Long overdue pics and an update!

The issue I have with blogger is that you have to import all your pics from the last to the first so these pics are all out of order. Most people it wouldn't bug, but for me, it drives me a bit crazy to think that they aren't in order of when they were taken. Call me silly, but it still gets to me a bit!

So I took the time to upload all the pics and I will just blog in between. The other "issue" is that you can't tell which pic is what when you are typing so you have to go back and forth to try to match up comments with pics.

Anyway...it really doesn't matter.




Lochlan saw Dr. Arthur this past Tuesday. He was impressed with our guy. He said his eyes were hugely improved!!! woo-hoo!!! So happy. He didn't really say how good they are but improved is good enough for me. I was trying to sneak a peek at his notes but I couldn't really understand "doctor scribble." I'm pretty sure that if there was any issues to be immediately concerned about that he would have said. Loch will go back two days before his birthday to get a closer look at his eyes. He won't need to have the clamp put over his eye but if he doesn't get a good look, than Lochlan will have to go under. Praying that isn't necessary.

Julie, from the infant development clinic came on Thursday. She thinks Lochlan is doing fabulous. (I agree) She will be following up once every few months to make sure things are on target. But she was impressed with our lil miracle.

New sounds have begun to emerge. It's so neat to hear all the little noises he makes. Although I do feel that he is behind in that regard. I know he'll get there but it is definitely one thing we are monitoring. He doesn't babble nearly as much as Abby did at his corrected age. But Abby has always been way ahead of the curve.



He has also been getting stronger physically. Able to lean forward and balance a bit on his hands while sitting up. (with mommy's support of course) It's just a matter of a few weeks I think before he's able to sit up on his own.

On Family Day (Feb 21st) we took Abby skating for the first time. What a hoot! So cute! I wish I could figure out how to post video because it's really something special to see.




And last but not least I must leave you with another Abbyism. Although it came from mommy first! Sometimes when I feel slightly overwhelmed with everyone needing me at once, I'll say, "Just hold the phone!" I don't know why, I just do. I'm sure I heard it somewhere before. But anyway, the cutest moment came the other day when Abby, Lochlan, and I were at my best friends and Lochlan and I left to go to the store to pick up a prescription and Abby stayed behind to play. Well when I got back, she raced down the stairs and said, "Mommy, JUST HOLD THE PHONE! Give me two more minutes. I'm just watching a show!" Or something like that. So funny and totally random.

Love that girl!

6 months home (and adjusted age)

Thursday February 17th

Wow. Six months have gone by since Lochlan came home. (Aug 16th) Today also marks the day, six months later that Lochlan should have been due. (August 17th)

He is really doing incredibe. He's smiling and laughing and just wants to go go go! If he could could could!

Abby is a darling with him these days, calling him sweetheart and her baby! So adorable. She still occasionally gets too close to him or pinches his cheeks or whatever, but it's now just typical sibling stuff. I think sometimes too she just loves him so much that she doesn't realize that it's causing him some distress.

Yesterday Lochlan had another dose of the RSV shot. More protection. Dr. Onyette told me that he will definitely be getting one more shot next month and then they are waiting on the government to hear about a dose for April.

He now weights 10lbs, 5 3/4 ounces and is 24 inches long. Getting there little by little. He gained 6 ounces in 2 1/2 weeks which for him is amazing!

Sad to say that I have officially ran out of pumped breastmilk. D'oh! I'm happy that it lasted this long but not impressed I have to try to fit in some pumping sessions. I already feel like there's no time! But I have to get in the right frame of mind and keep reminding myself it's best for Lochlan. I am able to use Formula if I am unable to pump for his cereal. So that's a relief and takes some pressure off. It's very difficult to fit in a pumping session in between feedings without it affecting his normal feedings or even after he's gone to bed...I'm like okay if I pump now, is he going to wake up and then I won't have any? Or even if I do pump I don't get all that much. Frustrating but a little is better than nothing at all!


Yesterday (Wednesday) also marked an important milestone for Lochlan: he stopped his morning Ventolin! So he's now down to Flovent 2 puffs, twice a day and Ventolin, 2 puffs in the evening.

((continued 3 days later - Sunday Feb 20th))

I'm trying to remember where I was going with my train of thought since it's now been 3 days since I began this post. Oh well.

Lochlan has been enjoying his solids much more these days. Wasn't a fan of bananas but I'm thinking that's due to texture. But he's decided he likes sweet potatoes again. Good thing because I was running out of options of what to give him on a consistent basis since I need to wait a few days before introducing something else. And he will now eat Avocado too. I actually mixed it with pear yesterday which was a big hit!

A week and a half ago, Julie, from the infant development program came for a home visit to see if she could help Lochlan with anything. Since it was just the initial visit, we just chatted and I filled out some paperwork. She's coming on Thursday to really observe him. But from what she could tell, she said he was doing really really well. She seemed pretty impressed with him and what he's able to do. It's hard sometimes because I think he's doing amazing but then I'll sort of forget what where he should be at developmentally with his adjusted age. So sometimes I question if he should be doing more. I don't know. I just go with the flow. He's starting to sit up a little bit...well not entirely but it's a start. He's bent right over almost in a stretch type yoga pose with the support of me holding him up. So I think that's what he's working on now.

