adventures in child development

I studied child development in university. Then I had 5 children of my own where I applied my book knowlegde to practical, every day situations. The two did not always coincide but I managed to get all five off spring raised to adulthood with minimal emotional/physical scarring. Understanding child development is a big part of the job I have now. I thought I had a pretty good grasp of the stages of development in infants and I use the phrase "developmental milestones" regularly. But the other day I learned something completely new.

As I was chatting with Diana the other night, she was excited about Logan's progress. He has been breathing without a machine. He's been working hard to master the "suck, swallow and breathe" routine that goes with eating on his own. He is awake and alert for hours in the day. He is gaining weight and actually looking more and more like a little man every day. Then she told me that the doctor was also relieved that Logan had finally reached an important stage in his development: "the houseplant stage".

I was unfamiliar with that stage of infant development and asked Diana, "What the heck kind of stage is that!!??"

Diana was elated as she explained why the houseplant stage was so important in Logan's list of developmental milestones. "The houseplant stage is when you just feed him and watch him grow!"

logan "sucking back" 15-20 ml of mother's milk

every three to four hours....

we LOVE watching logan grow

The houseplant stage is the best stage so far. It's awesome and wonderful and miraculous all at the same time!

logan just a few days after his unexpected arrival

fragile and teeny-tiny; just over 1 pound

logan rocking the "houseplant" stage

of infant development- over 4 pounds

Go Logan!

adventures in refueling

It's been nasty cold the last couple of days. And since wally and I work in the same place, I've been riding with him every morning. Nola the red corolla has been left safe and warm in the garage and I've enjoyed the "sweet ride" the Infiniti G37 sedan has to offer - namely "HEATED SEATS". Now that's luxurious....

Wally needed to go over to the clinic at the university today, and I have been putting off going to the bank, post office and paint store because it was too dang cold to walk the two blocks from the office. And considering he would be at the clinic all afternoon, he suggested I drive him over, drop him off and then go do the few errands on my list. ( I have been carrying my paycheck in my purse since the 15th...I really had to go to the bank!) It sounded like a great idea.

As we were headed over to the university, Wally said, " If you're driving around, you should fill up with gas. It's getting low."

That was a reasonable request. Confident that I possessed the skill set necessary to "fill 'er up" I dropped him at the curb and set off to run a few errands.

The Infiniti (affectionately named "Buzz") is a special car at our house. The access to the gas tank is on the opposite side of the car when compared to all the other cars at our place and every car we've ever owned. But we've had Buzz long enough now to remember we have to pull in differently when going to fill up. I thought that was the trickiest part of the operation.

I pulled into the Costco gas bar correctly (best price in town for premium) and produced my Costco card and my credit card in preparation for the refueling. Then I put on my gloves and zipped up my coat. ( the temperature had risen to -21C but it was still nippy) Then I reached down to release the latch for the gas tank cover before stepping out of the car, into the cold, to do the deed.

Except there was no latch where I expected it to be - right down there to the left of the driver's seat on the floor where every other release latch is situated in every other car I've ever driven! I looked down to see if I was actually just missing it. But no, there was nothing there! Then I kinda started fishing around on the side panel of the door... Button to adjust the mirrors, controls for the locks and windows. Another button or two that DID NOT open the tank cover. (who knows what I jimmied by pushing those buttons...) So then I actually opened the door, stepped out and started looking around from the outside of the car because I was sure there had to be something there that would open the cover. I got down on my knees and looked UNDER the seat. I moved the seat frontwards and backwards to see if maybe the seat was camouflaging the release. Then I walked around to the other side of the car and pushed and pulled on the cover, thinking perhaps it might open magically with my touch. I went back to the front of the car and started pushing every button I could see. I opened the trunk, popped the hood, adjusted the steering wheel.....

Then I scanned the cars filling up and those lining up behind me. Surely somebody in an Infiniti would come to my rescue! No luck. A Ford Explorer, Mazda 3, a couple of mini vans and a variety of small sedans but nothing that even looked a little bit like my car.

