Braggin' Rights

Okay, so today I am here to brag on Quinten. Yesterday we met with the Early Intervention (EI) therapists from Easter Seals. He saw a Developmental Therapist (DT) and a Physical Therapist (PT). Both of them evaluated him as compared to a typical child of his age. We knew he'd have some delays, no doubt - that just comes with the terrority. But what a little Super Star he is!! The PT put him into "Prone" position and he just popped his head right on up as if to say..."I do this all the time, lady." She was shocked, totally took her off guard. Our little peanut made me so proud that I cried. People tell me everyday that he was put on this earth to help us view life in a different way, and to appreciate life more . Today, Quinn made me understand:

1. Pure and solid PRIDE as a mother (and I know Kevin was proud too)
2. REALIZATION that he IS more like my other children, than different.
3. Utter and hands-down EXCITEMENT for him and for all of those Super Star moments yet to come from him!
4. ANTICIPATION for what else this little guy is going to teach me about life, family, love, acceptance, differences, diversity, inclusion, the list just goes on and on......

After the full PT and DT evaluation, it was decided that he is delayed in some areas and right on track for others. So, PT is going to take place once per month right now, and DT will be on a quarterly basis until he gets a little older. We have asked to have him evaluated by a Feeding Therapist in the near future since he's still having gulping issues and loses quite a bit of his bottle during feeding. We are still on the ultra-low nipple too, and so it still takes him about 40 minutes to eat! We'd like for him to get used to a faster nipple, and eat a little faster (especially when the clock reads 4am).

Other than that - his therapy went great, and we earned some major Braggin' Rights yesterday!!

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I'm Almost 7 Weeks Old!

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to say hello - can you believe that I am almost 7 weeks old already? Mommy took this picture of me the other day, while I was doing my physical therapy (Tummy Time). Aren't I doing good? Mommy and Daddy are so proud of me. I can hold my head up pretty good which they love to see and cheer me on! I meet with my Physical Therapist next week, and she'll be evaluating me so mommy is really trying hard to impress her...I guess this only the beginning of working hard. I hope I make a good impression on them. They will recommend the type and frequency of my PT after that session, and then the real work will officially begin.

Doctors officially diagnosed me with having Congenital Hypothyrodism. I had been getting a weekly blood test to watch my thyroid levels, and it just wasn't cooperating so they put me on medicine. Its a pill that mommy has to crush up, then dissolve in water and feed me through an eye dropper every morning. Its a little tricky taking my medicine because it has to be given either 30 minutes before I eat, or 30 minutes after I eat. I usually wake up screaming for food and/or I fall asleep during my feedings - so getting the timing down just right can be tricky, but mommy does it every day. I likely will be on this medicine for the rest of my life, you see the thyroid is critical at regulating metabolism, and that means learning and development for me. So I have to have these meds everyday so that I can keep up on my learning. I take the medicine like a champ though!!

My big brothers continue to be the best big brothers ever! Ethan is very helpful with me, and Caden still just wants to touch me all the time and kiss me. Its kind of annoying - but I'd rather him love me than pinch me:)

Just wanted to say hi to everyone and let everybody know that I am doing well!!

XOXOXO - Quinten


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Caden Turns 4 Years Old!

My baby (well now, my middle child) turned 4 years old last week. We celebrated at home with Grandma and Grandpa Bohlmann on his actual birthday, and he got a new Razor scooter,a Spiderman fishing pole, a blue "iPod" (per his request), some puzzles and a squinkies dispenser(from older brother Ethan). This past weekend, we celebrated his birthday - Spiderman Style!!

He had 9 little friends/family attend his birthday party, and the kids even came dressed up in their favorite Superhero costume. Food consisted of: Green Goblin Juice, Peter Parker Piggies (pigs in a blanket) and Bugs on a Log (celery with cream cheese/raisins). Homemade cake (made by Mandy) was served with Green Hulk Smash ice cream (Lime Sherbert). Caden had lots of fun playing with his friends at his house - doesn't take much to entertain a bunch of 4-year olds.


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Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

What a great end to 2011 -- full of Christmas celebrations, family feasts, gifts galore, visits from family (coast to coast literally) and blessings and prayers answered!

As we closed 2011 with friends at the Knights of Columbus kid celebration, I reflected on what a hard year 2011 was for us as a family. Indeed we had a lot of surprises with our son, Quinten and what seemed so bleak a few months ago has turned into a blessing beyond words. Already in his short month of life, he has grounded me, humbled me, and showed me the power of prayer. No doubt 2012 may be full of challenges and surprises as well, but I know this is going to be a great year of spiritual growth for me as we watch Quinten meet his learning and development milestones. He is going to have to work incredibly hard in his therapy sessions just to achieve milestones that most of us take for granted with typical children. Caden and Ethan love to help him do his "daily exercises" like tummy time, and the "lift up game" where we pull his arms and he lifts his head off the boppy. I know that as we continue with his therapies - big brothers will be very involved in the little "games" that we play with him to strengthen his muscles.

