A Note on Videos

So apparently PicasaWeb is bad for videos.

Very bad.


See update for details.

I didn't verify the green bean video upload last night, and checking it out today, I've found that the audio is very choppy. Apparently this is a known issue when uploading higher quality video.

A search of the Google forums suggests that the solution is YouTube (way to go Google!), and I'm going to do what anyone with really cute twins would do and upload all the videos there. This makes sense in a lot of ways as YouTube is designed to handle big HD files like I'm producing and is also much much more easily accessible from mobile devices. We've wanted to show videos several times on phones and haven't been able to get Picasa to work so this will take care of that.

I've just started the upload process of the 4 videos currently on the website and hope it will finish overnight. Once they are up, you can access them via the channel I've set up at the following URL:

http://www.youtube.com/user/sooner1997

We will also create a link specifically to go to video from the front-page of the blog.

All the photos will still live at the PicasaWeb site as it is by far the best I've used for photo purposes. So follow the above link sometime in the morning and see what is to be seen in video land. I've made the vids public for the moment, but we will see how that goes.

Thanks for your patience.

UPDATE:
Everything should be up and running on YouTube now. Some of you may have tried the green bean video this morning and discovered that it was still choppy. Turns out the issue wasn't really with PicasaWeb (as YouTube and PicasaWeb are both owned by Google and appear to use the same rendering engine) but with the way Google deals with the uploads of AVCHD files and certain settings in those files. Essentially, the file was being doubled in length and the audio was being chopped up to try to fit. Seems to be an issue with 60fps video. This issues has been going on for nearly two years and appears to be random. I changed formats and made a couple of other adjustments and all should be good now.

With this new info, I could probably still use PicasaWeb for the videos now that I have a handle on the issues, but I think the benefits of YouTube for accessibility are still there. Perhaps I will maintain both.

In fact, I just uploaded the new version of the video to PicasaWeb and it works great.

Don't forget that it's possible to subscribe to the blog, to the YouTube channel and to PicasaWeb so you will be notified of any updates or changes.

Penny and Isaak's Latest Feature Film

As promised a couple of weeks ago, here is the film of Penny and Isaak partaking of green beans the second time. Sound is a must, but the facial expressions speak for themselves.

From The Penny and Isaak Video Show

We also have 162 (!) photos in the March 2011 folder. Yes, that's a lot, but it cataloged important events like the first trip to Nana and Papaw's. They also seemed to have been inordinately cute last month. What could we do but snap hundreds of pictures ;)

Those photos can be found here:

Penny and Isaak - March 2011

Enjoy!

Of Synagis, SICC and Many Cute Photos

I'm not sure this upside down stuff is such a good idea, bro...

Last week was a big week for the munchkins.

• They turned 7 months old (real age)
• They turned 16 weeks old (adjusted age))
• They got their second Synagis shot for RSV prevention 
• They also got a flu booster (takes two shots at such young ages)
• They went to the (unfortunately named) SICC (Special Infant Care Clinic) at WakeMed
• Isaak had a very good visit with the gastroenterologist
• They both got cuter somehow

That's a lot of stuff for such little guys.

Let's start with the SICC. This was their second visit to this clinic at WakeMed. It's a one stop shop for preemie care where we get to meet with a neonatologist, developmental specialist and physical therapist to evaluate the development trend of both of the little guys. This is above and beyond the regular pediatrician visits and is focused more on specific preemie problems. Early intervention is the name of the game for preemies.

Penny's evaluation was almost boring. She needs a bit more tummy time and additional stretching.

Isaak's was more complicated but overall still positive. He has a tendency to look and pull to his left. We think it's because of the vision issues related to the partially detached retina (and therefore only having peripheral vision in his left eye). Regardless, we are going to have him evaluated for physical therapy so we can avoid major issues down the road. It's very important to nip these issues early so skeletal and muscular development are minimally impacted.

