I thought I would include a few of the stories I heard from people about his week.
(Christopher's words are in italics)
Babu took Christopher to the cafeteria one day and bought him a snack.
"Do you want to go back and see Mommy?" "No. Sit down." He walked Babu over to a table, climbed up in the chair, and sat down to enjoy his snack. As they were sitting there eating, Babu noticed Christopher's expression change to one of recognition, and he turned and saw Little Tony walking down the hallway outside the cafeteria. As he walked by, Christopher turned and asked, "Uncle Tony go?" Very observant little boy.
"Cookies, please." became his words of choice to the nurses when he discovered the drawer in the nurses station that had bags of teddy grahams in it. Of course, I don't think any of them ever said no.
"Funder. ightening. Bow tees. Raining. Where storm go?" As a storm rolled into Johnson City, Christopher made everyone at home line up their chairs at the back door so they could all sit and watch the storm. I wish I had a picture of that!
The day after Kaela was born, Andy decided to come spend Monday night at home so he could actually get some rest and be helpful to me when I came home the next day. At bedtime, after his bath, Christopher was downstairs and Andy asked who he wanted to put him to bed. He requested Daddy, Gramma and Auntie Meg go upstairs with him. I heard the rest of the conversation went something like this: "Christopher, who do you want to read your book?" Christopher chose a book, climbed up in the chair and said "Rock rock. Megan book." After the book was read, he said "Daddy pray." After the prayer, he said "Daddy downstairs." Then he requested, "Gramma kiss." followed by another dismissal of "Gramma downstairs." So Megan was chosen to sing and rock him for a few minutes before putting him in his crib for the night. I would say our son is definitely developing his own opinions and way of doing things already. Great and not so great! =)
It was fun to have him visit me in the hospital room. Each time he came, it took a little while for him to calm down, but he usually ended up lying with me in bed, rubbing my neck and watching t.v. or playing with something. Of course, his favorite thing to do was make my bed move up and down - fun for him, not so fun for me! =) One day, the nurse,Judy, was in my room to give me a medicine and she had her little bar code scanner to scan the medicine and my bracelet. Judy thought he might enjoy it, so she kept pointing it at the floor, and Christopher would move over and stomp on it. It was pretty funny to watch and he giggled and giggled.
This week, Andy only went into the office one day, so we've had lots of time together at home even though he had work to do from home. Christopher has thought it wonderful to have Daddy and Mommy around a lot, and continually drags one of us into his playroom to "pay toys" with him. His imagination and level of play is incredible. I love watching and interacting with him. He's such a delight.
I know all this is wearing on him too...he's been a little cranky and more clingy, but overall he's still his usual entertaining self. It really lifts Andy and my spirits to have him running around demanding our attention and showering us with his affection. It helps to have a child to take care of and love on when you have to leave one behind in the hospital. It's still hard and depressing at times, but our arms aren't empty all the time like they were when we had to leave Christopher each night. When he wakes up in the morning, he likes to come play with us in bed for a few minutes - he crawls and bounces all over, but also crawls up between us for hugs and kisses, and, of course, to touch our necks. "Daddy's neck. Mommy's neck. Two necks. Hehe." I don't know where he got it, but touch necks is his way of showing affection, and also what he reaches for in moments of insecurity. Funny...I hope he still likes necks when he's old enough to explain to us what he likes about them.
Yesterday and today Andy and I have spent MANY hours playing with tools. DeDa gave Christopher a tool set complete with wrenches, screwdrivers, saws, bolts, levels, a measuring tape, pliers, a hammer, a tool belt, a hat, and a drill. He LOVES fixing his truck, especially if Daddy or Mommy is helping.
Christopher putting his hammer in his tool belt.
Look, Mommy, a saw.
Christopher and Daddy working on his tonka truck. Christopher would pick out the tool for Andy to use, and show him where to use it. "Scewdiver, Daddy. Right here. Fix it."
He likes the sound of the saw teeth rubbing over whatever surface he's cutting. I can't determine if the saws or the screwdrivers are his favorite, but there are two of each - perfect for involving Daddy and Mommy in whatever he's fixing.
"Worker hat. Daddy wear it." "Right here."
Hard at work.
Yesterday, we took Christopher with us up to the NICU. The first doctor we met before Kaela was born had told us we could bring him in at least once and see how he did in there...rules regaurding siblings visiting were on a per child basis. Well, then we were told by two different nurses over the next couple days that he had to be 2, then he had to be 3. Finally, yesterday, I walked in and told the nurse the doctor had said we could try, so she let us bring him in. He did wonderful, and it was great for him to see where Daddy and Mommy are going all the time and actually see Kaela instead of just pictures. We're going to try to keep taking him several times a week.
Anyway, when Christopher first saw Kaela, he started naming everything he saw on her. Kaela's hands. Kaela's feet. Kaela's nose. Kaela's ears....it was priceless and warmed our hearts. Notice he does have one hand on my neck for security. =)
He wanted to touch her feet, but when he stuck his hand in the door, he had to reach in almost up to his shoulder and I think that scared him because he jerked his hand out before he could quite reach her. Of course, then he realized that Mommy had opened a door...and that there were five of them on the incubator...so then he wanted to open and shut them all repeatedly. Not the greatest discovery, but I finally convinced him to just look for a little while.
Christopher studying his baby sister, Kaela Ruth.
When he had looked at Kaela for awhile, he turned around and pointed to the other babies in the room and said "nudder one, baby." He wanted to see them all.
Kaela is doing very well. She continues to be on 0.7L of oxygen between 21-30%. They have D/C'd her lipids and TPN, and started her on regular IV fluids. She is up to 15 mL of breast milk per feeding, and weights 2lb 9oz. Her bicarb was back up and the Doctor stopped checking her blood gasses unless there are signs that she needs it...so far there are no signs. Her biliruben was dropping, so they turned off the bili ligths...it went up 0.3 today, but they weren't concerned and left the lights off. Tomorrow they have to take out her umbilical line since it's only good for 7 days, but they said she's so close to a "full" feeding - 21mL, that they will just put an IV in for a couple days instead of a PICC line for now unless something happens and she needs it later.
I was able to hold her for about 1/2 hour this afternoon while I "fed" her with a syringe through her tube. She was awake the whole time looking at me and all around and wiggling in my arms. I say in my arms, but really I was just holding her in my left hand and feeding her with my right. She's so tiny, it's hard to belive it even when I'm right there. What a precious little life...thank you Jesus!
Well, that's the update on my two babies for now. I also put up two new posts on July 9 and July 12 that I hadn't had time to do before I ended up in the hospital. Enjoy!
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