It is beginning to look a lot like Christmas..

It has been ages but now I have my own laptop that actually works so it will be a lot easier for me to keep updates going!

I've been back at work since Oct. 1st and its been a challenge. All I want is to stay home with Flynn but I know that working right now will give him the life he deserves.

We've accepted that as a preemie in daycare he gets ill a lot more than we'd like. In fact he had a fever just last night! It was the second fever this fall he has had and it was 101.9. The first fever he had never got over 100.5 and was back on the first few days of Nov.

So I have three months of life to sum up. So first Flynn has been going to daycare now for just about 3 months and they said he is a total flirt.

At his 4 month checkup he did really well and was about 1 month behind developmentally. At his 6 month checkup that was on the 17th he was 13lbs and 14oz and right on track for a 6 month old so I really feel that even though he has had many stuffy noses and been on and off sick daycare is great for his development. He is also finally hitting the Percent Tiles for his age. He was in the 5% tile for length, 1% for wieght, and 13% for his head! Hahaha.

We stayed home on Halloween so he could see the trick or treaters and by doing so we met our neighbors who had a daughter in August. I haven't seen them since but it is a start.

Thanksgiving we spent at Chris's Aunt Kelly's and Flynn got to finally meet that side of the family so it was really nice.

Christmas will be crazy. Chris and I both work Christmas Eve so Flynn is staying at his Grandma's house that day and then Christmas day my parents are coming up to our house. Chris has to work that day too but he gets off at 2. I am hoping I can get off early on Christmas Eve. We will just have to see how busy we are at work. The day after Thanksgiving I got off at 2 hours early which was nice.

Anyway I have a lot to do before Flynn's Grandpop gets here this afternoon so off I go! Happy Holidays Everyone!

Merry Christmas!

October Means..

Back to work I go. I am nervous and excited. I received a call about 2 weeks ago with an offer for my old job back if I was interested. I get to be eased back into it with 3 weeks of training again so that is nice. I have not been to work since the beginning of June. I start at 8am today.

Chris is off today and so he is going to be home with Flynn. Flynn starts daycare tomorrow!! I am excited and nervous about that. They know he is a preemie and he can stay in the infant room up to 18 months if need be. The idea of spending all winter with other babies makes me nervous but we really can't afford for me to stay home till spring. I just hope he doesn't get sick and if he does its not serious so we can stay out of the hospital. If he got sick I think we'd end up back in Denver so that is something we really want to avoid.

I also gave up on trying to lose my weight alone. My mom is amazing and she paid for me to go back to weight watchers online so yay for that! If any of you are on there I am Mrslsgreen83. ^_^

Well I have to get going. I'll update over the weekend. I cannot use the computer for personal stuff at work and I am not even sure when I'll have my own laptop again there!

Ta ta for now!

Oh here is a really cute pic of Flynn he is getting bigger!

YouTube Rocks!

Hi again! It is a rainy day here so while Flynn is still sleeping I'm catching up on my youtube podcasts.. this is on the geekandsundry channel and its great.. it all about geeky crafting:

The New Adventures of Flynn

'Ello!

I took Flynn to the mall on Sunday with my mom. Chris and I are going to a wedding in October (yay!) and I needed a dress. So My mom and I met up at the Flatirons Mall and spent the morning shopping and had lunch. While I was getting a muffin my mom was visiting with Flynn and someone came up to her and mentioned he must be a new one and she told him he had been a preemie. The man pointed to one of his daughters and said she was too and that it didn't mean a thing. Haha!

For the most part the day was a success. I was able to buy a dress and some jewelry and Flynn only got upset once and that was when it was time for his bottle so he had his first trip to the ladies room where he was fed and changed. He does really well in restaurants too. The night before we'd gone to dinner with Chris's mom and step-dad and Flynn slept through the whole service. He did the same at lunch on Sunday with my Mom.

I was really proud of myself because I got him ready to go and the car packed up including the stroller all by myself. ^_^

Flynn has been sleeping in his own room now since Saturday night. He slept from 8:30pm to 4am that first night I was in shock. We checked on him at 3am because he'd been quiet all night. The next night he woke up at 1am and the next night at 2am and last nigh at 3am ahaha. If that trend continues I'd say 4am again tomorrow morning. We shall see.

When we go to the wedding my parents are going to baby sit Flynn. I hope they know what they are getting themselves into. The ceremony is at noon and the reception is at 4. Luckily since its all closer to our house they are just going to come here that will help them out since all his stuff is here. My dad can watch our big screen tv. Last time they babysat that is what he did haha.

So Flynn started smiling the other day too. I can't recall if I mentioned that? It takes coaxing but as long as he isn't upset he is smiling and yesterday I woke him up and he smiled at me like "Hello Momma!" It was a good start to a rough day yesterday. He spit up his first bottle that morning and just never felt right after that ended up in my arms most of the day. I'm glad he has slept so well last night. We shall see how today goes.

I have new photos to share with all of you!

A new way of holding Flynn - apparently good for his tummy

Daddy and Son

Go Buffs! - College Football Kick-off weekend

Tummy Time!

Now for an extra treat a video of Flynn smiling!

Sleep is Sweet

Sorry about not posting recently! Its been a crazy week. Flynn has had a lot of adventures this week. First off Chris and I got new phones on Monday for our anniversary which isn't till the 31st of Oct. Haha. We just had to ours were not working anymore and since we have no other phone (no land line that is) it was imperative we have functioning phones. I got an iPhone 4S and while I know I'm a bit late to be jumping on the band wagon(seeing as the iPhone 5 is going to be out sometime in the not too distant future) I do have to say so far I love it. I'm a total scatter brain so this allows me to tell my phone to remind me to do things and put things on the calendar so I don't forget. ^_^ Anyway we only replace our phones every two years so its like a shiny new toy still. Chris got an HTC Rezound but all the new androids are huge! I don't want a huge screen if that was the case I'd get a tablet! Sheesh. With all the other things I have to carry on a daily basis if I leave the house I don't want a huge phone too. I figure eventually we'll get a tablet. When Flynn is older so he can play games and watch stuff while we are in the car we have a few road trips planned when he is older like going to Yosemite and Disneyland.

