Monday, November 29, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
4 MONTHS
Zane had his four-month check-up yesterday. He is 12 pounds 2 ounces. I was thrilled he was at least12 pounds. He is such a little guy and I usually take it personally, like I am doing something wrong. But it must be said that he is also 25 and 1/2 inches long! That is the 95th percentile for his age! So I guess he is just growing up instead of out. Which is a good thing. He is so active and that is probably one of the reasons why, he doesn't have too much to impede him so he is motivated to move. He can roll all the way across the floor, is starting to push up on his arms and we are working on sitting... he is getting there, still head dives after a few seconds :) The doctor, nurses and early intervention people continue to be amazed by him and his capabilities.
Another exciting thing that the doctor said is that I can let Zane sleep as long as he wants at night now. No more setting the alarm to go wake up my sleeping baby to feed him. He can just let me know when he wants to now. But before any of you start to think that that means I will be enjoying an extended period of sleep, just know that I still wake up out-of-the-blue every hour feeling like I need to check Zane's oxygen. So instead of five one-hour sleeps, without a feeding, I might get 7 or so one-hour naps in a row. Exciting. I think....
And the advent of SOLIDS can begin in a month!! I am excited about this but I don't really know why. It could turn out to be a huge challenge, but I think I just want Zane to be eating more and not feel like it is totally my fault if he still stays ultra slim. But my baby is growing up and I don't really know how I feel about that either. Solids? Like a big kid? (Well, not really big kid solids, but you know what I mean). Sometimes I wish Zane would just stay tiny forever and it makes me appreciate that he actually is so tiny now. I can just hold him and cherish every moment.
Him getting his shots this time was more traumatic - for both of us. Last time he screamed once and that was about it. This time he really let us know that he was upset about what just happened and he screamed and did the saddest cry :( It broke my heart. I bet it will be even worse next time. His little legs were tender the rest of the day. Poor thing. I snuggled with him to help him feel better. (Side thought - Zane is getting a lot more snugglie now. He loves to lay with his head on our shoulders, cuddled up against us. It is the best).
Back to the oxygen issue. Zane does great without it when he is awake, which we are so grateful for, but he dips when he sleeps and eats still so we have to put it back on him for those things and all through the night (remember my little one-hour naps...). We are going to do this for a while, especially because it can help him be healthier through the winter. Oxygen is frustrating, but we just want what is best for Zane, so we will be dealing with it for a little while longer.
At Zane's next appointment we start doing some of the screening things that are recommended for children with Down syndrome (ex. blood tests for thyroid problems, another hearing test, etc.) We are so grateful that Zane is so healthy and strong and pray always that that will continue.
We love this little guy more than we can express. He is amazing and doing great! Yay!!!
Another exciting thing that the doctor said is that I can let Zane sleep as long as he wants at night now. No more setting the alarm to go wake up my sleeping baby to feed him. He can just let me know when he wants to now. But before any of you start to think that that means I will be enjoying an extended period of sleep, just know that I still wake up out-of-the-blue every hour feeling like I need to check Zane's oxygen. So instead of five one-hour sleeps, without a feeding, I might get 7 or so one-hour naps in a row. Exciting. I think....
And the advent of SOLIDS can begin in a month!! I am excited about this but I don't really know why. It could turn out to be a huge challenge, but I think I just want Zane to be eating more and not feel like it is totally my fault if he still stays ultra slim. But my baby is growing up and I don't really know how I feel about that either. Solids? Like a big kid? (Well, not really big kid solids, but you know what I mean). Sometimes I wish Zane would just stay tiny forever and it makes me appreciate that he actually is so tiny now. I can just hold him and cherish every moment.
Him getting his shots this time was more traumatic - for both of us. Last time he screamed once and that was about it. This time he really let us know that he was upset about what just happened and he screamed and did the saddest cry :( It broke my heart. I bet it will be even worse next time. His little legs were tender the rest of the day. Poor thing. I snuggled with him to help him feel better. (Side thought - Zane is getting a lot more snugglie now. He loves to lay with his head on our shoulders, cuddled up against us. It is the best).