He's also putting a lot more things to his mouth these days. And I think he's teething pretty hard as well. Poor boy. Just pop out teeth already!!!

And he's started some new sounds lately too. Which is so great to hear. I swear sometimes it sounds like momma! I know, I know...stretching it a little but a girl can hope!! Either way, it's so cute! And he's smiling and smiling and smiling!

And a few Abby tidbits:

The other day we went through Tim Horton's drivethru on our way to my mom and dad's and I got her a bagel and she said "Can I have my bagel mommy?" Then she started singing to the tune of "Baby" by Justin Beiber: "Bagel bagel bagel, ohh" So funny! I told her you can definitely tell she's mommy and daddy's daughter!! Especially Rob because he's always changing the lyrics to something crazy.

And yesterday when we went to watch Rob play soccer, she met a little girl named Madison and she said, "Madison do see my daddy? He's doing better than good! Say, go daddy, go daddy! Go daddy go, go daddy go!"
: )

Wean baby wean!

Lochlan had his appointment with Dr. Flavin one week ago. He is the respiratory doctor. He decided to start weaning Loch a little more from his puffers. He now has a set schedule. He now gets 2 puffs of Ventolin in the morning and at night and 2 puffs of Flovent in the morning and at night. So different from where we started. When he first came home he was getting 21 puffs combined of 3 different puffers a day. Now it's 8 puffs a day!
Beginning next week he will lose the morning Ventolin and just get it in the evenings along with the Flovent twice a day.

If that fairs well, we will cut back on the Ventolin altogether and he'll just get the Flovent 2 puffs twice a day.

If everything still is going well, Lochlan will be down to one puff of Flovent twice a day. (2 puffs for the entire day!!!!!! woooo-hooooo!)

So exciting! I'll have to get a picture of Lochlan when he is getting his puffers done. It's a sight to see. The aerochamber fits right over this nose and mouth. He is pretty good at taking it now except for when he is tired. Can't say I blame him.

I also found out at the appointment with Dr. Flavin that Lochlan will see him every four months until one year old....so one more appointment til that milestone. And then every six months until he's four years old, then once a year until he's around seven. At that point, they'll run some tests on his lungs. But he did say because he is doing so well, that he doesn't expect there to be any major surprises.

We had to stick around after the appointment to get Lochlan's blood drawn to test his iron levels. Which was a treat in itself. He ended up with a huge bruise. Poor lil thing. I always have to remind myself that he's been through worse. Hopefully he won't have to be on his supplement for much longer. I think he's getting enough with all the cereal with extra iron in it that he's eating and the fortified breastmilk too.

Before leaving us though, Dr. Flavin said, "Bye Lochlan, you're a great boy!"
Warmed my heart.

The biggest struggle I'm having these days is Lochlan's nap times. You could almost say - what nap times? He really only naps about 20-30 mins each time. And he's ready for his naps too. It's not that I'm putting him down when he's not tired. He needs them. So he has about 4 short naps a day. Blah! Soooo ready for them to extend! Usually when it comes time for Abby's nap, he'll be sleeping, I'll get her down and then he'll wake up. Then we'll play and be ready for his next nap, and then Abby will wake up. Good times really. I've put in my request to have him sleep longer but we'll see if he listens to mommy!!! ; )

He's also back to having some issues pooping. Funny thing is that I've actually put him on the potty 3 times now and he's gone immediately. Some very long poops. Amazing really. Rob took a picture the first time because it was just one long string of #2. He said he was going to use it as his profile pic on facebook. Please no! Anyway, it's the only way he can get it all out because it's formed and the diaper restricts it from all coming out. Sorry to talk about his bowel movements but it is something that is forefront in my mind these days.

He stopped liking prunes after about the first or second time I gave it to him so now I have to mix it with his cereal to get him to eat it. So far so good. I've run out of the Lactulose the doctor said to give to him so looks like I'll be getting more of that to have on hand. I'm hoping though that because he's eating more prunes that his system will reboot and I can avoid having to give him any "medicine" to help smooth things along.

In the past few weeks, he's tried Avocado which he was ho hum about and peas. Peas were a bit too textured for him. The blender just doesn't get all the bits pureed.
It's amazing how two kids can be so different already. Abby LOVED her dried fruit puree (that's the prunes and apricots and apple mix) and loved sweet potatoes and butternut squash but Lochlan not so much. Still have to post that video of him eating the prunes. So funny. Rob has it so I'll have to get a copy from his iPhone.

I'm going to go through the Baby's Table book to start making some super yummy sounding recipes and maybe he'll eat a little more. Cause the other stuff just ain't cutting it. Fingers crossed he just wants more taste to his food because he loves his mixed cereal with fruit.

Anyway, Abby is now awake (got up about 10 mins ago) and Lochlan just got up too. This time a 35 min nap! Woo, how exciting! ha ha And...there was a bit of an overlap. Lucky me!

We're at my moms so I'm able to blog without looking around my house thinking I should be cleaning or whatever.

Okay, I'll try to post more pics when I get home. And maybe some video. Lochlan's been loving his jolly jumper lately. So cute. And I got a super cute video of Abby last night saying "Dort-tee (Dorthy) this is how you jump!" (or spin, or whatever) Ten points if you can tell me where that's from!