First of all, I feel like a loser of a mother. I have pictures of Scout and Navy’s first Carruthy appointment, but not Dash’s. Not that I didn’t have my camera out to snap away — I just didn’t have my stinking memory card in it. So I missed the first check up, and when Carruthy had to take my boy’s blood to check up on his numbers. Because of this mess up, I made sure I had my camera all set when he went to his hematology appointment. I was technically his second doctor’s appointment, but let’s keep in mind that he has spent over half his life in the hospital, so he was no stranger to what was happening.
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Second of all, let me give some background on Dash’s numbers up until now. When he left the hospital, his numbers were good. Bili was down to I think an 8, and his H&H were good (hematocrit was a 28 I think). When we hit Dr. Carruth’s office five days after being released, he took blood to verify that all was good. Based on his color alone, we knew we were completely out of the woods on his Bili. But on the H&H, his pale color told us we needed to draw blood. With the heel prick, he found that the numbers were not so good, and then took “real” blood to get a more accurate accounting. He booked a hospital bed at CHOC, and we were back at the hospital that evening for blood transfusion #2. The really good news was that there was still enough blood from the first batch to use for this transfusion, and that is great because we know he has no reaction — and more importantly, that it works. So he had 10 hours of transfusion over the next 24 hours. I stayed with him in the hospital, and held, fed and sang to him. By the time we got the final results, his H&H was at an 11 and a 32. These numbers are the best we have seen so far. So we were released, and headed home.
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So two days later we headed to the hematologist to get a “game plan”. So the plan they came up with is juts to monitor him until he stabilizes. I can’t wait to see how much that appointment cost me! That is why I ONLY go to Carruthy — second best doctor in the world! (Nobody will ever pass Theiny!)
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So now that you have a bit of the story, here is our visit to the blood doctor.
Doesn’t my baby look long! This poor little man has a Pavlov response to any time he has to undress, and lay on a cold and hard surface.
He screams!
Understandably though. This poor guy looked like he ran through a cactus field after he left the hospital with all of his heel pricks. And then add the numerous IV’s, the shots and the bigger blood draw — this boy is a trooper!
Nonnie immediately took him to comfort him.
But it wasn’t over yet — he still needed his vitals checked.
So here is the blood pressure machine that squeezes his little leg to smitherines.
But a little formula in my diaper bag did just the trick.
This boy is my first born for a reason. There is no doubt that he has his phases and his moments, but overall, he is just sweet. Lately, most of that sweetness is aimed directly at Dash. He wants to sleep by him each night, so after I feed him, I put him next to Scout, so they can cuddle for a while. He also comes to see him as soon as he wakes up. There is often a struggle between he and Navy, on who gets to be right next to him. But I always point out that he has two sides, and usually everyone is happy in the end.
As we were driving home from school this past week, Scout said, “Mom…I love my baby brother to infinity and beyond (he actually thinks this is the biggest number in the world), and you a one and Dad a four.” When I complained that Dad was higher, I was put on an even playing ground as Dad (he moved down to a one), but Dash stayed at infinity and beyond. Then he said, “I love him the most because he is my Sweetie Pie.”
When Icka was born, any time she would cry, Scout would call out “Angels”! Or he would tell her to look at the angels to be happy. So he has kept his tradition alive by calling out “angels” to Dash when he cries. He also told Icka to call out “angels” to him, but Icka hasn’t caught on to this sweet little gesture quite yet. Instead, she just goes and pets him.
But his sweetest thing comes during night time prayers. On top of always asking for Dash to be healthy and happy, he has been doing something extra the last few nights. After the family prayer, and Scout and Navy’s individual prayers, I usually say, “Alright guys, time for bed.” But the last few nights, Scout stops me and says that Dash needs to say a prayer. So when I tell him he is too young to talk, Scout offers to say it for him. So then Scout, in the best baby voice he can come up with, (that is completely impossible to understand), says Dash’s prayer. And I mean he really says it. Dash’s current prayers are long and thought out, and the only way I know when to say “Amen” is when the pause is longer than normal. I think Scout is the sweetest big brother, and hope this continues forever.
Navy comes over to me and the baby about 30 times a day and says, “Our baby is soooo cute!” As she says it, she says it in the most animated voice, and makes facial expressions that emphasize what she is saying. Then she “pets” him for a few seconds before running off to something else. I love that she adores him so much. But the one slight downside is that she also says, “Oh sorry baby…but that’s okay” about 30 times a day also. Usually after stepping on an arm, or bumping his head, or climbing on him while he nurses and she doesn’t recognize the blanket over the front of me with a bump underneath. Somehow Scout is as delicate around him as is necessary. But Icka is like a little bulldozer around him. I guess he might as well get used to it now, because he has a whole life ahead of him with the little bulldozer.
