Graduation Day

Although we have a host of things on our plate at the moment, and are only minutes away from departing, I couldn't help but sneak into the library one last time to wish it and the NICU farewell.

Life will never be the same....

Avent and Kolcraft It Is

With the announcement that we are only 36 hours away from departing the NICU, the wife and I are paying particular attention to all the details. we made our first true parental decisions today. Firstly, we decided to depart the Dr. Brown bottles for the simplicity of the Avent 'Naturally' bottles.

Even more exciting was our trade in of the Fisher-Price swing for the Kolcraft Right Height. Not only does it have more features, but at dawn, with NO directions, I was able to slip it together. Although Fisher-Price has a comfy seat, the features pale in comparison to the Kolcraft. The Kolcraft can be use more than simply a swing. With its sturdy architecture, its snap-on table, lights, and music, it as an additional snack spot as well as for a bit of relaxation.

Do NOT Buy Any Items From Babyage.com

Luckily I got caught up with Harrison, and was unable to send out a not encouraging you to visit the President's Day sale at Babyage.com.

As it turns out, they have a hole in their online purchase software that allows them to debit funds from your account repeatedly as you hit 'Complete Order' although the screen reads 'Invalid Credit Card'. I now understand why their prices are so low. Having to launch my weekend by filing a complaint with my bank to try to get the over $200 that has vanished, I encourage you to stay away far away from Babyage.com. Do NOT take the risk to buy items from them.

I look forward to keeping you posted on my progress.

The End In Sight

As the wife returned safely from her journey, we also had good news that Harrison is up to 50ccs on his feeds. Readying to go in and see him at dawn this morning, I believe we may just be headed to the finish line. Course that means that we will have to face the infamous Vitamin K blood test.

On My Own Today

There are so many things I should be doing this morning like balancing my bank account, starting my taxes of even simply taking a walk around the block. However, with my wife headed to Mexico to visit her sister, I seem drawn here. Having again paced the progress with Harrison, we stuck to 40ccs yesterday, and battled through the 8pm feeding. Today is a big day as Harrison will need to guide himself through the day for the first time without Robyn by his side.

As for me, I will continue my balance act between Harrison, work, and envisioning what this journey must be like for Robyn.

Another first, I will encourage you to PASS on a product. Having struggled throught its construction, I encourage you to avoid the Fisher-Price Natural Touch Baby Papasan Cradle Swing. While it looks fantastic in the picture, it is both nearly impossible to construct, and its pyramid structure requires a great deal of space that few rooms have.

Vitamin K

I think I have come down with what has been called 'hospitalitis'. Most of you would also get a case if you were faced with yet another blood test; this one testing for a Vitamin K deficiency. The doctors have truly run out of ideas as to where we go from here.

Fisher-Price Infant-to-Toddler Rocker

I am finally a believe that we are nearing the finish line. Although we still have digestion issues, I am finally feeling like a 'Dad'.

Our experience has taught us that it is nights you must control in these parts. We have eliminated any treatments, including bathes, blood tests, and anything other cursor that would encourage him to believe that is it 'Day' instead of 'Night'. Further, we believe that extra love, and a bit of fun, will raise his spirit to think of leaving for home.

To this end, we have put him in a swing for the first time. Thus, I point out the very cool rocker that a close friend had given us. While our sister n' law had given us one of the vibrating chairs, this Fisher-Price version is key because it not only adds the rocker element, but can be used for both newborns as well as babies as they grow.

Nights In The NICU

I think the thing that gets you the most in the NICU is the nights. Maybe it is our natural instinct that we feel safe during the day, but somehow fear the dark. If you are starting this journey, I encourage you familarize yourself with the nurses, and start to request those that you favor most. Fear in the NICU will only serve to dehabilitate the whole process.

With our CBC dropping again to 33, I can only hope that we have stabalized, and that Harrison will stay calm for the next 48 hours so that he can recover. The word is that we are moving up to 20ccs at the 8am feeding.

On a side, I have to once again encourage you to visit Shopzilla.com, and Amazon.com if like us you need those last minute home improvements before your child arrives.

Tiny Love Mobile

When you have been the in the NICU as long as we have, you will literally use any opportunity to distract yourself, and dream of home. One such focus is the mobile. Sure you can pick one up at the local kids or sports store, or you can look to the Rolls Royce of Mobiles in the Symphone-in-Motion Mobile from Tiny Love.

Full Moon
I stared out the hospital window, a full moon,
Harrison a howl;
The news from a far,
Cancer, a 50 foot monster running a foul.

