Day 5

We are on day 5 of being in the NICU. There is some good news and not so good news.
Good News:
*Carter is barely yellow anymore! Just a little under his eyes, and around his mouth.
*Before yesterday, Carter would only wake up when they changed his diaper, and he was not a happy camper at all. Well yesterday afternoon he was wide awake and HAPPY for over an hour. This happened again this morning!!! He is finally getting some of his energy back!
*Karls car broke down on the way to the hosptial this morning (bad news) but was able to get it towed and the alternator replaced by around 1:30 this afternoon.
*Kyra went to preschool this morning (which she has been missing desperately) and loved every minute of it. Then Kyra and Kyle went to a friends house to play, and came back SOOO happy, since they really haven't been out of the house in a week. Their friends had put together little gift baskets for them, to help occupy them when the new baby came. They loved them!! Thanks Laura for taking them....sorry Kyle pooped :(

Not as good news:
*The pediatric swallow test specialist was sick today, so the swallow test is postponed until tomorrow moring. But I found out that the swallow test doesn't involve him lying naked on a hard table. The baby is completely swaddled, and put in a vertical crib, and then a camera revolves around him. I also found out that the woman doing the study is the best in the city, and that the one of the best "swallow/feeding" experts in the nation is located in Tucson, if need be.
*Carter had a really hard time with his feed through his tube this morning. Lots of gagging, holding of his breath, and some spit up, but no vomiting, so that's good.
*The pediatrician came in and talked to me and gave me a couple ideas of what could be going on....unfortunately none of them were "Oh he's fine, you can take him home tomorrow!" The occupational therapist (who is fantastic, and very involved) is really baffled by what is going on, because she has never seen a baby have the milk come out their nose, and have the gagging and aspirating on the milk all together.

Other randoms:
We ran to walmart after Carters 11 am feeding and got a little web camera, so that we can use the laptop at the hosptial, log on to messenger, and then Kyra and Kyle can see baby brother. They are really excited about that!

Kyra and Kyle were "swimming" in the bath tub this morning and Kyra said "Kyle lets play dophins. You are the daddy dolphin, and I'll be the mommy dolphin." Kyle then asked "Who will be the baby dolphin?" Kyra pondered this for a minute and then looked at me and said "Can you let Carter know that he needs to come home so he can be the baby dolphin."

Other than that..not whole lot of other news. Karl usually wakes up at 7 AM, and goes in for the 8 AM feeding, and stays until around noon. Then comes home, we put the kiddos down for a nap, and I head up around 3 PM and stay until about 6 PM. Then we put the kids to bed, and have been heading back up at around 7:30 PM and staying until midnight. But that last couple of days we have just been a little more tired, and have headed home around 9 PM. Kyle doesn't seem to be having too hard of a time with all of this, but Kyra obviously understands what going on a little bit more. Last night when we were heading out at 8 PM, we could tell that she was going to have a break down if we left again, so Karl just went into the hosptial, and I had an extended bedtime reading with her. She is in much better spirits today!

Thats the news for now. Thanks for all the offers of meals, rides, and babysitting. Its really appriciated!!!