Moving on..

As the title stats sleep is what I really wanted to talk about. It is amazing how easy it is to veer off topic.

Flynn was having some issues sleeping last weekend. Last Saturday night he woke up around 12:30am for a bottle and then could not go back to sleep. Seriously every 15-20 minutes he was up crying again. He'd fall asleep while I was calming him down and then wake right back up. That was a long night. It got better and back to normal over the past week.

On Monday we attempted to up his bottle to 4oz and it went horribly wrong. Granted that was a rough morning on Flynn we went to the store in Longmont, stopped at home to get him a bottle just in case and then drove 30 minutes north to see our friend who manages a cellular store in Fort Collins. That was the furthest north we've ever taken Flynn. We go to Fort Collins often just not since he came home. He was way over due for a bottle by the time he go it. I was going to try and feed him before we left Fort Collins but he fell back to sleep and by the time we got home it had been over 5 hours and he was clearly upset. So trying a big bottle was probably a bad idea.

This week we also started trying something called Gripe Water. Have any of you heard of it? Flynn eats too fast sometimes without us realizing whats happened he'll have downed half the bottle in like 3 minutes, if we aren't careful, that leads to an upset tummy after he finishes even with burps and all that. Someone told Chris about Gripe Water and how it really works well to help calm him down and help him feel better. Basically its ginger and a little fennel. Ginger is the king of settling upset tummies. I've always sworn by ginger ale and ginger tea so I have no concern about giving him 1 tsp if he really seems like he needs it. Just like if he seems constipated I will try giving him an ounce of apple juice, or Pediatrician  has a website called Is My Child Sick? and it gives you recommendations and non citrus fruit juice is an option for constipation. Since Flynn is on formula if he hasn't had a bowel movement in 3 days I give him an ounce of apple juice. Per the website I can give him 1 ounce per month over 1 month. So technically he could do almost 3 ounces but I don't want him to get too used to the juice just yet as he is so small. Luckily I've only had to use it 2x ever.

Again I digressed! Sleep is the topic!! Hahaha! Oh well it has been a while. So my story again back to sleep. As I said he went back to his normal routine over the last week then yesterday I decided to go for it again with the 4 ounce bottles. He woke up twice Friday night - first at 11:30pm and then at 3:30am and so I figured he must be hungry after he finishes the 3 - 3 1/2 ounce bottles I'd been giving him so at 3:30 he had 3 1/2 but at 7:30 I went for it with 4 ounces and he took the whole thing with no issues! At 11:30 I went back to 3 1/2 because I didn't want to push it and he is really good about eating every 4 hours during the day. My real goal is to get him to take more during the day and sleep more at night. I read that a full term baby should be sleeping up to 6-7 hours a night when they are 3 months old and he is almost 3 months so I'm trying to do more to encourage that kind of habit. He's been sleeping 5 hours at a time at night so it was never far off.

We instilled a bed time of between 8 and 9pm. I'm trying to get it more and more 8pm but sometimes it doesn't work out. Last night was a happy medium at 8:30. I read that if he cries at night to wait 30 seconds before going to him since he could just fall back to sleep. I planned on trying that last night, I also moved his bassinet into his bed room last night. I set his baby Einstein lullaby music to quiet and repeat and played it all night for him I turned on his night light turtle that is on a timer so to try and help him because I don't think it got as dark in our room at night since we leave our door open. So he only had two 4oz bottles yesterday, before bed he had 3 1/2. I put him down in his room and he cried at first and I went and comforted him and gave him his binkie. At 9 Chris and I went to bed since he had to work today. I woke up at 11:30 concerned because it was so quiet but it was only 11:30 he normal wakes between 12 and 1 if he had his bottle at 8. So I went back to sleep. Next thing I know I woke up again and Chris is up. He had just checked on Flynn, it was 3:30 am and neither of us had heard him cry. He said he was still asleep I made him go back and double check he was breathing and we tested the baby monitor to make sure it was working!! I had dropped the receiver on the bathroom floor the night before. It was working fine. At 4am he started crying. My little boy slept or at least did not cry from 8:30pm to 4am! I know he is still young and it may not happen every night but yay!!! That was 7 1/2 hours! I would have been happy with 6 haha! My first good night sleep since Flynn came home from the NICU!!!

Today we will be going to the mall for the first time to meet with my Mom. Last night we took him to a busy family restaurant with Chris's Mom and he slept through the whole service so yay!

Get Healthy Project Update

So ... I sorta of have to call a do over. Last week was not how I planned it at all. Did not get out of the house all week! I also was tired and stressed and eating candy! Candy! For the love of all that is good and healthy!! What happened was that my dear wonderful husband had a few mandatory days off. His company no longer allows them to carry vacation and so they sent him home early Tuesday and he was off till Thursday, so he was home Monday, basically Tuesday, and Wednesday. After having the previous weekend off as well. We went shopping one of those days and I wanted to make ice cream and I decided to do peanut butter cup because I wanted to do peanut butter flavored ice cream as something different. We bought way too many peanut butter cups and I just sort of nibbled all week. Ugh! I gained a few pounds and now my pants wont button. I'm so upset!! Yesterday though I put my foot down finally. We picked up my Zumba dvds from my MIL's house and this morning I started over. I wrote down my new starting weight and measurements in my personal journal and did the "Step by Step" dvd from my Zumba. I haven't done Zumba  since last summer so I need the break in refresher. I'm hoping to drop a pants size in 3 weeks by doing the starter plan this week and then moving to the 10 day accelerated weight loss work out, which promises a dress size drop in 10 days. My expectations are 3 weeks. I think I can do it. I burned 702 calories this morning! I also have to start walking Flynn again. The walking challenge at my Father-in-law's company is over and since I jacked up last week I'm resetting my steps and miles and I'm only counting when I get out of the house for actual walks from now on.

