Just call me Bugs Bunny...

I liked my carrots last night - even more than bananas! And they made my mouth and nose orange. Gotta love that!

Six month stats

Ian had his six month appointment yesterday with the doctor. He didn't even weigh 13 pounds yet! He was 12 pounds 10 ounces and 24 inches long. He was 11 pounds 1.5 ounces and 22 1/2 inches at his four month appointment - so I guess that is a good gain - would have liked to see more though! The doctor wants us to go back the first week in April for a weight check. He is still on the growth curve that he's been on all along - hasn't dipped below it at least even if he hasn't jumped up any. But like my mom reminded me - I wasn't even 16 pounds at a year. And neither Steven or I are huge people so Ian unfortunately will be on the small side - sorry kiddo! Other than that he's in perfect health. He did have a little reaction to the vaccination and had a slight (very slight) temp this morning. But he's at daycare and perking up they said when I called. He is a great baby - not too fussy unless he's tired and wants to sleep. Even when he's hungry all he does is chew his hands.

Future Career?

Ian went with Mummy and Daddy to Lowe's this weekend. He dressed up in his flannel and jeans and woke up in the lumber asile to see what was going on. We took him out of his seat and boy did he have fun! He looked all around and just couldn't turn his head fast enough to take it all in. As we were getting ready to leave Daddy decided to take him down the lighting asile. As you might know one of Ian's favorite things to do is stare at lights. Well - you would have thought we were at Disney World! He started smiling and going "huh huh huh" really fast and excited. He loved the lights. Do we see a future as an electrican?

Bath Time

I think that this summer Ian will have fun at the lake with cousin Noah - watch out Noah - Ian might splash you! This is why my kitchen floor hasn't needed to be washed lately - Ian takes care of it for me!

Six months in Review

Ian Michael is six months old on Friday! Wow does time fly. In honor of that here is a slide show set to appropriately Ian's first favorite song - With or without you. Which is somewhat appropriate these days - we can't live with him or without him! I'd gladly trade in these 4 and 5 am wakings... But we love him too much to ever remember what life was like before him! Even the NICU stay wasn't bad when we look back at it!

You asked for pictures- well here is some recent video...

Valentines Recap

Ian let Mummy and Daddy go out on Valentine's Day -he got dressed up in his Valentine's outfit for bed before Lauren got here to watch him. Although he had outgrown it Mummy made him wear it for at least one picture. He promptly told us what he thought of it when he threw up on it and had to be changed into something more appropriate for bed after we had left for dinner. Oh well - got at least one picture though :) I had spent the day with Ian and kept telling him that a year ago he was just a little speck... look at how he's grown... the new thing when feeding Ian is he likes to wear it on his mouth first before actually eating it. He is starting to "help" us with the spoon every now and again but is very content to let us feed him - or smear it on his face - whatever comes first. Last night we tried oatmeal for the first time and I think he is taking after Auntie Colleen because he makes a cross between a humming noise and a grunt while staring intently at the spoon and down at his bib. We take that as Ian liking his dinner. Could be wrong and he could be trying to avoid the spoon but either way its fun. The other new thing is Ian waking up at a god-awful early hour. This morning it was 5:20, but by 7 he was back down for a "nap". Daddy is still sleeping. Lucky Mummy. We've got to work on sleeping later. He's been getting tired at night by 6:30 or 7 - and if we try to keep him up then he starts getting screamy. Maybe a good late afternoon nap will help... Ian still doesn't have much of a nap schedule or eating schedule. Which is ok - just makes it tough to plan anything.

Health update

So the St. Germains are back in good health - for the most part. Little stinky (as I have taken to calling Ian) was great for Daddy today. He had his visit from the physical therapist from Birth to Three and she said he's doing wonderful. We have to work on getting him to tuck his chin more and not extend his head and neck to much but his head control is much much better than two weeks ago. He was in an awesome mood when Daddy dropped him off to me at work. Then he slept from about 5-5:30 - the ride home and the first fifteen minutes home. Before he woke up and ate for about a half hour straight before conking out about 6:30. He woke up briefly, threw up, and giggled before we read a book and settled him into his crib with Mr. Horsey to smuch and his pacifier to suck. I've got to get him used to going to bed without falling asleep nursing. During the day he is fine if he has something to keep his hands busy - usually a blankey or burb cloth does the trick. It seemed to work because after a few giggles and snuggles with Mr. Horsey he was asleep without any crying by 7 pm. Now the cable is out and instead of folding laundry in front of the TV I'm back on the computer which I was on all day at work.

Just because...

Now Mummy and Daddy are sick

Ian is getting much better- responding to the nebulizer well - actually seems to like it after a while. But now both Steven and I aren't feeling well. Steven worse than me. He couldn't sleep at all last night. I was up with Ian at midnight- a strange time for him to wake up - and Steven hadn't been able to fall asleep. Ian decided to be up for the day at 5 AM and so I was up again and poor Daddy didn't feel good at all. I think he was half asleep when he walked out the door at 6:15. Ian's been half playing half relaxing. He's wearing his new turtle outfit from Old Navy - all his spring clothes have turtles on them - between what my mom and I got last summer in all greens and yellows before we knew Ian was a boy and his new Old Navy stuff he's going to probably say turtle as his first word!

