Sprung....for a few hours

That's right!

I'm going out tonight....Lindsay and I are going to the movies...New Moon..I'm soooooo excited!

Doug will be on his own...well, hopefully Leah and Hallie will be in bed, and James will be set with a bottle, he should not have too much trouble and I would not mind if he did..hahaha..he will see how I get on all day when he is not around!

Not much going on this weekend, Doug is trying to get the Xmas lights up, he also is painting our room and trying to write a paper..I'm so looking forward to putting up our tree, I bought an artificial white tree last year when they were super cheap in January, I've got purple and silver ornaments...I'll post a pic when it is decorated...Hallie is making up her letter to Santa with her wish list, only about 50 things on it this year!



A few pics from this week...

Late night TV watching (Leah was in bed)

Doug says he can fix everything...except a broken heart!

Leah loves to have her picture taken, she makes that same face every time!

James on the day he turned 1 month!

Hallie has shown an interest in playing the guitar, here she is giving a performance

The girls are interacting more...and they like to scream..

Have a great week!

Drip and Snip

Whew! I'm glad that's over with....

What? You ask...


James just got a little bit of plastic surgery this morning....Dr. gave his tallywacker a bit of a trim...he was circumcised *gasp*

It was actually not as bad as I thought it would be...

I'm not saying anything else on the subject as there are a few people that are pissed that I had it done to him...and this is what I am saying to them-MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS!


Yesterday, he had a blood transfusion..his levels dropped to low 80s so it was time to top him up with the red stuff...

And this is what he thought about the whole thing...

One month old and already flipping the bird!

Here is his little bag of blood...

He slept through most of it...

Here is a little clip in case anyone is interested in what goes on during a blood transfusion...not a whole hell of a lot actually! I was quite bored sitting there for all day (9am-4pm)

And my favorite pic of the week...

Leah holding James and giving him a kiss...

I just have to give a shout out to Jen and thank her for making supper for us on Sunday, it was great and I appreciated it so much!

Just a reminder...

For those that are able, please donate blood...

Take care

Promise is a promise...

I promised some videos and pictures today and I do not want to dissapoint...

James had two dimples, one on each cheek..so cute when he smiles!

*charge* he still loves to put that hand up....

"Oh mama, no more pics please"

James hates bathtime...bathing a boy is interesting, I get sprayed and it ain't water...

Hope that makes up for my lack of posting in the last week or two...

Take care and have a great week!

Words without pictures...

Sorry folks, but there are no pictures to accompany this entry....

Still here?


The batteries for my camera are dead and the charger is AWOL..yes, I am pissed too! I can take them with my video camera but I do not know how to upload them...

But so much to update, so lets go...

James had a Dr appt this week, he gained a lb since leaving the hospital, and this morning when I went to put him in the sleeper he wore home from the hospital, it did not fit him..and I noticed his 0-3 month stuff is getting snug...my boy is growing up*sniff* He eats and sleep like a dream, and is such a mellow baby, he loves to just chill in my arms and look around..I know its early days yet, but he does not appear to be colicky *touch wood*

I seem to be getting into a routine, so things are getting easier to manage...I am hoping as Leah gets older she will settle more, right now she does not understand that when James is eating or crying I can not tend to her right away and she pitches a fit..Hallie is a great big sister, she helps with James and Leah, making life easier for me!

Since I am up with James through the night I decided to purchase some TV season DVDs..I just started Buffy The Vampire Slayer and One Tree Hill, I am thinking about getting Oz next and The L Word, should keep me going until he sleeps through the night..

I will post videos and pics tomorrow when I can figure out how to get them uploaded!



Take care

Sitting down...

I've not updated in a few days because I do not get a chance to sit down...

We are on day 3 of being home with James and I have not gone completely mental yet, I've only had the urge to slit my wrists a few times..I'm sure the need will lessen over the next few weeks...

James is awesome, such a good baby, eat and sleep...he sleeps for about 3 hours at a time but only if he is full, changed, burped and swaddled...he went for bloodwork yesterday, his billi is down to 124 so that is great, no more yellow baby!