I feel much more motivated now that I have my Zumba. I didn't have anything I really loved that would work my whole body like my Zumba does. So we shall see how it goes and I'll try and keep you better updated! It really helps me keep honest this way.

Flynn's Family Introduction

Yesterday we had a party for Flynn at my Mother-in-law's and I think it was a great success. A bunch of our family on all sides were able to make it to the BBQ and my friend Adriana and her family who came up from Colorado Springs. I didn't take too many photos personally but my Aunt, Mom and both of my Mother-in-laws (Chris's mom and step-mom) all took photos so hopefully I can get more.

Flynn did great and people respected that clean hands rule. We had sanitizer all over the place and not many people held him which was great. We all slept really well last night too.

Gifts were not required at this party but since I never had a baby shower a few people did bring gifts and my Cousin Emily gave us some more hand-me-down baby clothes for Flynn. Huzzah! For gifts we received more things for Flynn's nursery - a lamp, decals for the walls and some more bedding. We also got another hanging toy for his car seat and bassinet and he received his first football. Not a security blanket one but nice big plush one that says "My first Football" and is a rattle inside, we got a baby bjorn carrier and a hiking carrier! We are excited to use them all. ^_^

Here are the few photos I did take that came out from yesterday:

Saturday Morning, Sleeping on Daddy

First time at Grandma Miller's house!

Checking out Granpa Miller

Grandma is well stocked on toys!

Grandmom (aka my Mom) holding Flynn

Lauren meeting her newest cousin

Bottle Time with Daddy

A shot of a few of the earlier arrivals

Forground Grandpa Green; background Emily and Sierra playing

Today we have to go shopping and are planning on trying out the baby bjorn carrier if possible. I'm going to see if I can get my hands on more photos over the next week or so and then I can share them as well.

We were gone for about 7 hours even though it was only 10 minutes from our house, if that. The whole day was a really great one and I'm so happy to have the friends and family we do. ^_^

Get Healthy Project Weekly Check In: Week 2

So I have not made much progress. This is going to be a short update. My goals were only partly met and I really need to work on my eating habits. I think I haven't fully accepted my challenge to myself yet and if you do not really truly want it how can you achieve anything? That said I believe I am truly ready this time. So here are my new goals for this week and here is  too a fresh start!

Weekly Goals:

• walk Flynn ever day for at least 30 minutes
• do some other form of work out at least 4 times over the next week
• limit the amount of sweets you eat daily
• focus on healthier meals and snacks throughout the day
• try to burn at least 1000 calories this week

I think that is a great reload. My goals are a little more open so I can try and accomplish more.

Happy Unbirthday

Just about 2 months old now!

August 15th.. that was my due date. So today is a big deal. Today is the day that Flynn could have been born. I can't believe he is already going to be 2 months old tomorrow. He is such a champ. I haven't fully wrapped my head around the how I feel about today. I have my last post OB visit this afternoon. It seems fitting its today. Since I'm not sure how I feel yet I'm going to share the "Unbirthday Song" with everyone:

Unbirthday Song from Alice and Wonderland:

A very merry 
Unbirthday to you, 
To you, A very merry 
Unbirthday to you, 
To you, 
It's great to 
Drink to someone , 
And I guess that 
You will do,
A very merry 
Unbirthday to you!

statistics prove that you've
one birthday
one birthday every year
but there are 364 un birthdays
that is why we are all gathered here

a very merry unbirthday to all
to all
a very merry unbirthday to all
to all
thats how we sing the day away
a verry merry unbirthday 
to all

Bugs Bunny Band Aids

Flynn had his 2 month check up yesterday. He will be 2 months old on Thursday. It is so crazy to believe that much time has gone by already then again 6 weeks in the NICU I guess will do that.

He did really well at the doctors office. He has grown! Almost a whole pound since he go home! He was growing faster in the NICU but he has just started eating closer to 3 ounces a meal now so he is readjusting his eating schedule. His pediatrician said at his age between 3 and 5 ounces is normal and I mean he is only 7lbs 9.5oz so I can't imagine him pulling off more than 3 ounces a go at this point.

I felt bad when he got his immunizations they were his first ever as they did not give him his first Hep shot in the hospital. The NICU would have done it but he was so close to his 2 month visit that they said they would let the Pediatrician do it so he wasn't having them so close together. He calmed down really quickly after his shots and has not seemed to have any kind of adverse reaction which makes me happy.

Chris and Flynn bonding a the Pediatrician's Office

Bugs Bunny Band Aid for our Big Boy

Flynn still isn't smiling at us yet which bums me out but since he is a Preemie there is more leeway for certain developments. He is following us with his eyes and moving his head, in tummy time which is still just him on my tummy he lifts his head to look at me. I'm so proud of this but I would really love a genuine smile. The cooing hasn't quite started yet either. We'll see hopefully before he is 3 months old these things will happen.

His next appointment is in October for his 4 month check up and next round of shots. I'm hoping it all goes as well as this past visit. I hope he wows everyone with how much he grows and how much he matures developmentally. Either way though I will always love my baby boy.

Taste buds at work..

