Our $1,463,853.25 baby

"Blog already, Mommy, BLOG!!" - May 5, 2009

Lemme repeat that...

$1,463,853.25

That's what's been billed to our insurance company so far for Connor's 120-day stay in the NICU. The amount the insurance will actually pay to the hospital, doctors, etc, is much less, natch. But the $1.46 million dollar figure is why we feel immensely grateful for insurance... and for the company which employs Brian that provides us with such an amazing healthcare plan. I think if we actually owed the amount on those bills I would die. My head is still spinning by the total so far... I cannot even imagine what we would do!

Coming HOME for the very first time! - April 14, 2009

It's been 3 blissful, sleepless weeks...
and we've been loving every minute!

My co-napping boys - May 2, 2009

Brian got to stay home with us for the first week, while we tried to wrap our heads around the complicated aspects of Connor's care - namely the 8 different medications he's currently on. Medications to help correct his OOP and his liver issues - all due to having been on IV nutrition too long, plus medications for his gastric reflux and his urinary reflux.

Mega-meds - May 6, 2009

Even though his care is complicated, Connor is so worth all of the hard work and sleepless nights!

Our monkey boy - April 24, 2009

We live in a pretty quiet neighborhood, where everyone hibernates inside from November until April (Chicago winters). We suspected that most of our neighbors had no idea we were pregnant, much less that Connor had been born in December.


See our happy announcement balloons blowing in the wind on April 15th... they lasted on the mailbox maybe 15 minutes. In fact, I only ever got to see them in pictures... (sniff.) But, at least one of our neighbors spotted them before they drifted far, far away. :)

Mellow yellow... still a little jaundiced - May 4, 2009

When Connor left the hospital, he was 8 lbs, 6 oz.
Happy to report he's now 9 lbs, 9 oz (as of his last pediatrician visit on April 30th).
Moderate and healthy growth that we can be proud of... because we don't want to go messing with his formula any time soon!

Yay! He loves car rides... as long as we keep moving... - April 15, 2009

Connor was a ROCK STAR for his hellish day of appointments, one week after he came home. I think both Brian and I were on the verge of tears, just dreading what was to come, before we walked out the door at 6am that morning. All of the activity did not even phase our boy. He slept the whole hour car ride, even though he was already past his feeding time, and didn't even fuss through either of his radiology appointments, before we were finally able to give him a bottle about 6 hours later. In fact, he saved any and all fussing until we were safely back home later that afternoon!

Crazy eyes - April 16, 2009

So far, so good... in general, Connor is not a very fussy boy...


Well, at least not fussy for very long... :)

Just chiling on his play gym - April 19, 2009

Connor is a squeaker... always making noises... until he's dead asleep. Hence, Connor moved into his own room within the first 2 weeks of coming home!

Little boy in a bi-iiig crib - April 26, 2009

He still has his days and nights confused a little bit, but slowly we're creeping toward consistent 4-hour stretches of sleep during the night. I keep telling myself that it's not going to get any harder than this... it can only get easier, right?!

Wondering why those fingers don't taste like his thumb - May 2, 2009

He's had lots of bloodwork (levels still off - alk phos super high, calcium elevated, billirubin way up; but his sodium is finally a respectable 140!), a renal ultrasound (totally normal), a hip ultrasound (also normal), and a VCUG (he does have urinary reflux after all, probably a grade 2 of 5... he should grow out of it just fine) - all since leaving the hospital. We've even made 2 visits back to the NICU to say hi to some of his favorite friends.

Speaking of favorite friends...

During his newspaper shoot with Auntie Harriet
when he was still in the NICU - April 7, 2009

Auntie Lyn made a house call and took some beautiful photos! - April 19, 2009

Oh, how we miss all of our NICU friends!

Reunited with Grandma Rogers - April 24th, 2009

Grandma Rogers came to visit... what a relief! Just the help Brian and I needed, just in time! She was a welcome pair of hands that even helped out with some of Connor's nighttime feedings. We're so happy she was more than willing to come... again!... after spending two months with us during the worst winter Chicago's seen in a long time. I was able to get some organizational and creative projects done with her here... such a blessing, because they'd still be sitting in my to-do pile, otherwise. We were all sad to see her go, especially Connor, but we look forward to spending part of next winter in sunny Arizona.

Early morning snuggles with Grandma Rogers - May 2, 2009

Yes, he does have one! Last sighted on May 1, 2009.

Connor's 1st blow-out... you wanted to see that, right?? ;)
(This qualified him for his 2nd bath in 30 minutes.) - April 25, 2009

The first 4 seconds of every bath look like this...

April 19, 2009

But, oh so quickly, bath time looks like this...

April 25, 2009

And this...

April 24, 2009

And ends like this...

April 24, 2009

Hooray! He loves it!

Helping my sanity, Connor LOVES his swing - hallelujah! - April 16, 2009

Perfecting his Elvis sneer during our sleepover at the hospital - April 9, 2009

So, we stay super busy shuttling Connor back and forth to all of his appointments. He's been doing so well, that he graduated from his weekly pediatrician well-checks a week ahead of schedule, and now we only have to go bi-weekly. We still crave and cherish the days that all 3 of us get to stay home all day in our pajamas.

Discharge Day - April 14, 2009

Sometimes I still can't believe he's finally home, and I'm so happy to say he truly is thriving!

With Grandma Sprik - May 6, 2009

Reinforcements have arrived! Today, Grandma Sprik and Uncle Jason joined us for a couple days and Grandpa Sprik will come in over the weekend. Just in time!

Meeting Uncle Jason for the very first time - May 6, 2009

Extra hands in the house are the only reason why I was able to finally finish up this post (and all of its randomness)... whew!
I hope it only gets easier to blog a little more often.
If you've made it this far, thanks for caring enough to read it all. :)