Leah on the other hand...ugh...the 1st night he was home, she cried all night...I'm talking full on screaming..all night..I do not exaggerate the all night bit...she did sleep over 12 hours the next night to make up for it...

A few pics ....

This is what happens when you leave a 16 month old unattended..she paints herself with processed cheese...

Hallie holding James for the 1st time...

James in his car seat at the hospital...not sure if he is crying from the seat or the fact that is hat is too small...

A pic from the hospital, the night before he came home...he is all about putting his arm up, that is even how he was born..his hand came out with his head...charge!

All swaddled...this is a miracle blanket...its pricey, but it really does help him sleep longer and better..

My sweet boy!



We have no plans for the weekend...just trying to keep the house clean and the kids happy!

Take care

My boy is home....

He is swaddled in my arms *sigh* I'm so happy


Thanks everyone for kind words and thoughts while he was in the NICU!

A birthday and a delay

On Friday, James' billi went down to 147 (Yay) so they took all the lights off him and would recheck it on Sat morning..so we were then hoping that if it stayed down or did not go back up, he could come home! So, forward to Sat morning....billi goes up to 164 (SHIT)...he still can not come home, but he is still out from all the lights and will recheck it this morning to see how much it has gone up..I was under the impression that it had to be under 100..but that was for newborns, my boy is technically not a newborn anymore, so he is allowed to have a higher count...I can't believe he will be 2 weeks old tomorrow...I'm so sad, in those 2 weeks, I've only held him a handful of times, nursed him a few times...I really do not know him...his personality, how he sleeps, is he a cranky/colicky restless baby or a sweet peaceful baby?

A few pics of our visit last night, he is no longer in an isolette, but in a cot and he can wear sleepers..too cute!

I look like shit, considering I do not have a newborn waking me every 2 hours, I still have to get up and pump..and I am in desperate need of a visit to my hairstylist...I'm frightening! Waiting for normal resumption of life...

He loves to snuggle up, he pulls his little legs up and I call him a little froggy..just one of those new baby things that I love *sigh* I still want to have another baby, even after all this hell...

Snuggles from Daddy....the best kind!

And my other baby turned 8 yesterday!

Hallie, Candace and Doug made the birthday cake...

We just had a quiet family dinner, she wanted spaghetti and meatballs, so we got a pizza, spaghetti from a local place..the pizza was good the spaghetti was horrid...We, and the grandparents all went in and got her a Nintendo DSi thingy for her to play her games, listen to mp3s and surf the web, oh and it takes pics! Maybe Santa and his "elves" (coughrelativescough) can get her some games for Xmas *wink*

Going to visit James this morning and come home and try to clean my house, it looks as if a bomb went off in here...so if James does come home tomorrow, I will be able to find him if I set him down somewhere..

Have a wonderful Sunday!

Global Warming...

This is what I woke up to this morning...

















What is this global warming they preach about?


I thought we were supposed to have Florida like temperatures by now...I'm waiting

Even though I hate hot weather, I hate snow even more...


James is still in the hospital, but he is no longer in the NICU, they moved him to transitional care..so we are probably looking at a discharge soon *crosses fingers*

His billi did go down to 154, as I already mentioned..so they took a light away and it went back up to 185...it went back down to 164 yesterday, so they took another light off him last night..so of course, it will go back up...he should have all his lights taken off him today providing he does not have a high rebound count...in order for him to come home, he would have to be off the lights for a full 24 hours and not have the billi increase dramatically..



Doug got his H1N1 vaccine last night, he is bitching about a sore arm today, I told him to suck it up..if the kids can get done and not complain he can too!

I am worried about James catching any sort of bug, my mom just got over the swine flu and she has yet to see James and probably won't for a week at least *get better mommy* I will not be taking James, or all my kids for that matter, to anywhere with large crowds or where people are sick..so from now until the spring, our outings will be limited, and anyone with so much as a tickle in their throat will not be around my kids and they will need to wash/sanitize their hands before holding or touching James..its far too risky and I make no apologies about it!

