Cuddles

I had 4 more cuddles today. 6 if you count Mummy and Daddy's. My Great Aunty Andrea, My Great Uncle Terry, Grandma Felicity and Great Grandma. I loved them all, I even beeped a lot with delight. I was awake throughout the whole lot too, I even looked at Grandma Felicity!

Mummy's clever; well, actually it's me who's clever. My vapotherm flow came down from 5.5 to 5 the other day... today though it was on 4.5; not because the doctor ordered it, but because my machine was changed and I think it just settled at 4.5. It was clever Mummy who spotted it so the nurse mentioned it to the doctor who said to keep it at 4.5 as I was coping so well. I always let them know when I'm up to the challenge; I always force the point when I think I'm able to sort myself out. I'll be on 'A' Side next week (well, we'll have to wait and see, that might be pushing myself too far too soon!). I've got proper cheeks when I've not tubes attached!

Hey, guess what... Grandma Pat's coming over from France tomorrow. She's visiting for the whole month of August... 'why?' you say... because she booked it ages ago as she thought that Mummy was going to have me on the 19th or maybe a bit before... Quite a lot before so it turned out, eh!

Well...

...quite a few bits and bobs have gone on over the last couple of days. I was not just cuddled by Grandpa Barry, but by Granny Annie too and yesterday Aunty Leone and Cousin Maxi cuddled me. I'm just waiting for Grandma Felicity to come along and cuddle me; he's chatted to me before and I've glanced at her (she still maintains that she hasn't seen me with my eyes open), but I'm waiting for the visit for a cuddle. There are loads of other cuddles that I'm looking forward to having, Grandma's, Grandad's, Great Uncles and Great Aunts, Uncle's, Aunts and Cousins; friends too - come on everybody, come to see me - all you have to do is arrange it with Daddy and Mummy (they sometimes forget to ask as they're busy), but if you'd like to cuddle me then just say so, I love it!

I'm 3 months old today - that's 13 weeks. I've come an awful long way haven't I?! I'm 4lbs 11.8oz's which is 2150g's. My breathing has 'improved' or at least my flow rate is now 5 instead of 5.5, this is the number of litres of air that is used to put the 'pressure/flow' into my nose per minute; oxygen is added to this and it's around 25% - 30%, don't forget that air is around 21.4%.

My milk is still yummy and I'm having 15ml's per hour (it was higher at 17ml's per hour but I was chubbing up too quickly). For two days in a row I've breastfed from Mummy and have had a little milk, I'm getting quite good and did a whole 20 minutes with only a few rests. I'll have to be on total sucking feeds before I go home (whether breast or bottle - I like boobies so I'll bagzee that one).

I've had eye tests for a while, they started off at every other week, over the last two weeks they've been every Monday, so today was no exception. I have a condition called Retinopathy of Prematurity. This is to do with the blood vessels in my eyes. I don't quite understand it properly and neither does Mummy who spoke to one of the doctors today; it's something to do with these vessels and scar tissue... the Opthalmologist will do another test on Monday next week and will chat to Mummy and Daddy then. Either my eyes will get better on their own or I'll have to have laser treatment once or twice... this will be OK as my eyes will be fine either way.

I've yet to have a hearing test. I flinch a bit when the bin lid falls or when someone sneezes or clanks around in my room. The normal beeping sounds don't stir me and I'm used to quite a lot of background noise and of people talking. I do get jumpy at some sounds, so I'm quite sure that I can hear things. A test will be done in a few weeks time - I'll let you know what they do and if I'm OK.

Oh yes... I've grown out of my first baby grows. My 'up to 3lbs' suits don't fit any more... I'm wearing 'up to 5lbs' suits with the sleeves rolled up!

Bathtime continued... (cos it was sooooo exciting)

Hairwash...




Don't look at my bits!








Nice and snug with Champ after a warm cuddle with Daddy.

BATH TIME...!

