I'm ONE month old!

Hudson Happenings:

1. Hudson in the last 24 hours only had one brady.  It happened this morning when his nurse was positioning him.  She said he just needed some extra oxygen and stimulation.  Doctors and nurses all reassure us that this is very very common for his age/prematurity.
2. He did so well on his digestion that they are giving him more food!  They were gradually working him up each feeding to be on "full feeds" at 2am:)  Granted, full feeds will continue to change as he gains weight.
3. Speaking of weight...lil man shrank!  He weighed in at 3lbs 4oz today.  Which is common because yesterday he went off the iv fluids.  So they are increasing his food and they are adding extra calories to everything they give him.  He'll be a lil chunk in no time!  
4. He did very well all day on his oxygen and for a better part of the day was on 21% oxygen, which is room air!  So the doctors are going to continue to monitor it and make adjustments to decrease the cpap settings.
5. Best of all we (Hudson and Mommy) snuggled!  While we were snuggling Daddy came in to the module!  Ben started talking and Hudson's eyes were open the second he heard his Daddy's voice.  He looked at him for a few seconds and then went back to snoozing.  It definitely made Ben's day!
6. When I put him back from snuggle time, it was hands on care time.  The nurse let us do his care with the sides down...which meant Daddy participated fully...except the poo bag (he won't go near it).  Today was officially the day where Ben changed Hudson's first diaper...every time I'd try to help Ben would tell me "I've got this!"  

Needless to say...it was a great day!  Lots of reflection on where we've come in the last month!!!  Hudson is now one of the "old timers" in his module.  Doctors are very pleased with his "lovely progress" over the past month as one of them said today in rounds.

And it wouldn't be a Mommy blog entry if there weren't at least a few pictures:)  Enjoy our ONE month old:)  

"I could really go for some food to actually be on the other end of my pacifier!" - Hudson

"So this is what one month old feels like...this baby thing is a piece of cake!  Hmmm, cake flavored milk sounds good!!!!" - Hudson 

NICU DAY 30

(I've had two friends send me texts with the picture above...one from a TX airport and the other from a Chicago airport...who knew Hudson News would be nationwide)

1. Oxygen needs were in the mid 20's today!
2. PICC line removed!!!  No more TPN or clear fluids.
3. Digesting and Tolerating his food well.  He's getting extra calories added to his milk since he is no longer doing the tpn or clear fluids.
4. Got snuggles today! (kangaroo care)
5. Hudson is quite the charmer...he is all smiles any more!
6. His Grandma and Great Grandma came to visit him today, he was wide awake for them...probably because it was right after his hands on care time and he is always wide eyed for that!  
7. I read him all of his books today, 8 or so and it was funny because when I was reading the Dora book he opened his eyes and I was showing him the pictures.  It was a book about finding Boots candy that had been swiped by non other than Swiper!  They had to go through the spooky forest and through the pumpkin patch before making it to the haunted house where they found Swiper dressed as a ghost!  
8. He got his poo bag changed today because it had...sprung a leak!  Let me just say...ewww!  He was one stinky boy!
9. It's days like today that I wonder who he is related to because he lost weight again.  He keeps dancing around between 3lbs 5.5oz and 3lbs 6oz.  He can't wear clothes until he is 3lbs 8oz. 
10.  Oh, and since yesterday was the "go cardinals" post...I was telling Hudson that they won last night!  I went on to tell him about his Auntie Sazabeth going to give him a talking to about this Cardinals nonsense and he smiled.  Not that I needed confirmation...but just one more thing he has done to confirm he is JUST like his Daddy!

Memories from today:)

"I'm going to be a Respiratory Therapist when I grow up, I know how to adjust my own tube" - Hudson 

"And making sure I've got a good seal so I don't need so much oxygen!" - Hudson

"Go ahead Mommy, last picture with my picc line.  I'll even strike a pose:)" - Hudson

"Snuggle time with Mommy!  My favorite part of the day!" - Hudson

"I also get to drool on someone besides myself!  Mommy loves it though, she told me!" - Hudson

"Phew, what a day!  I think I'll just kick back, relax and let the tube feed me!" - Hudson

Go Cardinals!