Last night I made a pretty tasty dinner if I do say so. The recipe came from my cook book I purchased while pregnant. It has great recipes for women expecting or breast feeding to help make sure they are getting the right kind of nutrition. Even though I can't breast feed I still like it because they are just plain healthy and delicious.

Anyway I've made several recipes from the book. I love the spinach and broccoli soup for one and there is a great spinach quiche as well. My mouth is starting to water.. hehe.

So last night I had pork chops and no idea what to do with them so I was flipping through my cook books and I came up with a spice rub from this book. It was fairly simple and I had all the ingredients at my disposal already in my spice rack and pantry. It included garlic, italian seasoning, ginger and a few other spices.

The recipe called for them to be grilled but it also said it could be broiled. Our grill nearly blew up while I was in the hospital so that was out. Chris tried to grill a steak for dinner on night and the whole grill apparently caught fire, he got it out and away from the house before it was too serious and we already needed a new grill.

So this means I broiled for the first time ever, okay that is not quite accurate I did make tandoori chicken in my MIL's broiler once when we still lived with her but I had help and supervision at that time so I wouldn't ruin dinner or burn down the house.

Back to the pork chops. They came out really well. This is another recipe I'm going to have to add to my do again file. They were quick and easy, although next time I may let them marinade longer the recipe says 1 to 48 hours and I only did so for about an hour.

I served the pork chops with baked beans, mashed potatoes and crescent roles. I wasn't happy with any of my current veggie options. When we go shopping I'm going t stock up on broccoli and spinach and other delicious options.

Normally I take photos of food I make if I'm proud of how it came out but I did not do so for some reason last night. Next time! There will definitely be a next time. -_^

Life happens..

Plans change quickly for the good and the bad. My plans for yesterday were to spend the afternoon with my Mom but she rescheduled to today. Which is fine by me. Flynn and I tried to go for a more intense walk yesterday and it started to rain. I guess that the fates have a plan. Hopefully today is a better day but on that walk I spent part of it jogging to try and get back to the house so that was a plus. 

I'm also feeling pretty darn good today. Aside from getting the walk in yesterday Flynn decided to sleep last night. Only waking up in a proper pattern. First around midnight and then around 3:30 which was ideal since Chris gets up then to go to work. Yay for our little man! He also is up to 3oz per bottle during the day. Still working on it at night but that is okay. He was only at 2oz when we brought him home on the 30th. Tomorrow he goes in for his 2 month visit at the pediatrician. Poor little guy. 

Maybe its the sleep, or it could be that second cup of coffee but I'm in a really good mood this morning. I am feeling really motivated. Which is great because I need to clean and prep for my mom's visit as well as get my work out on this morning.

Last night I totally improvised for dinner (grilled cheese, baked potatoes and pears!?!), tonight I'm full steam ahead with trying a new recipe for pork chops. I'm hoping now that I'm home again and not working to really get back in to cooking and baking and maybe get a bit more skill in both areas. I've always loved to bake but never been a really good cook, I have the chance to change that. Although I'm sure I will have to get creative since we are living on one income now. I plan on coupon clipping as much as possible now. Sales are a good thing!

So now for a quick update for Project Get Healthy:
I received a pedometer on a challenge for my Father-in-laws work and now I'm using it as well as my fitness watch to help keep track of what I do. That is where the miles and steps come from. the calories are from my fitness watch, it accounts for my heart rate and my age and sex so it gives me more accurate calories. I'd like to get nicer watch but between the pedometer and the watch I have I have plenty of information and it was only 30 bucks at Walmart.

I'm really hoping to keep the daily walking up so I can build up to jogging instead, after all I have a jogging stroller. That is enough for the Get Healthy bit today. I'll post another update when I have one and a guaranteed one on Friday.

I hope everyone else out there is having a wonderful weekend. I'd also love suggestions and advice on how to get in a great workout when you have a 2 month old!

Hugs all around!

Yesterday ended up being a great day. Not only was I able to get my work out in, although it took longer as I had to stop and feed Flynn half way through it. Still it felt good and it is only the beginning.

Friday was a family day as will be today. My MIL came over and we had lunch and we got to cuddle Flynn. Donnamae went through all his clothes and helped me reorganize some of the clothes we haven't gone through yet. She and I were still talking when Chris got home from work. She being the great woman she is then offered us dinner at that point. She and I went over the the Brick House to pick up our meal and I got a hug! Before Flynn was born we went to the Brick House almost once a week. It is the only restaurant in town. When we walked in I got hugs. I got squeals of happiness to see me and how well I was doing. I got questions about how Flynn is doing and asking when they can see him. It felt really good.

An old photo of the Brick House

I am not one to be the center of attention. I like blogging and the internet because its a bit more anonymous than the real world sometimes, but it felt good. I live in a really small town. We don't even have a grocery store. It means a lot that people in town actually were worried about us. We haven't lived here that long but it makes me glad we picked this town to finally settle down in.

My mom is coming up to hang out today. Hoping to take a nice walk with her and Flynn today. I'll take my camera with us and maybe get some good shots. ^_^

Mom and I Sept 2010

Get Healthy Project The Beginning.

If you have read any of my posts you are aware that I am a new Mommy and had my little boy 8 weeks ago tomorrow. Wow 8 weeks already. You also may be aware that I as very sick from my pregnancy and he was 8 weeks premature and I had dialysis to remove excess water from my body so I could breathe. They took 30 liters so I lost basically all the baby weight in the hospital but not in the way that is ideal if you want to get back in shape.

Now I'm finally deemed healthy and I while I weigh just about what I did pre-baby I have a ways to go to get back in shape. So my goal weight is 125lbs. I'm not ashamed to say it. Its a valid goal. That is my ultimate goal and I am shooting for that in a year. So By Flynn's 1st Birthday I want to be at my goal weight.
To start here are some start off photos.