Update on Ian

So a few people were asking what RSV is and why it's so serious for Ian. RSV in older children and adults is just a cold. But in high risk babies, like preemies who were born before their lungs developed completely, it can be very serious and even deadly. Ian is getting a shot each month to help fight against the virus which has common cold like symptons, but it doesn't prevent it. It might make his case a little less severe though. We have to watch him closely because it could turn into an infection in his lower respitory system. Some preemies might get re-hospitalized and have to have oxygen treatments to help open the airways. Ian is on a nebulizer and has had three treatments - this morning he seems more congested in his chest than yesterday but the doctor said that his lungs sounded better yesterday than on Tuesday. Today or tomorrow could be the worst of it the doctor said - usually by day 4-5 its at its peak and then it gets better. Kids in daycare are also more likely to develop RSV but if they are older and healthier than what Ian is it doesn't look like anything more than a cold. The doctor said if Ian responds to the nebulizer that probably by the end of the weekend he will be back to normal. We just have to watch his eating (good thing Mummy's kept a log book on all Ian's eating and sleeping since Jan!) and make sure he has plenty of wet diapers.

RSV

So the doctor called this morning - Ian's test came back positive for RSV. Steven is at the doctor's with him now while I had to come to work for a conference call. Then its home with the poor little guy for as long as it takes him to get better - they said it gets worse before it gets better and tomorrow or Friday might be the worst days. He's not eating well, so there is a risk for dehyration - obviously not good.

Sick baby

Ian's sick - he's got a snotty nose and yucky gravel-y sounding cough. We went to the doctor yesterday afternoon and they did an RSV swab on him and we should have the results today. Its interfering with his sleeping and eating of course and of course I'm worried - I think its my mission in life to feed him and between all the pumping when I'm not with him I think I have an oversupply of milk again. Nice. Why can't it ever be easy?

What a little man!

I don't know but it seems as if overnight Ian became a little boy! Ok - I know he's only five months old- and even then a little smaller than that - but he's getting so big. I've had to put away all the three month clothes because his legs were smushed up in them - and he's sort of at the bottom of the six month one pieces but the nine month ones are way too big. He's pretty much on track in the Carter's stuff, but other things its trial and error. Both Steven and I saw it yesterday. It could have been what he was wearing but he looked so tall to us and was holding his head MUCH better at center and not tilting as much as he was earlier in the week. Plus we had been very good at doing his exercises all week so that helps. His skin is very clear now. We went to Peter and Debi's last night for Peter's birthday and German food and they even commented on how good Ian was looking. We were able to put Ian down on a blanket in the living room staring at the overhead light with some toys and he kicked his feet and laughed and entertained himself long enough for us to eat. Every few minutes you would hear a squeal and gurgle and then he'd go back to eating his fingers and the ring he was holding. Thursday Mummy was home with Ian and he posed for some pictures. His lumberjack outfit is getting a little on the small side - we don't roll the legs anymore and the buttons on the shirt are tough to snap at the bottom. He is a happy baby - we are very very lucky. I hear from other mom's all the problems they are having with eating and sleeping and I am so glad we've gotten over that. He goes to sleep between 7:30 and 8:30 pm and usually sleeps until 4 am -ish. Then eats a quick snack, and is back to sleep until 6:15 on the dot - do Daddy doesn't really see him in the mornings before work. He is then up, eats, gets changed, plays for a bit and starts yawning about 7:30 or so. I usually bring him downstairs and put him in his chair with pacifier, taggie (or burb cloth - really doesn't matter to him) and either music or facing away from the TV with it on low. He likes to nap with people or noise around him. And his fingers are so busy you have to give him something to squish around to calm him down. This week he has napped anywhere between and hour to two and a half hours for this morning nap. NICE! The afternoon naps are a little harder to pin down. But he's getting there. Daycare went so much better yesterday. I had him asleep at 7:30, he rustled at 8 and so got a snack barely awake, went into the car seat, and slept until we got to daycare at 8:45 where he stayed in his car seat and slept until 10! And was in a great mood the rest of the day. The only annoying thing this week was a lack of pooping again from Tuesday morning until this morning. Geez - this kid just doesn't like to go! And when he does its usually a blowout and ruins some clothes with stains...

Favorite things lately - any type of taggie thing - from his blankets to rub on his face to the ball to pull at on his mat, his play mat, his pacifier, Mummy and Daddy (he lights up when he sees us), Mummy when he is tired, Baby Beluga (sing it to him to get him to fall asleep), reading books on the floor (new favorite is "little turtle"), rice cereal, playing on him tummy