Hudson Highlights:

1. His chest xray looked good!
2. Because his chest xray showed he still had lots of air on his belly they switched him from SiPAP to CPAP.  Overall by the end of the day he seemed to be doing really well:)
3. He gained another 1/2 ounce!!!  He's now 3lbs 6oz
4. He was still on 18ml over 90minutes for feedings every 3 hours, but finally with his 5pm care he had digested all the food!!!  If that continues he'll get more food tomorrow...you can tell he's hungry because he's grasping at anything to put into his mouth.  He loved his pacifier today!
5. Not so much of a highlight, but today was the residents last day on his rotation...and Hudson was his first case his first day on the job so he stopped by and looked him over real good and wished us the best.  
6. He was on 25% to 27% oxygen the majority of the day. Mainly on cpap.
7. He got his bedding changed, he's now laying on a football field!
8. Hudson and I snuggled!  I was holding him at 12:29 today...4 weeks from the exact time he was born.  Felt good to just hold him as I had a trip down memory lane from that day...
9. He likes the prongs better than his cpap mask...which is the opposite for most babies I'm told.
10. He wasn't nearly as fussy today...which I'm hoping that means he's starting to feel better!
11. One of my favorites from today...I told Hudson to look at me for a picture, his eyes closed tight.  I laughed and was telling the nurse I was trying to get a picture for his Daddy and wouldn't you know eyes were wide open looking around.  So, I got the picture I wanted to send Ben:) 

I love to tell Hudson about the shenanigans that are going outside the NICU...recently there has been quite a stir via mine and Ben's facebook where Hudson's Aunties:)  with what sports teams we all think he will cheer for.  Well, more than likely he'll be like his Daddy and be a Cubs fan...but  since they have no shot at going to the World Series I was telling Hudson how if the Cardinals win that his Great Aunt Sherry, Great Uncle Roger and his cousins were going to go to the world series and how cool would that be.  So Hudson and I snuggled on it and we decided we were going to be temporary cardinal fans!

Overall Hudson got lots of hugs, touches, kisses and loves today via me from all of you!

Hudson's photo shoot from today:)

"Have you ever seen a nurse magnet?  You have now!" - Hudson

"No more pictures unless you give me more food!  I want food so I can fill my wrinkles and wear clothes!" - Hudson

"When in doubt, my Mommy is always got her eye on me...does she think I can really escape?" - Hudson

"I've got to figure out a way to get this thing off my face without alarming!" - Hudson

"I got football bedding today!" - Hudson

"This is my first house, what do you think?  I'm renting, but the return on investment is worth it Daddy says!" - Hudson

"Did you say Daddy was here?" - Hudson

"I'm ready for my massage!" - Hudson

60 more days until December 17th...and lots of growing, maintaining, healing and giggles to happen in that time.  

Hugs & Slobbers,

Hudson

Hudson Happenings

"It's a preemie thing, don't let my size fool you!" - Hudson

I saw this saying recently and have heard it before too..."you will never truly understand something until it actually happens to you"

Well, I thought I understood what a BRADY was until I witnessed Hudson have two of them today.  I'm 30 but after today I feel like I've aged years.  I knew going in this morning that he had four more Brady's  during the night shift.  I knew the definition of a Brady, so therefore I thought I understood it.  Hudson was having a fairly decent morning, the doctors rounded and then he started getting really fussy.  He then proceeded to scream and carry on...I cupped his legs and arms and spoke softly for him to calm down...well he took me way too literal!  His alarm went off and I looked up and saw his heart rate had dropped and looked back and him and started rubbing his foot.  His heart rate came back up and then he did a repeat about 15 minutes later but needing more stimulation the next time.  He was fine for the rest of the day.  It was like he was so exhausted from crying and carrying on that he just needed a break from breathing and it happened. 

Highlights from today:

1. Hudson had gained a whole half ounce!  He's now 3 lbs 5.5 oz:)
2. He did get to do kangaroo care with me today for a little over 2 hours! 
3. Daddy came to hang out with Hudson this afternoon/evening!
4. His food was increased to 6ml.
5. To decrease the air on his belly, they are now feeding him every 3 hours over 90 minutes so the other time the air can escape through the feeding tube.
6. He was wide eyed today for long periods of time:)
7. He got 2 new books today!  Dora's spooky adventures and a Scooby Doo book.
8. His chest x-ray looked better than yesterday!
9. He got to pee on more cotton balls today!  (a part of the clinical study he is participating in)
10. He was either really gassy today or happy to his Mommy and Daddy today...I'm going with he was smiles at Ben and I:)

Hudson, Ben and I continue to take each day moment by moment and try not to get too far ahead of ourselves...because when we do...Hudson reminds us he's a preemie with a reality check!  But, nonetheless Hudson will be 4 weeks tomorrow and my goodness how far he's come!!!  He amazes us every day...

