A Visit to Children's Hospital..We just couldn't stay away!

Peyton is doing so amazingly well, but none-the-less, a trip to Children's was part of the plan. Sunday night, while I was giving Peyton his meds and bottle, he became brady. Now, this isn't something new as it happened many times in the NICU and a few times when we first came home, but he decided he was going to become VERY brady and make the recovery slow. I couldn't get him out of it and he became non-responsive. He turned many different colors and became limp. Once I realized I couldn't stimulate him, I started to put him on the floor to perform CPR. But as I did so, he started to come to, but was very pale still and was definitely not getting the oxygen he needed. I raced with him to his room where we had his Oxygen and while I was hooking him up, John called 911 and Andrew grabbed the monitor and helped me hook him up to get some numbers. Right away we got really low O2 and heart rate numbers. Interestingly enough, we brought up the oxygen, but his heart rate refused to come up. He was hanging around the 70's and 80's and anyone with infants knows, that's not good. First the fire department came, then an ambulance. The EMT's were there watching me as we finally got his heart rate a little higher. We decided a trip to Children's to evaluate him was called for. We loaded the ambulance. On the way, Peyton decided he wasn't quite through scaring us. His heart rate continued to dip and soon we found ourselves making the trip with sirens and lights. As soon as we got to Children's Peyton's heart rate returned to a normal rhythm and then the tests began..... To make a long story short, Peyton was admitted and doing much better. We think he probably aspirated and started a chain of events...including going back on Oxygen for a day or so. Having been intubated for such a long time in the NICU has given Peyton Chronic Lung Disease which made the situation worse. He is going to have a swallow test tomorrow to see if that can answer any questions. He's taking a nap right now as I'm typing. Part of me thinks he schemed to visit all his friends at Children's!

Sunday Morning

When you have a little one, you can't take anything for granted and everything needs planning. Finding the opportunity to take a quick shower is even hard! I have to make sure it is between feedings, naps, and even my pumpings! And then, of course, I have to bring Peyton into my bathroom on his bouncer and peek every few minutes to see what he's doing. Today, I was going to take a quick shower when Brother Andrew, decided he wanted to babysit. He persuaded me that he could watch Peyton while I took my shower. At first I said no, but then after Andrew insisted he could do it and I could trust him, I relented and said, "Ok, but call me if he spits up or becomes upset." Andrew promised and I raced off for my shower. When I came back, I laughed so hard. Andrew had Peyton set up to play Play Station 2. He had a controller on his bouncer and faced toward the T.V. Andrew even gave him a book about trucks if he got bored. Andrew planned to have Peyton "play" while he made his bed. I think the funniest thing, was Peyton was so happy to be there with Andrew and kept smiling. What was I even worried about? :)

"He's so tiny!" It's all in perspective...

Following the adivce of our neonatalogist and pediatrician, we have sheltered Peyton in our home since he came home two months ago. Being a micropreemie has compromised his lungs (although they are healing very well!) and has made him a little more vulnerable to those "cooties" outside. Our only trips out have been to the doctor's and Grandma's house once a week. With that being said, Peyton has not really seen a lot of people yet. Now that I am starting to bring him out, everyone is fascinated by our guy and marvels at his progress. Some met Peyton when he was in an incubator....discolored and fragile. Yet, everyone says the same thing, "He's sooo tiny!" Peyton is about the size of a newborn, but that is gigantic to us! He will take awhile to catch up we know, but he has come a loooong way. He has almost doubled in length and weighs a "hefty" 8 pounds 6 ounces. Considering he is 6 months old on paper, he's super tiny, but then again, remembering he was born at 15 oz and was shorter than a ruler, I'm proud of my little guy. Most importantly, he's healthy and happy!

Mother's Day....A Lifetime Commitment

I couldn't wait for this day...
I understand that a mother's love and strength is tremendous, but wow, has this been a year. A year ago our family was smaller and unsuspecting of all that we were about to experience. We were dreaming of having a baby, but Peyton hadn't quite made his debut yet. It wasn't until June that we found out about Peyton, Patrick, and Paige. We had the blessing of having triplets join our family for a day. Even though now we have two angels in Heaven and a surviving triplet at home with us, I am thankful for the babies that I carried in my body and will forever carry in my heart.
When I think about motherhood, I think of everything that it entails..... making school lunches, playing endless games of the board game aggravation, watching a "cool" move on a video game, paying for prom night tickets, waiting on pins and needles for a text saying "I made it to Grandma's" from a teen driver with wheels, taking a shot from a pellet gun that just arrived after a much anticipated wait of a 16 year old who worked hard to earn it, saying prayers at night, reading lots and lots of books,...and then of course, sitting hours and hours in a NICU room, touching my baby while I sang and prayed. Motherhood is the best thing in the world, and yet the pains of failure on the part of my kids or myself stings. How many times have I told a child to wash his hands after dinner? How many times have I told you to put away your dish after eating and not put it in the sink for me to put in the dishwasher later? How many times have I told you to pick up those tissues off the floor and hang your towel after a shower? How many times have I wanted to do the best and heard myself yelling too quickly, being too critical, expecting too much? Motherhood is not something you can accomplish in a day, a month, a year, or even 18 years....it's something you are always working on for a lifetime. Knowing all this....sign me up. I wouldn't trade it for the world.

First Night in His Big Boy Crib

Since birth, Peyton has been on some kind of monitor. He had many "wires" attached to him during his early days. He had a temperature probe, leads, a ventilator, (later just oxygen), a saturation probe, an NG tube, a pic line, an IV line..... you get the picture. As Peyton became stronger and passed his many hurdles, one by one, we've taken away his many lines. His latest accomplishment....He has been off oxygen for about three weeks now and we are finally enjoying the freedom of a wireless baby! I can actually walk from room to room with him! He accompanies me as I make the beds in the morning and gather the laundry, etc. I can even change his diaper in his room on the changing table. Up until we took off the nasal canula, we were confined to the living room where we had everything set up like a mini hospital. He could only go as far as the length of his oxygen wiring and sat monitor. Being a wireless baby also means that Peyton can now sleep in his crib in his room. Last night was the first night he slept in his crib! It was exciting to see his little body so cozy in his "Big Boy Crib". Of course, I made a bed right beside him and slept there inches away from his monitor, but it was a huge step! Each day, my little miracle baby takes a tiny step and makes our hearts swell with pride!