Ding-Dong, the G-Tube's Gone!

Yes. Yes. You aren't seeing things - this *is* the third post in March.

Oh, you meant the headline? (Of course you did!)

This was a potentially life-altering week for Isaak. On Monday, Bekka took him to UNC for what we thought was going to be a pre-op appointment with the surgeon to schedule removal of the g-tube and closure of the stoma. Previously, there was evidence that the gastric mucosa (stomach lining, basically) was growing up and out of the stoma site. On this visit, they decided it wasn't and went ahead and pulled the tube!

This was/is very exciting.

It's also very messy.

You see, the closure process basically involves letting the stoma close on its own, much like an earring hole. During this process, Isaak still has to eat and drink...and this has a disturbingly frequent tendency to result in a mess. Daddy came up with a method to help control the mess - maxi pads taped to his stomach - but it's by no means 100% effective. We still get milk geysers when changing the dressing once in awhile...

The stoma site is slowly closing and already looks much better. It is supposed to close in 2-3 weeks (!?!). Sometimes we think doctors don't quite know what we have to deal with at home...

In other news, we had a visit at Duke Eye Center last week. This visit was not nearly as exciting as the UNC visit because the news was not all good. Isaak's right eye still looks great, but the left has developed new issues. There is a bit of new bleeding and also some sort of lipid deposits around the macula. To add to the concern, the pressure is elevated in the eye whereas it had previously been fine. Sooooo....we have another appointment at Duke on April 11 to reevaluate the pressure levels and sometime soon after Isaak will have yet another exam under anesthesia. It's possible (possibly even likely) that Isaak will require further surgical intervention in the eye. We certainly hope not, but we'll go with it day by day.

In the meantime, this is the first time we've had a cordless little boy since Ollie was 7 months old. This is significant for us on so many levels. It really hasn't fully sunk in yet and probably won't until we no longer have to have bandages/maxi-pads on his tummy.

There is so much more to discuss regarding their development and new-found ability to say dadadadadadadadadee, but that will have to wait for another post - perhaps the post that will have the epic video of attempted green bean feeding. (Hint: it did not go well)

I can leave you with a few numbers this evening: Both kids are basically 28 inches long. Penny weighs a tick over 21lbs and Isaak a little over 20. Such a long, long way from 1lb 7 and 1lb 11 and under a foot long.

What is amazing is how deep they both are into the "normal" baby growth curve. Penny is sitting right at the 50th percentile while Isaak is around the 25th. If you adjust for their prematurity, Penny is over 90% and Isaak over 50. Amazing little guys.

Picture Time! - Late Winter 2011 Collection

Here it is. What everyone has been waiting for. Hundreds of pictures of your favorite cuties!

Just click on Ollie or the pic below and be whisked away to the gallery.

Update: New video here. (Man have I got to get some video editing software. Lots of good stuff of the kiddles to chunk together, but everything free is terrible).

In other news, since I'm sure everyone will be wondering just how big they are:

Isaak: 18lbs 12oz and 27"
Penny: 19lbs 12oz and 27.25".

Amazing.

Pretty soon they will be outgrowing their infant car seats!

Have a great Sunday!

Let's roll, Mama!

All Better Now (Mostly)

We've received several inquiries as to everyone's health and I'm happy to report we are all significantly improved (and none too soon!).

Penny also wound up on antibiotics, but it appeared to be the right move as she responded very quickly and is probably the healthiest of us all. Isaak and I still have residual congestion (he was really hit hard by this thing). I'm the last to get better, and now that I'm through the dizziness that apparently accompanies the end of the illness, I feel much much better. Bekka got better a couple of days before me, also experiencing dizzy spells. I can only imagine what went through baby brains if they had the same experience. It might explain some of the additional yakking.

We are so thankful that Penny is feeling better. Isaak became ill and basically just wanted to sleep a lot. He was clingy and miserable, but otherwise pretty normally behaved. PenPen on the other hand - she didn't want to be alone - ever - including nighttime. She spent all or part of 5 nights in bed with us. Any attempt to lay her down in her own bed resulted in wailing a bobcat would've been proud of.

The last 3 nights have been comparative bliss as both have slept through and woken up to be happy babies again ;)

I haven't had congestion-induced baby vomit in my pants pocket for 5 days now. You know that has to be an improvement ;)