Ben's baby journal: 14-18 December

(Editor's - i.e., Dad's - note: due to finals-week-slash-end-of-semester-hecticness, was not able to post any of the kids' updates this past week and just now getting back to it now that grades are posted and graduation's over. To get back on track I've asked them to keep their notes on the 14th-18th brief and do more of a summary/digest version. But never fear, there'll still be pictures from each day even if not as much text. Then I expect we'll be back to the usual once-daily entries from here till the next crisis)

14 December

Well, Dad said to keep these brief so let me get right to it.

My crib had been laid flat yesterday, but I was having some brady and spitup issues overnight so they moved it back to a tilted position (I guess that helps digestion or something). Weighed 5 lb. 10.8 oz.

Still working on feedings. I took 22 ml, or about half my (52 ml) feeding via bottle at my 9 a.m. feeding, but that tired me out quite a bit - not such a big fan of the bottles, they're WAY more work than my feeding tube! I half-woke for my noon feeding...

...and was even doing some rooting behavior...

...but what they don't seem to have figured out is that that means I want to eat, not necessarily that I want to feed myself. Dad gave me a bottle and I gave it the old college try, but just was too sleepy and only took about 14 ml then let them gavage the rest.

After that second round of exertion I was pretty dead to the world and didn't even wake up when they changed my diaper and clothes - and you know that means I must've been tired!

On the bright side, that rest gave me time to catch up on some thinking. I'm working on a unified field theory. Or possibly a poop, can't really remember....

In not-so-fun news, I did have to get two more shots. Boo!

Luckily they've said those should be my last shots for awhile which is something to be thankful for at least!

Mom came by in the evening and stayed the night with me and Rory. She got to watch the nurse give me a bath - I didn't much enjoy it overall, mostly because I just wanted to sleep. I did, however, enjoy getting my hair washed with warm water and fell right asleep afterwards!

15 December

Put on another ounce and a half, so now I'm up to 5 lb. 12.5 oz. Go me! Gonna catch my cousin soon (I'm assuming he's been holding steady since birth - if he's putting on weight himself, I may have a tougher time catching him. But I'm thinking optimistically).

Interesting morning; since Mom was still here, one of the lactation consultants came by and helped Mom nurse both me and Rory at the same time - it was the first time we've done that, and really the first time we've had the chance to visit up close since we were born, since we've always been in separate cribs. She's grown a lot since we were inside Mom! I tried to say hi, but Rory was still half-asleep and didn't seem to acknowledge me so after a bit I gave up and just focused on my eating. I like breastfeeding, it's a lot easier than the bottle (at least IMHO) since you don't take in so much air and then have to burp or spit up!

Other than that, it was a pretty lazy day, I slept through most of it:

Mom went home to change and stuff but came back with Dad in the afternoon. I was having some bradies today so they decided to gavage my feedings in the evening rather than try me with a bottle or on the breast. However, Dad did take me out and hold me while I was getting my 6 p.m. feeding so I got to visit with him:

I noticed Mom was taking some pictures while I was with Dad so I gave her a couple of my best cute poses:

With that taken care of (I knew I needed some good material for my blog!) I went back to sleep.

And nothing else of particular interest to report from the day, other than that I did not have any more bradies the rest of the night. So let's hope I'm done with that nonsense!

16 December

At 5 lb. 15 oz. I'm now almost six pounds, and continuing to put on weight every day, as well as spit up less. So I'm hoping they think I'm ready to go home soon, although according to the nurses I'm not feeding well enough yet (though I don't understand how that's possible since I'm putting on weight every day - yes, I know I'm getting several feedings a day through my tube, but I don't see why I can't just keep doing that).

Mom and Dad both came to visit in the afternoon, and I was not too happy about being woken up for my feeding.

But finally after some stretching (and my diaper change, which always does wonders for waking me), I agreed to wake up and eat.

In fact, since they were both there, I showed them a few of my latest expressions I've worked out:

Building a better repertoire, don't you think?

In any case, then it was time to eat. I had a bottle and did okay. Mom and Dad left for awhile, then came back in the evening to find me wide awake and ready to visit:

Unfortunately, before I could visit (or eat!) the nurse decided it was time for another bath (all I could think was: didn't I just have one of these? am I really that gross that I get dirty that quickly?)

At first it was okay, I liked the warm water at least:

But I did NOT like getting scrubbed!

Finally when that ordeal was over, the nurse put a hat on me, Dad wrapped me up, and I sat down with Mom to eat.

I don't know if it was some weird after-effect of the bath or what, but I did very well breastfeeding - I only had to take 52 ml but I took a full 60! Mom and Dad were very proud of me (though I'm a little worried about getting expectations too high...).

It was nice to be awake for a visit with both of them!

Mom left a little while later, around 10:30 but Dad stayed the night with me and Rory. Since he was going to be there and it's technically my room (well, mine and Rory's), I wanted to be a good host so stayed awake with him waiting for my next feeding.

He fed me a bottle at midnight, then decided to go to bed himself for a little while. I figured at that point my hosting duties were done so called it a night myself.

17 December

Little to report; the usual eating and sleeping, Mom and Dad visited, no major developments. But no day would be complete without a couple pictures, so here you go:

18 December

As is becoming the norm for Sundays, Mom and Dad came by in the morning after church to visit. I was wide awake when they were ready for my 9 a.m. feeding, and I was Hungry with a capital "H"! Unlike my sister, however, I can restrain myself when I know they're getting me ready for a feeding rather than screaming bloody murder if I don't get my food right away. I guess that's because I'm older and more mature.

(Editor's note: okay, technically Ben IS older than Rory - but about a minute. I'm just saying, I'm not sure how much extra maturity he picked up in that minute, most of which was spent getting his breathing support on)

I had been up doing some serious thinking, but was ready to greet them and get my food!

Mom breastfed me and I did a great job, taking 62 ml, which is ten more than I needed to take. And I didn't spit up the whole time. How's that for being a good eater?

Mom put me back when I was done so she could breastfeed, but it was a nice day and I was already awake so I just stayed awake between then and my next feeding - plus with

I got breastfed again at my noon feeding, and didn't do quite as well, eating only 42 ml, but even though that's less than the 52 ml per feeding I'm supposed to be taking the nurse said it was okay since I was averaging enough over a couple of feedings. So good to know I have a little bit of flexibility there.

After the second feeding and having been awake for almost four hours straight, I was ready for bed and passed right out as soon as they put me back in my crib.