My lovely nurse decided that it was definitely time for me to have a bath. I was pongy as I'd wee weed all the way up my front, onto my body suit and all over my bed! She filled my baby bath with nice warm water and then Mummy put some of the lovely organic mandarin bubble bath in to make bubbles. My legs went in first, then my bum and then I got a nice splash of warm water on my body, ooooooo it was heaven. I even had a lovely hair wash, my head was covered in fluffy bubbles and I loved every minute. I didn't even cry!



I now smell delicious and can't wait for my next bath. Daddy will wash me and dry me and put cream on my bum and a nice new nappy and a clean baby grow. I might even get some nice talcum powder. Then I'll go to sleep as it's quite an aerobic exercise having a bath; after having a cuddle of course!

Pass the parcel...

It was great, I had lots of cuddles today, Grandpa Barry held me for the first time, he came all the way from East Leake (very near Nottingham) to see me with Grannie Annie, ahhh how nice to be cuddled. I was a very good boy. Auntie Steph and Mathias came too and they all went for a slap up lunch, without me!

They even went to the pub later in the evening (they've just got home - I've tagged them!) and all of the lovely people at the pub want to hold me; I'll make sure that I've had a bath by then and that I wear a clean body suit.

I'm on a diet... they've reduced my feed to 16ml's per hour as I'm chubbing up too much too soon... I put on 84g's last night, that means I'm 2100g's = 4lbs 10oz's - I say it again... WOWZERS! Mummy says that I've got all 4 cheeks in the right place and that they're all gorgeous!

Busy day today

I got up, went downstairs, put the kettle on and an egg in a saucepan to boil, made some toast... ate breakfast, got dressed, went for a walk...

You know I'm fibbing... I woke up, got fed and went back to sleep. I woke up, got fed and went back to sleep. I woke up, got fed and went back to sleep. Mummy and Daddy arrived; I woke up, got fed, got cleaned and into a fresh vest and baby grow and stayed awake for a while.

Aunty Steph and Mathias arrived from Germany, that's ages away Mummy says. They coochiecood me for a bit and Mummy let me out for a play. Aunty Steph held me close and tickled me under my chin. She stroked my face and said nice things to me. She's coming back tomorrow with Mathias, Grandpa Barry and Granny Annie. We're going to have a party! Well, I can't see them all at the same time, but that's OK for now, I'll just wait until I go home for my party.

Daddy and Mummy have been looking at pushchairs today - or should I say 'travel systems'. They all do the same thing, which is hold me but in different ways and they all cost millions of pounds. They've got it down to a choice of two... a Loola and a Quinny Buzz. I don't care which as long as I'm compfy and safe.

Aunty Steph bought me some lovely things; a play mat/duvet, a set of baby clothes including a baby grow, a top and a pair of jeans, a fleecy soft hooded jacket and some stretchy socks - I'm a lucky boy!

Other than that I've been delightful. My food tube came out so I got a bigger one... this is waht I look like without anything on my chinny-chin-chin, it's nice and smooth really and apparently makes me look cute (whatever that means). The nurses think I'm lovely, they say that I'm chubbing up nicely. I still like to call them over from time-to-time; they take a look at me, chat to me and then go away again, they're busy ladies but they've always got time for me.

I don't get out much...

Mummy and Daddy are always going out. They're getting all of the going out they can possibly cram in, in before it all stops when I get home; which we don't know when this will be. However, when they've been out in Oxford or when they travel past it on their way home, they pop in to see me, which I think is great.

I would normally report on the weight I've gained tonight tomorrow - however... I'm now 2016g's!!! That's 4lbs 7ozs; good gracious Mummy says (in various different words), it's unbelievable to think of how tiny I was. I'm still on 17ml's per hour on hourly feeds, which might change to two-hourly feeds by the end of the week (that's not two feeds per hour... it's a feed every two hours...).

Aunty Steph's coming to see me tomorrow, she thinks I'm beautiful; I'd best behave myself!

Yummy...

