. Jones is out in the hall." Our mouths about dropped. We really didn't think until that point that he would be here on that day.

Dr. Jones had came in the room and asked how everybody was, then she looked to the nurse and said that she "...would like to do this at 5:30." I looked at the clock, it was 4:45! I was freaked out at this point, but I knew that my wife needed all the support that I could give her. So, I stayed as calm as I could and helped her get dressed before I had to put my own scrubs on. When they were asking Holly who was going to be in the room with her, she of course said me. But, she asked if her mother could tag along, and the nurse said that they would make an exception and allow her.

As the doctor had said, we were in the OR (Operating Room) at 5:30. They had to prep her, and get all of their equipment ready. Then, it was a waiting game for the anesthesioligist. We had to wait an extra 15 or so minutes for him in the OR. When he got in there he tried about 30-40 minutes to get a spinal in, but to no avail. He said that he could not find the spot to put it in. So, here is my wife, who has a very low pain tolerance, doing awesome while this guy is poking her lower back, and hitting her bone occasionally. I am very proud of how she was able to handle it. They had to give her a general anesthetic and put her out.

Her doctor wanted to avoid this because it can affect the babies, but there was no other choice. So, they had us step out of the room for about 15 minutes while they put her out and put a respirator in her. When she was out were allowed to step back in.

The procedure seemed to take moments. I saw when they pulled him out, he was covered in white. They suctioned some right away because he wasn't crying. He still didn't cry, so they rushed him over to a secondary bed where they cleaned up the babies. They did some more suctioning and rubbed his back to help get the fluid out, and I heard the most beautiful sound. My beautiful baby boy crying.

Both Debbie (Holly's mom) and myself started to cry.

(TO BE CONTINUED...)

Caden's Big Smile

Caden's Big Smile

Caden was smiling big for us.

Holly on the phone

Holly on the phone

This is Holly after having him. Just like my wife to hop on the phone.

Caden's First Day

Caden
Caden
Caden

HE'S HERE

He was born yesterday at 6:41 PM.

He weighed 6 lbs. & 10 oz. and was 19 inches long.

I'll post more later; and pictures.

I forgot to mention...

I forgot to say yesterday that Holly is going to the doctor on Monday to schedule when the cesarian (c-section) will be done.

So, you'll know more when I do.

Next week...

They decided not to do the amniocentesis. They decided that for two reasons:

• The first was that Holly was really scared about it, so Dr. Levine said they would do what they could so they didn't have to do it.
• The other was that based upon the other tests and consulting with Dr. Jones, they decided it would be pointless at this stage and that they will plan on bringing him next week.

It's all good I guess. I really wanted him hear this week, but next week is just as good.

Are we all prepared?

Tomorrow we will find out if he is coming or not. I am starting to get that nervous, excited feeling. It's where you don't know if you're 90% excited and 10% nervous, or 90% nervous and 10% excited. I'm sure I'll be feeling it more tomorrow.

Today's Appointment

The little stinker was sleeping until the doctor "buzzed" him.

The nurse put Holly on a fetal monitor for about 10-15 minutes before Dr. Jones came in. Her doctor agreed with Dr. Levine about the amniocentesis. She does encourage us to do it so that we can determine if his lungs are mature. I want Holly to do it, and I think she's convinced herself to do it.

The procedure will be done on the visit this Thursday during her regular appointment with the specialist. If they are mature, the cesarian (c-section) will be done either this Friday, or next Monday. If they are not, my guess is that they'll do another amniocentesis next Thursday.

I'm hoping they are mature. Of course because I want to see my son, but also so my wife doesn't have to go through much more.

I'll know more on Thursday, so you'll know more on Thursday.

Today's Specialist Appointment

They put Holly on a fetal monitor to check his heartbeat and movements. The average seemed to be about 146 to 147 bpm to me. They had to "zap" him a couple of times to get him to move some. He's just like his mother, he's stubborn and likes to sleep in.

The biophysical profile estimated him to be about 5 lbs. and 9 oz. Dr. Levine, the specialist, said that appears to be a bit high, he said he would lean closer to 5 lbs. Either way, Caden is gaining weight.

His stomach is about 3 weeks small, so he's caught up a little bit since the last full test 2 weeks ago. Dr. Levine thinks that he may have the umbilical cord wrapped around him some where, and that may be a cause of the "tummy problem."


Dr. Levine said he was going to recommend an amniocentesis to Holly's regular doctor, Dr. Jones. He said that they would do it next Thursday on her next visit if she agrees. He thinks that it would be wise to check to see if his lungs are developed. Then, he thinks that they would be able to make a better decision as to when to actually bring him out.

Holly called me...

Holly called with an idea that I could do nothing but laugh about.

She said that she wants to have him next Thursday, because he would be born on 05-05-05. I couldn't help, but to laugh.

He would have a "special" birthday like is dad, 9-9-81.

