Being upside down is hilarious!!

Cooper thinks this is the funniest thing in the whole world.  He does this every time!  P.S.  Sorry it's sideways!!

GI

This weekend, Brad was on nights and there was a party to celebrate Madeline and Greg's wedding in Clarksdale, so I went to Clarksdale (sorry Brad).  The party was really fun, and I had a very relaxing weekend.

Today, instead of driving home, I drove to Children's for Cooper's GI appointment.  The appointment was for 2:15.  I got there about 1:40.  We saw the doctor at 3:45.  Ugh.  But, basically the doctor seems to think it really is a milk allergy, since everything is going so well on the new formula.  He wants us to just keep doing what we're doing.  Great.  The GI clinic is in the same building as the pharmacy, so while we were waiting around, I refilled one of Cooper's prescriptions.  It is also in the same building as the surgery clinic, so I ran by there to tell them that Cooper's g-button is looking funky.  They took a look at it and want us to use a steroid cream 4 times a day for 2 weeks.  Hopefully, this will get rid of the extra tissue that is growing around there.  If not, they have to burn it off with silver nitrate.  Pray that won't happen.

Good News and Pudding

Good news!  We got the results of the CT scan, and everything is normal!!!  He is just getting a big head.  That is SUCH a relief!!  The upcoming heart procedure is making me nervous enough.  I couldn't imagine the stress of a brain surgery!

And how I ever mentioned how much Cooper likes pudding?

"Get in my mouth!"

"Man, I'm DIRTY!!"

"Hey, Dad, is there more?"

"Yum!"

A little nervous

Yesterday, we went to the neurosurgeon.  As I mentioned earlier, Cooper's head was a little big, but I didn't mention how big.  His head circumference is in the 75th percentile.  This is exactly what we didn't want to happen.  So the neurosurgeon recommended getting a CT scan to make sure that this is just normal growth and not due to some other cause.  He had his CT scan at 10 this morning.  The neurosurgeon told us that we would get the results by the end of the day (I did not want to spend the holiday worrying about this, so that's good), and I guess we'll go from there.

Also, when we left the hospital last time, we were supposed to schedule a post-hospitalization follow-up visit with GI.  Brad called to do this, but when we got our appointment date it was for May.  That seemed a little ridiculous.  So Dr. Becton called Dr. Gibbons (the GI doc that did Cooper's scope procedure) and asked him about it.  His nurse called yesterday afternoon and now Cooper has an appointment to see Dr. Gibbons on Monday.  I'm pretty sure we're going to go in, tell them he's not throwing up anymore, and be done with it, but at least that's all happening now... and not in May.

Cooper... and our kitchen flooded

Yep, that's right.  It rained so hard last night that water got into our kitchen (between the foundation and the house; that can't be good) and we had about an 1/8 of an inch of water in there this morning.  Made for an interesting start to the day, to say the least.

Cooper had his 15 month checkup today.  He got 2 shots- his Hep A vaccine and his TDAP.  So that part was no fun, but there is good news!  He has gained so much weight that he is into the 20th percentile!  Go Cooper!  I guess not throwing up his food several times a day is really helping him catch up!  Height-wise, he's still way down in the fifth (which I guess explains why he is still in 9 month pants).  His head circumference is a little bigger than maybe it should be, but he has a nuerosurgery appointment tomorrow, and we'll see what they have to say about it.

Also, we're switching to cloth diapers.  Cooper is not going to be potty training for many years, and this will save us about $2,000 in the long run.  It's going to be about a $350 down payment (diapers, diaper pail liners, a different diaper pail, a trash can, extra inserts, etc.) but I think it will be worth it even in 6 months or so.  We decided to go with bum genius diapers after we got some good reviews about them from a couple of our friends.  We are getting 6 of the one size 4.0 with velcro pulls and 6 of the elemental all-in-ones.  I liked those 2 kinds equally.  We will also have 2 one size 4.0 with the snaps, but for some reason those don't fit Cooper as well, so we're not getting any more.  He seems to like them, they are comparably absorbent, and they will last for as long as it takes for us to get Cooper potty trained.  Plus, they're cute and colorful (even if Brad thinks some of the colors are "girly").  Kinda wish we had just done this from the beginning.  Ah well, at some point in the distant future, I'm sure we'll have another...

