Life with Derek

I feel awful I don't update as much as I would like :( Derek is now nearly 6 months old! He has been home almost twice as long as he was in the hospital. Things are going well!

Derek continues to amaze me. He rolled over for the first time yesterday. He smiles all the time. He occasionally chuckles. I don't update more because the little man has computer radar. The minute I even look at my computer he decides he needs my full and complete attention :) I really don't mind. He is such a pleasure to be around!

We went to the neurologist who said Derek looks "great". He will see him again in 6 months. I am looking forward to the warmer weather finally arriving so I can start taking walks with him. He loves to be outside.

I am going to upload a few photos later and add some more thoughts but like I said....the little man has computer radar and is now waking up from his nap :) 

Blessings

So annoyed just about finished with an update and somehow I lost it! I know I said I was going to update more and then I disappeared. My only excuse is that Derek came home on 02/04. He has been home 2 weeks and 2 days and we are loving every minute of it! I am just really loving being a "mommy" again. I have my older kids and I love being their mom too but there is something about taking care of a newborn that is special. Maybe its the sleep deprivation, LOL. I will post some pictures at the end of the blog.

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately. Life never goes quite exactly as you plan. It brings to mind the quote that goes something like "Life is what happens when you are busy making plans". Before I found out I was pregnant I had a plan. I was going to school part time earning a degree in communications/journalism. I had my job. I was looking forward to my older children becoming self sufficient and old enough to leave home alone so my husband and I could travel. Then came Derek and I feel so incredibly blessed. The good Lord or the Universe or whatever you believe in knew what I needed/wanted better than I did. I now can't imagine my life without Derek in it. I am glad everything happened the way it did. The difficult pregnancy and birth, the struggles in the NICU. It has made me appreciate the experience of new motherhood even more.

For those of you curious our little man is up to 5lbs 3.5oz and 17 1/2 inches long as of his last check up. He has an appointment with the eye doctor tomorrow. He sees his doctor for a check up on Thursday. Still waiting on an MRI 

I am still planning on getting that degree, it will just have to wait a little longer and I am so okay with that! For now I will be going back to work in a few weeks and taking care of the Peanut and that will take up the majority of my time. I am looking forward to all the milestones that Derek will be experiencing and sharing them here in this blog.

Sir Derek is now awake and very vocally letting me know he is hungry so pictures will have to wait but I promise to add them later this evening, maybe while I am watching the Oscars.

Where does the time go?

I cant believe my little boy is just over 6 weeks old and it has been almost three weeks since we lost my dad. I feel like such a slacker because I haven't updated in awhile. Life has been a little  crazy. We had my father's memorial service on Sunday. It was an incredible turn out. My father was such a wonderful man. I learned some things about him I did not know. For instance he was a deacon in the Church of the Ladder Day Saints. Who knew? He had a mouth like a sailor LOL! I also knew he had some lifelong friends but I had no idea how life long. One of his friends made a speech and said they had been friends since they were three years old. My dad was also a pack rat. He saved a receipt from  car repairs he had done in 1986 for a car he had not owned for several years, among other things. I loved him very much and am going to miss him more than words can say.

As for Derek, he is now up to 3lbs 4 oz. His oxygen has been decreased to 1/4 liter per minute and he hovers right around 30% oxygen. Yesterday they gave him a bottle for the 1st time and he did wonderful. He is now getting just over one ounce per feeding or ml's. We have signed up for a discharge class as the nurses have said he may come home sometime in the next three weeks.  I am anxiously awaiting the day we put him to bed in his nursery for the 1st time.

A new year with bittersweet victories

Its been over a week since my last entry and I am sorry about that. Between pumping breastmilk every three hours and visiting Derek finding the time to update is a challenge.

Since my last update Derek has gained more weight. He is now 2 lbs 7oz. They have taken his oxygen down to 1/4 liter per minute and he is using from 30-38% oxygen. He is eating well and making great strides. Last week we had a bit of a scare when Derek's stomach became distended but he has recovered nicely. I was able to give him a sponge bath for the first time. His dad and I have both been able to lift him up. We also took pictures of the snow that fell yesterday and blanketed the valley. I want to be able to show him pictures of his first snowfall. I am so proud of my little guy and can't wait to bring him home.

Unfortunately, some of Derek's milestones have nothing to do with his health or development. Derek at one month old has already lost someone important in his life. My father, Derek's grandpa, passed away on New Year's day. I am sorry that Derek will never get to know what a wonderful man his grandfather was. I know his siblings , cousins, aunts and uncles will help me tell Derek about his grandpa. In the meantime, Derek has another angel on his shoulder.

I will do my best to update a little more often. Happy new year!!