The kids screamed, the parents
eyes dip;
Yet another bottle touched a child's
lip.

There is tunnel of light I see,
Harmony , asleep at home I dream, Harrison will be.

Her spirit is taller and stronger than
the Monster's teeth,
Her Soul smothers the evil,
smothered like a grinch by a holidy wreath.

Every song forever intertwines you two;
As the full moon awakes into a sky of blue.

Similac Alimentum

Back at Square One. Well not exactly. My parental instinct is going full blast as we learned that we had indeed take a step back in our effort to depart the Hotel NICU.

Having started feeds again at 5cc, we are learning a very good lesson about how to manage a newborn at home that is not 'picture perfect'. With the doctor mentioning that we will stick with Similac Alimentum, and not move toward a more amino like food source, my spirits are high as the wife and take advantage of his rest to head to Century City.

To Be, Or Not To Be 'Harry'

As I drove in this morning at 4:45am to the NICU, I took a moment to enjoy the rising sun. Maybe I knew that something was wrong. Maybe I knew that things would take a turn, and that suddenly not only Sydney, but also Charlotte want to call Harrison, 'Harry'. That all seemed to fall by the wayside today at 2pm when blood appeared in the stool yet again. 'Derailed'. More tests. More IVs. The 'Waiting Game' begins.

405
The concrete turns, a journey of light and dark,
The twists, the turns, traffic never seemed so stark;
The flash of colors, fate drew the car toward Mexico's border,
The horns, the malls, life no longer had order.

The heat, the cold, will they find their way?
The doctors, the phones, families wondering if they will be okay;
The buildings, the beeping, tied together by their spirit, love, and heart,
May the sun rise tomorrow and draw families together that are currently apart.

A Few Moments Of Quiet

Strange. With all that is going on, I feel like G-d is extending his hand to me to offer me a just a few, quiet moments alone before 'the storm' of a child arrives in our home to make silence a distant memory. The good news is that the early report has Harrison moving up to 40ccs today.

'Jiggly Eye'

I am not sure which is more challenging in the NICU; is it the complex scientific terms, or the simple words like this that tear your heart apart and few seem able to describe? So excited was I to see the little man in his first pajama outfit, and the news seemed to derail me as it has for over a month now. As today was the BIG Eye Test, and it came back positive that he had 'Jiggly Eye', or what one nurse referred to as 'Nystagmus'. Like the rest of our journey, although I have fear what the outcome may be, I need to wait 3 months for another test.

It is Grammy Night in LA which may just have kept folks away. In my life a quiet calm has taken over. The Santa Anas already have the city afire. For the first time today I actually stepped back into the kitchen, and tried to cook a meal.

Having had a challenging cranky night last evening, I wonder what wonder the night will offer.

Announcing Reduced prices on iPod Shuffle at the Apple Store, US. Just $69 for 512mb and $99 for 1G.

Time To Focus

It is hard to believe that we have actually turned the corner, and may be headed for a crib again. Heading into what I believe is our 34th or 35th Day in the NICU, we are up to 25ccs of food, and are 'on the look out' for a crib. I felt like a 'Dad' for the first time on Saturday as I could actually relax instead or preparing for some type of hurdle when I hit the hospital. While I am not fooling myself to think we are 'out of the woods', I am definitely starting to think of the family walking the neighborhood and headed to the beach this summer :-)

Letter To Oprah Winfrey

Unfortunately, I was unable to catch up with you folks today as all my energy was directed to work, family, and writing a letter to Oprah Winfrey with our story. The good news is that food seems to be the next step on the road.

Apple Unveils a New 1GB iPod nano! Check out Apple Store, US. Free engraving & shipping.

To Think About Peg Prego Car Seats

With so much on our plate, including the need to prepare our 2004 taxes, it is hard to think of the small things, but still we must. If you are like us, and have had the benefits of friends of family passing on their children's accessories that Elite Car Seats is one of the few that has car the Peg Prego car bases. Flashing back into my mind again is my concern of my sister n'law as well as the following table of Red Blood Counts of which we are suddenly not near the normal.








STILL

The Rabbi entered the room,
'Aren't we all inside G-d's womb?';
Far from a country stream, the journey suddenly
an rocky, uphill climb,
Harrison and Charlotte threaded like a rhyme.

Friends and Family pray,
'Keep the faith!', they say;
We have, We must, We will,
I forgot what moments are that are peaceful and still.