Here's the little chunker today. He is about 11 lbs. Lifting his head up very well now!

Vann's first bathtub bath

Vann took his first bathtub bath today. I think he liked it! right up until i washed his head, then he wasnt very happy. He's getting little chunky rolls all over, i love it!!

Here's a recent pic of the little stinker telling me he's hungry.

Headed to pediatrician today for checkup and shots - i'm going to guess he's almost 9 lbs. now - we'll see at the weigh-in today. Hard to believe he was just 6 lbs. when he came home a month ago. He fits in his sling more snugly now, and his cries are much louder! Ava just got over a stomach bug, thankfully nobody else came down with it. Our driveway is finally finished and the kids will be able to get out there on their bikes and play starting today - here are a couple recent pics..

Mommy's little helper

Ava is being such a big helper with her little brother. She sings to him, tucks him in, and of course he gets lots of kisses. Now i'm noticing what a big girl she is, her baby days are gone!

It's been so beautiful here lately that we spent the whole weekend outside, grilling out, going to the park. Vann loves the fresh air i think, only because he sleeps so well when he's out there. He continues to be a very laid back little boy, staying up quite a bit of the day and just eating and sleeping through the night. Our tulips are starting to bloom in the front yard, and we put up the bouncy castle in the back yard for the kids. Here's Vann taking in some tummy time..

My chunky monkey

Somebody loooves their bottle... I think he is making up for lost time! Finally he fits in his 0-3 month clothing, but i have a feeling he'll grow right out of them before too long..

Doc appt today

Vann weighed in at 7 lbs. 8 oz. today at the doc's office, 19 1/2 inches long (no wonder his preemie clothes don't fit him anymore)- AND we got to get rid of the monitor (yeiii) - he didn't need it anyway. They were very impressed that he is holding his head up so well while he's on his tummy.

Vann has been eating more often lately, he must be going through a growth spurt! He got another bath today (see pic) and wobbled like a weeble when i turned him on his belly, it's so big and round! Ava got to hold him for a bit after his last meal, she was oozing sisterly love all over the little guy.

Easter Sunday

Here's Vann doing what he does best. Ava helped me give him a bath yesterday. She held her hands over her ears while he protested his exposure to the chilly air. He didn't like it at all except when he got to be turned on his tummy. Thankfully he has his awake time during the day and continues to just wake up to eat through the night. The sleep deprivation is not as bad as I remember when Ava was young, but then again it's only been a week.... The ped. visit was fine, he was up to 6 lbs. 6oz. Wednesday, gaining almost an ounce a day here at home. Easter was nice, Jayme took Ava to the Museum of Natural History to see the dinosaur bones and I caught a couple naps with the wee man at home.

Vann's doing great, eating well, sleeping and pooping right on schedule! We take him for his first pediatrician appointment tomorrow. Here's a shot of him just chillin' in his crib.

Getting settled in..

Vann is settling in and doing very well. Here are a few pics from his first days at home.

He's home!

Vann got the green light to come home today finally, after 7 weeks in the NICU. He weighed in at a whopping 6 lbs. 2.6oz. at his discharge, and is a healthy, and chubby! baby boy. Sister Ava was so excited she couldn't speak when she saw him. Then she couldn't stop talking about how excited she was to have him home finally and how adorable he was. Now the adventure really begins! Here are a couple pics on his homecoming day.

Another good day

Vann still doing great with his feedings - up to 5 lbs. 14oz. last nite. The transfusion should help tremendously with his energy level and feeding coordination. We'll get the apnea monitor training tomorrow, it seems to be just a precaution, he has been behaving very well the past few days.

Vann will receive one further blood transfusion today. He did expertly with all of his feedings for me today, and hopefully will continue that tonite.

Wednesday's news

Vann is having a good day so far. Eaten everything with no problems all night and so far today. Doc found his hemoglobin levels lower than last time, so is doing one more test to see if she thinks his bone marrow is working hard enough to bring his levels back up on his own, or if he will need another transfusion. We'll find out later today. He's gaining weight still very well, up to 5 lbs. 10.8oz. last nite.