I haven't even had a bath yet, but yummy yum, I hope the girlies find me this tasty...

Every hour on the hour...

17ml's per hour, with a little bit of Gaviscon after 10ml's to take off the edge of any indigestion when I've got a full tummy. I get a bit irritable when digesting my milk and I make my machine beep a lot, so this should help; they give it to a lot of babies when they have hourly feeds. Even after all of this food, I still only put on another 11g's overnight... so now I'm teetering on the edge of 2kg's at 1986g's (about 4lbs 6oz's).

Mummy spent most of the day with me. My friends Allison and Ian came to see me. They're lovely because Allison just tells me I'm beautiful and holds my hand and looks at me a lot and Ian likes cars, he likes Ferrari and he knows all about diesel engines, just like the one my Daddy's friend Jim broke when he drove through some water and it went in his engine, oopsy daisy!

I had a nice long cuddle with Mummy, she gave me another breast feeding lesson and then put me on her lap; the lights were bright so teddy kept me in the shadows. I was out for about 2 hours and enjoyed every minute. I hope to get out and play again tomorrow.

Showing off

to my GA (Great Aunty) Vallie as Mummy did my cares with her and boy did I let one rip! I managed to poop into my old nappy just as they were changing it to a new one; Daddy heard it from the other side of the room! I even had a go at sit-ups!

The plastic fantastic man came to see me today; well, he came to see my left hand so that he was sure it gives me no jip, Daddy was here and asked a few questions, but they're going to leave it as it is for a bit until I've grown a bit more.

Mummy went to see Harriet and her Mummy... have a look at Mummy holding Harriet. I'm a bit jealous that it wasn't me, but it will be soon... http://www.harriethowell.blogspot.com/ . Mummy was going to put the piccie on my blog, but she though that you should be introduced to my girlfriend... she's a real cutie pie!

I put on a measly 11g's last night so I'm 1975, I'll let you know what I am tomorrow, hopefully 2kg's! I'm quite liking my hourly feeds but I am desaturating a bit, which means that the level of oxygen in my blood dips down fleetingly - I need to get to grips with this... Mummy's got some hair grips... will they help?

Mummy's miffed

and so am I. Two words... NO BATH! There are nurses... and there are nurses... I had one of those nurses... just doing her job and I wasn't totally behaving myself if I'm honest...

I'm not as miffed as Mummy as I don't think I'd have liked a bath anyway, it's a bit too 'clean' for me. Mummy just wanted to be able to coochiecoo me and wash me; not that it's essential, but she wanted to be closer to me and to do what Mummy's do, after all, normal babies have had lots of baths by now.

Anyhow... to make up for it, after Grandma Felicity's birthday bash, really late (1am), Daddy and Mummy popped in to see me! How cool is that!!! They even did my cares and changed my baby grow. My lovely nurse weighed me and I've put on 11g's, I'm now 1975g's. You might think that my maths is bad as for some reason the numbers don't quite add up with other weights that I've been told... but Daddy and Mummy saw it with their own eyes... 1975g's.

I'm on hourly feeds now and I'm liking it! 16ml's per hour all in one go. Mummy thought that I wouldn't get this far until my breathing's a bit better, but that's pretty samey at the mo so something else must improve,,, my breathing's a bit slower to get better.

I will have a bath soon though, just you wait and see!

Keeping clean...

...has been quite difficult for me since I came out of Mummy's tummy. I've had 'cares' done and you know what those are... just a bit of gauze dipped in tepid water that's all cold by the time it's put on me, wiped over me and that's that; well... I'm going to have my first bath! Daddy thought that Mummy was silly when the first things she bought for me recently was some body wash and bubble bath... her fabulous sense of what's important now means that I'll smell like chamomile and mandarin soon. I'm not going for one of those spa baths or a jacuzzi, just a standard bubble bath sounds the ticket... I'll let you sneak a peak of my wee body in it's full glory of being all lathered up and fresh; I'm gonna smell good!

