Here's the link from last year's Christmas post:
2005 NICU Christmas
Kaitlyn in her Christmas Dress (a very old "European smock dress) trying out her new musical table from Grandma Corinne.
Yes, Kaitlyn got to enjoy some of our Christmas dinner. I am going to try "blenderizing" regular foods for Kaitlyn (which I haven't started yet). So her first foray into eating what we are eating....some turkey and sweet potatoes (and breast milk) blended and pushed through her g-tube! Well, she vomited, but I guess that's nothing new! This picture is Prior to dinner
This Christmas my brother Gary flew up from LA (he recently really hurt is back, so we were so happy he could come up).
Katilyn not knowing what to think about the upcoming "meal" she's going to get through her g-tube.
A better view of our Christmas feast (prepared soley by Brian after he got off work, working on Christmas Eve - I sure love being married to a fireman (who can cook!)
Trying out some new presents!
Crawling across the room in her dress.
OK, I wish she were smiling, but we at least captures a different "expression" from our serious girl.
Much more interested in the wrapping paper than the presents, (check out the full laundry basket behind Miss K). The vomit has been very bad the last week.
Gary, Kaitlyn and I went on a walk in our neighborhood to look at a Christmas House on Christmas Eve. Kaitlyn was all bundled up and liking being outdoors.
You can see a bit of the house decorations behind us.
Talking to Brian's family in Pennsylvania on the speakerphone.
My brother Gary, with the "Christmas Pants" These were handed down from my father when he no longer could fit in them. And he's getting "Fluffy" a gag gift that keeps going back and forth between Brian and Gary every year. It's always a contest to make sure the other party isn't expecting Fluffy. This time it was hidden in Gary's stocking!
Some more crawling....She's doing great at crawling and pulling herself up...
Even when it's on Gary's head!
This gift tag was on a present from our friends the "Kermoyans" I have to say she carried around the gift tag for hours, and was upset if you tried to take it away from her! She would always made sure she had ahold of the strings. It was very cute.
Feeding therapy. A lot of times I put food in my mouth and let Kaitlyn grab it. Gary captures some smiles as she was taking the food from my mouth
Sometimes I can get her to open her mouth and take it from my mouth, it's still all a "game" at this point, as she really still isn't eating anything.
Checking out a present (with her feeding tube attached)
Wow, these are fun climb up on!
Caught red handed!
Opening the Kermoyans gift - this one she couldn't contain herself, as it made noises inside the wrapping paper! She was very intruiged.
And, this Christmas card from my dad and step-mom made her giggle (we rarely get giggles). She loved it!
More feeding therapy on a different day. You can see her "feeding station" it's basically all the food I try to give her then end up throwing away. kaitlyn also ends up throwing most of it on the floor, so it's easier to feed her on the table than her high chair, as at least some of it ends up on the table rather than the floor.
Drinking some water (with a bit of yogurt) on her chin
This is her "normal"expression when trying to feed her, her lips are glued shut and she's saying "there's no way you are going to get me to open my mouth!"
Kaitlyn's favorite place to stand up - the audio-visual section
One of Kaitlyn's g-tube friends. We were at PT earlier in the week, and Elizabeth came for her appointment. Because we know each other, they got to play a bit first.
Elizabeth and Kaitlyn Elizabeth on the PT swing. Elizabeth is not a preemie but has Turner's Syndrome. I've become good friends with Elizabeth and her mom Sara from SF. Elizabeth's therapist (Monica) and the leader of our g-tube group is behind them.
Kaitlyn in her warm new hat I got at a Christmas Crafts Fair. Very cute!
A few weeks ago, Kaitlyn even drank some water out of a glass when Dad, Kaitlyn and I went out for dinner in the SF after one of K's therapy appointments. (an early dinner treat without any other diners in the restaurant).OK, the following pictures need some explaining of how special they are to me. Most parents get the experience of their children (no matter how hard the newborn state is) of their children smiling, recognizing them, espeically when first seeing them in the morning. We've never had that experience. Kaitlyn also has slept in our room since she came home from the NICU almost a year ago, as that way we could be closer to her pump and watch her for vomit. Her night-time vomiting started decreasing a few weeks back, so Kaitlyn graduated to her crib and her room finally. Well, about a week ago I was elated to find my standing, SMILING daughter looking elated to see her mom. (she's been standing for a while now), but SMILING, that's another story!!! I quickly ran to get my camera, and she still gave me a few more smiles! Unfortunately, she hasn't done this since. Just one day of smiling recogniztion for mom! Enjoy!!....