Vann is still having his apnea spells during feedings, something common to preemies born before about 34 weeks gestation. He will grow out of it, but his hemoglobin levels have been borderline on the low side, so they will do a CBC (complete blood count) in the morning to check his levels again and determine whether or not to do another transfusion. It may be contributing to his apnea during feedings. Also the doc has decided to send him home on an apnea monitor. So he may be there a while longer, we'll see. I continue to spend most of the day with him, feeding him and getting to know him better. He's a handsome little guy! He put on some more weight for us last nite - up to 5 lbs. 9.6oz.

The waiting continues

Went to pick up the wee man this morning, but the doctor has decided to keep him for another day? two? three? not sure. Vann seems to have his own agenda, so we'll just have to wait and see. He's up to 5 lbs. 7oz. as of last nite.

Almost there..

Vann did very well eating for me this weekend, and is on the discharge list for tomorrow. We will take Ava to school and head over to bring our bundle of joy home; it's been about 6 weeks since he was born, you'd think i'd have the house all ready, but of course i'm scrambling to get everything in place :)

Gave Vann a bath for the first time at the hospital tonite - he was quite vocal about the whole thing - we hurried him through it as he was hungry! It was good to see him rooting around- he's definitely a night owl. He sucked down the whole bottle for me and didn't waste a drop. He's up to 5 lbs. 6.4oz.

Headed to see wee man now. He is up to 5 lbs. 5.4oz. as of last nite. He was dressed up for his hospital picture last nite, hopefully they will be ready today.

A little bit longer

We are pushing Vann's discharge date to Monday. It will give me more time to get used to his feedings, which can sometimes be challenging because of his natural tendencies to want to sleep at his age - still 4 weeks till his original due date! We want to make sure he keeps putting on weight so he can get big and strong. He weighed in at 5 lbs. 3.8oz. last nite.

Coming home...

Vann has reached 5 lbs. 2.6oz. and is scheduled to come home on Saturday if everything continues to go like it should. We are excited and nervous, what a little guy he is! I'm so happy it's springtime and we will be able to take him out in the fresh air soon.

Happy Spring

It looks like Baby Vann may have figured out the eating thing - he's eaten all of his bottles for 24 hours straight now. He yanked his feeding tube out today and it won't be replaced as long as he continues to eat for us :) We are moving right along, and if all continues to go well, he will be home by the weekend!

Chugging along

He's doing well today, up to 5 lbs. 1.2oz. and climbing :) He is still sporadic with his feedings, mainly because he is resting, so he's still getting part of his milk through the feeding tube if he doesn't have enough energy to finish the bottle. He seems to have more energy during the night hours, probably because it's nice and quiet in the NICU. His nervous system is still developing and they can be easily overstimulated with all the lights, noises and such at this point.

St. Patrick's Day visit

Vann is doing well, resting and growing. He is now 4lbs. 14.1oz. Ava was able to see him for the first time yesterday, she thinks he is "very cute". Jayme was also able to see him for the first time in 2 weeks, having just gotten over a cold.

Vann is up to 4lbs. 12.2oz. He is being bottle fed every other feeding, with the tube feedings in between. The nurses say one day it will just kick in and he will take the bottle every time, reminding me that he is still 5 weeks away from his original due date. He is looking good though, I can't help but see Jayme every time I look at him! And they are hard to see now, but he shares his big sister's cute dimples :)

Vann is 4lbs.11oz. today (34.5 weeks gestation) and back on the feeding tube for some feedings, as he is tiring out on the bottle. He should still be home soon though. We will be scrambling this weekend to get everything ready for his homecoming. I am headed to see him now!

Baby Vann has moved to the step-down unit this morning. That's good news, means he will be home very soon! Go Baby Vann!

Baby Vann is just over one month old now. These are pictures from Sunday 3/11/07. I have been visiting him every day for the past week now. On Sunday they started him back on the bottle. He must eat a certain amount of food from the bottle each feeding in order to be discharged. He weighed in at 4lbs. 10.2oz. last night. He has done great in the NICU, and we hope he'll be home within a couple of weeks.

I'll try and get some older pictures up later, so you can see how far he's come :)