Looks like he is learning to fight back at an early age.
Or is that her little hand gripped tightly around his?
The hardest part of having Dash in the NICU was juggling between my children. None of them probably cared, but the tremendous guilt I would feel when I was at one place but felt like I should also be somewhere else was trying! So on day 9 of going back and forth, I got home between feedings, and had a three hour break before I needed to be back. I usually spent this time reading to Scout and Navy, or feeding them and getting them to bed, or whatever else I could do in a short amount of time. But this time, I got home, said, “Come on guys…..let’s pack up a bag for each of you.” So we packed, and drove down to the Brockbank’s house…walked in to their family dinner, and I said, “SURPRISE!” They were all thrilled beyond belief, and I was so happy that I knew they were going to be the one place where they wouldn’t even think about me because they were having so much fun! And I was right — when I went to pick them up two days later, Scout hid so I wouldn’t take him back home!
Of course, Megan had every moment filled with fun for them.
Megan called to tell me that Icka slept in Chloe’s bed, and when Megan checked on them, Chloe had both arms reaching over to Icka. When they woke up, Chloe told Megan that Icka said she could only sleep if she cuddled her. And apparently Icka slept like a log.
Scout was lucky to sleep in Trey’s bed after Trey got up to get ready for school. Prior to this, he was in a sleeping bag on the floor.
The next morning, Jake spent some time showing off their bearded dragon to both kids. Icka is a total animal lover, and has never shied away from their lizard.
Bed-head Scout has only started holding him recently. But look how proud he is of his accomplishment!
One of the crafts they did was decorate bags with stickers, markers and colored pencils.
Then they took their bags and went shopping in Megan’s garage. All of her stuff from class parties and trips to local stores was out, and she let them have anything they wanted. So when the kids came home, they had a bag stuffed full of little goodies like bouncy balls, whoopie cushions, sticky hands, curly straws, laser pointers, candy, stickers, and a million more things. It was like they had returned from the most successful trip to Chuck E. Cheeses EVER!
And did I mention that there were reindeer noses in Megan’s garage?
Chloe talked Megan into getting her out of school early, and then they headed to the mall. Apparently, Megan owed Chloe a make up set. Why you ask? Because Icka ruined her last one when she snuck off and dug into it the last time we were at the Brockbanks. Whoops!
As the icing on top of everything, when they were leaving for their weekly Friday-night-eat-out-night, Megan let Scout pick where they would all eat for dinner. To everyone’s disgust, he picked Denny’s. I really can’t believe they went for it, and here they are — all eating at the most repulsive place on earth.
Round two of pancakes was Saturday morning, when Bryan made his famous Buckwheat pancakes. Scout gave Bryan the biggest compliment, and told him they were even BETTER than Denny’s!
Then it was off to swim. There was a little close call because somehow Icka completely forgot everything from her swimming lessons this summer!
Then they spent some time at the park. Jake is the BEST! I think so, but my kids know so!
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Where is Cade in all of this?
The one who said, “For how long”, when I surprised them with two visitors.
Playing Mario Cart.
Good thing he let Scout join in!
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Dear Brockbanks,
My kids had a blast. I know this because I asked them if they would rather go to your house or Disneyland, and they didn’t hesitate by yelling out, “OUR COUSINS HOUSE!” Thank you for making my last two days with Dash in the NICU much more relaxing and pleasant. Thanks for rearranging your lives to accommodate mine. No thanks for making me look like a pretty lame mom compared to Auggie!
Love,
Lindsey
The first hour after having Dash, Mission Hospital had me do skin on skin time. Apparently there are a ton of good things that come from it, and I loved holding my warm baby so close for a while. Apparently Tristen still thinks there are a ton of advantages, and allows Scout and Navy to do skin on skin with Dash each morning.
This is right after warm baths where they are all clean.
Look at Dash looking at his big brother!
And look at Icka inspecting Dash’s belly button.
Scout holds him so carefully, and whispers the sweetest things in Dash’s ear.
Contrary to her nature, Icka is SO soft and careful with this baby.
And when she’s not, she is quick to say, “Sorry. But that’s okay. Right mom?”
When Icka was calling out for her turn of skin on skin, Bella obliged.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!
This scene will never get too old.
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Too bad for all of you who don’t have Patty Poo as your Mom, or Nonnie as your kid’s Grandma.
You are seriously missing out!
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To celebrate this momentous day, we headed to Savannah Chop House for dinner.
It was Dash’s first outing (Scout’s was at the same place), and he was a perfect little angel.
