9-5-06 The Three Little Bears!

So sorry about the lack of recent blog updates from us! We have been keeping busy with a more normal baby routine of feeding on a 3 hr schedule with diaper changes and crying in between...hope all you faithful blog readers weren't too worried about us! So, we remain at Children's hospital in what I like to call my "mamma bear den" where I've established a daily routine of caring for our little cub and fighting off any threatening medical people who come with needles/probes/tubes/etc! (it's a tough job but someone's gotta do it!) Burke's been doing so well that we were able to take him out of the hospital on a two hour "pass"! We strapped him into his sweet new stroller and took him to the casa where we introduced him to his big sister "mamma kitty" who unlike the rest of us, is not so anxiously awaiting his arrival on her territory! Burke slept through it all until we made it all the way to UVillage Jamba Juice and he decided to cry...uh oh...what does a new parent do in public with a screaming baby (with a tube to add?). Well, we picked him up and carried him in our arms for a while until the screaming stopped then realized it was all due to him being too warm...so simple, yet so complex! It was super fun to be "normal" for the first time since his arrival 10 weeks ago...wow...it's amazing how the little things mean so much more when we have to wait patiently for them to be realized!

Tube updated: Today Burke had a surgical procedure to place a gastric tube (G-Tube) directly into his stomach for feeding. The current NG tube will be removed from his nose in a few days. We all agree that the NG tube is causing much irritation and slowing down his progress with oral feeding. The G-tube will be a direct entry into his stomach bypassing the fragile tissues in his nose/throat/esophagus. Burke will need support in feeding for the next few months while he continues to advance on his oral feeding...soon he will be able to take 100% of his food by mouth (currently he's only taking about 10%).

My (Chris's) mom is here for the week to help get the house ready for Burke to come home. We still aren't sure on an exact date but hope it will be within the next 7-10 days! Great Grandpa and Grandpa Gerry from California come this weekend for their first visit...we are super excited!

Much love to you all...

Nelsons 3