Sweet Cheeks

We are winding down from another busy day! Phew. Someday "Friday" will
mean something to us again ;) My goal this morning was for the 5 of us
to be out the door before 9am, we pulled out of the driveway at
8:56am. Ben and I make a great team. Payton and Riley liked seeing
their big brother Evan and I know Evan appreciated the brief snuggle
time he shared with each of them. P and R kept us busy during the few
hours we spent in the room before their swallow study downstairs with
a feeding, tummy time and a few stinky diapers each. We did draw a
crowd as we were leaving and I even had a nurse come and rub up
against me, she has been trying to get pregs for awhile, haha.

The boys *pretty much* passed their swallow studies, hurray for
weening off of the sludge!! By the nature of his course I a sure you
can imagine that Payton still needs a little more help, always has to
be a stinker! His problem now is that he has too strong of a suck!
This coming from the boy who would barely latch on a few weeks ago.
His forceful suck makes him penetrate a bit into his airway but it is
100 times better and can be followed clinically now so we shouldn't
have to do any more swallow studies. It is going to take a bit to get
them use to thinner liquids and new nipples but the pain of this will
be well worth it. I can hear the ca-ching of dollars and time saved
already ;)

Baby Evan had another day of improvements. Let's see, they weened his
vent settings down more, reduced his pain meds, took out his arterial
line, took out his IJ line (the ugly one in his neck), is still having
more green stool, and tolerating the increased lasix which is helping
him pee more! His butterball-ness (thanks Dr. McP!) is coming down
slooooowly but surely. He is laying on his side towards his belly to
give his backside and noggin a rest from the weight and his sweet lil
cheeks are back to being squishy and cute! He is softening up a bit
and hopefully the next step will be a reduction in his girth. They
hope to have his vent out within 48 hours, holy smokes- it's really
all coming together! The plan is to start feeding again slowly next
Wed or Thurs and that will be our "big test", we know he can do it!

Friday Cheers for all :)

--
:) Brooke