Nice see through dress Skilly!
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Happy Birthday Mom!
I thought Scout was a fluke. If you remember, he rolled over at four days old. Then Navy came along, and I don’t remember anything remarkable that early on (as far as strength goes). But then Dash came out of the womb just like Scout. This kid is totally strong! The first time I held him, he was trying to lift his little head to me. In the NICU, the nurses would gather around him to watch him arch up and look around. They even had to add bumper pads into his isolette to prevent him from hitting his head on the edges, because he would scoot around like crazy. This picture is of Dash at 13 days old. After about twenty minutes of lifting his head, I ran to get the camera. He was getting tired by the time I started snapping photos, but I caught a few.
This isn’t his first official bath, because Nonnie always does that. But as soon as we were on our way home, I had Micah text B to tell her we were on our way, and that Dash relly needed the “Clifford Touch”. So later that evening, she came over and did herself and her name proud. He finally smelled like my baby with the Johnson’s and Johnson’s pink lotion.
Apparently, baths just aren’t his thing quite yet.
But he started to warm up to smelling good pretty quickly.
Trilby’s best move was to get Scout and Navy involved. They love being hands on, and instead of not digging the little guy who is taking all of my attention, they adore every little morsel of him.
Here they are talking to him after he got the “moosage” that is step 2 of the “Clifford Touch”.
Scout got to brush his hair into a little swirl on top.
As soon as he smelled good, and was happy, he headed into a little Daddy and Me time.
Scout wanted in on the guy time, and he offered to hold Dash’s plug.
Too bad about your eye Dash — Beauty and the Beast was a little too riveting to look away.
Then he was on to the rest of the gang who had all been dying for their turns to hold the best-looking, best-smelling and best-natured guy around.
And finally off to bed — but stopped at Scout’s bed for 30 minutes of cuddling brothers.
And then there were some visitors who joined in on the action.
After 12 long days in the NICU and seeing the above sign, we got the best news that Dash was ready to be discharged! I could hardly believe the good news since the doctors said there would only be a slim chance he would be able to go home this soon. Apparently we have a little fighter on our hands. So after his circumcision and a vaccination, we headed over to the hospital to bring him home!
Here is his little take home outfit — we wanted to use Scout’s same outfit, but it is up at the barn. So we went with the same baby blue idea as Scouts.
It would have been nice if I would have dressed up for the big day, but the news was so sudden, this is what you get when I think I am sitting in a hospital chair next to my baby for the day.
Getting ready for the big debut into the real world.
He is a little skeptical.
His wagon ride out to our car! Look at all of those supplies. These nurses hooked us up!
As we were driving home, I said, “I wish Theiny was outside, so we could show him we got to bring Dash home.” And low and behold….look who was strolling over to the mailbox to get his mail! So we showed him off, and Theiny went right into doctor mode as he checked our little man out.
Obviously Nonnie was thrilled!
And planted kisses all over him.
But the most excited award might go to Scout. He wanted to hold him, and kissed him over and over while he whispered in his ear, “I love you so much baby brother” and “I am so glad you are finally home”.
After holding him, Scout insisted he try out his bed. So we went over to put Dash in his bed that Scout helped me set up a few weeks ago.
Apparently he likes it.
But even better than his bed — just might be Nonnie’s arms.
Look at this threesome in heaven.
Finally Icka got home from her second stint at church (with Bella) and she was so surprised to see her baby brother.
She couldn’t keep her overly hand-sanitized hands off of him.
Then she stripped down to her undies and “need”ed to hold him!
And kiss him non stop.
Look how in love she already is.
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And she isn’t the only one.
So is everyone!
What started as a gloomy Sunday turned out to have the brightest little spot in it, and everything was good from that moment on.
No one can understand how excited a mother gets when they finally see their baby out of the desert AKA under heat lamps! When I walked in and saw Dash in a regular bed instead of the Bili lights, I was thrilled! After 9 long days, it was the best surprise.
When I first walked in, I found my little guy looking like this. I literally almost squealed with delight (I actually think I really did), and went over to him and kissed him all over his face.
Not only was I so happy that he didn’t have to live each of his 24 hours with a mask over his eyes, but he also didn’t have to be too warm, he didn’t have to get more and more rashes from the Bili lights, he could finally be bundled, and most importantly — I could hold him for as long as I wanted! I was so excited that my kids were down at Megan’s, and I had the whole day to spend with him in our little cave. (I pulled those curtains, and made us our own little space that we called the cave.)
Bella was excited with the new turn of events, and visited that night, and held him for about an hour and a half.
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Next stop …. discharge!
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