They both are growing spectacularly. Depending on which scale Penny was on last week, she weighed between 14lb 6oz and 14lb 10oz. She was also 24.5" long. All told, she was around the 90th percentile based on an adjusted age of 16 weeks. Needless to say, that is reallllly good for preemies. Isaak weighed in around 13lb 5oz and was 24" long. That put him between the 55th and 60th percentile on all the pertinent measurements. We have no complaints that our little guy who had over half his small intestine removed is growing that well. Amazing.

So that leads to the surprisingly good GI appointment. Bekka and I were prepared to go in fighting to try to get Isaak more oral feeds and off of TPN as quickly as possible. It had become quite apparent over the last two months that 2oz at a time was just not getting it done from an Isaak satisfaction or parental sanity standpoint. An hour and a half after eating, little guy was starving and screaming (I'll have to see if we can't film the Legendary Isaak Squeal(tm) one day and post that bad boy).

In the first 30 seconds of the visit, the doctor disarmed us completely: He walked in and basically said: "Wow. His weight is great, his bloodwork is continuing to improve so why don't we try this: We'll start ad lib feeds immediately and see how he does with those. In a week, if everything is going well, we'll cut his TPN in half and a week after that if it's still going well, we'll stop it. We'll leave the broviac in for another month just in case".

Our jaws hit the floor. He pretty much handed us everything we were looking for in those few moments AND he thought Isaak was doing very well. Yay!

Friday, Bekka took them to get their Synagis shot and flu booster. You can follow the link above, but Synagis is essentially a shot full of antibodies against RSV. RSV is one of the most dangerous bugs small children with compromised lungs or immune systems can get. That is also why we will be increasingly antisocial as the winter drags on and won't even be able to take the kids to the big family Christmas gatherings.

Yes, it's that serious.

Getting sick can easily lead to pneumonia for preemies as their lungs aren't usually caught up to full term kids until almost two years of age. Check this PDF out. What that means is no big gatherings for the kids and minimal contact with children ourselves and with parents of preschool age kids. Among others, this is a prime reason Bekka will be staying at home caring for the kids at least a couple of years. They stay fragile for some time and the risk in daycare is far greater for them than full term babies.

So that pretty much caps off November and early December. Our next big date is December 9 when Isaak goes back for an eye checkup at Duke Eye Center. They will be putting him under for this so they can get a really detailed look and in case they need to perform any additional procedures. Wish him well!

In the meantime, you can entertain yourselves with the newly uploaded videos for this month and a slew of photos.

UPDATE: All photos now with 45.3% more snark in the captions :) Just didn't have the time earlier.

Laughter really is the best medicine

Especially baby laughter!

From The Penny and Isaak Video Show

Lots more photos plus doctor updates coming soon! (Tomorrow?) In the meantime, enjoy this bit of baby cuteness. Sound is a must!

SMA Featured on CBS' The Early Show

CBS' The Early Show segment, In Your Genes, this morning featured a family affected by SMA.  The couple lost their second child, a daughter, to SMA when she was just three weeks old.  When they decided to try to have another child, they chose to undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) and preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

I have contacted our local CBS affiliate regarding our story.  My hope is that we can increase awareness of SMA and carrier testing as well.

Cross your fingers!     

Bekka's Interview on the 2009 MDA Telethon in Raleigh

Hooray!

You can now see my (short) interview from the 2009 MDA Telethon.

(Thank you to Cathy, Rich and Neil for doing all the behind-the-scenes stuff necessary to post it online.)

Ollie's Tale

Today is another day without our little Ollie-bear. We have candles burning all over the porch in his and all the other SMA Angels' honor.

So many asked for it, I've posted Ollie's slideshow at Picasa:

The music is by Renee and Jeremy and the album "It's a Big World". We highly recommend their stuff. It's so fresh and beautiful.

There are also new pictures from last month so feel free to explore those. I'm going to be burning DVDs that are playable in regular players after a little tweaking and I'll be able to make a copy for anyone that wants it.

This one has to be just right.