What's new with Mr. B Man- Blaise Hartwell? He is so much fun- the light of our lives! Recently, his vocabulary is becoming larger. A lot of things sound the same and many probably wouldn't catch what he was saying unless you are around him a lot. Some new things are blue, bowl, hat, get out (when he is yelling and wants out of the crib in the morning) baby, "I'm gonna get you" and so on. He loves trying to tickle you yelling I'm going to get you. He is very obsessed with his dad, and is devastated when Mike leaves to go to work.
He is very much a monkey-see, monkey-do kid, especially when he see's his dad. The other day, we went out to play in the snow and got his "boo" boots on, snow pants and everything. When we came in and took everything off on the porch, I turned and looked and he had grabbed his boots and was headed for the door to the basement. Mike always sets his boots at the top of the steps to go downstairs to stay warm, and Blaise must have wanted to put his there too. Also the other day, I caught Blaise lifting the lid of the trash can in the kitchen and spitting into it. Again- must have gotten that from dad!
He is very into his potty chair these days. He's yet to actually "go" on the potty, but loves to strip down and sit on it and the big potty. His word for potty is actually "poopy" but we are working on it. I was getting breakfast ready one morning and looked over and Blaise's diaper that he had been wearing was laying on the kitchen floor next to me. I went to look for him and he had climbed up stairs by himself and was sitting with no clothes on the potty in his room. The potty is now downstairs for easier access.
Blaise knows there is a baby in mommy's tummy and points to it and says baby a lot. Tonight, we told him to give the baby a kiss and he leaned over to kiss mommy's tummy. He is a very, very sweet and loveable little boy.
Thanks for all the support during heart month. It's always a hard month to get through (maybe harder when you have raging pregnant hormones). We love hearing stories from our heart friends, but sometimes they can be a very tough reminder of the difficulties and futures for these kiddos.
Baby Hartwell Round 2 Update: We are now at the 20 week mark. How in the world are we half way done? This one has gone lots faster and for obvious reasons is just a fleeting thought during the day. I'm sure we will remember to get a few diapers and necessities before it gets here! HA Our big prayer request is for March 12th. We will be having our 20 week ultrasound, which is where they discovered Blaise's heart condition. We pretty much could care less if it's a boy a girl and see only one purpose for this ultrasound which is to determine the health of our baby. We pray for a totally healthy baby!
Thanks for keepin' up with our growing family!!
Friday, February 28, 2014
Sunday, February 16, 2014
A parade of photos
Ok, here is an update of photos from October!! Phew! Thanks for being patient!! I'll try much harder to stay up - to - date.
For now, I'll blame my lack of updates on a new little surprise in our lives. Blaise would like you all to know that he is going to be the world's greatest big brother in July!!! Baby Hartwell Round 2 is due July 21st!
Hopefully now that we are past the first trimester I'll get some energy and time back to do things like update the blog!
Thanks for the continued prayers for Blaise's heart and the new ones we ask for a healthy new baby.
Halloween with Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann
Mom and I
A night at Texas Roadhouse in November with mom and dad
Dad's home from trucking. Walking across the yard after helping him drive and put his truck away.
Children's Hospital ER visit on Thanksgiving
In Kansas City with Grandma Donna and Aunt Jenna.
Got into mom's makeup and eyeliner.
Meeting Santa at Bass Pro Shop
Grandpa Grandma and GG at Christmas
Look Santa came!
Me and cousin Parker
Just looking cute
Trying on mom's shoes
Helping feed the cows
Fixing my tractor
Visiting Aunt Jenna
Someone emptied out all the pots and pans
Eating French fries on a date with mom at McDonalds
Eating at the Heart Banquest
Dancing with a new friend at the Heart Banquet
Bath time
Valentines Day 2014
For now, I'll blame my lack of updates on a new little surprise in our lives. Blaise would like you all to know that he is going to be the world's greatest big brother in July!!! Baby Hartwell Round 2 is due July 21st!
Hopefully now that we are past the first trimester I'll get some energy and time back to do things like update the blog!
Thanks for the continued prayers for Blaise's heart and the new ones we ask for a healthy new baby.
