Saturday, July 13, 2013

Happy 6 months and 7 months and now 8 months to Charlie!

 

I'm embarrassed to see that my last post was in March - oops. I guess Chuck and I have been slightly busy lately, or at least we'll say we have been:)

Since our Easter post, Charlie has continued to grow, smile, laugh, puke and be the love of our lives.  He is steadily gaining weight.  He is still on the small side for his adjusted age (5 months), but our pediatrician reassures us Charlie is doing great and as any NICU parent has heard a million times - he's doing things at his own pace.  I am so over hearing that phrase:) It's always great to hear from any doctor or nurse that he is a on pace, but hard still hard to see where other little ones around his actual age are developmentally and especially physically.

Charlie has recently conquered rolling from back to front and is now squirming all over the place.  He's a rock star! And his talking is more of a scream or a squeal - it's more charming than a coo...I guess;)

Soon after the last post, we had a team of therapists visit Charlie and assess where he was developmentally and physically.  Overall the prognosis was great.  He was pretty much on par with where babies of his adjusted age should be.  In a couple areas he was slightly ahead and in others behind.  There were no red flags that came out of the assessment, but we decided to move forward with physical therapy to intervene and continue to develop his neck, balance, sitting up, etc.  I blame his large baby head for some of his issues:)  Our plan is to start therapy mid July.

As much as I love taking photos of Charlie, I was hesitant to create a birth announcement when he was so little and still so sick.  I wanted to wait until he was healthy and happy and at home.  I also wanted a way to show his journey from teeny tiny baby to smiling happy boy - I think these did the trick:)  Chuck and I often think of how amazing Charlie is to have come so far in such a short time.

In April we participated in the March of Dimes March for Babies Walk.  I am still overwhelmed with the generous support our friends and families provided for us and Charlie.  I can't wait to tell him how he raised so much money for so many other little babies:)  In total, we raised $3,100 - THANK YOU!

I wanted to give a special Thank You to Meghan (O’Brien) Patera!  Meghan is a sorority sister from Augustana.  She and her husband, Scott and baby Ellie, joined our team and exceeded their fundraising goal.  I cannot thank them enough for their generous contribution to Charlie and March of Dimes.  

Ellie was born around the same time as Charlie -  she is so cute!  

Charlie has also started "school" since my last update.  We were given the green light from our pediatrician that Charlie could start daycare and Grandma Wendi's nanny services would take a break:) I say break because he has been to Camp Grandma several times since her leaving her post at our house!  Both Grandma Wendi and I had really tough days - Charlie was excited to meet some new faces and get out of the house.  Chuck and I found an in-home daycare in a neighboring suburb that seems to be working out well.  There is one other baby with Charlie, baby Arthur (Art).  It sounds like the two of them are the old souls of the nursery. They are probably playing shuffleboard and drinking scotch.

 Getting ready to drop of Charlie...notice he seems not to care...at all.

Picking up Charlie...again, notice he seems not to care.  So he's seems to have adapted to daycare quite well.

Some photos of Grandma Wendi and Charlie before her departure.  Please ignore her puffy eyes;)

We also visited Charlie's first (and best:)) friend Meara.  Meara's mom, Mary, and I text almost daily.  I think we give each other sanity and/or at least sound as crazy as each other with countless baby/preemie questions, complaints and venting.  Meara is truly a miracle baby (Another phrase Mary and I hear ALL THE TIME)!  Meara is home on oxygen and is a complete rock star.  She is the cutest little girl ever and does not mind when Charlie pukes on her things.  We had a great BBQ and loved watching the two babies together.  They really are the cutest couple ever:)

I mean, how cute is this!

Charlie still remains the most popular baby in Riverside and has had new visitors stop by to say hiJ 

Charlie loves his Auntie Abby!

We visited Libertyville to meet the newest Rehmer, baby Patrick!

Charlie and Baby Patrick:)

 Some of my Hyatt friends stopped by to say hi as well:)

Mr. and Mrs. Frint!

Auntie Angie and Chris!

Nick and Joanna stopped by from Arizona!

I’m sure a lot of these pictures are redundant from Facebook, but wanted to share for those who are not on FB and reshare to help tell our update.  Chuck CONTINUES to tell me I take way too many pictures of the baby, him and the baby, the baby in different costumes, the baby naked – but I continue not to listen.  Charlie loves to sit for portraits and I love my subjectJ

Gangster Charlie.  Chuck was on the fence about this image.  He thought it looked like we went to Great America for "old time photos".  I took that as a compliment to my photography skills.

This kind of looks like Bloated/Uncomfortable Charlie.  Sorry Charlie!

An unsure Cubs fan???

Mommy and Grandpa Joe's new construction project - Charlie's new chalkboard!  

Auntie Colleen doesn't know this yet, but she will be drawing something on it for Charlie.  

Thanks Grandpa Joe....and Colleen:)

Charlie's reflux continues to be an issue and consumes my daily thoughts:(  Without being a medical expert, I blame the reflux for him not gaining weight quicker - or that he may have a super high metabolism like his Aunt Abby:)  Our pediatrician recently changed our prescription from Zantac to Prevacid.  We've noticed slight changes, but nothing too noticeably different yet.  I'm sure we need to give the medication a little more time - but I like to see instant results;)  We have an appointment with a GI doctor in two weeks. 

We also had Charlie's first cold a few weeks back:(  I think I gave it to him, which makes me feel even worse.  The NICU really really really instilled in us that we need to be very cautious if these little babies get sick, so at the first cough I panicked.  I forced Charlie and Chuck to go to the pediatrician (without an appointment of any kind) just to be safe.  Being a first time mom, and mom to a preemie, the nurses and doctors were kind enough not to make me feel too crazy when we arrived totally unannounced.  The doctor agreed he had a touch of something, but said he would just have to get through it, which he did.  Charlie had a smokers cough for a few days and then was fine:)

Apologies again for the delay, but things are quite crazy with an 8 month old baby at home.  I am actually traveling for work right now and Charlie is at Camp Grandma Wendi's.   I can't wait to get home to see him.  As always, thank you for all your well wishes and thoughts and hugs and kisses that you send to Charlie each day.  He loves you all so much and really is the luckiest baby I know.  He is loved by so many people that he has never met, and has come such a long way because of all you!

XOXO, Sarah, Chuck and Charlie

I promise to update soon with more photos from Charlie's Midwest Tour and starting baby food!