The Micro Preemie
Greetings to everyone.
Pampers has released a new diaper size called "Micro Preemie". The NICU just got them in yesterday. These are sized between the smaller ones Xavier has outgrown and the way-too-big diaper he has been wearing the last few days. The new diaper works well and is the right size for Xavier. The nurses like them also and many of the other babies are wearing the Micro Preemie.
Xavier had his eye exam today, having his eyes dilated about 7:30 AM. No word on the results, but Allison, his nurse today, said he has another scheduled in two weeks. She explained that is a good sign. had they found something bothersome, they would have scheduled another exam much sooner.
Xavier is 1580 grams today, a gain of 10 grams. That's 3 pounds 7.7 ounces. He is also down to 0.01 liters/minute on his oxygen. He's been down as low as 0.01 for a while, so it may be he's about to drop down another hundredth of a liter.
After visiting Xavier tomorrow morning, Rebecca will be heading up to Fort Collins to oversee the installation of vinyl flooring in the kitchen and utility room of the Northern Outpost, and to arrange the proper disposal of several containers of chemicals.
Always, thank you for your prayers. Great is our God!
Here, against the scale of a US Dollar bill, the Micro Preemie (left) and the bigger diaper Xavier had been wearing for a few days. Above, Xavier sleeps soundly, comfortable in his own Micro.
Congratulations, Mrs. Ogden, You're the Mother of a Healthy Baby Boy!
Greetings and hello to everyone.
Today is Xavier's "official" due date, at least based on the math using the first day of the last period. Using the knowledge from our first ultrasound at 61 days, we know exactly the day of conception, so Thursday is Xavier's true due date. It was, however, the doctors at PVH who decided to use the OBGYN formula so they could get Rebecca and Xavier checked in to University Hospital as soon as possible, for which we are all grateful. Xavier came early anyway, Rebecca's body overrode both dates. Always a lesson: plan your future, but trust in God always. With much prayer and supplication and the goodness of our God we are in a good place today.
On his official due date, Xavier weighs 1570 grams, an increase of 25 grams over yesterday, bringing him to 3 pounds and 7.3 ounces! That's up 650 grams (1 lb, 7oz) from his delivery weight of 920 grams (1 lb, 9 oz). His length is 41.5 cm (16.3 in). His length at delivery was 33.5 cm, or 13.2 in. His head circumference is 31.5 cm.
Xavier is scheduled for an eye exam on Wednesday. We expect to learn everything is healthy and well-formed and/or forming well.
Rebecca made it down from Fort Collins earlier than expected today, making the NICU about 3:45. The movers had the house packed up and loaded in three hours! We set a lot of things on the curb for anyone to take, and, with the exception of some baskets and decorative boxes, it's all gone!
We have an unusual sign in the front window of the Northern Outpost. It reads: "NOTICE THIS HOME IS FOR SALE ONLY! CRAIGSLIST listing is a SCAM & you could lose money & not have a place to live!!! *PLEASE DON'T REMOVE SIGN IN YARD*"
As we were closing up the back of the moving truck Saturday morning and ready to head south, a family stopped by to look at the house and asked us "are you coming or going?" They had a lot of information about the house, most of it accurate, including Rebecca's name as the second owner. Turns out, some scammer posted the house on Craig's List as a rental ($600.00/mo) and was asking for first and last month's rent. Jan, our realtor, had 21 or more calls on the property, all inquiries about its rental availability. The house doesn't begin showing until Friday! Apparently, Fort Collins is being hit hard by this type of scam.
Thought that was an amusing item to share. Always, thank you for your prayers; they brought Xavier into the world sooner than we planned, but they have all been needed. We definitely have had to trust God and cling to His goodness with white-knuckle grips throughout all of this. Rejoice with us today, Xavier's official due date!
Here is a picture Rebecca took of the sign hanging in the window, alerting people to the Craig's List scam.
The Crib Gets a Mattress
Greetings to everyone.
Xavier is doing well, bulking up to 1545 grams, which brings him to 3 pounds and 6.5 ounces! Glory to God! He may yet get to four pounds before leaving the NICU!
Rebecca was delayed in getting the the NICU today due to the late arrival of the people trimming the trees at the Southern Outpost. It was late enough in the day that when I walked in, she was just putting Xavier back into his isolet. He was very fussy for her today, and at one point threw one storm of a tantrum, complete with back arching and his face turning beet-red. The nurse thought he might be gassy. Sure enough, after he spit up an epic amount and filled a diaper at the same time, he calmed down. It's really interesting in learning how he communicates his needs, discomforts and desires.
Rebecca and I spent another hour and a half with Xavier, then left to buy some more supplies for his immanent home-coming. We still needed a mattress for his crib, so we picked one up. We also picked up his "Travel System" which has the all-important car seat with it (we are hoping, and some of the nurses have advised us, that Xavier may not need a car bed after all. "Things can change fast," was one nurse's advice. "I suggest you wait until the day before taking him home before you buy a car bed.")
We also scoped out bassinets and bassinet systems as we are still trying to figure out Xavier's initial sleeping arrangements. We need to be clear on this because the oxygen supplier will set up our house based on our decisions. We are thinking Xavier needs to be in the room with mom and dad initially, at least while he is on oxygen.
Rebecca and I are also considering signing up for a "practice room" at the NICU. There are rooms there for parents to stay in over night to practice caring for their NICU baby in an environment where help is literally a shout or button-press away.
Always, we thank you for your prayers. It is so exciting as the day grows more near to bring Xavier home!
Our little man was loudly complaining, but once he got used to the bath water and got his pacifier, he quieted down and stopped squirming. How wonderful to see him without oxygen tubes and heart, blood and temperature probes attached to him! For Rebecca, this is a first to see him this unencumbered.
Xavier's first pants. When Penny, Rebecca's mom, was out here, and after seeing Xavier's size, she went shopping. Even now, these pants are too big, but he just graduated into a bigger diaper (a size too big for him, but they don't make a size in between and he was "blowing out" his smaller diaper and messing up his clothes). The bigger diaper fills out the pants, which are snugged up to his ribs. The little onsey is also something Grandma found. "Thanks, Grandma! I love the freedom these give my legs."