Heart Murmur

Baby X had a heart murmur at birth. Last Friday his doctor sent him for an echocardiogram. It turns out he has Critical Aortic Valve Stenosis. He was immediately admitted to the children's hospital and that is where he's been ever since. Today he was supposed to have a balloon valvuloplasty, but do to malfunctioning equipment, it was postponed until Thursday.



This is what B found out after Googling valvuloplasty:

I found this PowerPoint presentation wherein it defines a "successful" balloon aortic valvuloplasty as one in which the "patient did not die." Well, I'd happen to agree. (There are more criteria than that, actually, and the procedure is successful more than 80% of the time, so that's good news.)
Some of this information is a little skewed, though, because they use balloon aortic valvuloplasty for really old people who aren't healthy enough for bypasses or valve replacements, in addition to little kids like Stoic Sam. (For instance, some of the statistics have the patients divided into three groups, under 70, between 70 and 79, and over 80.)
The conclusion of this slide show is that mortality is low but morbidity (prevalence of the condition) is high. But again, they're dealing with old people who need the procedure because of a lifetime of heart health, not because of a birth defect, so I don't know how much of that applies to us.
Here's an article about a successful BAV on a 1,600 gram (3 lbs. 8 oz.) infant. (I might be able to see this article because I'm on the Internet at a university right now; if this doesn't work for someone else, let me know).
Here's the abstract of an article I can't even get to on the university server about the best method of treating infantile aortic valve stenosis. Their conclusion: punt. (They're trying to make me pay $25 a year so I can read a report that concludes with "it depends"? No wonder doctors are rich!)
Also, it appears that "cutting edge" stuff in this field revolves around doing this to a fetus, which seems even crazier.

two weeks old

Princess Sparkley and Baby X


Baby X at about two weeks old.


More baby.


Baby bum and toes.


He fell asleep all up on his knees with his bum in the air under this warm fuzzy blanket Grandma L brought, then his feet popped out from underneath. I thought it was cute.


two weeks

Okay, so I have this goal to take a picture of Baby X with an object (this alligator/crocodile) every week or month to see how he grows. I saw it once in a parenting magazine where they took a picture of their baby in a diaper every month for the first year. It was pretty cool to see how much changed. I also saw in a parenting magazine a mom who had her baby girl photographed in the mom's old bathing suit... once a year, I think. It was a giant blankety thing, then it was a dress, then she's 16 or 18 and it fit her like a bathing suit. Sort of fun. So that's what I'm doing with these alligator pictures, except for last week he was laying straight. And this week he wouldn't. Argh. Uncooperative babies.

Let it snow. Let it snow. Let it snow.

We got a ton of snow last week. So with Grandma and Grandpa L visiting from California, the kids twisted Grandpa's arm and he helped them build a snowman... a Boston Red Sox snowman.

Princess Sparkley and Grandpa did most of the work, while Buddy was...

... busy shoveling snow.

More baby pics.

So sweet asleep.



Awake.



Buddy finally warmed up to the idea of holding Baby X.



More brotherly love.



Princess Sparkley also loves helping take care of her new brother.



Big sister.




So sweet.




I had to go tuck Buddy in and brought Baby X with me. Baby X is actually screaming, but it looks like he and Buddy and laughing at each other and having a great time in the bottom bunk.




Cute and awake.



Grumpy and asleep because mommy keeps flashing the camera at him.

Baby X pictures

You can't tell from this picture, but he sleeps wonderfully in this Kiddpotamus bundler thing, or as we like to call it, Baby Burrito.



Cuddling with Daddy in bed.



One week old.



Not very happy at one week old with an alligator for measurement sake.



Doesn't he look so long when he's bundled up and his legs are straight?

More pictures from the hospital

Proud big brother and big sister

Baby X has arrived

B's drawing of encouragement to me during labor.


He was born at 4:46 AM CST, January 26, 2008
7 lbs. 10 oz. 20 inches (or as B says, 1 foot 8)





More pictures to come later...

Still waiting

Still no baby for those of you who are hounding my blog trying to find out. :) Sorry.

My belly at 40 weeks, 1 day

My clowns

Princess Sparkley and Buddy decided to dress up as clowns the other day. Buddy came down first just wearing Princess Sparkley's red ruby slippers cracking me up and then went upstairs and said, "Mommy likes it." Then he came down in the complete outfit (minus pants) and Princess Sparkley followed.

My belly at 39 weeks

Buddy poops in the potty... sort of

B read a book called The Einstein Syndrome by Thomas Sowell that deals a lot with late talkers, which Buddy was. But what was also interesting is that late talkers also tend to potty train later than other kids their age. So, at least he won't be in diapers forever, just longer than we'd like.

So the other day Buddy was taking a bath and told me he felt like poop needed to come out. So he sat on the potty for a couple of minutes and then wanted back in the bath. A few minutes later he repeated that he felt like poop needed to come out, but a bit more frantically. I grabbed him and put him on the potty. But first, two tiny pellets of poop went in the bath tub and a rather significant sized poop ended up on the wall of the bathtub... somehow, we're not sure how. (We have pictures if you'd REALLY like to see.) But THEN, he pooped more in the potty. So, sort of a success. So the next day was "Buddy Day" as his reward. He wanted ice cream, cookies, and construction cones made out of paper.

Recent Sewing adventures

I made this blanket for my sister's new baby (born Dec. 29th). She's decorating his room in blues and browns and dogs, so when I saw this fabric I knew it was perfect.

Then I made some burp clothes for my new baby since Buddy still uses his as his "blankeys."

B turns 30

B's favorite new candy bars are Reese's Whipps. While Christmas shopping in St. Louis, Buddy and I were lucky enough to come across a box of 24 at Sam's Club so we quickly made the purchase and hid them away for the after Christmas birthday celebration.

Here's the birthday boy blowing out his three (each representing 10) birthday candles.

Train Tracks

Thanks to Santa, Grandma and Grandpa M, this is Buddy's new awesome train set-up. It's very exciting to him. Thanks!

Playing in the Snow

Although it all melted away this weekend when temperatures were in the 50s and 60s, this has probably been the most snow we've had since we moved to Kansas. AND, as a bonus, it hasn't been nearly as cold this winter (or so it seems). Hopefully I didn't just jinx anything.

We got the kids these Santa hats for Christmas because Buddy was way into pretending to be Santa, then he insisted on wearing them to play in the snow like they were winter hats.

Afterwards they enjoyed some hot chocolate.