27 days old...

One of Connor's first smiles! - January 10, 2009

The last few days have been somewhat quiet for our little boy... which is a really good thing! Friday, we were able to be there during his latest surgical consult. His wound dressings were removed, and while it still looks horrific to his parents, Connor's wound has shown some dramatic improvement in healing - his nurses and doctors were very pleased. (They'll change his dressings and consult with the surgeon again tomorrow.)

Seems like his NEC has subsided, and if all remains "quiet" for Connor, they may resume some feedings this next week, and in 4-6 weeks he'll be scheduled for surgery to reconnect his intestines. His need for platelets transfusions also are subsiding... also a good sign that no major infections are still brewing.

On Friday, they noticed some blood in his urine. (Yep, nothing's sacred for this little guy.) After several attempts to collect a sample, they were finally able to determine that he has another UTI. Once again, he's back on antibiotics... a slightly different blend than before. This morning he had an ultrasound to examine his kidneys. The doctor thinks he saw some clouding, which might even indicate kidney stones (like father, like son?). At this point they aren't sure what to tell us, so more tests have been ordered to determine what's going on.

Generally, Connor's still pretty lethargic whenever we're there with him. Until his wound has closed up a bit more, he'll continue to be on morphine. We're not complaining - the most important thing is for him to rest and heal and continue to grow stronger. Every day he does have a few lucid moments while we're visiting, with good eye contact... which brings absolute joy to us as parents!

Connor's first teddy bear... about 3" tall - January 8, 2009

Connor's "nearly 3 pounds" milestone - January 9, 2009

Little splinted arm to hold his latest IV in place - January 10, 2009

Holding Daddy's finger - January 10, 2009

Starting to "fill out" a bit - January 11, 2009

Holding Mommy's hand - January 11, 2009

Just 27 days old, and he already has more hair than Daddy! - January 11, 2009

Meanwhile, it's a winter wonderland here in Chicago... we're not even speaking out loud about how Thursday's high is only supposed to be 6 degrees, and now they're reporting a low soon of 10 below. With such balmy weather conditions, I don't think that my mom's going to leave the house for the rest of the week. What a sacrifice she's making by giving up her Phoenix winter this year to be here with us!

Finally, for your viewing pleasure, a quick video of some of Connor's first smiles! Please don't judge the shaky camera handling, poor editing, or cheesy music choice (I promise it's better than hearing Brian and I cooing at him).

Dang, this kid is adorable!