Coburn Kids

Caden is a little stinker.  Ever since his surgery he has been taking every single bottle.  EVERY ONE! We have tried doing trials without his NG tube before and by the end of the day he was frantic, hungry, crying and more. Either he’s finally “gotten it” and how to eat or he realized (just a tad too late) that we are serious about the eating thing! He can now down 4 oz. in 20 minutes. Which is beyond excellent for him. It’s still not the 8 oz. on a regular 20 cal. formula he should be taking of course, but this is good news. To answer a question I’ve had over the last couple of days, yes we are still glad we got the surgery. We were told from the start that it’s better for Caden to get the feeding tube and not need it, then to remain on the NG tube.  While the PEG tube is a hassle, it requires 2 of us to change his dressings at night, and he can’t lay on his tummy right now, he doesn’t seem to mind it. He’s been very fussy the last 2 days though, crying and whining.  Not really sure what may be bothering him.

In other sad news, Daniel’s Grandma died today.  She was 93 years old and we’ve known for a few days that she was not doing well. She led a good long life and I am so glad that I had the chance to meet her and get to know her. What a wonderful woman and mother. She did manage to squeeze in her last trip to Las Vegas though! She goes every year and was put in the hospital the day after she got back. The viewing is Sunday - Monday and the funeral is on Tuesday.

Caden’s surgery went well! He was very very sleepy after the surgery and slept all day on Friday. Daniel and I received THOROUGH instructions on all things PEG tube related. He’ll keep the tube in for 8 weeks and then we’ll go back to Dr. Jackson, his GI doctor, and get a more manageable Mic-key button put in place. All his clothes lay funny right now because the tube sticks up about 1-2 inches from his body. You can see a picture of him just after his surgery to the left there. His face is all red because of the tape and the irritation from taping his NG tube.

There were no problems though and he did get hungry last night so I was up every 2-3 hours feeding him about 1-2 oz. each time. That’s all he would take and we couldn’t use the PEG until the morning. He did not like being fed through that tube though and just whimpered and complained all this morning. Which was especially sad considering that he was trying so hard to be happy and was whining and smiling at the same time!

Here are more pictures from his surgery below!

Caden before surgery trying to suck on his fingers.

Caden after surgery snuggling.

So I made the trek with Caden to the Doctor again today. He has a rash all over his face and forehead that I was soooo worried was impetigo or something of the sort. Thought I had better be sure if his surgery is just a few days away. Turns out to be nothing but his face is raw and red and it looks so sad! He’s also back down to 15 1/2 lb. So he lost about 3/4 of a pound in a week. He’s still a chunky little guy so it’s not that big of a worry. I’m sure he’ll lose a bit of weight this weekend as well with the surgery.

He’s being an absolute pill with eating. His nose was raw, so when he pulled out his NG tube today I decided to give his nose and face a break and just work my hardest at feeding him. He’ll only take 3 of his 4 oz.’s and it takes over an hour to get even that in him and then he’ll just fuss and arch his back and cry. It just confirms that this G-tube is a good move. I have days when he’ll do decent with eating, take maybe a full bottle or 2 in a day, that I wonder if we are really making the right choice. Then there are days like today where I just want the surgery now!

In other news, I got a new digital camera. It’s pink. It’s the only color they had! But I love it, it’s a Panasonic, 8.1 mega pixel. Sooooo easy to use. Yeah!

I’m also having a serious argument with myself over our tax refund. We need new flooring. I hate carpet. So I’m considering taking the leap to just get some nice wood floors installed. Just pricing things out right now. I need a good installer because quite frankly, laying down about 2000 sq. ft. just by ourselves is too much of a daunting task. If it was a room or 2… maybe. I know a good place to get the flooring I want at a good price, just not someone who can lay it for a reasonable price! So we’ll see what to do there.

I posted these pictures below, but I recently made this for Caden’s nurse at the NICU, Jeannette. This way they could all see the progress Caden has made! Larger in real life of course:

Friday night has to be in my Top 10 of worst nights ever. First off, as you may know, Adessa was sick on Wednesday and I foolishly made the comment that not one of us was feeling the least bit ill…. I shouldn’t say things like that. Friday I wasn’t feeling so hot, was kind of dragging and so was Daniel. Nothing serious though. I pick up Genevieve from school and she tells me she thew up twice at school and tried to call. It was at the end of the day though and I was all ready at the school waiting for her. So we go home where Gena gets sick every 20 minutes. I’m starting to feel sicker and sicker but am really writing it off that I’m just around it with Gena because Daniel and I have Grandma and Grandpa coming over that night and I am determined to get my night out! I was trying to convince myself it was just a little thing and that Gena would be over it in just a couple of hours like Adessa was.

Well, around 4pm that’s about it. I am officially sick and can barely take care of myself let alone Gena. Daniel makes it home a little after 5 and by then I can barely move out of bed. At 8pm Daniel now starts to get sick and I’m passed out in bed. Daniel and I were making comments that we were wondering if it was something we all ate but that the true test would be if Caden got sick as well. At midnight in comes Caden who is now sick. Adessa is the only one feeling good at this point. It’s a true test of endurance as a parent to be so sick you can barely drag yourself out of bed but STILL have to take care of your sick kids. All I can think about the entire time is that I’m so glad it happened this weekend and not this upcoming weekend, because I have no idea what we would have done with Caden’s surgery and all.

We’re all over it though, no lasting effects. Except the fact that it’s possible to lose 6 pounds in 24 hours.