Day 1: 8/10/2012

Day 1: 8/10/2012

Day 1: 8/10/2012

So first things first it is time to set some weekly goals. I think small accomplishments are what help us get to the bigger rewards.

Week One Goals:

1. Walk Flynn everyday for at least 30 minutes
2. Start adding in pilates workouts at least 30 minutes ever other day
3. Create a healthy shopping list for next weeks food shop
4. Start my food/workout journal
5. Have Fun!

That last one is great because in truth that is what life should be about. If you aren't having fun you aren't doing it right. That out look helped me get through everything and I think, aside from Flynn, is my motivation.

So far today I've been able to do 40 minutes of pilates and start my food/workout journal and I'm still really happy, hehe. I plan on updating once a week on my progress. So yes this is my Get Healthy Project.

TGIF!

Flynn and I have made it through the week woohoo!

Flynn only woke up twice last night. First at midnight then at 2am. He then slept till almost 4am when I got up because Chris was getting ready for work. Flynn took the biggest bottle yet this morning. A whole 85ml.. I'm hoping he'll be up to 3 ounces a bottle before long. I tried weighing him last night and came up with 6.9lbs. We will see what it really is on Monday when we go to the pediatricians office.

Football season started last night, well the preseason but I'm already learning quickly that thanks to an 8 week old baby I wont be getting to finish a lot of night games. After all I sleep when he sleeps. We did get to see half the game though. From what I hear the Broncos creamed Chicago so woohoo. Flynn is getting ready to be part of our big time football family too. He has a Penn State bag from my cousin that says "Little PSU Lion" on it, two 0-3month onsies for CU, and two football blankets. Oh and another football outfit in his dresser ready to go when he is big enough and its colder out. He just is missing some Broncos and Giants gear.

Are you ready for some football?

On a random note its fitting both Mannings play for my teams now go Manning Brothers!

Chris and Flynn watching the Broncos

We were able to solve the sleeping problem last night. We took the bassinet from his pack'n'play and it actually fit in the bassinet upstairs. This way it keeps him above the cat and dog's access and he is happy. I think between that and the bigger bottles he has been eating helped a lot. 

Today is going to be the day I take my weight loss/ get back in shape post baby ideas full force. Still no Zumba, I have to get it back from my MIL. But I can start easy with my pilates dvd from the prenatal era.

I just need to keep my self motivated. One thing to motivate me is what I know I'm capable of. I was so close to my goal weight when I got married. So that is my start.

So a new segment in my blog will be a once a week post about my health and fitness goals. Since today is Friday I think it can be a Friday thing.

My MIL is coming by for lunch today.  So I have a lot to do before then. Hopefully Flynn will sleep for another hour or so so I can get my workout in.

Nothing like coffee and a sleeping baby..

Yesterday was an adventure to say the least. Flynn did not want to sleep Tuesday night. He went the first 4 hour block great. He woke up like clock work at midnight. He did not finish his bottle though and was up again at 2 then he woke up again at 3am! By then it was just a matter of saying screw it and staying up. Chris had to get ready for work so I stayed up as well. It meant I was able to shower while he was still here.

Flynn and I both had Doctor appointments yesterday in Denver. I packed up both his diaper bags with formula, clothes, burp cloths, diapers, wipes, blankets, bottles, his baby monitor and a book for me haha. We headed to Children's Hospital around 6:30 to account for traffic and go down there at about a quarter to 8. We were needless to say about 45 minutes early when I parked the Jeep and that is when I realized I forgot his stroller. It wasn't that big a deal but I'm still building up my strength and his car seat gets heavy!

We made it inside fine. I found a family bathroom and Flynn had his first ever public building diaper change. Haha. So many silly firsts out there for us to experience together.

They took us at the Eye Clinic pretty quickly. I felt so bad for him. Preemies are prone to a condition called Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP) which is caused due to the blood vessels to the retina developing abnormally. Anyway, in the NICU Flynn was cleared but had to have a follow-up because his retina blood vessels had not fully matured yet. I was not there when they did that initial exam. Yesterday I found it out they were really close to being mature at that point. Which had I known would have made me worry much less. He saw the same doctor at Children's as he did at UCH. Mainly because they are right next to each other they share a lot of physicians. The UCH NICU is a level 3 and Children's is a lvl 4. He could have gone over to Children's had he been in worse shape when he was born, that is where all the babies requiring extra care/surgeries go.

I know the eye exam didn't hurt him but it wasn't pleasant to watch. He cried his eyes out while the nurse put the eye drops in his eyes. First numbing ones and then dilation ones. I got to hold him for a while after that while the dilation ones set in. The whole exam felt like a normal eye visit. I've worn glasses since I was 8. I know what its like to go through dilation and all of that. I didn't think about how babies don't know how to look left and right on command this young or to keep their eyes open with the bright light in their face. I stayed for the whole thing, I wanted him to know I was there but I had trouble watching as they clamped his eyes open and she manually turned his eyes. I'm grateful the nurse held him while she did the exam. It was over quick and he was back in my arms. He was also cleared as she announced his retina vessels were fully mature! No more eye visits until next year. They said to come back between 6-12 months so I picked April as a good 8 month range. Preemies are more prone to need corrective lenses or have other eye issues as they get older. Not all preemies will, my husband Chris has fine eye sight, his twin brother wears glasses though, and as I mentioned I do too although I'm not a preemie.

After our visit to Children's and the great news we headed to my parents house and I fed Flynn and put him down for a nap. I tried to nap too but I realized I was starving at about 10 and Flynn woke up and wasn't happy (new place and eyes still dilated) not long after that so he hung out with me on their couch for a few hours before we had to go to my own doctors appointment.