Big Things

Monday, Brad and I got to see the Bells and meet Hollin!  It was so great to see Sarah, Matt, and Zane, but I was most excited to meet their newest little bundle.  And boy is she a cutey!  I just want to eat her little cheeks up!  Zane hasn't forgotten me.  He wanted to sit "right next to Crady" on the couch.  Love that little guy and miss them all so much!!

Baby Hollin!!  Love her!

Brad, Matt, and Zane all wore plaid!

And Cooper wants to know why he was left out.

Wednesday, Cooper and I both had appointments.  Cooper got a new button!  It was much needed!  His original button was leaking and really loose.  We found out that the balloon holding it in place only had about half as much water in it as it was supposed to have.  So yay to the new button!

Brad and I had our blood drawn for the genetic tests.  So it's really happening.  And it's pretty much all I think about now.  There are so many "What if's" and I'm pretty sure I've thought of them all.  I don't know how long it will take.  We're just waiting.

A weekend away

This weekend, Brad and I went to my sister's wedding in New Orleans... without Cooper.  It was a little traumatizing, but probably more for me than for Cooper.  He had a great time with our good friends Sarah and Jason.  He went to lunch, did exercise, tasted some yummy food, and was just generally happy the whole time.  Thank God for cell phones.  They sent me tons of pictures and even a video!  Sarah and Jason got a lot of parenting practice in, but I'm pretty sure they're naturals!

Madeline's wedding was great.  Seriously, when it comes to weddings my family is 2 for 2.  The Bobo's sure know how to get married!!  As soon as she gets back from her honeymoon with my camera, I'll post some pictures.  I rode down with my brother and his girlfriend.  We stayed in Jackson with Kara and Ryan.  I love getting to see them, and even though we only spent an hour or two together, I left feeling renewed in our friendship.  Plus, their dogs love me!

I think Cooper has a new friend and Sarah has a new love!

Getting tickled!!

Nah-nah!

Jason, I think Cooper loves you too!!

Oh yeah!

Mmmm... Italian food!

Hanging in the stander

But now a little sleepy.

Precious angel!!  I missed him so!

Genetics News

As I'm sure you recall from my previous post (http://cradysboy.blogspot.com/2011/08/genetics.html), we are getting genetic tests done to determine if we are high risk or low risk of having another child with a genetic abnormality.  We were told we'd get the big run-around from the insurance company, that it would take several appeals, and that it generally was going to be a huge pain-in-the butt.  However, we have been approved!  The first time!  So, before the end of this year (really in the next couple of weeks or so), we are going to go in for blood work and have it sent off to the lab.  We'll know soon after what the results are.  I have to admit, I'm a little nervous.  If we are at risk, there are going to be some serious discussions happening.  And we would immediately go into money saving mode; adoption and in vitro are expensive!

In other news, Cooper has proved to me that he CAN roll over from his back to his front.  He did it a couple of times when his diaper rash was at its worst.  Now I just have to try and figure out how to get him to do it more often.  Suggestions?  Also, I think his rash is slowly getting better.  If nothing else, it is definitely not hurting him as much.

He wouldn't look at me and laugh.  He would only do one or the other.  So here's the best I could get.

Diaper Rash

Cooper has the WORST diaper rash.  It started yesterday morning when he pooped out of his diaper.  He had a couple of red patches.  I put diaper rash cream on it and expected it to get better like those things normally do.  It didn't.  It just got worse.  And worse.  Until this morning it was bleeding.

This all started when Cooper was prescribed 2 antibiotics that both can cause diarrhea.  Apparently, diarrhea is like acid on a baby's bottom.  So here is what we're doing for him.  We gave him a bath with Aveeno Oatmeal Bath.  It just soothes his skin.  Once it has been patted dry, we put neosporin, hydrocortisone, and Bag Balm on it.  The first two treat his skin.  Bag Balm is from 1899.