2011 was a great year and I am so blessed to be mommy to all three of my boys. Caden and Ethan bring us joy everyday watching them grow into the little men that they are - enjoying school and friends, and most of all HOCKEY! What fun its been to watch both of them excel in this sport and be so excited about playing each week. I am so thankful for the health of my family, the love I receive each day from my husband Kevin and the boys, and for all the love and support from our family and friends.

Here's to a wonderful 2012 - and Happy New Year to all of you! God Bless. Keep in touch in the new year, I will continue blogging as much as I can.


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At Home and Doing Great

Quinten arrived home on Friday afternoon (5 days ago) and has been doing great at home. Eating well, and sleeping alot. He's a very easy-going baby. We sure are enjoying him and Big Brothers Ethan and Caden have been helping, and loving him. Its been very special to see them with him (we'll ignore the time that Caden jumped over Quinn while laying on the floor in his boppy. He didn't mean anything by it, probably just thought he was part of the obstacle course).

The boys are getting anxious for Christmas to arrive. Our elves from the North Pole (Jingle and Jangle) arrived a few days ago, and Caden and Ethan love waking up in the morning to see what sort of mischief they got into during the night.

I never thought it would be so special to have a baby at Christmas time - but I was wrong!! Makes the holidays seem more special and we count our blessings each and everyday. We all can't wait for Christmas Day! My grandma Bohlmann even came for a visit to meet Quinn and we were able to snap a photo of 4 generations of our family - how very special. These moments don't come along very often for us.

Attached are a few recent pictures of all 3 of the boys. We are doing great at home.

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What's On the Agenda for Today?

Another busy day in the NICU for Baby Quinten. It doesn't take much to get admitted to this place, but its like Fort Knox trying to get out and get home. These babies sure do have to prove themselves before they can be discharged. All kidding aside - we are so blessed to have Quinten here, the care that he has been given these past 7 days have just been phenomenal and we are very comfortable

that he is ready to come home tomorrow!

At Rounds this morning the doctors told us that he had to accomplish the following things today, in order to be discharged:

1.Continue taking 100% of his feedings by bottle - and if he misses one, then the clock starts over for him and we're here for another 2 days
2.The feeding tube can be removed today (it was pulled this morning and it felt good for him I'm sure)
3.Complete his 90 minute Car Seat test - hooked up to monitors including the Pulse Ox he has to sit in his carseat without any stats dropping (he completed this - but it is obvious to us that any scrunching, or neck laziness - his Pulse Ox is affected. We had to have 5 blankets wedged in, under and around him to keep his airway in line and unobstructed)...looks like I'll be riding in the backseat for awhile and no long road trips for us! -- He PASSED!
4.Complete his Hearing Screen (he failed in Bloomington) -- He PASSED!
5.Complete his Eye Exam (babies with DS can be born with cateracts or have muscular eye problems) -- He doesn't have cateracts, but needs to follow-up in a month with the Opthamologist.
So - we have been very busy today. All good news - plus, his Aunt Heather arrived last night from Arizona:)

Like I said before - we are thankful that we came here to Childrens. As scary as the NICU seemed, we have learned so much about his health already and things that we need to keep an eye on. We have alot of Specialists to see after we go home to follow up on his heart VSD/PDA, his elevated Thyroid results, his eyes, and of course all of that Physical/Feeding/Speech/Occupational Therapy that he will need! We are going to be very busy. But it will be all worth it, for our little miracle baby -- all packaged nice and perfect in his little itty-bitty body!

XOXO,

Mandy



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Feeding Update - So Far, So Good Today.

After a very rough night of feedings, and watching my little guy struggle with the bottle and then have to watch him get tube feedings afterwards - he has finally turned the corner, I think. Our prayers were specifically answered to help him along with his feedings!

Yesterday, the feeding therapist changed his slow-flow nipple to a very slow-flow nipple, because he was "gulping down" too fast, which can cause him to choke or aspirate into his lungs. Turns out that the new nipple was really slowing him down in his feedings - he was having to work extra hard just to get milk, and that just tired him out and he gave up taking sometimes only 30 ml - when earlier in the day he was taking around 45-50ml on his own. The night nurse and I made the decision to go back to the old nipple, and he improved with each feeding.

By 630am, he took for the first time, his entire 60ml feeding by bottle on his own. At 930a - the feeding therapist came in to watch him and I expressed my concerns with her and she said it was fine to switch back, and just make sure we help pace him. At 930 and 1230 he took all 60ml on his own!!! So that is a tri-fecta so far...we hope that he continues throughout the day.

Whew! What a night of stress and frustration - I feel much better again today. Let's hope he doesn't do anything else silly today.

Thanks for the prayers sent up last night! God is good.


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