Halloween with Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann
The great Christmas Tree hunt 2013
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
Heart Day 2014
Heart Day 2014 is almost upon us! February marks Congenital Heart Disease awareness month, and the 7-14th are specifically dedicated to raising awareness of this disease that effects 1 in 100 babies born. This year, we took Blaise to his first Midwest Heart Connection Kids Banquet night last Saturday night. He loved it! It is where kids and parents of kids with CHD get together to celebrate. Blaise loved playing/laying in the bounce house. He couldn't quite figure out how to stand and jump in it, but I had a hard time figuring out how I was going to get him out without climbing in it myself. He also got a balloon puppy made for him by a clown. We ate dinner with everyone, there was a magician and then a dance for all the kids. He loved the dance floor, and one little girl loved him. They held hands and danced and she kept chasing him around the dance floor. He kept trying to run away- I think he had enough of the little girl!
We are again asking all of our friends and family to help us celebrate Blaise on Friday- Valentines Day by wearing red. You can send us your photos, or put them on Facebook and tag Mike and I. We appreciate everyone's support and are reminded so many times during heart month how precious these little lives are. We pray everyday for God to keep Blaise's heart healthy and thank him each morning.
Blaise got his synagis shot tonight and he did not like it. For this first time instead of just crying he yelled owie owie owie! Breaks my heart!!
Here are a few Christmas photos- I'm still trying to play catch- up!
Sunday, January 5, 2014
Long Overdue
I'll try and catch everyone up to speed on Mr. Blaise. I apologize for how long it has been since there has been update. Fall is such a hard time, Mike is gone almost all of it. Finally the middle of November his schedule slowed down and he has been home more. It was amazing the difference I noticed in Blaise as soon as his dad was around more.
I'll start with some health updates on Blaise, then move on to some of the fun stuff we've been up to.
Blaise has officially started his synagis RSV shots. We have to do monthly weights for these, and unfortunately in October when he got weighed, he had not gained anything since August. A few weeks later in November when he was weighed he was up to 22 lbs even! Unfortunately, this is very small for a 20 month old. His size 12 pants are still too big on him. He will be 21 months old in a few weeks. We have started trying to give him adult Ensure to help pack on some calories. He is a very picky eater and basically only eats hot dogs or mac and cheese. about every day. Day care has been going ok but he has been getting sick a lot. He has had a pretty good cold with a snotty nose and cough for about a month. Unfortuantely, on Thanksgiving he woke up with a temperature. After spending the day at the Hartwell's, we headed to Treynor and upon arrival Blaise had a 102 temperature. With so many things going around, and not wanting to worry about him all night, we decided to head to Children's ER since that was the only thing open on Thanksgiving. We can now cross the ER off our list of places we had yet to see at Children's. After a chest x-ray and four very miserable pokes and digging around in his arms they finally got blood drawn. It was decided he has a virus that needs to run its course. Being at the hospital again was no fun. He kept looking at Mike and I with his hands in the air saying" WHY" every time they tired to do something to him. All I could think was how hard his next surgery is going to be. WOW. He was put on amoxicilian, which has been giving him pretty bad diarrhea on top of not wanting to eat. I'm very nervous that we are going to go backwards again on weight after dealing with this. He then started doing better, and got a sinus infection and ear infection the Monday before Christmas. A few meds and he was on the mend again, both Mike and I have been sick, I had the flu, but it hasn't gotten to Blaise yet, knock on wood. He has continued to get his RSV shots once a month a cries as soon as we get to the parking lot. He is holding steady on weight, hoping for some slow increases. He is a pretty good grazer and snacks a lot throughout the day.
He has decided that he no longer needs to sit at his high chair, or a booster, or any chair for that matter at the table. Right now, the only way we can get him to eat is if I hold him on my lap.
Day care is going okay, he is doing better and doesn't cry the whole day anymore. Once in a while he seems excited to go, and others he sobs when I drop him off. As long as he can stay healthy I think day care is a good thing. He has started saying a few more words, more, ewww, puppy, burr, etc. I think he is coming around in this area. For awhile there was a little boy that was getting potty trained at day care. Blaise thought he should also sit on the potty all the time, so I would set him on it but I think it was more a fun idea than him actually knowing what he was doing. We will try maybe next summer. We are always surprised at how smart Blaise is. Of course every parent does, but there isn't too much that gets past this kid! Cracks us up how many ideas he has and how he doesn't forget anything. He knows his way around in a car pretty well and knows how to get to the grandparents, flower shop, grocery store, cows, Red Barn, etc.