My dad came with us so he could watch Flynn in the waiting room. I think he also wanted to hear what the doctors had to say. He was always very worried about me in the hospital. He's made it clear via my mom that he doesn't want Chris and I to risk having another baby, but that is another story. This visit was a great one. They said all my stats were fine and it was great how quickly I recovered. My appointment was a follow-up with the Renal Clinic. They said they would check my proteins because it had been awhile but with my blood pressure being okay again and all my other blood work normal they didn't think their be an issue. My creatinine was only a 0.8! I remember when it was a 9! I have one more OB Post visit next week and I'm finally done with doctors for awhile. Flynn has just begun his visits but the rest should all be routine every baby visits. On Monday he gets his 2 month immunizations. I'm so glad Chris will be there with me for that one.

Last night Flynn didn't want to sleep in the bassinet upstairs so I ended up sleeping on the couch so that Chris could sleep since he has to get up so early for work. Flynn had another similar night where he woke up at midnight and then 2am and 3am. This time he fell back to sleep though and is still sleeping so I didn't get up till 5 and can enjoy my coffee. Here is to hoping today is smoother. I plan on doing some much needed house work today and just relaxing otherwise.

So it begins..

Today is officially my first day by myself with Flynn. I mean ever. I've always had a support team, first the NICU nurses and then my husband. Today Chris went back to work leaving me with Flynn for the day. Since Chris had to go to work I got up the two times last night I had to to feed and change Flynn. Although Chris did wake up and help me at the 3am feeding.

Flynn maybe sensed the change and the simple fact he has started eating more because he wouldn't go to sleep after that feeding and at about 4:45am I ended up giving him another bottle. So in a 2 hour block he had 100ml(just over 3oz) of formula. He finally fell asleep although he is fidgeting.

We use the Dr. Brown bottles and I do think they work great. He doesn't cry much and when he does its because he wants something. It makes life easier and less stressful on me.

I am glad that I don't have any plans or requirements for today. I do plan on taking Flynn for a walk this morning after his next bottle most likely. I'm hoping he will sleep till about 8 and then I can give him his bottle and vitamins and we can go on a walk around the neighborhood.

I tried to refill my blood pressure medicine yesterday but apparently the refills had been cancelled. I've started tracking my BP over the past few days and its dropped significantly so I'm hoping when I go to my Dr. visit on Wednesday they say I don't need it anymore. The refills had been cancelled because I'd been taken off them earlier but another doctor put me back on and we weren't aware they'd cancelled the prescription. At least if I need more I can have them send them to the right pharmacy. Now that I'm home the hospital pharmacy is far from convenient.

Flynn has his 3 week follow up eye exam tomorrow. I am hoping he will be fully cleared from the risk of ROP. In case you don't know what ROP is when the blood vessels of the retina develop abnormally. It occurs in preemies and Flynn passed his exam for it but his blood vessels had not fully matured so we have to go back in. I'm taking him to the Eye Clinic in the out patient portion of Children's Hospital. When he was in the NICU he was healthy enough to stay next door in University hospital but Children's is one of the best child hospital's in the country. I think its in the top ten if I remember correctly. That is where Chris and his twin were sent 29 years ago when they were preemies. The babies that need surgeries go there. My fingers are crossed. My dad is awesome and took the day off tomorrow to help me out because I also have my own doctors appointment at University's out patient that afternoon. So I can go hangout at their house inbetween and he will help me out by watching Flynn for me during my appointment. If I think I need him there for Flynn's appointment he'll come to that too.

I'll let you know how today goes! Everyday is an adventure!

Easy like Sunday Morning.

This weekend has been going really well so far. My parents came up yesterday to see us and visit with Flynn. They so graciously allowed Chris and I to go shopping without having to worry about bringing Flynn into the store. I'm determined to limit his exposure to the outside world until he is older and his immune system is stronger. Today we have to take him to Babies'R'Us with us to pick up somethings.

My Mother-in-Law and her husband were over for dinner last night as well. In honor of all the visits we dressed up Flynn a bit. I'm proud to announce that he no longer requires the Preemie clothes as he finally fits more appropriately in his New Born sizes. I cannot wait to see how much he has gained when we go in on the 13th for his 2month visit at the pediatrician!

Such a handsome boy!

Flynn is rocking the bottle so I'm so excited. He is taking more and more each day and he seems to be on about a 3-4 hour sleep stage. He is nearly two months so soon we will increase his feedings and hopefully he will start sleeping a little longer.

We also recently found out that Flynn likes the song "Let's Go Fly a Kite" from Mary Poppins. I think its the tempo because it works wonders at calming him down.

The ring from Flynn's circumcision is finally off. I think it was really bothering him at the end as it was partially fallen off. Last night it came off fully and he stopped crying as much when being changed.

Today he may get to meet more of his family! His Aunt and Uncle and cousins have been up in the mountains at our Bi-yearly family vacation. Chris and I were unable to attend this year for obvious reasons. Two of his Uncles did not want to visit Flynn in the hospital so I'm excited for them to meet him.

Lately I've been thinking, "What about me? How am I really doing now?"

There are some things that still make it difficult for me to accept that what happened did but I've been adjusting and being able to hold Flynn now all the time really helps. Sometimes though I remember the things we missed out on and how different things are from the way they would have been if he was full term. Today we received a package from Similac. When I first found out I was pregnant I signed up for free coupons and information from Similac and Enfamil and never really thought about it. The 15th is my due date and they sent us free samples of formula I'm not really sure what to do with them. Flynn is on a very specific formula although it is Similac so we can use the coupons they gave us at least.

