The Nose Hose is gone...long live my tummy tube!

Sorry it's been two full weeks since I last wrote.  It's been pretty busy around here!

Last weekend, Boppy & Granddad came to visit and we had a great time.  We went wine tasting at Duckhorn winery, had some yummy local BBQ, and most of all, I got to spend some quality time being held by them!  Silly Mama & Daddy forgot to take good pictures, so here's the one Boppy & Granddad remembered to take.

Me with Boppy & Granddad

This week was a crazy week.  On Wednesday, we woke up at 4am to drive to Walnut Creek, back to John Muir Hospital where I was born.  This time I was scheduled to have a g-tube placed in my belly so that I can get rid of the horrible tube in my nose.  We got there super early and I immediately charmed the socks off all the nurses in the pre-op area.  Mama and Daddy were so tired that they both managed to fit onto my stretcher with me, and we took a little family nap while waiting for the nurses and doctors to check us in.  My favorite part of the morning was that I got my very own hospital gown...it fit me perfectly!  Mama thinks that the gowns are only for the benefits of the parents since they are so cute.  I guess it's true that I would have been just as happy in my diaper, but I sure looked adorable!  After all the nurses and doctors came to say hello, I was whisked away by a really nice Anesthesiologist and they took good care of me.  Mama and Daddy were just a little bit nervous, but they handled themselves decently.  I, on the other hand, was super excited and smiled the whole way back to the OR.  I was ready to get the tube out of my nose! 

 
Me all dressed up in my very cool mini hospital gown

 

 Mama and me waiting for my surgery

Mama and Daddy both managed to squeeze into the same hospital stretcher with me...

After an hour, I was groggily reunited with Mama and Daddy.  My endoscopy looked good; no ulcers or bad irritation in my stomach.  We have to wait for the biopsy results until next week to confirm that I don't have a funny allergy, but we have every reason to believe they will be fine.  I was really sleepy the rest of the day and a little fussy too.  My tummy was a bit sore.  But, I handled it really well, and even slept nearly the whole night thru.  Mama stayed with me in the hospital overnight, while Daddy had to fly off for a business meeting. Grammie came to keep Mama company and take turns holding me.  I used this experience as a great time to demand to be held constantly (just don't tell Mama that I was trying to milk the system!).  Grammie is pretty much a sucker...if I so much as make a whimper, I am promptly scooped up and held. This is a good gig! 












Me with Mama in the recovery room...I'm trying to figure out what just happened to me!


Me with Daddy - I'm still a little groggy...and Daddy is too!


I rapidly returned to my happy self, even in my hospital bed.  I was kicking and laughing and having a grand old time by the same night as my surgery.  Mama didn't recover nearly so quickly after her surgeries.  I even surprised everyone by drinking some pedialyte from a bottle!  I have been hiding my ability to drink from a bottle for the past few months, but when they starved me for 21 hours I finally caved & showed them that I can still do it.  I blew my cover! 

Here's me all comfy in my hospital crib showing off my new tube, IV & all!  Mama says I'm a trooper!

A cute video of me about 10 hours after surgery...

Some of my old friends from the NICU came to visit me too!  Dr. Kristin Hubert (my neonatologist) and Erin, one of my speech pathologists, came to say hi.  I showed off my killer smile, my fat tummy, my big blue eyes, and my insane ability to kick my feet in rapid succession.  Needless to say, they were quite impressed!  I can't wait to see them, and my other NICU friends, again soon!

We went home late on Friday night in the midst of a rainstorm.  This rain stuff is pretty cool...I had never seen it before, and with each drop that hit my forehead as we were walking to the car, I was completely astounded.  I loved it! 

Grandpa met us in Napa and took turns holding me (I have him wrapped around my finger too!).  I slept well at home, much to Mama's relief.  We are still working on getting my tummy to accept my regular volumes of milk, and we are nearly there.  It's a new learning process for everyone to use my new tube (there are a few additional steps compared to my old one)...but we are figuring it out.  Grandpa even put his handy-self to work to concoct some extension tubing to make life easier for all of us. 




 Sitting in the big boy chair of my stroller for the first time now that my neck strength is good

                                                                Dancing with Grandpa

Overall, the new tube is awesome!  I can't accidentally pull it out or tug on it, no more tape on my face, and no more gagging me when I turn my head or try to swallow.  I am sure this will help me learn to eat again...I promised Mama and Daddy that I would do my best with my new feeding therapist Anne who comes to visit me every week. 

I am so excited for this next week.  I get to meet my cousin Laura and Uncle Chris for the first time.  We are going to Tahoe for my Third time, and this time there is SNOW!  I'll keep you all posted next weekend.

Snowless Mountains

I had another amazing weekend!  Mama and Daddy better watch out…I’m starting to expect great things to happen every weekend!