I'll try and back up to October and let you know what we've been up to. I'm sure I'll forget a hundred things. We spent almost every weekend in October at my parents on the farm. Blaise can't get enough of that place and is obsessed with the horses and tractors. He got plenty of tractor and combine rides. He went with my mom and myself to Des Moines to visit Aunt Jenna and Uncle Mitch for our annual shopping trip. He got drug along the whole time this time and did great in the car and a full day of shopping. We carved pumpkins for the first time while we were there and Blaise thought it was fun putting the lid on and off the pumpkin. We also went to Boo at the Zoo in Des Moines for trick or treating. For Halloween Blaise was dressed as a puppy. He did really good wearing his costume. He got candy, wanted to eat it right away, and would pick a piece of the basket and put the one he was just eating in it instead! This was the first day we realized that he kept saying puppy on repeat! He loved being a puppy!
He did fall down a couple of steps once this fall and cut his lip open a bit, I freaked out because it was the first time I had actually seen him bleed! (obviously his two surgeries didn't count ha!). Just a little bump and cut and all was well. We tried to spend as much time as we could outside this fall since he just loves it. Trips to the park and playing in the leaves.
In November we were busy getting ready for the Holidays. Blaise loves to "cook" in the kitchen with me and thinks he can have all of the spices and ingredients I use to make things. He loves stacking blocks and playing with his tractors. He also learned to climb on pretty much everything. He always grabs your hand and pulls you to where he wants you to go. He drinks out of a big person cup now and always has to share mom's glass with her.
Thanksgiving was cut short as we spent time in the ER. We went Christmas tree shopping for a real tree the beginning of December it was a beautiful day so Blaise went with. His favorite part was the ride in the wagon behind the tractor on the way to the field, except he couldn't figure out why he couldn't actually ride in the tractor. He left the tree alone pretty good this year and loved looking at Chrsitmas lights, he would point them out to us from the car. The middle of December he went to Kansas City with grandma Donna, mom and Aunt Jenna. We ate at a restaurant where the served you by trains and he loved it. We did some exploring and he sat on Santa's lap for the first time. No big deal he loved Santa! He says Ho Ho Ho when you ask him what Santa says. The next weekend he sat on Santa's lap again with mom and dad at Bass Pro Shop. He gave him a high-five and did great!
For Christmas, we did Christmas Eve at the Hartwells we went to Church with them and Great Grandpa Glenn from Kansas. Blaise sat very good through church as was intrigued by the candle and cup for the candle-lit service. Santa came Christmas morning, then off the Treynor and the Sudmann's. He got lots of presents there again and had a blast opening them all. Of course he was super spoiled all Christmas. The weekend after Christmas the whole Hartwell family got together and he loved playing with his cousins. He spent New Years Eve at Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann's and we are now getting back into a regular routine.
I'll get this posted for now, and fill in pictures later! Hope everyone enjoyed catching up!
I'll start with some health updates on Blaise, then move on to some of the fun stuff we've been up to.
Blaise has officially started his synagis RSV shots. We have to do monthly weights for these, and unfortunately in October when he got weighed, he had not gained anything since August. A few weeks later in November when he was weighed he was up to 22 lbs even! Unfortunately, this is very small for a 20 month old. His size 12 pants are still too big on him. He will be 21 months old in a few weeks. We have started trying to give him adult Ensure to help pack on some calories. He is a very picky eater and basically only eats hot dogs or mac and cheese. about every day. Day care has been going ok but he has been getting sick a lot. He has had a pretty good cold with a snotty nose and cough for about a month. Unfortuantely, on Thanksgiving he woke up with a temperature. After spending the day at the Hartwell's, we headed to Treynor and upon arrival Blaise had a 102 temperature. With so many things going around, and not wanting to worry about him all night, we decided to head to Children's ER since that was the only thing open on Thanksgiving. We can now cross the ER off our list of places we had yet to see at Children's. After a chest x-ray and four very miserable pokes and digging around in his arms they finally got blood drawn. It was decided he has a virus that needs to run its course. Being at the hospital again was no fun. He kept looking at Mike and I with his hands in the air saying" WHY" every time they tired to do something to him. All I could think was how hard his next surgery is going to be. WOW. He was put on amoxicilian, which has been giving him pretty bad diarrhea on top of not wanting to eat. I'm very nervous that we are going to go backwards again on weight after dealing with this. He then started doing better, and got a sinus infection and ear infection the Monday before Christmas. A few meds and he was on the mend again, both Mike and I have been sick, I had the flu, but it hasn't gotten to Blaise yet, knock on wood. He has continued to get his RSV shots once a month a cries as soon as we get to the parking lot. He is holding steady on weight, hoping for some slow increases. He is a pretty good grazer and snacks a lot throughout the day.