Today’s blog is all about Genevieve! Gena is quite the character and loves to make up stories. The cutest part about it is that she doesn’t like anyone watching her when she’s making up these elaborate stories or acting them out. So we have to be sneaky to catch her!

She has a very quick mind and loves to tell knock-knock jokes.

She does not like to perform or show off though. Tell her to show you something she knows and she clamps up. She can be very outgoing and very private all at the same time.

Gena’s obsessions include computer games and the Nintendo Wii. She’s better then her daddy and I at the Wii! Favorite games include Carrie the Caregiver, Zelda and Super Mario Galaxy.

She adores holding Caden and Caden gets so calm and content when Gena has him. He knows his big sister!

Gena is great at reading but actually really doesn’t like to just sit down and read. She’ll read her school books she needs to but would much rather write and leave messages for Daniel and I all over the house. We’re always finding cards or papers with her messages to us or about some story she is pretending.

Gena loves pizza with ham and pineapple but hates rice. She loves “meat, cheese, mustard and mayonnaise” sandwiches and asks for them exactly that way. She would literally have this for lunch every day and be perfectly content.

She looooovvveesss to sing. We wake up in the morning to hear her singing all the time. It’s adorable. She also loves to pose for the camera (see above pic).

Adessa is sick right now. Threw up 3 times last night. No idea what’s wrong as no one else is feeling the littlest bit ill. No fever, just holds her tummy and says she doesn’t feel okay.

Thought I would write some amusing stories about Adessa, to catch you up Daniel and I refer to Adessa as “pure entertainment”. Sit with her in a room for 20 minutes and she’ll be doing something that just has you shaking your head or laughing. So the latest things she’s into include making drink recipes. Her latest “creation” involved crystal light, doritos and lifesavers all mixed into water. The other day it was chocolate, peanut M&M’s and flour in water. It’s crazy. She actually tries them too…. hmmm, sick = weird drink recipes using ingredients that probably should NOT go together… it’s all falling into place!

A week ago Adessa came out wearing one of her daddy’s shirts and announced sadly it was “too handsome” for her. Daniel and I looked at each other and realized she meant “too big”.

She loves her lil’ brother so much, she comes over and just starts kissing him all over his face and arms and says “I just can’t stop kissing you! You’re so cute!”

She likes to sleep on the floor. We’ll go in there some nights and she’s dragged her pillow and blankets to the floor and sleeps on the heater.

The girl likes broccoli. We go to a restaurant and instead of fries or anything else they have she specifically asks for broccoli. The waiters and waitresses are amazed by her. Bring the girl to a salad bar and she’s set. She loves salad. Her favorite drink is also ice with fresh water. It’s her preference of choice. She’s crazy.

She has our jobs all picked out for us as well. Gena is going to be a mommy. Caden is going to be a policeman. She’s going to be a doctor. I’m going to be a pink turtle (I have no idea why I don’t get a job but instead change species.)

She loves to play outside. To swing, run around, climb, draw on the sidewalk, ride a bike.

She has the prettiest hair in the entire world.  It’s a strawberry-blondish with brown.  It’s just… indescribable.  And it’s so straight!  She’ll probably hate that when she’s older, just like the curly heads hate those curls they have.

All right, pics of Caden’s tummy since some have been asking about what it looks like.  It’s firmer on that side when you push on it, not as nice and springy as his left side. Judge for yourself if ya think Daniel and I are just crazy! Two seperate pics.

And just to add some information, no it’s not something that I’ve ever noticed or probably would had noticed really.  When you change Caden’s diaper he doesn’t exactly just lay there! :)  He’s kicking and squirming and pulling his legs up so I haven’t actually paid attention to his tummy. Sorry about the quality too since it’s from my cell phone, still don’t have a new digital camera.

Caden went in for another Synagis shot today to protect him from RSV.  Which his new doctor, Dr. Karen Lantz, told me that the RSV was terrible in Utah this year.  It surprises me because it has to be some sort of statistical fluke that Caden didn’t get it with a pre-schooler and 1st grader in the house. He’s bigger then I thought too!  Caden is now a whopping 16 pounds!  And he made it to the 4% on the growth chart for 8.5 month olds. YEAH!

In other weird news though, his liver is lower then it’s supposed to be.  Which is strange.  Very strange.  With the sheer amount of doctors numbering at least a dozen that have felt his abdomen area this has to be a new thing.  Because it was very apparent to the new doctor that his liver is out of place.  It most definitely would have been noted when he was a preemie considering the bazillion x-rays he had, and it would have certainly been noticed at the Preemie Clinic when he saw 6+ doctors, and they would have seen it on the 10 x-rays they took when doing his Upper GI study, and the GI surgeon would have 100% noticed it last month when we went.

To top it off I was changing Caden tonight and his belly IS lopsided! It sticks out noticeably on the right side. He’s pulling to that side too and scrunching down over it.   I don’t know what to make of this latest development. The doctor was confused by it to, but since it’s not causing Caden any noticeable symptoms I’m not sure if it’s something to even check out. The boy has certainly been through enough tests and while we are certainly cautious with him I don’t know what it all means. I’m going to call the doctor back tomorrow though since I am slightly concerned with his upcoming surgery and this recent news to maybe see what she thinks it could be.

I thought it would be fun to see a progression of Caden over the past few months:

Caden the day he was born. All 1 lb. 11 oz. of him -

Caden at 4 months old. 120 days in the NICU, and his first day out. 8 lb. 1 oz. -

Caden at 8 months old taken yesterday. 14 lb. 5 oz. -

And then with his 2 sisters! He wouldn’t smile for anything at the camera -