We drove to the Tahoe Cabin on Thursday and met our friends Jason Rugolo (the battery guy) & Lindsay for dinner at the Chart House.  I once again was a complete gentleman at the restaurant.  Seriously, for all you entrepreneurs out there, an untapped market exists…capture the white noise in a restaurant so I can listen to it in my crib all night long (or any time Mama needs a break)!  

 Mama, Daddy, me, Lindsay & Jason at the Chart House

Mama, Daddy, Jason & Lindsay enjoyed the hot tub after dinner, and I slept the whole time in my stroller right next to the tub!  It is ridiculously warm in Tahoe for January, and I was super comfortable out there for over an hour.  

Mama and Daddy tell me that the mountains usually have this white wet stuff called “snow” at this time of year…but clearly they don’t know what they’re talking about since the mountains were green & brown!  It was 60 degrees and comfortable even without a jacket.  This was good and bad…Daddy didn’t get to ski on fresh powder, though the man-made stuff wasn’t too bad.  But, we got to take some great hikes which normally we couldn’t do this time of year.

On Friday, more of our friends arrived, and Bill, Cara, Jason, Lindsay, Justin & my new buddy Yuval went out on a hike  to Vikingsholm (the castle of an ancient dead crazy man right on the Lake).  Mama carried me in my Moby wrap for the whole time.  I slept throughout the journey in my cozy Moby cocoon in my new Patagonia jacket (courtesy of Granddad and Boppy).   Someday soon, I’m sure I’ll learn to appreciate the beauty of the Lake, or at least enjoy throwing rocks into it!  After the hike straight back up the side of the hill, Mama was seriously worn out…months of bedrest may have softened her muscles a bit, but carrying an extra 15 pounds on her front side will get her back in shape in no time!

 Daddy & me with Justin (C12 cofounder) & my fellow survivor, Yuval (20 months)

 Bill, Cara, Justin & Yuval, Me in my Moby on Mama's tummy, Lindsay, Jason & Daddy on a hike to Vikingsholm, South Lake Tahoe

Then, more of our friends arrived Friday night…Brad & Carol who Mama & Daddy met in college, and Libby & Mike from Berkeley.  Auntie Cara made an amazing stuffed steak & pasta dinner and everyone there took turns holding me!  I sure know how to get my way and be loved constantly. 

Saturday, Mama & I hung out while Daddy went skiing.  Mama says I can ski in 2 years, but I am determined to get on the slopes next season!  Then a wonderful evening of wine tasting with the whole group, now even larger with the addition of Alex, Heather and 10 month old Levi!  I can’t wait to grow up to be big and strong like Levi & Yuval.  That whole crawling and walking thing seems amazing! 

Another hike on Sunday to Cascade Falls (how many 3 month olds have been to Cascade Falls twice?)  And then home to finally get back to my own bed.

                                                       Asleep on the couch...

My new trick this week, aside from perfecting my smile and laugh, is to play on tissue paper.  It’s totally true that babies don’t need expensive toys!  My tissue paper is my favorite toy of all…when I kick and move my arms, it makes this fabulous noise that makes me laugh and smile! 

 I absolutely love my tissue paper...I carry it everywhere with me, including 4 hours in my carseat on the way up the mountain...

 Mama, Bill, Cara, Jason, Lindsay & Libby at dinner at the Colton Cabin

 Brad, Mama, Jason & Libby during the ritual double blind taste testing competition

 Me wearing one of the inappropriate onsies that Daddy gave me for Christmas...notice no pants too!

Out on a Sunday hike with Brad, Carol, Lindsay, Jason, and Daddy carrying me...and the back of Bill's head...

Christmas for New Years

This week has been wonderful, with Daddy home every single day to play with me.  Mama had to work a little bit because Daddy tells me that she's an important surgeon.  I had a great time playing with Daddy and watching football.

 

In the process of trying to get a good picture of my awesome smile, sometimes the photos catch other expressions....

Chillin' with Daddy

    Just so you can all see how cute my smile is...also, I have an overly dramatic sad face that you can see in the video!

Tuesday, we went to Elk Grove to visit Great Grammie since she couldn't make it to Napa this year, and she had a very important present she wanted to give Mama & Daddy.  It turned out that it was a doilie that she had crocheted in 1984, when Mama was only 7 years old.  She made it to give to Mama on her wedding day, but it got put in the back of a closet and she just found it!  It was the biggest doilie she had ever made, and it took her well over one year to do it.  It's intended to be a nice overlay over a tablecloth.  It's so beautiful that Mama is having second thoughts over whether she will actually allow guests to eat on it or not!  Thank you Great-Grammie!  I had a great time with her holding me.

