RSV

Long day of work

Oliver hasn't been feeling the best lately so we've had him to the doctor's office a few times. He's basically had a cold his whole life after leaving the hospital. He's been treated for 2 sinus infections that do go away but come back again. This time though, he' never had anything like this. It started last Friday with him vomitting up a few times and a more congested cough. Before he would have coughing spells but it was a dry cough and his lungs always sounded clear when I would listen to them with my stethoscope. Monday morning I took him to the clinic and he was diagnosed with bronchitis because his lungs sounded so tight so they put him on some antibiotics. Tuesday they added prednisone to the mix of meds. Wednesday we went back to the clinic because he was about the same and they wanted to follow up with him. They put him on some zantac to help with all the vomitting. He would throw up 3-4 times a day mostly throwing up after meds were given but looking mostly mucusy. Since I am a little over-protective of Oliver because of all he's been through I called our pediatrician in Dubuque just to make them aware of what was going on with Oliver and they wanted to see him right away. With all of the lung problems he's had since birth I did not want to take any chances. We then went to Dubuque yesterday and after a chest x-ray, labs, and culture of is nose it came back positive for RSV. RSV is a respiratory disease mostly found in kids younger than 2. Some require oxygen therapy and hospitalization but Oliver did not because we caught it soon enough and he's just a little fighter. It also caused him to have an ear infection so he was put on a different antibiotic and then albuterol nebulizer treatments to help airate his lungs. Here's a picture of our little man doing his breathing treatment.

He doesn't like them really at all but we've come up with an routine to help. Did you know that you can go 7 minutes singing Old McDonald without repeating animals if you go through all the farm animals and zoo animals. The last few minutes left of the treatment we sing our ABC's and count numbers and sometimes he does cry which is okay because then the med gets in his lungs better. I can already see a bit of improvement in him today. I must say that the treatments are helping because his lungs sound much improved after them.

We have a roller!

Sunday we had a little party at Chuck and Shirley's to celebrate Oliver's 6 month milestone. We had both sets of grandparents, Great Grandma Mary and Great Aunt Lisa and Uncle Lisa Jim to help celebrate.
Oliver put his hands straight in the cake when no one was even looking and of course got it in his hair.

Grandma Shirley made Oliver a Caterpillar construction quilt that is just his size!

All the people, presents and cake tired Oliver out so he took a little nap.

Then Sunday night when we got home I asked Shawn if he had done any tummy-time with Oliver yet since I had slept all day and he said no. So to our surprise we put him on the floor and he rolled on to his side. Soon after he rolled then onto his back. We tried it again putting him on his stomach and then he rolled off again onto his back! We tried one more time and the same thing. Guess he really did not like being on his stomach and now that he's figured out how to get off of his stomach he doesn't want to be on it at all.

This is how it started with him twisted not being able to lift his leg over and now he is a pro at rolling completly over. This is also one of his favorite ways to lay now.

My sister also gave us my nephew and niece's jumperoo and Oliver loved it although his feet don't quite touch the floor. He's so smart, I would show him how the toys work and then he would play with it for each toy.

Tummy time with his ball

Oliver doesn't mind his tummy time now as long as he can watch his V-tech ball he got for Christmas from his cousins Ian and Annaliese.

40 degree weather in February

It was so nice today that we decided to get out of the house for a bit and go take some pictures of Oliver outside. It was in the mid 40's and also a little breezy but he didn't seem to mind. You can see the mess of our driveway this warm weather has made. I'm so glad that some of this snow is melting though, I hope it stays warm!

Before coming in the house Shawn wanted some pictures of Oliver on his motorcycles since the warm weather had Shawn wanting to get them ready for the riding season.

Oliver has also discovered his feet and toes. He's close to putting them in his mouth but for now he just likes grabbing on to them and rolling on to his side.

We also got Oliver's labs done on Wednesday and his hemaglobin came back lower at 9.1 down from 10.6 3 weeks previously. We don't know why it is going down. Our hematologist didn't know if it would keep going up or what would happen. We go back down to Iowa City to see him in less than 2 weeks so it will be interesting to see what he says. Oliver is fighting off another cold again so we're back to a runny nose and cough. Happy Valentine's Day everyone.

Talking to his mobile

Oliver is really vocal lately, here's a video of him talking to his mobile in his crib.

Visiting great-grandparents

On Saturday Shawn, Oliver, my dad and myself went down to Walcott and Davenport so that Oliver could meet some family and see his great-grandparents again. It had been since he was in the NICU that my Grandma Warnecke was able to see him and November since my Grandpa and Grandma Doerscher saw Oliver since we weren't able to make it down for the holidays with me working. Oliver also was able to meet Uncle Lon and my cousins Brittney, Bridget and Brooke as well as seeing Aunt Marti and Aunt Karla again. We also spent some time with Aunt Debbie and Uncle Dennis at Grandpa and Grandma's house. Here's our Saturday in pictures.

1-20-11

Okay so I was after my sister to post a blog and then I realized that I hadn't posted one either in a long time. We've been busy at our house fighting off illness after illnesses starting with Oliver and a sinus infection and eye infection and ending with Shawn and I having the full-blown stomach flu. I can now say that we're all feeling a bit better but we're still dealing with Oliver throwing-up at least once if not more times a day. I've called the pediatrician about it and they're not concerned at this time because he is gaining weight still. This has been going on for about 3 weeks now and I can say that it is getting old and I wish I knew why he was vomitting.

The bubbles and music from my seahorse make me so sleepy that I can hardly keep my eyes open for mom to take the picture.

Oliver is around 12 pounds now which is still very small for a 5 month old. We've also had to start using formula this week since I do not produce enough milk now for him. It's been a struggle to get formula for him since it has to be low iron, but I think we're figuring it out now. Oliver didn't like the formula at first and now I think he likes it better than the breast milk. He still remains a happy boy but I think he's going through the developmental stage of not wanting to be alone. When others are in the room with him he is happy talking and playing but once you walk away from him he's crying.

He's not rolling over or sitting up or starting solid foods yet, but he has the best smile and he's come a long way. He's getting better at his tummy time with some help from the AEA teacher who comes by once a month to play with Oliver and tell me things to help him along developmentally. We now know that we have to sing when he is on his tummy so he doesn't cry and prop him up with a rolled up blanket. Once he is up on that rolled up blanket he holds his head up and looks around reaching for his toys in front of him. He also does not favor looking only to the right anymore and looks both directions. His hemaglobin also keeps coming up. Just yesterday it was 10.6! We only get it checked now every 2 weeks since it has been trending up and go to the hematologist every other month. We're so proud of our little boy!

My little sleeping boy is in his crib again after sleeping in his carseat for weeks due to his sinus congestion and drainage. My mom and I also hung the OLIVER above his bed that Chuck and Shirley gave us. He still sleeps with his arms above his head. We're headed down to the Quad Cities to see the family down there on Saturday so we're excited for everyone to meet/see Oliver again.