Finally the gas bar attendant came over, convinced I was some demented old lady in a new (or stolen) car and said, "It should be right here." Pointing to the spot on the floor where there was NOTHING. "Or in the door. Isn't it in the door?" Then he just walked away and left me there, perplexed. One more quick scan of the surrounding vehicles and I did the only thing I could do.

I got in the car and drove away.

I parked, considered phoning Wally to ask him how to fill the car if I couldn't access the tank!?! and then I opened the glove box (regular latch) and hauled out the owner's manual. That stupid manual is as thick as a phone book! After a few minutes of intense study, I started the car, rejoined my place in the queue and proceeded to fill the car with gas.

As I was finishing up, the attendant wandered over again grinning from ear to frozen ear and asked, "How did you get the cover open?"

I replied as confidently as I could,"It's pretty high tech. You should read up on it sometime."

keeping score

pretty much a perfect score for little logan!

Since Little Logan popped into the world so unexpectedly, we've been keeping score. It's all about his weight, length, head circumference, oxygen saturations, heart rate, respiration rate, blood gases, and so on and so on. The medical professionals weigh and measure everything IN and OUT of his tiny body. His life in measured in gestational age by weeks and days. Today he's 34/1. Tomorrow he'll be 34/2 (which is exactly 8 weeks in mom speak) His numbers flash 24 hours a day for all to see. It's quite a game. And he's turned out to be quite a little scrapper!

It was a bit unnerving at first to see such a tiny, little human bean trying to breathe. But as the weeks have passed, he's kept trying and with prayers and professionals to sustain him, he's making slow but steady progress.

little logan breathing with the help of the "percussionator"

the biggest of the big guns in ventilator jargon

When he was on the ventilator, he was locked up tight in his life ship. It was the safest and best place for his little body to try and grow and get strong. Once or twice a day, Mom and Dad were allowed to touch him through the little portholes on the side just to remind them that he was real, in such a surreal experience.

mom and dad giving little logan

loves through the holes....

Once Logan was a little stronger (or a little less fragile-depending on how you look at it) he was able to use the c-pap machine for breahing. That meant he could come out of his life ship a couple of hours a day and get to know his mom (and dad). It was fun to see him cuddled up on the chest of his mom or dad and I think that touch may have helped him to get excited about breathing and growing because once he started coming out of his life ship for Kangaroo time, he started growing and breathing better too.

little logan enjoying some "kangaroo kare"

with mom once he was on c-pap (a smaller big gun)

This week has been even better as Logan was able to "ditch" the c-pap. Now he just has a litttle tube to help him get enough oxygen into his tiny body but he's doing most of the work himself. Go Logan!! And because he can breathe, he's allowed "out". Mom and Dad have both been able to spend some time with the little man.

logan with mom-snuggle time

...and logan with dad-"hey, howzitgoin'?"

So at 34/1 or 8 weeks (however you choose to count) Logan seems to be on the winning team. His scores are great. His parents are content and the rest of us are just plain excited.

And because he's been playing so well, he reached another milestone: he gets to wear clothes if he can keep up the good work. Go Logan! See you in the semi-finals.

logan wearing his "micro" onsie

still a little big but it's clothing and that counts

and this is the tiniest sleeper you've ever seen but it seems

like a pretty good fit for little logan

adventures in weight loss...again

Anyone who knows me has heard me bemoan the fact that my weight is just kinda "stuck" about 10-15 pounds heavier than I'd like to be.

I have weighed the same for about 15-20 years now. My doctor will tell me that being able to maintain a "healthy BMI" is a sign of good health, strong body, etc. etc. She has also been telling me for 15-20 years now that I could lose some weight ( as I hover at the "upper end" of the healthy range) to optimize my health prospects as I age. (and boy...am I aging...)

I've blogged about my adventures at BOOT CAMP.

I LOVE Boot Camp and love my instructor / trainer. Laura's Boot Camp is awesome and I never felt better than when I was working out with Laura early in the morning. But I never lost weight.

I even enlisted the help of a "building healthy lifestyles" coach. Clayton is also awesome. He has been telling me that I'm doing everything right! Healthy food choices, exercise and a good attitude are all important BUT I still weigh the same.

