Pool Fun (for real this time)

So I had to bust out movie maker for this one b/c I took SO many clips. Andrew enjoyed the pool much more this time around. We figured we'd let him get used to the bath tub before we'd try the pool again. This time daddy got to join in the fun. As you can see, Andrew is quite the chunker these days. He went to the g-i doctor this week & got his tube switched to a g-tube with relative ease, but wait there's more... Andrew had grown so well (17lbs, 10oz) that he doesn't have to be on fortified formula any more (whoo-hoo, just straight formula from now on) AND he was able to get off one of his g-i meds. And still more good news this week: Andrew has gotten completely off his narcotic & 'chill out' meds! SO 3 meds gone this week. HURRAY!!! This kid is simply amazing! Steve & I are so proud of him! It is such a blessing to be his parents!

Some pictures

Hanging out with Jessica.

Sierra glammin' it up (with the credit cards no less : )

Andrew with his fuzzy blue from Jennifer.

Jen over for a visit.

Speak up

I cannot believe my little miracle is 8 months old today! Steve & I are so proud of him. Every day he amazes us. As you can see the fact that he is shy around others does not mean he is soft spoken. I just got the pack & play out today & he just loves it right from the start.

This just in...

Andrew's cardiologist called this morning about the echocardiogram results & he was very pleased with Andrew's heart function. HURRAY!!! Right now the only plans are to keep having fun with Andrew & go back to see him in 6 weeks. Andrew is flopping around in his jumperoo right now (which, by the way, I had to move up to the #2 setting because he was getting too tall for #1) & I'm pretty sure I'm the most blessed person in the world : ) I have to mention, one of my nieces was wondering how you can know God is real if you can't see him. My sister said, 'what about Andrew?' and that was pretty much the end of the conversation (the proof is in the cutie pie). He is without a doubt a living miracle. Thank you so much for the continued prayers & support! You'll never know how much it has provided for us.

Sweet Potatoes

So it turns out that my Andrew likes his veges. He humored me with the pears & apples, but he is really opening up for the sweet potatoes. I don't give him too much because I don't want to overstuff his belly & make him spit up. I want him to have all good feelings about eating because he is doing awesome & I am hopeful that he will catch on pretty quick now that he's got the idea. I don't think I mentioned before, but we have been giving him his tube feedings through the port that goes to his stomach instead of bipassing to his intestines (a different port). He has been doing great with it. Another lesson we are working on is burping. He thinks he's gagging when he just needs to relax & burp. (Though he also thinks he's gagging a lot of times when he is just yawning, etc. Poor kid, even some of his first sounds are very similar to gagging sounds.) Anyhow, I'm sure once he gets the hang of burping there will be no stopping him; a mom can only hope : )

Also, Andrew started holding himself up on his hands & knees. He hates it! I think he only does it to avoid being put on his tummy. Still, it's exciting that he is strong enough to do it now. Of course we will continue to torture him & try to convince him that it's fun. He is warming up to the bath though he still doesn't like it yet.

Tooth No. 2

Andrew's 2nd tooth arrived in scene early this afternoon. I have decided to name it Bartholomew, after Mom Bartholomew (my grandmother, and that really is what we call her) because we love her so much & we know what it's like to look trying times in the eyes. Of course, in my culture (the one I make up as I go along) this is the utmost honor for a great grandmother; and we really do think that much of her. Thanks for all the other suggestions & keep them coming. Heather, I'm not sure Andrew is going to have that many teeth : ) he got a lot of love over there. Truly, I live on this kind of nonsense. It doesn't take much to tickle my funny bone, that's one thing I wouldn't mind passing on to Andrew.

First Time in the Pool

Steve & I went out this afternoon & bought Andrew a pool to celebrate since he is able to get in the water now that he is i v free. I think this video captures his sentiments about the water exactly. Give him some time.

Just arrived on scene...

Toother!!! Andrew is now the proud bearer of one, genuine, through the gums tooth. The bottom left incisor, which I have decided we will call Peter, busted through sometime last night / this morning. The bottom right is looking like it will follow suite within a day or so. He has quite a few more that are fairly near the surface. I would like to invite everyone to place your suggestions for names for the choppers to follow. (I'm not seriously going to refer to his teeth by their first names, but I think the process of naming them is hilarious!)
Andrew did awesome on Monday. His i v line is gone now & the site is healing well so we hope to be in the tub in a few more days. He is going to be a great splasher, he is next to me on the bed right now thrashing about. We should hear about the results of the echocardiogram early next week when Andrew's doctor is back in the clinic. Actually, the fact that we didn't get any news yet is a good thing, because that means the cardiologist that read it didn't see anything that he thought needed immediate attention.

From Arnold Palmer

Andrew is back for his echocardiogram right now. It'll be about another 1/2 hour. He was SO good this morning even though I'm sure he was hungry & he missed some of his meds. But as Steve says, he has his mother's curiosity, so the adventure of getting loaded up in the car before sunrise & being cute for the hospital staff was enough to keep him distracted. I'm not sure when we will be getting the results, but it doesn't look like it will be today. Hopefully it will be soon, because of my own curiosity : )

PEARS!

We took taste testing to a whole new level. He didn't really consume much, but we are really just working on the idea of eating so that when he's able he'll be as ready as possible. He really is just too cute!