Vinnie - Six Months / 3 1/2 Corrected

Just a few more pics of the little guy and some updates on how he is doing...

Vinnie's oxygen was turned down to 500ml last week and the respiratory doctor wants to try him on 250ml soon to see how he goes. He is doing very well... his lungs seem to be really improving quite fast, although he may plateau for a while.

Vinnie is completely refusing the bottle and has been for the last month or so (crazy to think he has been home 8 weeks... it has flown by). We have tried offering him solids but he isn't interested at this stage. Hopefully he will show some interest over the next month or so but we aren't exactly holding our breath. One of the paediatricians that we took him to told us that he may very well be off the oxygen before the feeding tube as babies with chronic lung often don't want to eat with all the negative experiences around their face (i.e. the oxygen tube and the feeding tube). Some of these babies even end up having a line directly in to their stomach (through the belly button I think) that you feed them through to give their face a bit of a break... just a temporary measure (I hope!!!), if it comes to that at all.

Luckily for him he is oozing cuteness so it makes the feeding issues (and projectile vomiting after most feeds) bearable! Developmentally Vinnie is doing very well. He loves sucking on his hands, kicking his legs around, talking and seems to be enjoying tummy time - managed to spin himself around 90 degrees on the floor today.

Oh, and he is getting pretty darn good at pulling the tubes out of his nose and tapes off of his face! One morning last week (very early) I woke up and looked over at Vinnie and all the tubes were out. He had only just done it so still had plenty of colour in his face (blue baby not a good look). We thought we'd snap a few pictures of him without the tubes/tapes... only the flash was a little bright and he looks a little stunned in the photos! And those poor little red cheeks :-(

Vinnie's furry friends

The dogs came home about 10 days ago and they have been super well behaved! Very gentle with Vinnie... a few licks but back off pretty quickly when I tell them to. They have also shown no interest in chewing his toys, or his oxygen tubes (thank goodness!). Vinnie seems quite indifferent towards them at the moment but isn't bothered by them at all.

Monkey Business

It's been a little while since the last blog... feel like I have kind of gotten out of the rhythm so to speak and the little monkey is keeping me super busy, as is keeping the house tidy. My new job title is 'domestic slave'. Although I have a wonderful husband... he cooks, he cleans, he does DIY (and a good job of it)... he is one untidy NIGHTMARE (!!!) at times. Pet hates... he leaves the wardrobe doors open, clothes on the floor and opened mail in inconspicuous places (including the bills, which I always pay - when I stumble across them that is!).

Yes, I am a moaner. Everyone who knows Cam is saying 'get over yourself Tash, you have a great husband'. He likes to remind me what a catch he is too. I did read somewhere once that it is the small things in a relationship that lead to divorce. So Cam, when you read this just try and close those damn wardrobe doors please?

Enough on that. No doubt I will have to make a public apology to Cam in the next blog. However, public apology for this blog goes to my poor mother. Yes, I did give her a hard time in the last blog (a few people, herself included, pointed this out to me). I only do it for the comedy value (admit it... it was funny).

But seriously, my Mum (and Dad), have been amazing this year and I don't know where we would be without the help and support they have given us. To name a few things.... they helped us move back in to our house at Easter after the renovations, well Mum helped, Dad sat around talking and giving 'advice'. Mum made countless trips to the hospital and always turned up with food to replace the bland hospital sludge. They brought down a chest freezer from Matakana filled with frozen home cooked meals (which we are still eating). Oh, and they have been looking after our dogs since February...not sure when they will be coming home either. Maybe when Vinnie starts school (ha ha... just joking!). And of course there have been numerous gifts for the spoilt little monkey (and Vinnie too).

As for Vinnie, he is doing extremely well and I am feeling so much more optimistic about those little lungs of his. (Was slightly concerned for a while that he would be one of these kids that never comes off oxygen.) Since he has been home he has put on over a kilo, which is great as he needs to grow new lung tissue to grow out of this condition. Last week his oxygen was turned down from 1 litre of flow to 750ml. He is doing really well on that and it will most likely be turned down to 500ml in the next few weeks. Feeding is still a bit of an issue. He seems to have lost his suck reflex completely and is refusing the bottle. We are hoping to start him on solids next week but this might not be easy as babies normally suck food to start with. He will get there, but he might be 12-18 months before that NG tubes comes out completely.

Aside from breathing and feeding (such small trivial stuff!) he is doing well developmentally. Vinnie has started exploring his hands a lot more and stuffing them in his mouth. He is a lot more balanced too - legs and arms no longer thrashing around out of control. Also has good head control and support. He is almost sleeping through the night, but sleeping during the day is a bit hit and miss, especially late afternoons. Lots of smiles and cooing noises. Vomits after most feeds (not just small spills, but large projectile vomits) all over himself, his bed, the carpet, and his mother... so the washing machine is pretty much going all day. He is absolutely fascinated by the TV and would watch it all day if he had his way. He is watching it right now with his Dad in fact... hmmm... add that to the list of bad parenting techniques by Cam and Tash....