 

Great-Grammie holding me, Uncle Ben, Aunt Aubree, Grammie, Mama, Grandpa & Daddy  

 

The beautiful doilie that Great-Grammie made for Mama & Daddy

Then, we had dinner with friends at an Indian restaurant in Napa - Dave, Nancy, Alex, Stela & their son Andrew.  I can't wait until I'm big enough to run around and play with Andrew (he's 3).  When we got home, an awesome present awaited me.  I got my very own Bumbo chair!  Now, Daddy, as usual, refuses to call it a Bumbo chair...instead calling it a "saddle chair"  (he calls the Boppy pillow a "horseshoe pillow", my bouncy chair a "vibrating baby chair", and my poopy diapers are known as "diapers full of excrement").  Mama tells me that Daddy is very silly for using more words than necessary to refer to things, but c'est la vie!    Anyway, my Bumbo chair is awesome, and I look like a little old man sitting in it.  It's really good exercise for my neck especially, and puts me in great position to watch TV, which I'm already addicted to.  I love the bright lights!  Mama & Daddy are trying to restrict my TV watching substantially, but sometimes when I'm fussy for a long time, they'll turn it on and I can just zone out!

 

Dave, Nancy & Mama watching me in my new Bumbo chair

 Video of me in my Bumbo for the first time

Thursday, I went wine tasting with Daddy, Serena (Mama's good friend from Med School), and some other special friends.  I had a great time with the ladies, but they still won't let me taste the wine!  Then we went to a local BBQ place for dinner, and I got stuck with my stupid formula...again!  Seriously, it is getting pretty old to have to drink the same stuff 8 times a day while everyone else is getting a fabulous variety.  We had a bonfire at home after dinner...I love falling asleep by a roaring fire.

 

The ladies & me out by the fire

Friday, we went to lunch at Auberge de Soleil with Serena.  I think I may be in the minority of babies who have been to Auberge twice in their first 3 months of life, but I just love places with Michelin stars!  I was very well behaved & had a great time looking out at the lovely view of Napa Valley

 

Me wearing my "Player" onesie with Mama & Serena

 

Lunch at Auberge de Soleil

 

Back home in my Bumbo chair.  My neck is getting so strong!

Saturday morning, Grammie, Grandpa, Uncle Ben & Auntie Aubree came to Napa to celebrate Christmas on New Year's Eve.  We opened our final Christmas gifts...I got some big boy clothes from Grammie & Grandpa since I'm now fitting squarely into 6 month clothes. I also got some newly minted "Proof Coins" from them, which is a tradition started when Mama was a baby.  She has a Proof Coin set for every year since she was born, and now that I'm around, the tradition continues with me.  For the first time ever, Uncle Ben didn't open his coins at the same time as Mama...he opened them with me instead.  I think that means Uncle Ben & Auntie Aubree need to give me a cousin ASAP so we can open coins together!   I also got some cool books from Auntie Aubree & Uncle Ben.

Grammie & Grandpa outdid themselves this year for Christmas.  They gave Mama & Uncle Ben copies of an out-of-print edition of "Twas the Night Before Christmas"...the same one they read every year for the past 34 years.  It was definitely a special gift.  They also contributed to the Tahoe mortgage so we can pay it off sooner...and minimize the risk that I may have to help out someday!

We had sushi & shrimp cocktail appetizers, prime rib for dinner, and Aubree's chocolate mousse for dessert by the firepit.  Then we watched the ball drop for New Year's eve, and promptly went to bed.  I continue to impress Mama & Daddy by sleeping through the night almost every night!  Sunday, Mama, Aubree & Grammie went shopping and, bless them!, left me with the boys.  It was so much better watching football and going out for a walk with them, than being stuck in my stroller at the outlets!




Grandpa, Grammie, Mama, Uncle Ben & Aunt Aubree opening presents.  Mama & Uncle Ben got awesome out-of-print editions of "Twas the Night before Christmas", the same one they read for the past 34 years!

                                                           Me with my Proof Coin set

 

I gave  Aunt Aubree & Uncle Ben framed photos of...ME!

Some of my new properly fitting clothes (right), compared to my preemie clothes (left). The preemie outfit is shown in the next photo when it was WAY to big for me!

 

Sitting down for a sushi appetizer 

 

      Enjoying the wrapping paper after gifts are done!  I like this more than the presents themselves!

Last night, all to ourselves, we reflected on 2011.  Mama is now healthy and back to work, despite at least 5 procedures 9 weeks of bedrest, and 2 months in the hospital.  Daddy is heading a thriving company that has doubled in size this year and has it's first commercial project in the works, despite spending months sleeping on a cot in the hospital.  I had the most productive year of my life, but it was certainly a struggle, and I'm happy and healthy at home.  We all made New Year's Resolutions (a new concept to me), with Mama and Daddy vowing to exercise more, study more, work hard to develop their careers, and spend excessive quality time loving me.  I vowed to work on my eating, and I promised to crawl & walk, babble & talk.

We also came up with two slogans.
2011:  "It's over!"
2012:  "The boring year!"

2011 brought us many trials, but we came out the other side stronger & happier than ever.  We are looking forward to 2012, with no moves, no job changes, no hospitalizations, no health scares, and absolutely no little siblings for me!