Thank you for your continued thoughts, prayers, emails, fb messages and cards!  I tell Hudson about the messages his "fans" send him and how much they love him!  He seems to like it when I talk to him about them...or maybe I just put him to sleep when I talk...either way thank you it really means a lot to us!

"Welcome to the life of a preemie"

"Welcome to the life of a preemie"

That was the phrase of today.  It is a common phrase that I've heard over the past 26 days, but was in stereo today!

Last night and early morning Hudson had six BRADY's.
((Definition of BRADYCARDIA (BRADY) - any decrease in the baby's heart rate below 100 beats per minute that lasts longer than 15 seconds and requires stimulation to correct.  It happens less often as the baby matures.))

This was unusual behavior for him, so the doctors looked at several different things.

• possible infection - they took blood culture and urine culture to see, they went ahead and started him on an antibiotic to be proactive.
• chest x-ray - his x-ray showed that his lungs weren't as expanded as the doctors would have liked to have seen so they made some adjustments to the machine he is on, so now he's getting more of a "SiPAP" instead of a "CPAP" to help him not work so hard and burn excess calories.

And then later this morning his nurse pulled the food off his stomach to see how he was digesting and he had 20ml in his stomach.  Which was not a good thing because he wasn't digesting like he needed to.  He was getting 9ml an hour and they check his stomach every 4 hours.  So he had just over 2 hours worth of food on his stomach.  The doctors stopped his feeding for 3 hours.  They resumed feedings at 3ml per hour.  But shortly after noon care his day nurse pulled the contents off his stomach and it was not the color we'd been used to seeing.  She paged for the doctor to come look at him.  One of the fellow's took a look at him, listened to his bowel sounds and poked around on his belly.  She said for the nurse to monitor him and if it continues or gets worse to let her know.  The doctor said that with the changes to his breathing machine, a possible infection or just his stomach had so much bile in it or a combination of them could cause the contents to be the color that they were.  Next two times the nurse did it, the color was still a little off but more normal to the usual.  Because they went down on his feeds they started him back on the TPN.  ((Definition of TPN (Total Parenteral Nutrition) - an IV solution (often yellow) that contains nutrients to help a baby grow.  TPN is used when a baby is not able, or is just starting to feed.))  They started him back on that because they need to give him extra calories so he doesn't exhaust himself with keeping his lungs open that he Brady's.

Hudson did gain weight again, he's back up to 3lbs 5oz. ((3 more ounces and he gets to wear clothes!))

Hudson and I also snuggled this afternoon.  He did really well with it today, so well we went a little over 3 hours:)  He did great and I wasn't about to let him go!  He kept scratching my chest like he was trying to grab on to something (and it hurt, he's a strong lil booger)...then I remembered...He'd been snuggling with Ben for the past 2 days so he's used to grabbing on to hair!  

Nonetheless, I heard throughout my time next to his bed today...this is the life of a preemie.

I have good days and not so good days with remembering to take pictures, eating, sleeping, etc.  So, enjoy a few of my memories from today:)

"Mommy, I've been thinking..." - Hudson

"I heard the doctors talking about an eye exam!?" - Hudson

"I love to look at you, nothing is wrong with my eyes Mommy!  SEE!" - Hudson

"I'm on top of the stars and surrounded by sports" - Hudson

"My uncle brett loaned me his blanket, I wonder if he'll loan me his car so I can get out of here" - Hudson

A rootin' tootin' good day!

Hudson went up on his food again today!  He was at 8ml this morning and if he tolerated that well at 10p tonight they'd up it to 9ml, which is "FULL" feeding for him!  They'll do that for a few days and then they will do every few hour feedings with him.  Hudson did lose an ounce since yesterday, but nothing to be concerned about since they took him off the TPN and increased his milk intake.  Baby steps...but soon enough we'll get some chunk on him!  We did bring in clothes for him, but today wasn't his day to wear them.  If he gets a few more ounces on him then he can wear them!

Hudson's stats for today...Sunday's are the only day they do the length and head measurements...
3 lbs 4 oz (weight)
15 1/4 inches (length)
11 3/4 inches (head)

Did you know Thanksgiving is 5 weeks away and Christmas is 10 weeks away?  I asked the Dr.  if everything is still going according to plan what the likelihood of Hudson be home for Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving is 5 weeks away and Hudson will be 36 weeks gestational age.  He told us not likely.  Typically what happens is when a baby is at 36 weeks and they are off respiratory care (cpap, vent, etc) then they'll introduce feeding with a bottle.  Some babies catch right on, some don't.  Plus he'd have his second surgery before we can go home too, and we don't know when that will be yet.  Depends on the surgeons.  So needless to say with Thanksgiving about 5 weeks away...we will still be camped out at Riley and not in Lafayette.  Christmas slightly more possible that we'll be in Lafayette.

