Everett Watch - Day 3
Hi, again. We are glad to be on the blog again adding some updates. Thanks for all your comments, and again, thanks for all your support and prayers. Up to this point, all of the test results for Everett are coming back very positive. His cranial facial doctor wanted to begin taping his lip to get it positioned for a future surgery because he didn't feel that Everett would be in the hospital very long (maybe not even through the weekend!!!).
Everett is a little fighter and he screams a lot! It is cute now, but I am guessing it will get old on the first night when he shares that screaming talent every 1 to 2 hours through the night. In the NICU they are organized in rooms of 6 or so babies called pods. The nurses told us that Everett's cry could be heard two pods away. Given that volume, I am hoping that Dominick and Kambree continue to be heavy sleepers that can't hear anything. Otherwise, we might be having a lot of grumpy pajama parties at the Cowan house.
We are trying to learn how to feed Everett through a bottle. Because he doesn't have a hard palate on one side of his mouth it is hard for him to create suction. To get around that there is a special bottle that we use to either squirt in the liquid as Everett chews/tries to suck on the nipple or that Everett will get milk from on his own as he gets better at the chewing motion. Right now, his meal size every few hours is 38 cc. Last time we fed him he was able to get 23 cc on his own through the bottle. Whatever he doesn't do through the bottle he gets through his friend "Slimy". That's the name I've given his feeding tube that they thread down his throat straight into his stomach.
Dominick and Kambree are having a hard time with Monica being away at the hospital and the fact that they can't see there baby brother yet. They were both so excited for his birth and especially for the chance to hold him. We found out three days before the birth when Monica took a tour of the NICU that the kids wouldn't be able to visit at all. Even if they move him to the level 2 nursery (a step down from the NICU) the kids wouldn't be able to visit. So we are just trying to get Everett home instead because while mom may impose visitor hours dad will probably disobey those hours and the kids will for sure.
When I was taking the kids to the hospital to see Monica on the second day, after she had been moved out of recovery to her own bed, the kids were excited that they could see mom and hug her. Then they started saying that they were going to hold Everett. When I told them that Everett was still in a different-special room and that they wouldn't be able to see him yet, Kambree said, "Okay dad. You and Dominick will have to stay in mom's room, but I will go see Everett with mom." Classic Kambree. No one could tell her she's under 18. She's never acted one day since she was over 18 months like any age below 25! She's finding the hospital doesn't react as favorable to her princess mentality as her periodically overindulgent parents might do from time to time.
Monica is pressing me to go and see Everett right now, so I will conclude for now. Hopefully we will have some more good news for Everett Watch - Day 4.
Thanks again for thinking of us and for the outpouring of love and support. We couldn't do it with out you. It nice to get hugged with one arm from the East Coast and one arm from the West (Left) Coast and a strong bicep coming from Utah!
Monica and Aaron
Everett is a little fighter and he screams a lot! It is cute now, but I am guessing it will get old on the first night when he shares that screaming talent every 1 to 2 hours through the night. In the NICU they are organized in rooms of 6 or so babies called pods. The nurses told us that Everett's cry could be heard two pods away. Given that volume, I am hoping that Dominick and Kambree continue to be heavy sleepers that can't hear anything. Otherwise, we might be having a lot of grumpy pajama parties at the Cowan house.
We are trying to learn how to feed Everett through a bottle. Because he doesn't have a hard palate on one side of his mouth it is hard for him to create suction. To get around that there is a special bottle that we use to either squirt in the liquid as Everett chews/tries to suck on the nipple or that Everett will get milk from on his own as he gets better at the chewing motion. Right now, his meal size every few hours is 38 cc. Last time we fed him he was able to get 23 cc on his own through the bottle. Whatever he doesn't do through the bottle he gets through his friend "Slimy". That's the name I've given his feeding tube that they thread down his throat straight into his stomach.
Dominick and Kambree are having a hard time with Monica being away at the hospital and the fact that they can't see there baby brother yet. They were both so excited for his birth and especially for the chance to hold him. We found out three days before the birth when Monica took a tour of the NICU that the kids wouldn't be able to visit at all. Even if they move him to the level 2 nursery (a step down from the NICU) the kids wouldn't be able to visit. So we are just trying to get Everett home instead because while mom may impose visitor hours dad will probably disobey those hours and the kids will for sure.
When I was taking the kids to the hospital to see Monica on the second day, after she had been moved out of recovery to her own bed, the kids were excited that they could see mom and hug her. Then they started saying that they were going to hold Everett. When I told them that Everett was still in a different-special room and that they wouldn't be able to see him yet, Kambree said, "Okay dad. You and Dominick will have to stay in mom's room, but I will go see Everett with mom." Classic Kambree. No one could tell her she's under 18. She's never acted one day since she was over 18 months like any age below 25! She's finding the hospital doesn't react as favorable to her princess mentality as her periodically overindulgent parents might do from time to time.
Monica is pressing me to go and see Everett right now, so I will conclude for now. Hopefully we will have some more good news for Everett Watch - Day 4.
Thanks again for thinking of us and for the outpouring of love and support. We couldn't do it with out you. It nice to get hugged with one arm from the East Coast and one arm from the West (Left) Coast and a strong bicep coming from Utah!
Monica and Aaron
posted by The Cowan Family at 6:31 AM
3 Comments:
I'm glad all is still going well.
If you end up having a problem with Everett crying and keeping the other kids awake, try a "white noise" machine. (amazon) I will swear by them!! Right now it is opposite at our house - the sound machine is with the babies so they can sleep through the noisy siblings.
CONGRATULATIONS!!!! What a beautiful, wonderful addition to your family. He is darling and so sweet!!! I hope that all continues to go well.
I send my empathy. Kyle (our third) was in the NICU for a week following his birth in September, and it really is hard on the other kids (and the family in general). However, nothing can replace that sweet moment when they finally get to see their sibling for the first time (after being made to wait even longer than they thought they'd have to), and, I'm happy to report that everyone recovered from the strain very quickly and well around here! I hope that your sweet family will be all together soon.
Best wishes, and congratulations again on your wonderful new baby boy!
Jennifer
Congratulations you guys!!! I am so glad things are looking so great! Tell Mo I will be calling soon. We love you guys and I know you miss us more than we miss you (maybe). Anyway take care and we will talk soon!
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