Hallie's birthday is tomorrow..nothing big planned..taking her out to supper and having cake at home.. she did want a party with her school mates, but with too much going on right now that's not going to happen...we will make it up to her next year, as long as she gets gifts she won't care

Have a great Friday!

My boy is a vampire...

James needed some blood last night..so they did a transfusion...I'm not sure how much they gave him, but it took about 3 hours...and I guess he got really cranky at the end, so the blood must have given him some energy, he is feisty again...my boy!

Good news, his billi went down to 154 yesterday, they took another light off him! Yay! He only has 2 lights left..we are hoping for him to be home by the weekend..fingers crossed!

He also eats like a pig...I am pumping as much as I can and bringing it to the hospital, but I guess that's not enough, he has to be supplemented with formula, and the nurses tell me, when he is hungry, he lets you know!

I got my H1N1 and flu shot yesterday, my arms are so sore I can hardly lift them..the girls also got theirs and Doug got his regular flu shot..so hopefully we are good to go for the upcoming flu season, my hands are raw from washing them so much and using sanitizer, between home and the NICU, all I do is wash my hands..

We had parent teacher last night for Hallie, went as can be expected...as pleasure to have but oh, so quiet...so she needs to find her voice, her reading is good but her math skills can improve, I suck at math so she comes by it honestly!

Hopefully, my post tomorrow will have James' homecoming information!

7 days....

James was a week old yesterday, and already losing his newborn look....

They took a light off him (he is under lights for his Billi, phototherapy they call it) so, they took off one light and his level went back up to 180, so that's not too bad, only a 5 point jump...he will have to stabilize again and then probably the number will start to go back down, then they will take off another light and see how he does...

A few pics we took last night, we were able to have him out and hold him for a few precious minutes....

He nurses like a champ, the best yet of all my kids...

Trying to nurse off daddy...nothing there little man!

The girls are getting their H1N1 shots today, and we have parent/teacher tonight at Hallie's school..

The girls had a great Halloween...

Waiting game...

We are on day 5 of James being in the NICU..

He is doing really well, doing everything that is expected of him, its just trying to get rid of that jaundice..his bili level went down quite a bit since yesterday, he is now 175...he needs to be under 100 before they even consider letting him go home..Also, his hemogloblin level has dropped, so there may be a blood transfusion in his near future..But think he is quite happy though, all the nurses think he is very handsome and I'm sure he loves all the female attention, actually I know for a fact, he has more than one girlfriend...

It is very stressful for me at the moment, trying to deal with him being away and sick, taking care of my other kids, worrying about Hallie and Leah catching swine flu...they are no longer allowing siblings to visit the NICU, so now we have to find someone to watch them when we want to visit....

I am keeping Hallie home from school until she gets her H1N1 shot, its spreading like wildfire in the schools here, and it is far to risky to send her...if she and Leah catch it, they could very easily die from it, myself included...Doug will have to be done also..and probably anyone else that comes around my kids...

Another thing, I am getting tired of people telling me..."well you have had your babies sick and in the NICU before, so you should be used to it" It does not get any easier, when your baby is sick and in the NICU, it does not matter if you have been there a million times, it is painful and heartbreaking and no mother/father should have to deal with it...you carry your baby for 9 months only to have him taken from you, you can't hold or even nurse him...I look at all his empty bassinet home and I try my damnest not to cry, no it does not get any easier...

I've had to watch mothers leave the hospital with their babies in their arms, happy- go- lucky..as they should be..yet, one floor below them is the NICU...a very depressing place...babies no bigger than a little doll, fighting for their life, I've had to listen to babies scream as they are getting IVs put in..I see the other mothers there, its like we belong to an exlusive club that nobodys wants to join, our eyes meet, we know what the other is feeling...

However, I will say that maybe I am a *little* thankful and maybe lucky with having my babies in the NICU..I know how fragile life is, I love them all that much more..I take no moment with them for granted..

Jesus, I did not mean to write such a depressing entry, but my hormones are wacky..

Here is a short video of James after he was born..

WARNING

I am semi naked and if you look close enough you might catch a glimpse of my female bits.. so, don't look closely

In my room after the birth..