Weekends have now become Manly Men Bonding Time!  At noon care Ben changed Hudson's diaper, I think Hudson could sense the fear in Ben's eyes so he wasn't as wiggly as normal.  We did the rest of his care.  Because of Hudson being on the CPAP he has a lot more air on his stomach and when you have air...you need to get rid of it, right?  Ben and I heard him toot into his poo bag today.  We cracked up!  We've been so fortunate to get nurses that are awesome with Hudson but are pretty good to us too.  The nurse said that Hudson has lots of air on his belly because of his cpap.  So every few hours she was taking the air off his stomach so he was more comfortable.  So Hudson had a rootin' tootin' good day!

A few of our memories from today:)

"Haha, Mommy caught you goofing around" - Hudson

"I so sleepy, didn't you see my do not disturb sign?" - Hudson

"I'm going to have to change my name and identity once I get out of here from all of these embarrassing pictures!" - Hudson

"I didn't gain any weight so they wouldn't put clothes on me...so instead they wrap me in a blanket.  That makes so much sense...or not!" - Hudson

Go out and make it a great week!

Daddy's Day!

Today Hudson is 24 days old!!!  I don't know who was more excited...Hudson or Ben!  This morning on our way over, I asked Ben if he was excited to get to hold Hudson and he was beaming from ear to ear.  His response to me..."Well DUH!"  After all, he's only waited 24 days!

Right after Hudson's noon care, the nurse got Ben all comfortable and then nestled Hudson onto Ben's chest.  The look of excitement and joy in Ben's face was priceless!  One of the first things out of his mouth was "he has a handful of hair", but soon Hudson settled and then Ben settled...we'll you can see for yourself:)

Who's an excited Daddy?  He is!!

"Daddy, why do you have hair on your chest?  Mommy doesn't" - Hudson

"Cover me up...it's COLD in the NICU today!" - Hudson

"I'm being a good boy looking at the camera like Mommy asked.  Why doesn't Daddy listen?" - Hudson

"Thankfully he listened to Mommy this time..." - Hudson

"I wonder if I'll have hair on my chest..." - Hudson

"I see a lot of Saturday afternoons in my future like this!" - Hudson

As you can see both Ben and Hudson enjoyed Kangaroo care today!  And to be able to do care, the deal is Hudson has to continue to gain weight.  Which he did!  He is now 3lbs 5oz.  They asked us if we had any clothes for him because at 3.5lbs they'd start dressing him.  Oh dear...sooner than we thought!  Which is a good thing!  So Ben and I went shopping.  We got him 4 outfits, they told us to not go overboard because he'll continue to grow and quickly grow out of them and need bigger.  ((We are doing his laundry as I type this post))  They showed Ben his growth chart and he's in the 50th percentile for his age.  They increased his food intake again today.

After Ben and Hudson time it was hair washing time for Mr. Hudson.  He was NOT a happy camper...as you can see:(

"What is going on?  I just want to go back to sleep!" - Hudson

"Where's my hat?!?  My head is cold!" - Hudson

"I should have known you had something to do with this Mommy! Why are you making my head wet?" - Hudson

"LEAVE ME ALONE" - Hudson

"Why?" - Hudson

"Are you done yet?" - Hudson

"AHHH the red nailed lady is going to swallow my face!!!" - Hudson

"Talk to the hand! And thank you for giving me my hat back!" - Hudson

"I told you I just wanted to go to sleep!" - Hudson

Gestational age, tomorrow Hudson will be 31 weeks!

Hudson has had amazing strides this week!  Prayers are being heard and God is ever present with Hudson.  Please keep him and his friends at Riley in your thoughts and prayers!  There are a LOT of families out there that would appreciate them!

And complete sidenote...but if you drink canned beverages that have a "pop tab"...Please save them!  Let me know when you get a good stash of them and I'll come pick them up from you or arrange to get them.  The Ronald McDonald House needs them!  This is a very small way that Ben and I want to give back to Ron's house!  So...if you have an office pop machine, put a collection cup/bucket for these.  I know Ben's co-workers are already at work collecting for us, and we Thank you for taking that extra step!  Let me know if you have any questions:)