Originally, it was used for chapped cow udders.  It has zinc oxide, sulfate, petroleum jelly, and lanolin.  Great stuff.  We cake that on.  It creates a barrier so when he poops again, it doesn't hurt his skin more.  We are going to be doing a lot of this in the next couple of days.  Last, we are giving him tylenol with codine every 6 hours.  Otherwise, he just cries and cries and arches his back.  It's so sad.  

An even newer schedule (these seem to be helpful)

Cooper went to the doc on Wednesday, so of course we had some changes.  He's on a couple of new medicines- one for 2 weeks, one for a month.  Also, his breathing schedule has changed slightly, as has his water requirements.  His urine was REALLY concentrated, so we've increased his water by 10 mL each time.

8 a.m.- Breathing treatment:  2 puffs Albuterol, 2 puffs Atrovent, 4 puffs Flovent plus CPT's.  He also gets Sabril, Prevacid, Robinol, an antibiotic, and 50 mL of water.

9:30- He gets erythromycin. This is also an antibiotic, but it encourages his stomach to empty.  He was having a hard time moving the food that he was getting.

10 a.m.- "Eats" 125 mL formula through the pump.  

12 p.m.- He gets another 50 mL of water.

1:30- He gets erythromycin.

2 p.m- "Eats" 125 mL of formula.

4 p.m.- Breathing treatment: 2 puffs Albuterol plus CPT's.  He gets 50 mL more water.

5:30- He gets erythromycin.

6 p.m.- "Eats" 125 mL of formula.

7:30- He gets erythromycin.

8 p.m.- Breathing treatment:  2 puffs Albuterol, 2 puffs Atrovent, 4 puffs Flovent plus CPT's.  He also gets Sabril, Prevacid, Robinol, a puff of Nasonex in each nostril, the antibiotic, and 50 mL of water.

9 p.m.- We hook him up to the feeding pump for his 10 hour overnight feed.  He "eats" 39 mL an hour.

Jealous yet?

Trick-or-Treating

Last year, Cooper was only 2 months old- way too early for trick-or-treating.  This year though, we went and I think he had a pretty good time.  We went over to our friends, Robin and Eric's house.  They have 2 precious little girls.  The seven of us, plus their neighbors went trick-or-treating in their neighborhood.

Eric got this shark in Eureka Springs.  It "swims" through the air.  He got it to scare his kids.  I think Cooper was a little freaked out by it.  The shark scared the shark.

I took these so everyone can see his new haircut!!  Doesn't he look older!?

The men.  I think Eric was excited about trick-or-treating with some guys.  You'll see why if you keep reading.

I'm a happy shark!!

The girls.  Lindsey, Haven, and Aelyn.

Ready to get some candy!

Eric going door to door with Coops.  He told everyone that Cooper was Harry Potter dressed as a shark.  Hilarious!

Robin as Dodo the Clown.   Eric hated that outfit.

Haven, Eric, and Cooper

The candy bucket is filling up!

Yep.

The clown and the shark.

Cooper's stash!

First Haircut

Yesterday, Cooper had his first haircut!  And boy did he need it!  His hair covered his eyes if I didn't swoop it to one side while it was still wet, and in the back it touched the bottom of a collar, whenever he wore one.  It was so long.  I took Cooper to Pigtails and Crewcuts.  Yes, it was over-priced, but all the stylists there do is children.  I felt he would be safer there, where they are used to head bobbing and screaming fits than at a regular salon.  So I paid my $16 without complaint.

He of course immediately started chewing on the cover.  They have these cute little cars and airplanes, but he's just not big enough for those yet, so he sat in my lap.

He's used to having me spray de-tangler on him, so he didn't freak out too much when she got his hair wet.

Look how good he's doing!  The kid beside us was screaming the whole time.  That kid's dad was jealous of us!

"Oooh, what's that?"

This was right after Brad held his head so she could get the front.  This was the only thing he screamed at.   The rest of the time, he was great. 

Now his hair is pretty short, which is fine.  He won't have to have another haircut for quite a while.  He almost looks like a different kid now.  He looks older to me.  My baby is growing into a little boy!