It's Daddy's birthday today (Saturday) - I got him a card that said 'Fabulous Daddy' on it - that's because he is...

I put on 84g's yesterday so I'm 4lbs 4oz's and am on 16mls per hour of the creamy nectar that Mummy makes. My oxygen requirement has been a little more than I'd hoped but I'm working on that one.

I'll see you tomorrow, be prepared to cover your eyes! As snug as a bug in a rug...

Water

There's a little bit in my lung area, which means that my diuretic has been increased to the ratio I can have given that my weight has gone up a bit... not a lot 16g's, but my milk is now 15.4ml's per hour...

Mummy's not around to supervise me using the computer tonight... she's gone to look at our bigger house which has a bit of water in it... Long Compton is a bit of a wash out... our small house is 'A' OK but the other one, which needs oodles of work on it has a couple of inches of water in it... they say that it's just as well that I came out early otherwise if they'd have done the house up, it'd have been a nightmare as it would have all been ruined... nothing's been been badly damaged since there wasnt much in it... i think it just looks fun to splash about in! hehehe.... heres my cousin Trissy playing in his big puddle.


I'm OK though. I just sleep and enjoy my kisses and cuddles... Until tomorrow morning I bid you goodnight... xxxxxxxxxxxx

Chicken Pox

Don't worry I haven't got it; but a little boy who came to visit his brother who was in the same room as me has got it... At the time he came to visit there was no sign of it; but after a day or two, his Mummy told the special care nurses of his rash... so the whole room of babies have had to have a jab so they don't get it... that includes me. That would just be the icing on the cake; arrive 16 weeks early and 11.5 weeks in get chicken pox!

It's official... I'm 4lbs! 1833g's! Next step 2kilos, I reckon I'll be there on Tuesday - 'place your bets please' so they say.

I was awake for a whole 2 hours this afternoon/evening. Daddy and Mummy came to see me a bit later today and when they arrived I woke up. They did my cares and played with me for a bit. Mummy gave me another breast feeding lesson, which I enjoyed and even when I went back to bed I stayed awake for a bit. Then they gave me my pacifier (dummy) and I drifted off into a peaceful sleep, and have been sleeping deeply for quite a while; tomorrow will come quicker if I sleep zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

Cheeky Monkey....

Teetering on the edge...

3lb's 15.8oz's... 0.2oz's away from 4lbs... however I've done 3 rather large nappy fulls of doodooz (one of which went all over the place including Mummy and my beeper machine!). With this in mind, I'd be amazed if I've put any weight on... but we'll see!

I've needed a tinsy winsy bit more oxygen, that's only because I've been more active; that was before my doodoo though so I think I was making it at the time and was a bit irritable.

Mummy's getting good at lifting me up to cuddle me, I'm getting good at nuzzling too. We had a great time this avo and I fell asleep after a while. She even changed my beeper leads and put me back in my cot before I'd noticed anything.

Mummy went to 'the other side' today. She's checking out where I'll be going... well, not exactly, she went to see Harriet and her Mummy. Harriet's breathing totally on her own, she's ever so lovely, she wears pink clothes and just lays and stares at her Mummy... she's good at nuzzling too.

Silly billies!

Mummy and Daddy are durrs! They left their camera here in my bed, so there's no new piccies of me from today, what a shame! You'll just have to look at a couple more from yesterday...

Nothing fundamental has gone on today. I lost 34g's which means that I'm now 1766g's, about 3lbs 14oz'z or thereabouts. The docs changed my flow down to 5, but I got a bit miffed and started to beep, so they put me back up to 5.5... I'm still breathing air though; at 5 my oxygen requirement went up, no great shakes, but they prefer me on air rather than lower flow.

Mummy has been looking at nappies for me. She didn't realise that there are zillions of different ones, she didn't think that bums could be so different. Talking of which; mine's started to pad out a bit now, I now have bum cheeks - they made a big noise when I let some air out!

Uhoh, where's my face and ears gone...

Phewey, found them!