36 weeks this week...

My wife went to the doctor yesterday, and her doctor said that she does not see any reason that Caden should stay in past 37 weeks. He will more than likely be here by next friday. Her doctor said that he will definately be here by the 18th of May.

Since my dad's birthday is the 4th of May, it's going to be another "special event" coupling for us. My wife's birthday is the 7th of Semptember, while mine is the 9th. Then my mother's birthday is the 21st of September, which is also Holly and I's anniversary. Holly's mother's birthday is the 14th of February, which we all know as Valentine's Day! It's all good though. At least it makes it harder to forget "special" days.

Holly's doctor again confirmed that he is still breached, so it will still be a cesarian (c-section). The doctor did also say that she doesn't think that he is going to be a small baby, but that he is just going to have a small tummy. I am glad to hear that.

Holly has gained 8 lbs. in the last week that she has been on bed rest, which is good since she had only gained 1 lb the previous week. I'm just hoping that he had a similar growth.

My wife goes again to the specialist this Thursday, so we'll know more about his estimated weight and other things then.

Holly was so excited!!

She actually saw him breathing!!! She said that was more exciting than when she saw his heart beating.

I'm excited everytime I see him during an ultrasound, when I hear his heart beat, when I feel him kicking, when I'm looking into his room, when I see other children, when I even think about him. I just can't wait.

I know that we both just want to see him, and hold him so bad. I definately know now that I can't wait to be a dad.

The Second Shower

It went really well. My wife loved it. Her friend Rachel gave the shower and she went all out. She gave out some good door prizes and such. One of the prizes was a new crock pot. So she did awesome.

She had all kinds of food, mints, cake, a "diaper cake" (not edible), make-shift binky's (made from life savers, gingerbread frosting, and a jelly bean), miniature bottles filled with nuts and mints, and a nice punch.

Not everybody that RSVPed showed up, but you can't expect everybody to be feeling well, or not have something more important come up.

We recieved a bunch of blankets (bought and homemade), a LOT of diapers, a couple of clothes baskets for him, some clothes (not too many, which is mostly what we recieved during the first shower), bottles, a couple toys and stuffed animals, and some gift certificates and cash.

At one point, they said that I was coming, and Rachel's younger daughter and Tara's twins (a friend of my wife's) ran to the window and were looking for me. They said that they sat at the window for like 5 or 10 minutes. I think the kids like me, what about you?

Good and Bad News

The specialist didn't do a full test on him. He didn't get every measurement because they had just measured about a week ago and it would be almost pointless to do so. So he'll measure him fully next week.

He said that he probably weights about 4 lbs. 10 oz. based on normal growth. But, since he didn't do the full measurements, he doesn't know for sure. He did say that he may just be a skinny baby. If that's all it is, I'm not going to be that worried.

Another Appointment Tomorrow

My wife has decided that I don't have to attend the appointment with the specialist tomorrow. She said that she will be okay going by herself. She thought that I've been missing a lot of work lately, so I should stay at work.

Then she calls me up about an hour after that saying that her friend Rachel is going with. Oh well, I'll have plenty of time to see him soon.

She'll call me with the details after the appointment.

He "IS" coming early!!!

My wife called me a short while ago and her doctor confirmed that Caden will be here early. She doesn't know when, of course. But, she is confirming that he will come before May 25th. And as of now, it will be a Cesarian (C-Section).

We found out that the reason why they decreased my wife's activity and restricted her diet is because the amniotic fluid around the baby seemed like a lower amount than it should be. The doctor thinks that the placenta is starting to "wear off" early. But, my wife being put on bed rest and being put on the diet that she was is helping. The doctor said that things were looking better than the last visit.

My wife is going to be put on a stress test and have an ultrasound everytime that she goes to see her doctor. Then, she also has to see the specialist doctor once a week and get another ultrasound. It's going to be a pain, but we'll do everything that we have to to make sure that he is okay and is going to be okay.

On a side note:

My wife told the doctor about Dr. Hoffman, she said that she is not surprised that we didn't like her. She said she didn't want to send her to Dr. Hoffman, but she had no choice. She said that she IS in fact rude, and that she has no bedside manners at all! It's glad to know that it wasn't just us that thought so.

Not out of the doghouse yet...

They did an ultrasound and they said that his estimated weight is 4 lbs. 6 oz. From what I know, that is a good weight at 34 weeks. All of the estimates that I have seen, estimate a baby to be about 4 3/4 lbs.

So, I'm expecting him to be fine. And that my wife is just a worrier. I was wrong. They estimated that his stomach is now 4 weeks behind where it should be. So, now my wife has to go in to her doctor once a week, and to the specialist once a week until he is born. They are basically going to decide week to week if he would be better off staying, or being taken out. My guess is that they'll let her hit the full term (37 week) mark and then take him out. I don't see him lasting the full 40 weeks. He'll be here before May 25th.