He has decided that he no longer needs to sit at his high chair, or a booster, or any chair for that matter at the table. Right now, the only way we can get him to eat is if I hold him on my lap.
Day care is going okay, he is doing better and doesn't cry the whole day anymore. Once in a while he seems excited to go, and others he sobs when I drop him off. As long as he can stay healthy I think day care is a good thing. He has started saying a few more words, more, ewww, puppy, burr, etc. I think he is coming around in this area. For awhile there was a little boy that was getting potty trained at day care. Blaise thought he should also sit on the potty all the time, so I would set him on it but I think it was more a fun idea than him actually knowing what he was doing. We will try maybe next summer. We are always surprised at how smart Blaise is. Of course every parent does, but there isn't too much that gets past this kid! Cracks us up how many ideas he has and how he doesn't forget anything. He knows his way around in a car pretty well and knows how to get to the grandparents, flower shop, grocery store, cows, Red Barn, etc.
I'll try and back up to October and let you know what we've been up to. I'm sure I'll forget a hundred things. We spent almost every weekend in October at my parents on the farm. Blaise can't get enough of that place and is obsessed with the horses and tractors. He got plenty of tractor and combine rides. He went with my mom and myself to Des Moines to visit Aunt Jenna and Uncle Mitch for our annual shopping trip. He got drug along the whole time this time and did great in the car and a full day of shopping. We carved pumpkins for the first time while we were there and Blaise thought it was fun putting the lid on and off the pumpkin. We also went to Boo at the Zoo in Des Moines for trick or treating. For Halloween Blaise was dressed as a puppy. He did really good wearing his costume. He got candy, wanted to eat it right away, and would pick a piece of the basket and put the one he was just eating in it instead! This was the first day we realized that he kept saying puppy on repeat! He loved being a puppy!
He did fall down a couple of steps once this fall and cut his lip open a bit, I freaked out because it was the first time I had actually seen him bleed! (obviously his two surgeries didn't count ha!). Just a little bump and cut and all was well. We tried to spend as much time as we could outside this fall since he just loves it. Trips to the park and playing in the leaves.
In November we were busy getting ready for the Holidays. Blaise loves to "cook" in the kitchen with me and thinks he can have all of the spices and ingredients I use to make things. He loves stacking blocks and playing with his tractors. He also learned to climb on pretty much everything. He always grabs your hand and pulls you to where he wants you to go. He drinks out of a big person cup now and always has to share mom's glass with her.
Thanksgiving was cut short as we spent time in the ER. We went Christmas tree shopping for a real tree the beginning of December it was a beautiful day so Blaise went with. His favorite part was the ride in the wagon behind the tractor on the way to the field, except he couldn't figure out why he couldn't actually ride in the tractor. He left the tree alone pretty good this year and loved looking at Chrsitmas lights, he would point them out to us from the car. The middle of December he went to Kansas City with grandma Donna, mom and Aunt Jenna. We ate at a restaurant where the served you by trains and he loved it. We did some exploring and he sat on Santa's lap for the first time. No big deal he loved Santa! He says Ho Ho Ho when you ask him what Santa says. The next weekend he sat on Santa's lap again with mom and dad at Bass Pro Shop. He gave him a high-five and did great!