This kind of stuff as well has hearing what people did with their kids when they were babies is hard for me. Hard because I feel like I'm going to miss out on certain aspects of having a baby. Although I treasure every moment of his life and and look forward to getting to know my little man I can't help but wonder.

I'm also nervous because Chris goes back to work on Tuesday at which point I'm on my own and truly a stay at home mom. We shall see how things go. I may have more adventures by then to share with all of you.

Doctors appointments and just life in general. Coming up in full force this week.

So much to remember..

I love my son and I want to share him with the world. If not I wouldn't be doing this right? Well people do not realize that as a preemie he isn't like a regular 7 week old baby. I have to remember my patience when dealing with family and friends.

I want them to see him but he just came home. In my opinion trying to limit how much we go out for now is completely acceptable. In fact the nurses at the NICU indicated we should try and keep him home more. I'm really nervous about his party on the 18th. I am prepared to have lots of hand sanitizer and make sure people are washing their hands and I am not afraid to tell people no but I do feel some guilt, I'm not ready to take our son to a lot of public places. Maybe in a few weeks but he is still so small and young. So for now no unnecessary trips.

I have to remember that not everyone is familiar with preemies. How at this point its not about how many ounces he eats but how many milliliters. Which is is doing better every day. Yesterday he took 210mLs (7oz) and last night about 165mL(5.5oz). We track in 12 hour chunks. The pediatrician told us to just slowly increase his feedings as he feels ready for them. He is only taking the 60mL (2oz) some of the time and we are dealing with that every so common spit up. His reflux is very mild which makes me happy and we've been burping him several times a feeding. The NICU nurses always said he was a good burper and he was even known for it in the NICU! The paperwork we were given by the Pediatrician also mentioned to help ease reflux and spit up to have him sit up for up to 30 minutes after feedings and to be honest its really working!

We took Flynn on his first walk yesterday. It went well. He is still so small that he slept the whole time. We plan on taking him again this evening. On the walk we stopped at a bakery in town. We live in a very small town. I'm talking one restaurant and now this bakery kind of small town. It was really nice and we had yummy gelato. ^_^ Still Flynn slept and I wasn't so worried being there because we were the only ones there aside from the girl working.

Chris doing PT with Flynn

Doing his physical therapy and getting him to take his vitamins gets easier with time. We even did a little tummy time yesterday. He lifted his head twice for me! I plan on doing it everyday. Hopefully he will like it better each day. 

Flynn after a feeding but not yet sleepy

So far this morning he seems to be up every two hours. Although he did let us relax for a good 4 hours from about 4am to 8am. I know he isn't even two months old yet but I'm going to be happy when he sleeps later. We've been told for now to not let him sleep over 4 hours. 

I can't help but pick him up as well as photograph him. I love his expressions!

Settling In

Our first night with Flynn home was pretty rough. He was up every hour or so to eat or be changed. Yesterday he became a total rock star with his food though although he spit up a bit as the day went on (what baby doesn't?).  

We took Flynn to Walmart with us yesterday morning and it went well he stayed asleep during the trip and since Chris and I were exhausted we didn't stay out long. We ended up not getting the Diaper Genie but my Mother-in-law knew we were looking for one and went shopping on her lunch break with a co-worker who actually bought it for us as a baby gift. Its pretty nice. ^_^

Everything is getting easier for us and last night went much more smooth. Flynn took more food at each feeding and therefore slept for longer intervals and Chris and I got a little sleep! I could have partly been just because we were exhausted ourselves. We went to bed around 11pm after Flynn had fed one last time. He woke up around 1am and then again around 4am just taking over the minimum for the 12 hour period. 

This morning Flynn had his first check visit with his pediatrician. She was really nice and said he is doing great. She said that they will try and see if the insurance company will cover the care for RSV but that since he was so healthy and will be a bit older by cold and flu season they may not cover the care. That is a bummer since that is when he will be in daycare but maybe they will cover the medication. We shall see how things go. 

Flynn did not gain any weight but she said not to worry since the scale is different and he was still adjusting to his new surroundings. He has to go back in 2 weeks for his first immunizations and they will weigh him then and we will need to be concerned if he hasn't gained by then. Currently he is 6lbs 11oz. 

Poor guy has to go to the pediatric opthamologist next week and then back to the pediatrician the following week for his first set of immunizations and a weight check. 

Going to take him on his first walk in his stroller tonight. Can't wait to get out and stretch my legs its been a few days since I've taken a walk. I was doing really well getting a 45 minute walk in almost daily when I was staying in Denver during his time in the NICU. I need a new routine now. I hope when I go in for my last post par-tum appointment they clear me to start doing more exercise. 

Alright I need to get some cleaning done while he is still asleep he'll be waking up soon I think. 

Homecoming Photos!

Flynn's first day home. I couldn't help it he is so adorable and we were so happy to have him home with us!

Just got home!

First time sleeping in his pack'n'play bassinet

Seems happy to be home to me!

Achilles checking out Flynn 

Taking one of his first bottles at home!

Baby, I'm coming home..

On Friday when I went to the NICU Flynn no longer had his NG tube. He had pulled it out that morning and the Doctors decided to see what happened. He was put on on-demand feeding finally. He had not gained weight in a few days but he took what he needed to for the on-demand minumum that day. The next day I was at my cousin Emily's for her daughter's fourth birthday. While there I received a call from the hospital asking for consent to do the circumcision for Flynn. They do this when the baby is within a few days from coming home! I was so excited.

My poor boy was not happy when I got to the hospital later that night. I found out he had lost weight the night before as well which was not good. They upped his calorie intake to 24 cal per bottle and they told me he could be coming home by Monday if he gained weight.

