The latest

So Seth is having a little set back. For some reason he has been having a few episodes of apnea, he decides he's not going to breathe. So while the doctors are trying to figure what's causing it we've been taken from our feedings again. He's on antibiotics in case it's an infection. He was given more blood in case having low hetacrit levels was the cause. And he's also been put on hydrocortisol. Biology lesson: We have adrenal glands which produce cortisol for our bodies. Preemies, well, you know, everything is premature. So he isn't producing cortisol on his own, or not enough. What is cortisol for? Well, no expert here, but one reason is to keep the pH level of your blood in sync, or something like that. I think I could be a NICU nurse by the time Seth comes home. Forget going to nursing school. So this too could be causing it. They did a lumbar puncture to get some spinal fluid just to make sure there is no infection in the spinal fluid. And of course they took blood. Blood is very expensive. I was looking at my hospital bill and did you know it costs over a thousand dollars for two units of blood! Man, I and they want us to just donate it? hahaha Oh well.

Ok, two things here that I've learned (out of many):

Too much oxygen can cause blindness in a preemie.
Too much antibiotics damages inside their ears.

That's why they constantly monitor these levels when using oxygen and antibiotics.

Holding my sweet baby!

Seth hit the three pound mark!

Seth has finally hit the three pound mark! 3 lbs. 1 oz is his current weight! His is off the CPAP as well and just has a high flow nose cannula now. They also started his feedings again, 1 cc every hour. Talk about hardly anything! Oh well. It will increase.

Seth found his voice!

This was actually recorded on Tuesday. As they were putting him on cpap, he was making tiny noises. Then out came his voice! So I recorded some of it, as it is the first time we've heard it. Before when he'd cry it was always silent. Now he can yell out to the world! Very exciting!

Smile, Seth! Smile!

Seth is so happy when mommy comes! He smiled when I took his picture today! He weighs 2lbs 11oz now. He's got a lot of air in his tummy from the cpap he's on, so they've stopped feedings again to see if that air will pass on it's own. Don't want to cause him any more trouble than he's already gone through! He likes to suck on his pacifier. That settles him down. He's use to sucking on his breathing tube, but that's not there anymore and his feeding tube isn't the same! Keep smiling Seth!

Camping with Grandma and Grandpa and family

Having fun int he dirt.
Hello Dane.
Dane enjoying some lunch.

Kate with her cousin Kelly.
Emily. She doesn't care how she looks.
Karsten and Emily were in a race to see who could get the dirtiest.
Kate again.
Dane and his cousin Morgan.

We went camping with Grandma and Grandpa Stailey. I braved it up and took the kids alone. It was actually a lot of fun and relaxing. It was nice to get away for a day. I hope to go again before the season is over.

Fun with the children

Enjoying some time with the kids at Bridal Veil falls.

The water was a little chilly!
Karsten trying to wash some of the mud off his legs.
Hey Alex! How'd you get so wet?
Climbing up, and now we're coming down.

Took the kids up to Bridal Veil falls for some fun. We had a picnic and then went and played in the water. It was nice to get out. We're all trying to deal with daddy being gone and we just had to get out of the house!