Happy Halloween!

Here are Alex's Halloween pictures taken by the talented Meghan Miller!

Enjoy!

Germ City

Germ City...the name of our house in September.  The entire month someone was sick.  Tim started out with a cold/sore throat and once that was over Alex decided to get a fever of 102.6.  I whisked him away to the doctor who declared he had a sore throat.  Great.  Dr. Harrison said to call back the next day and let us know how Alex was doing.  Well Alex wasn't much better the next day, his fever went away over night but came back with a vengeance in the afternoon.  So back to the office we went.  This time Dr Harrison found that both of Alex's ears were infected.  He thought one of them might have even perforated, it was hard to tell because the ear canal was so swollen.  So we were sent home with antibiotics, and several days of Alex being uncomfortable.  A few days later we thought Alex was feeling better when he vomited three times one day.  Of course it was Sunday so when I called the doctor I got the answering service, who directed me to a nurse's hotline.  Well I wasn't too impressed, I reached a nurse but all she did was plug Alex's symptoms into a computer program that gave me some vague answers and not much help.  So I decided if Alex vomited one more time I would take him to the ED. Well luckily he never had any more problems so we figured it must have been a stomach ache or something.  Well then the next day Tim had horrible vomiting and I had a stomach ache/body aches.  I swear it did not end!  Needless to say I disinfected the house from top to bottom after all that!

Alex had his four month checkup in September, and everything looked great.  Dr Harrison thought Alex was doing well developmentally, and is growing well.  He was up to 13.5 lbs and 25 inches.  His weight is now in the 25th percentile, so he is still on the smaller side for his age but is catching up!  We got the all clear to start cereal with Alex, but Alex has other ideas.  He wasn't too impressed with rice cereal and even a month later he still spits half of it out.  But some babies don't get the hang of it until 6 months so we will keep trying!

Dr Harrison had us come back to the office this week for a recheck of Alex's flat spot.  He thinks it is getting better and since there is no facial or ear deformity he doesn't have to wear a corrective helmet!  So we will keep working on reshaping his head and get it nice and round.  Alex is now 14 lbs 15 oz!  Still in the 25th percentile but since he is gaining weight and healthy the doctor (and mom and dad) are happy.  The bad news...Alex still has an ear infection in his right ear.  So more antibiotics.  I have a feeling he will have problems with his ears like I did.

I started a new job at Bergan Mercy Medical Center here in Omaha, I know work on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.  A big change from my old med/surg/ortho job, but this is where I wanted to work since nursing school.  It is going great so far, I have a lot to learn but luckily they are very patient with teaching me!

Well I think that is about it for updates on our little family, now the moment you have been waiting for...pictures!

Alex cheering on the Cyclones against Iowa!!

Alex is the boy of many faces!!