Sunday I called the NICU for an update. My mom and I were trying to plan our day. We wanted to come to my home and do some cleaning to get ready for Flynn's homecoming if he was coming home. The nurse said he had gained and so it still looked possible and she asked if Chris and I would like to do the "rooming in" where we would stay in room with Flynn for the night at the hospital. Flynn would still be hooked up to all his monitors and we would be in charge of his care. Chris and I went for it. So that night we stayed with our boy for the first time. It was interesting staying. We did really well with his care and didn't really get much sleep though because it was in the hospital.

It took most of the morning on Monday but they finally discharged Flynn!! Our little boy finally came home! He did really well in the car which made me so happy. They told us it will take about a week for him to adjust to his new home and last night was a lot harder to feed him. He wouldn't take much of his bottles so he kept waking up a lot. Today we have to go to the store to pick up things we need like food and a hamper for Flynn, a diaper genie, and we may get a microwave bottle sterilizer. We were really funny to watch yesterday. We have no covered trash cans and we were not sure what to do with the diapers!

The only other concern I had before he came home was how our cat Higgins and dog Achilles were going to react but they have been great so far. Achilles is concerned every time Flynn fusses or cries, and Higgins hasn't made up his mind yet I think but neither is hostile. They both seem to know he is an infant and therefore need to be gentle.

Will post photos when I can. ^_^

Now that Flynn is home let the next chapter begin!

Found this and had to share..

I am not religious. I have faith in some kind of higher power though and so even I can appreciate this.. it brought a tear to my eye..

How God Chooses Preemie Moms Author Unknown

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?
... Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his
instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he
observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger.
"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint, Matthew.
Forrest, Marjorie, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia.
Rutledge, Carrie, twins. Patron Saint...give her Gerard. He's used to
profanity."
Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles.
"Give her a preemie." The angel is curious. "Why this one, God?
She's so happy."
"Exactly," smiles God.
"Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That
would be cruel."
"But does she have the patience?" asks the angel.
"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea
of self-pity and despair.
Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it.
I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so
rare and so necessary in a mother.
You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own.
She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."
"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."
God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect.  She has
just the right amount of selfishness."
The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"
God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally,
she will never survive.
Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect.
She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied.
She will never take for granted a spoken word.
She will never consider a step ordinary.
When her child says momma for the first time,
she will be witness to a miracle and know it.
I will permit her to see clearly the things I see--
ignorance, cruelty, prejudice--
and allow her to rise above them.
She will never be alone.
I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life
because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."
"And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in
the air.
God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

Articles

Here are some articles I found on The Bump about Preemies:

The Worst Things to Say to Moms of Preemies
NICU Cheat Sheet
Advice for Surviving the NICU

The first one has a lot of things I've heard.. and I have to agree with how they felt when they heard them. Like when my son was first born, when I saw how many people on facebook were saying how happy they were for us and congratulating us it felt like a double edged sword. I mean my son was 2 months early and in the NICU and I nearly died. It didn't feel very celebratory to me. Unless you've gone through it yourself I think its hard to understand. We've been one of the lucky ones though. The baby that had our area before us was born at 17 weeks and did not make it. We've had a pretty easy go of it although he is taking his dear sweet time with the bottle feeding.

Going to head to the hospital soon. I'll update you all on how is doing. I am hoping he will be home before Football season starts.. which for us is on August 9th with the Broncos playing the Bears.

Care Times and Physical Therapy..

Yesterday I spent the longest I've ever spent in the NICU. After having spent 3 weeks as a patient and going through hell and back I honestly had problems staying for more than about 2-3 hours for a care time with Flynn. Yesterday though that all finally changed. I was there from 3pm to 7pm.

I was almost late for his 3pm care time! When I arrived he was finishing up his physical therapy. She was doing some tummy time with him and I was so proud of him. When he heard my voice he started lifting his head and of course grunting more. His little grunts amuse me.

I was only able to get him to take 20ccs from his bottle at 3pm but and about 27cc at 6pm. The nurse said he took that at 9am and slept through the noon. I was told it really is up to him. That one day he will just suddenly be strong enough to feed out of the bottle all the time. I'm just waiting patiently for that to happen.

It is getting better all the time..

Tomorrow officially marks Flynn's gestational age at 37 weeks. The nurses are confident he will not be there past his due date. He is up to taking a bottle at nearly all feedings but its the amount he takes from the bottle that is the issue now. He needs to get a little stronger so he can start taking more of his bottles. He weighed in at 6lbs 6oz the other day so he is still growing.

When I saw him yesterday the had said he took 3 out of 4 bottles the night before. Not the whole bottle but something. He took his whole bottle at 9am yesterday and was awake when we got in at 10:15. It was so nice to spend time with him awake like that.

Flynn gets visited by physical therapy 3-4 times a week. We met with them yesterday at 11:30. The woman who came was the one that had gone over his Morgan test results last week for me. He for his age range had to get a 66 on the test and he scored just over a 67. So I was really happy for him. Yesterday she basically just reviewed the abdomen curls, and the hand exercises on his face with us as well as taught us an exercise to do on his feet. I learned that you don't want to poke them on the bottoms of their feet as this can result in making their feet too sensitive when they are trying to learn to walk. There are so many things I feel like I still need to learn. I guess that comes with the territory. The other exercises she taught us have to do with strengthening his neck. One has him sitting up in my lap and I support his head by holding onto his cheeks and then sliding him backwards, forwards, and side to side just a small amount and just for a minute or so so he can slowly build up his neck muscles. Then there is one where he is laying in my lap and I have to get him to follow my voice and face from side to side to help again with his neck but I think that also works on other senses too since he has to follow you.

I know I'm probably biased but everyone agrees he is adorable. Can you blame them?

5 Weeks Old!

Hello!

 

Proud Momma

Well I better get going so I can go see my little man today.