For Christmas, we did Christmas Eve at the Hartwells we went to Church with them and Great Grandpa Glenn from Kansas. Blaise sat very good through church as was intrigued by the candle and cup for the candle-lit service. Santa came Christmas morning, then off the Treynor and the Sudmann's. He got lots of presents there again and had a blast opening them all. Of course he was super spoiled all Christmas. The weekend after Christmas the whole Hartwell family got together and he loved playing with his cousins. He spent New Years Eve at Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann's and we are now getting back into a regular routine.
I'll get this posted for now, and fill in pictures later! Hope everyone enjoyed catching up!
Friday, October 11, 2013
Oh! October!
River City Rodeo & Stock Show was so much fun! Blaise spent three of the nights at Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann's and one night at the hotel with us. He came to the rodeo all three nights and just loved it! He wasn't a big fan of the loud "Boom" at the beginning, but he got a kick out of watching the horses and bulls. He would bounce his head clap and cheer and point when they came out of the chute. After awhile he was ready to get up and run though. I think the earliest he ever went to bed that week was 11:30. He also got to hang out at the event during a few of the days too.
We've spent a few more days at Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann's and love the farm as much as ever. His favorite thing is to "drive" his tractors across the floor and make the vroom vroom sound.
The biggest news is that Blaise has started day care three days a week. He goes to an in home day care and his babysitter is named Connie. He goes Tuesday, Wednesday, THursday. There are about 5-6 other little kids there. The first week he did really good. The second week, he was upset enough on Tuesday that Peg had to go pick him up and the next two days weren't much better as he cried all day long and his eyes were red and puffy when I picked him up. I never realized how much harder it would be to send an 18 month old to daycare than a 12 w
eek old. I'd pick the 12 week old ANY DAY! By 18 his routine is already totally established, and his world consists of being one on one with an individual. I'm asking for lots of prayers that day care goes better for him. Although I realize he needs to cry to realize that things aren't going to change (ie mom's not coming back), we also have to remember that this little munchkin is doing this on half a heart and a full day of crying for a normal kid would wear him out.
Blaise had his 18 month check up appointment on the 7th. It went okay. He only weighted 21 lbs 10 ounces, which means he has only gained 2 ounces since August. They were less than impressed with that. He is at the 14% and we have been strongly encouraged to help this out. We are to give him as many calories and protein as we can. Frustrating, since we were already doing this. Carnation Instant Breakfast, Protein Shakes etc. We are also asking for more prayers on weight gain as well. It seems like were have been sailing around pretty easily, but could use the extra prayers if you are able to send them in these few areas. Other than that, he got his shots and is pretty much caught up. He was really slow the day after his shots, and ran a 100 temp for awhile. His leg was pretty sore the next day and he had problems walking on it. His height was 33 inches and his head was int he 40%. They also said he could improve and learn a few more words.
We made a quick trip to the pumpkin patch with the Sudmann grandparents and had fun. This weekend its with the Hartwell grandparents.
The things Blaise does every day just crack us up. Lately he has learned to pull klenex off the back of the toilet and blow his nose. He knows where his nose, ears and belly button are. He throws stuff away in the trash when you tell him to. He is pretty darn smart I think!
We've spent a few more days at Grandpa and Grandma Sudmann's and love the farm as much as ever. His favorite thing is to "drive" his tractors across the floor and make the vroom vroom sound.
The biggest news is that Blaise has started day care three days a week. He goes to an in home day care and his babysitter is named Connie. He goes Tuesday, Wednesday, THursday. There are about 5-6 other little kids there. The first week he did really good. The second week, he was upset enough on Tuesday that Peg had to go pick him up and the next two days weren't much better as he cried all day long and his eyes were red and puffy when I picked him up. I never realized how much harder it would be to send an 18 month old to daycare than a 12 w
eek old. I'd pick the 12 week old ANY DAY! By 18 his routine is already totally established, and his world consists of being one on one with an individual. I'm asking for lots of prayers that day care goes better for him. Although I realize he needs to cry to realize that things aren't going to change (ie mom's not coming back), we also have to remember that this little munchkin is doing this on half a heart and a full day of crying for a normal kid would wear him out.