A g-tube play date!
A few weeks ago we had a small gathering of a few of our g-tube kiddos from our support group at Tylers house.
This is Tyler, and his Grandparents (my friend's inlaws) who were just leaving. Both Kaitlyn and Tyler are getting fed (note tubing and syringes).
Elizabeth and Kaitlyn
All 3 of our g-tube fed kiddos. Tyler also was not a preemie, he was born with a chromosomal abnormality. His mom's name is Elizabeth. It's a bit confusing, as we have: Tyler (and mom Elizabeth), Elizabeth (and his mom Sara), Kaitlyn Elizabeth (and her mom Liz(Elizabeth))! And even smaller world, a good friend of mine grew up with Tylers dad (even though we met through the hospital). They all weigh about the same, Elizabeth and Kaitlyn are both born in October (but technically Elizabeth is 3 months older than Kaitlyn) and Tyler is about 18 months old. This was a wonderful evening for all of us.
Kaitlyn checking out Elizabeth's toy.
Some older pictures that I wanted to post. Kaitlyn is wearing her Halloween sweatshirt. She had just learned to stand up on her own on the couch. She loves to "read" her picture book on the couch.
One of the ways we were able to get Kaitlyn to smile was by making fish lips. (now I say were able to, is usually whatever smile trick we have up our sleeve wears off after a while). I couldn't capture a smile in these pictures, but I was able to capture Kaitlyn making fish lips back at me!
She's a master fish-lipper!
Well, I hope you enjoyed all this pictures!!
Happy New Year to you and your loved ones
13 comments:
She is so precious!!! Here's to a much better, happier 2007. She's made such major strides this year. Our love to you and Brian!!
Leanne & Andy
wonderful pictures!!
go kaitlyn! keep progressing girl!
i bet she liked the presents because they make the same noise as a plantito bag! Hee hee! :)
Happy Holidays! Kaitlin is so sweet! I'm glad she had a good day. I love the fishy lips pictures.
P.S. I'm impressed she wasn't too upset to wear her Steelers bib. I packed Sarah's onesie up the other day (it was getting tight) but I don't think my husband will notice it's gone...
She is beautiful and she has come a long way in this crazy year for your family. Hoping for a lot more health and lot more happiness in the coming year.
I adore the pictures of Kaitlyn smiling at you from her crib. I can't imagine how much that warmed your heart!
Wonderful pics! Wishing you many blessings for 2007.
:) Jodi from PROM
Thank you for the update! What a precious girl Kaitlyn is. Gotta love those smiles!!!
Kristina
www.kristinaseleshanko.com/baby.htm
love these pics!!!
Liz,
She is SOOOOOO beautiful, just like her mommy. She has come a long way and I am so proud of how much she's accomplished.
She is gorgeous!! Loved the pics and she has such a lovely smile, it transforms her face. Wishing you a great 2007 and many more smiles and days of recognition.
Has your daughter been checked for a "vascular ring" also known as "double aortic arch"? My son, also a preemie, though not as preemie as your daughter, had this. It is a rare heart defect, we thought he had reflux. He would throw up in excess of 10 times a day, huge quanitity too. I would find puddles on the floor. He too was always very serious, like your daughter, he would never smile. He is now 19 months old, he had surgery in June, when he turned 1. He is much better now. He too does not like to eat. He weighed 15 lbs exactly at a year, he was born at 32 weeks, 3 lbs even. Due to my severe preeclampsia--he was IUGR.
He just turned 19 months old yesterday, he is now only 17 1/2 lbs. And he is finally thinking about walking.
He is now a very smiley guy! But people used to always comment on how serious he was, never smiling. I think he did not feel good for a long time. Throwing up all the time is not fun, he also had noisy breathing--the double aortic arch is two aortic arches instead of one, and then the esophagus and trachea are compressed in between.
Email me if you would like to.
theorrfamily@charter.net
PS
Kaitlyn is adorable! She is really chubby looking--my Aiden is rather long, so he is super skinny.
She has the cutest facial expressions. The fish-lipper photos made me chuckle. I can totally relate to the lip lock you get when trying to get food into her mouth. Cute expression but it's annoying as all heck, huh?
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