Weight Gainer

Carter gained 50 grams tonight making him 3lbs 2oz. This means he's officially gained an entire pound since birth!

He got a bath tonight from mommy and did really well. I'll post the link to the video of it but I've heard that sometimes when I post it on here it doesn't work. Let me know if it doesn't.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coCbIKq8JaA

He has done really well over the past couple of days and we're very thankful for that. He's had a very minimal amount of bradys. His mother would also like me to add that he didn't pee on her today - that is an accomplishment in itself!

It was a quiet day. Just like we like it to be. Check out "office Carter" in the pics. Ha!

More progress

This has turned out to be what is now a typical day for Carter Prince. The day was filled with progress - upping his feedings to 28ml, gaining more weight to 3lbs 1oz, pooping and peeing like a madman - and hiccups - occasional bradys, occasional desats. As usual, Carter's progress outweighed his hiccups.

I should clarify some of my prior posts which, as Grandpap would say, were clear as mud. Carter is not breast feeding - I misspoke. He is learning what breast feeding is. He goes down to mommy's "chow nozzle" and sucks a little, then stops. Occasionally he'll get milk and for the most part , he'll stop and swallow. This is the progress that is so reassuring. Most preemies, including Carter to some extent, can't suck, swallow, and breathe. The fact that he doesn't choke every time he gets milk and the fact that he's acquiring an appetite for breast milk after only two days of "playing around" as Sandy calls it, means he is progressing in the right direction in what seems to be a pretty swift pace. Actually, when we pulled him out of his isolette today, Sandy handed him to me to hold in a regular baby-holding position. Immediately, he lunged towards my chest with his tongue out. He knew that that position meant "dinner time" after only one day of Sandy nuzzling with him. Turns out he doesn't know my milk isn't quite in yet and he'll have to rely on mommy ;-)

So there you have it. Another steady and deliberate day for Carter who is proving daily that there is work to be done and he's happy to do it.

Big Day

Carter weighs 3 lbs! Possibly a little more - the scale doesn't do tenths of ounces. Today was also a big day because he had his first breast feed. It wasn't a total feed but he was successful in getting what he wanted if ya know what I mean. This is very significant because he is way ahead of schedule, the nurses say. It's funny, he actually smiles real big during his attempts.

His feedings were dropped yesterday to 55 minutes - getting to the magical 30 minute mark slowly and steadily. His bradys were all but non existent today, only having them after his feedings.

Sandy's goal is to make him a pro at breast feeding this week. Wish him luck!

Update @ 10:45pm Mountain Time

He gained 30 grams overnight to 1320! He also grew 3/8 of an inch and his head grew a half inch. He's 40 cm long and his head is 27 cm around.

Fun Games Vol. 2

Hi everyone it's me, Carter, again. I just wanted to keep you up to date on the heart attacks that I like to give my mommy and daddy. I think they're hilarious games but they don't see it that way :-(

So anyway, when they got to the hospital this morning, I had decided to show them how strong I was. While no one was looking, I crawled to the top part of my isolette (incubator if you will) and in the process, I disconnected pretty much all of my monitor leads. So when they arrived in my room, I was setting off ALL of my alarms and I was totally cockeyed at the top of my bed!! Hahahahaha, you should have seen the looks on their faces!

Turns out they didn't think it was that funny and told me not to play anymore games like that. Ugh. The other little joke I played - which the nurses picked up on eventually - was to slowly but deliberately pull out the feeding tube in my nose again. The only problem was that I didn't get it all the way out so it was feeding me too high in my gi tract. This was making me have all of those bradys that my mom and dad have told you about.

So they fixed that and as a "punishment" to me (I guess), they shortened my feelings to an hour. I am secretly liking this so don't tell anyone. :) I haven't brady'd once since they figured out my game.

I gotta go, my mom wants to hold me some more.

Carter Prince
-- Master Joke-Player

Quiet Saturday

Kangaroo time was had by all today. Sandy in the morning and me in the evening. He did really well only bradying a few times. He gained up to 1290 grams today, which is also known in this country as 2 pounds 14 ounces.

Next week Carter may have his feeding time decreased to an hour from ninety minutes. This is a good step if he can handle it. The upside is that his belly will have more time to digest after feeding. The downside is that a faster feed means more in his belly at once. This can lead to bradys because his belly can get so inflated that it encroaches on his lung expansion during deep breaths. He'll be monitored closely so send a couple prayers his way.

Until tomorrow...

Eye exam and birthday

Today carter got his eyes examined. They checked out just fine - immature but that is because they haven't had time to grow that much yet. All in all, he's right on schedule in terms of where he's supposed to be.

He gained up to 2lbs 13oz. You may be saying to yourself, "hmm nick, I thought he was that weight the other day." Well you're both right and wrong: he did weight 2lbs 13oz but that was with his fighter pilot helmet on (c-pap). This time it's all Carter. 3 oz away from 3lbs!

Today was both his 1 month birthday in real world terms and his 31 week mark for gestational age. For his 1 month birthday, his nurse gave him a big boy pacifier and he loves it!

Tomorrow he starts his journey to 31 weeks. Just another day for our little fighter. He handles it like he could do this in his sleep - turns out he actually does most of the time.

Nick & Sandra

Our friend Sarah gave us a very thoughtful present today. It's a picture that says "Keep calm and kangaroo on" and I've attached a pic of it - we thought it was mighty original! It looks great in his room.