Blaise had his 18 month check up appointment on the 7th. It went okay. He only weighted 21 lbs 10 ounces, which means he has only gained 2 ounces since August. They were less than impressed with that. He is at the 14% and we have been strongly encouraged to help this out. We are to give him as many calories and protein as we can. Frustrating, since we were already doing this. Carnation Instant Breakfast, Protein Shakes etc. We are also asking for more prayers on weight gain as well. It seems like were have been sailing around pretty easily, but could use the extra prayers if you are able to send them in these few areas. Other than that, he got his shots and is pretty much caught up. He was really slow the day after his shots, and ran a 100 temp for awhile. His leg was pretty sore the next day and he had problems walking on it. His height was 33 inches and his head was int he 40%. They also said he could improve and learn a few more words.
We made a quick trip to the pumpkin patch with the Sudmann grandparents and had fun. This weekend its with the Hartwell grandparents.
The things Blaise does every day just crack us up. Lately he has learned to pull klenex off the back of the toilet and blow his nose. He knows where his nose, ears and belly button are. He throws stuff away in the trash when you tell him to. He is pretty darn smart I think!
Wednesday, September 18, 2013
Fall Fun!
Well, Mike has been busy trucking. It's that "time of the year". Blaise and I have been hanging out- just the two of us since September 1. I think Blaise is starting to miss his daddy. He is so cute, when I call Mike on the cell phone, I"ll put it on speaker phone, and Blaise can see a picture of his dad on the screen. He will pick up the phone, and walk around holding it up to his ear, jabbering away non-stop talking to his dad. He will walk totally out of the room I'm in with him, and go sit on the steps and just talk to his dad. It melts my heart! I think he is really missing him though. Bedtimes have gotten a little hard, as my good little boy has started to cry again when I put him in bed.
He has started to jabber more directly, and everyone and a while we will grab something from what he says, and are able to make sense of it.
We have been doing lots of stroller walks and keeping busy. We've spent a lot of time at the farm in Treynor, and grandma Donna has done some babysitting. We went last weekend and stocked up on fall clothes. I actually dug all of his summer clothes out of his dresser the other night, and restocked with fall and winter. He isn't sure what to think of shoes and socks, he tried to pull them off and slid around the slick floors in his socks. He also wasn't a very big fan of long shirts and pants.
We are getting all ready for River City Rodeo next week. We will be spending three nights in the hotel and Blaise will be going to the rodeo. Wish us luck! Hopefully Mike will make it down for the last night.
Here are some pictures to enjoy! If anyone has a cute Halloween costume idea send it my way!!
First Dairy Queen Ice Cream Cone
Going down the slide by myself.
Mom and me
Bathtub fun
Climbing in my stroller the wrong way
With my great Aunt Terri and Aunt Gail
Mom and I had a dinner date at Applebee's
Nightly stroller walks
He has started to jabber more directly, and everyone and a while we will grab something from what he says, and are able to make sense of it.
We have been doing lots of stroller walks and keeping busy. We've spent a lot of time at the farm in Treynor, and grandma Donna has done some babysitting. We went last weekend and stocked up on fall clothes. I actually dug all of his summer clothes out of his dresser the other night, and restocked with fall and winter. He isn't sure what to think of shoes and socks, he tried to pull them off and slid around the slick floors in his socks. He also wasn't a very big fan of long shirts and pants.
We are getting all ready for River City Rodeo next week. We will be spending three nights in the hotel and Blaise will be going to the rodeo. Wish us luck! Hopefully Mike will make it down for the last night.
Here are some pictures to enjoy! If anyone has a cute Halloween costume idea send it my way!!
A new hair cut
Riding in the tractor with grandpa
The ball machine at Children's
Finally got to see my favorite nurse Jessica
Tuesday, September 10, 2013
Nine Months!