My wife is also pretty much on bed rest until she has him. She can only be on her feet and moving around a maximum of 3 hours a day. She has to stick to a strict 2,000 calorie meal plan with a limitation on how many carbs she can have.

5:02 AM

We're at the hospital. My wife went to the bathroom and when she wiped there was blood on the toilet paper. This has happened twice since we went to bed. She is also having pains, possibly contranctions, in her lower back. When she stands up, she also gets a lot of pressure in her lower abdomen.

She called her doctor and her doctor said to go to the emergency room to get checked out. We came in and they put her on a fetal monitor and his heartbeat is averaging about 132 bpm.

They said they are going to do an ultrasound to see if everything is okay.

34 Weeks down, up to 6 or 7 weeks to go!!

I can't believe that my son will be here in somewhere around 6 weeks. I'm so excited.

My wife has a Dr. appointment tomorrow, and I am going to go to see what her doctor has to say about her last visit and the ultrasound that she had done. I'm hoping that she appears to be fine and he looks fine as well.

It is so nerve racking though to wait. We have one more week until we go to see the specialist doctor again to see if he appears to be catching up at all. If he is, then that is awesome. If he is not, then the specialist and my wife's doctor will determine if and when they should take him out.

The biggest reason why I do not want him to be taken out, is that I think that he will have to spend some time in the hospital, and I don't want that at all. And I know that my wife does not want that. I can't bear the thought of leaving my baby boy alone at the hospital.

We'll find out more tomorrow and next week.

Crying...

I started crying while I was looking into my son's room. I was looking at his bed, toys and the other things that we have for him, and I just couldn't believe that I am going to be a father.

It is hitting home more and more as time goes on, but I already know that nothing will compare to the first moments when I hear him cry and get to see him. I'm going to hold him and I know that when I do, I'll never want to let him go.

I already know that if I've done anything in my life worth bragging about, or that I should be proud of, he is it. I just hope that I'm as good as a father as my own is, and as everybody says that I can be.

Luke 1:14 - And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

My wife is complaining...

Almost every day, she says that Caden hasn't moved all day, but when I come home, he moves. I can do nothing but laugh when she tells me this.

It's the same way with our cat, Kira. She'll sleep most of the day, (unless my wife opens the windows or something similar) and then when I come home she greets me at the door with love and meows.

My wife thinks that it is going to be the same when Caden is born. We'll just have to wait and see.

They say that boys tend to go to their mothers and girls tend to go to their fathers. I think that'll be the case. If it's not, then he'll be a fine golfer.

33 Weeks this week

I can't wait for my son to arrive. I'm so excited.

My wife has been getting some pains lately, I think they are Braxton Hicks contractions. Even though they are not supposed to hurt, I keep thinking that everybody is different. All we can do is tell her doctor to see if she is worried about it at all. I honestly don't think we should be that worried. I know God will watch out for my wife and unborn son.

Moderate to Good News

The doctor said that he is only 2 weeks behind instead of 4 weeks. That makes us much happier. Today the doctor estimated his weight to be 3 lbs. 15 oz. Yesterday, they estimated him at 3 lbs. 5 oz. I'm assuming that today's doctor is more accurate due to him being a specialist and having more precise equipment.

The doctor still does not want my wife to work until she has him though. I kind of like the idea, except for the fact that we will be starting to use the money set aside for the 6 weeks that we had planned for her to have off, 2 weeks early. So we have to use some other money that was going to be used for paying off credit cards to put aside so we have the money we'll need to cover her being off extra.

I think I'll have to get a part-time job to cover more than the extra two weeks. If she goes on her due date, that means we'll run out of money that week. So, inevitably I will have to get another job. My wife doesn't like the idea, but I think it may be for the better.

Bad News

My wife's normal doctor is not in the office on Wednesdays, so we had to see another doctor. Dr. Hoffman was her name. She was a real b*tch!!! We really did not like her. She made smart comments and seemed to not care.

We had an ultrasound done and they said that his stomach and body are about 4 weeks behind his head. So, my wife is extremely nervous and scared. She can't stop crying when she talks about it.

We are going in to a specialist at Methodist to have him do a better test and see if he can figure out more.

Due May 25th

I can't wait for my son to be born. My wife is now 32 weeks pregnant. She went to the doctor 2 days ago and her belly grew 10 inches in 2 weeks.

Once you hit a certain point in pregnancy, your belly is supposed to measure about the same in inches as you are weeks along.

Two weeks ago my wife had her checkup and she 30 inches at 30 weeks.

Two days ago she went in and she measured 40 inches as 32 weeks!!! His heartbeat was 136 bpm and my wife's blood pressure was 110/60.

So, both my wife and her doctor were shocked. Her doctor thinks that he may be breached, so they scheduled an ultrasound for today.

We'll hopefully be able to find out if he is breached and his approximate weight. The way it sounds, he may be coming earlier than May 25th.