Back to the oxygen issue. Zane does great without it when he is awake, which we are so grateful for, but he dips when he sleeps and eats still so we have to put it back on him for those things and all through the night (remember my little one-hour naps...). We are going to do this for a while, especially because it can help him be healthier through the winter. Oxygen is frustrating, but we just want what is best for Zane, so we will be dealing with it for a little while longer.
At Zane's next appointment we start doing some of the screening things that are recommended for children with Down syndrome (ex. blood tests for thyroid problems, another hearing test, etc.) We are so grateful that Zane is so healthy and strong and pray always that that will continue.
We love this little guy more than we can express. He is amazing and doing great! Yay!!!
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Update on Zane
Zane had an appointment with his cardiologist yesterday. They performed the 4th test on his heart, this time an EKG. The results were excellent, even better than before when they were fine. Zane does not have heart problems. We feel very blessed in that respect.
The doctor was reluctant to take him off oxygen because he can only test at the doctor's office for a little bit, and that isn't a good indication of how he is doing overall. He told us to be more diligent at monitoring his oxygen at home (we hadn't been doing that because it's difficult to get him to hold still while the monitor is on). He said we should be monitoring him while he sleeps and eats, because those are the times when oxygen intake drops the most in babies.
Whitney just monitored him for over an hour at home while he was awake, and his levels were great, right where they need to be. So we probably are very close to taking him off the O2, at least while he is awake and not eating.
Zane is 11 pounds 6 ounces and 25.5 inches. His weight is in the 33rd percentile but his length is in the 95th percentile (on the Down syndrome-adjusted chart). So he is a tall and skinny kid. His length is in the 75th to 90th percentile for a typical baby.
Developmentally he seems to be doing great. He rolls over now immediately upon being placed on the floor. He is now very interested in his toys and has made good friends with his octopus and his duck. He loves to talk to them. He now loves to reach with his hands for our faces. He loves to grab our lips and pull down hard.
He absolutely loves mornings. He is a very cheerful baby when he wakes up, handing out big smiles left and right - almost as if he is very excited for another day here on earth. He sleeps very well, except when Dad lets him take long naps in the evening before bedtime. If that happens, he will wake up in the middle of the night and want to smile and play with Mom for hours!
I have not been able to get a good picture of him when he is smiling. He is a very smiley baby, but when that camera comes out he immediately focuses on the camera with a serious face. He is the opposite of his cousin Ruby.
The doctor was reluctant to take him off oxygen because he can only test at the doctor's office for a little bit, and that isn't a good indication of how he is doing overall. He told us to be more diligent at monitoring his oxygen at home (we hadn't been doing that because it's difficult to get him to hold still while the monitor is on). He said we should be monitoring him while he sleeps and eats, because those are the times when oxygen intake drops the most in babies.
Whitney just monitored him for over an hour at home while he was awake, and his levels were great, right where they need to be. So we probably are very close to taking him off the O2, at least while he is awake and not eating.
Zane is 11 pounds 6 ounces and 25.5 inches. His weight is in the 33rd percentile but his length is in the 95th percentile (on the Down syndrome-adjusted chart). So he is a tall and skinny kid. His length is in the 75th to 90th percentile for a typical baby.
Developmentally he seems to be doing great. He rolls over now immediately upon being placed on the floor. He is now very interested in his toys and has made good friends with his octopus and his duck. He loves to talk to them. He now loves to reach with his hands for our faces. He loves to grab our lips and pull down hard.
He absolutely loves mornings. He is a very cheerful baby when he wakes up, handing out big smiles left and right - almost as if he is very excited for another day here on earth. He sleeps very well, except when Dad lets him take long naps in the evening before bedtime. If that happens, he will wake up in the middle of the night and want to smile and play with Mom for hours!
I have not been able to get a good picture of him when he is smiling. He is a very smiley baby, but when that camera comes out he immediately focuses on the camera with a serious face. He is the opposite of his cousin Ruby.
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