God continues to shower us in love. I'm thankful to Him everyday for the miracle he put in our lives. God showed his greatness again today. Blaise did very good at his appointment. The first stop was to do a Pulse Ox reading and Blood Pressure. The pulse ox is just tiny reader they wrap around his big toe. It's more or less like a Band-Aid with a cord, but Blaise had an absolute freak-out. Screaming and bawling hysterically. My first thought was "great, what a long day this is going to be if this is how he is reacting to this thing that doesn't even hurt". In order to get the proper reading he has to be completely calm. Both grandma's came with and between my holding, rocking, patting and shushing and their pulling all sorts of toys out and acting crazy, we got him somewhat calm. The first reading was anywhere from the 70's when he was sobbing to a high of 86. A normal is 100, and they prefer him to be upper 80's. We decided 82 looked pretty good. We then did his weight which was 21 lbs 10 oz, and that puts him right about the 10th percentile. I was hoping for a bit more from this picky eater, but they said he is still on his curve and weren't concerned. His height was 31 1/2 inches, which was about 40 percentile. We then went to his echo. This is basically an ultrasound of his heart, and he must lay still on his back for about 20-30 minutes. I was able to lay down on the bed first, and hold him on my lap. It started off pretty bad, with Blaise wanting to pull of the monitor stickers, and screaming and trying to get away and push away the wand. We were trying everything to distract him, then he magically saw the tv screen in the room with despeciable me playing and was glued to the screen and was calm for the rest of the time. Funny how he never watches tv at home, but loved it today! I"ll take it! From there it was back upstairs to re-do the pulse ox and try for a better reading. This time while the nurse blew bubbles, he stayed calm and the reading was officially an 82. I hoped for higher, but at least it's in the 80's. Dr. Danford read his echo, then came in to talk to us.
The official report is that all looks good. Nothing has significantly changed since the last echo. His right side of his heart is still small and not functioning, his left side is still pulling the weight of the full heart. The blood is flowing through the Glen shunt nicely. There is the proper amount of blue oxygenated blood flowing through his system. His unique problem area (the odd coronary arteries) are flowing blood to the heart wall effectively so it can pump. Based on all of this, and some of our answers to questions about how we think he has been doing, they gave us an all good report.
Dr. Danford said he doesn't need to see Blaise again for another 9 months, which would be the longest we have gone. Of course if something changes between then, we would need to go back in. By how it seems like Blaise is doing, they are guessing they wouldn't be doing the Fontan surgery next summer, but the summer after- the summer of 2015. We joked that we were waiting for the new Rainbow House to be finished (which happens in the summer of 15). He will still be getting his RSV Synagis shots all winter to protect against RSV. He said we should still be very cautious this winter with him and going out and exposing him to too much. We inquired about possibly taking him to daycare, and Dr. Danford felt like he would do okay with that.
Blaise and I went to the park tonight to celebrate him being a good boy. He was so happy by the end of the appointment he was trying to climb on Dr. Danfords lap. I think he could tell that Blaise has a lot of energy! To top of a perfect day, tonight after I put Blaise to bed, for some odd reason he started crying a while later. He usually doesn't do this, so I went up and got him out of bed and came down and rocked him for awhile. He was sharing the sweetest smiles with me, and it made me so happy with how blessed we are to have this angel in our lives. Thank you to our prayer warriors! God definitely hears each of our prayers!
The official report is that all looks good. Nothing has significantly changed since the last echo. His right side of his heart is still small and not functioning, his left side is still pulling the weight of the full heart. The blood is flowing through the Glen shunt nicely. There is the proper amount of blue oxygenated blood flowing through his system. His unique problem area (the odd coronary arteries) are flowing blood to the heart wall effectively so it can pump. Based on all of this, and some of our answers to questions about how we think he has been doing, they gave us an all good report.
Dr. Danford said he doesn't need to see Blaise again for another 9 months, which would be the longest we have gone. Of course if something changes between then, we would need to go back in. By how it seems like Blaise is doing, they are guessing they wouldn't be doing the Fontan surgery next summer, but the summer after- the summer of 2015. We joked that we were waiting for the new Rainbow House to be finished (which happens in the summer of 15). He will still be getting his RSV Synagis shots all winter to protect against RSV. He said we should still be very cautious this winter with him and going out and exposing him to too much. We inquired about possibly taking him to daycare, and Dr. Danford felt like he would do okay with that.
Blaise and I went to the park tonight to celebrate him being a good boy. He was so happy by the end of the appointment he was trying to climb on Dr. Danfords lap. I think he could tell that Blaise has a lot of energy! To top of a perfect day, tonight after I put Blaise to bed, for some odd reason he started crying a while later. He usually doesn't do this, so I went up and got him out of bed and came down and rocked him for awhile. He was sharing the sweetest smiles with me, and it made me so happy with how blessed we are to have this angel in our lives. Thank you to our prayer warriors! God definitely hears each of our prayers!
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