When I was in Portland for that month, perched on a stool by Little Logan's life ship for 10-12 hours a day, I swear I could hear my fat cells rejoicing. Greasy hospital food, stress, inactivity all combined in a perfect storm for some serious weight gain. I worried...I ate...I took sleeping pills and ate some more. I never once worked out.

i'd watch logan for a while and then walk down to the

hospital cafe-not much of a workout...

And then I came home for Christmas knowing full well that I'd be heading back to Portland after a few days of Christmas turkey and Christmas chocolate so I did not even look at the treadmill or the yoga mat. I even put the bathroom scale in the back of my closet because I just didn't want to know.

chocolate and me

However, we're home again. It's a new year and I thought it was time to quit being such a chicken. If I want to be one of those fun Grannies that all the kids love to play with, I'd better be able to do a flight of stairs without the threat of cardiac arrest. So I got out my "healthy eating" calendar, cook books, etc. I dusted off my treadmill and recarged the batteries in my DVD player. (can't walk/run on the treadmill without some entertainment). I even carried my weights and yoga mat down to the exercise room. (i'd hidden them in the closet too).

Everyone is so excited about Logan gaining weight. He's pretty much DOUBLED his weight this last month.

I decided it was time to see where I stand in this little game of pounds and ounces. I dug the scales out of the closet. peeled down to my underwear, held my breath and climbed on.

Now I own a pretty hi-tech bathroom scale. It has four different settings so four different people can track their weight. It actually remembers my weight from the last time I stepped on. It will record my weight for today and then it will flash what I weighed last time. So I sucked it all in and opened one eye to see what the scale said. "That's not soooo bad...." I thought as the weight registered on the electronic screen. "If I didn't know better, I'd guess that's pretty close to what I weighed before I left for Portland." Then the weight from November 10 flashed across the screen.

Yup. I guess in this case being STUCK is not a bad thing. I haven't lost any weight. But hey, I haven't gained any either. So in the end, the status quo works for me. Happy 2012, again.

And yes, I think I'll get back to eating healthy and exercising right after I get back from Five Guys.

objects are still smaller than they appear...

diana and grayson take turns on

soother duty

all that "soothing" can wear a

person out!!

Little Logan is still little and his parents are still spending long days at the NICU but "slow and steady progress" may be the best way to describe this experience. Today marks 7 weeks since Logan arrived on the scene, quite unexpectedly. And he's looking more and more like a beautiful baby boy as time goes by.

this is logan just before christmas

santa brought a professional photographer

to the nicu...

Since this photo was taken, Logan has graduated from the ventilator (you will recall the "percussionator") and is now using a c-pap to help with breathing. The c-pap requires more gear but is a less invasive machine. There is no tube down Logan's throat to help him breathe. He now wears the goofy hat and a set of prongs go up his nose to give him a little pressure and a bit of oxygen but he has to do most of the breathing on his own. So even though it looks bad, it's actually better. yay Logan!

logan wearing the c-pap

the elastic bands and safety pins make it look really

"high tec" but it's an awesome machine

The great thing about c-pap is that twice a day the respiratory therapist has to come and peel the whole contraption off of Logan's face and set him up with new prongs and tape and stuff. When that happens, Mom and Dad actually get to see his little face! It's exciting and it's also camera time...

a couple of shots of logan's face at different c-pap changes:

the c-pap makes his head cone shaped and his nostrils HUGE

but we think he's beautiful!

Now that I'm back at home, I'm counting on Diana and Grayson to keep me updated with photos and reports. I'm so excited when Grayson sends new photos and these two were really fun because they are all Logan! And Diana said that he's growing; 3 pounds 2 ounces the other day. Plus he's getting more milk everyday through his little feeding tube; probably up to about 1 1/2 teaspoons an hour now! So when I open the photos on my computer and Logan fills my whole screen I immediately think, "he's getting SO BIG!" Then I open the others and realize Logan's still little but we LOVE him in a really BIG way!

i'd guess logan's head is about the size of a tennis ball;

not big...

we decided logan is about the same size as sara's new kitten

since they both fit on a "mom's" chest about the same way...

even though logan's getting bigger, his dad can still

"handle" him with one hand...

a kiss good night and he's ready for another round

of breathing (and digesting all that milk)

Sleep tight and keep growing little buddy...