Welcome Carlitos!

Kevin Carlos made his appearance two months early! He was born at 32 weeks and 2 days gestation, on both Good Friday and his Papa's birthday! He weighed in at 3 lbs 12.6 oz  and 17 inches long.

The little preemie hat I made is almost too big! It fits without any stretching at all.  He hasn't worn the little booties yet since he has too many cords and monitors on his tiny little feet.

Last week Kristi was transported by ambulance to Seattle for severe pre-eclampsia. We thought we were going to have a baby that day, but the doctors were finally able to get her blood pressure down to tolerable levels. Devon went down on Tuesday and stayed the night since she doesn't have class on Wednesday and Rod was able to visit on Wednesday. By Wednesday night things were looking better and the doctors were feeling more confident about keeping baby in until 34 weeks.

Then on Friday, baby started having irregular heart patterns and wasn't moving as much as before. Rod and I got a call from Kristi, as she was being wheeled in for a c-section that baby hadn't moved in over half an hour and that his heartbeat was dropping down to 70 and then raising as high as 200. We set up Owen's medications for the other kids to give him and then jumped in the car for the trip to Seattle.

When we got to Seattle, Kristi was in recovery and Carlitos was doing great! He was screaming when he was born and after a bit of suctioning, has been breathing completely on his own.

After a few hours in recovery we all got to wheel Kristi down to the NICU to see baby Carlitos!

Once we got Kristi back up to her room, Rod and I headed home for a few hours sleep. The next day Devon and I headed back to Seattle so Devon could meet baby too! I think Connor is also old enough to go to the NICU, but the other kids will have to wait until the little guy is bigger before they will get to meet him.

He is getting expressed breast milk through a tube, but he's already showing signs of hunger and he's starting to suck a pacifier. Kristi plans to nurse once he's big enough. Now that Kristi's blood pressure is stabilized a bit she's able to visit the NICU and have skin to skin "kangaroo" time with him. Kristi will probably be released on Tuesday, but Carlitos will be in the hospital for about a month.

I am absolutely in love with these tiny little feet!

We are so happy to have him here but he's really tiny and will need a lot of care for a while. We're hoping he gets to come home soon so we can all see him!

Teeny, Tiny Baby Things!

Since it looks like our Grandson will be arriving a few months earlier than planned I've been making little tiny baby clothes. I found THIS  webpage with several free preemie patterns and have been busily sewing. I started with little gowns that can be opened flat to put on him in the NICU without interfering with all the monitors and IV's, tubes, and wires.

While I know that a baby in an incubator doesn't really NEED clothes, other than a diaper, since the isoletes have warmers to keep the baby at the right temperature (or coolers in Owen's case) clothes have a huge psychological effect. It just makes parents feel better to see their baby dressed. It makes a horrible unnatural situation just a little more "normal" feeling. Clothes are also nice for when baby is being moved and held since he could get cold then.

These shirts don't open across the top, but open completely at the front and are open at the bottom for tubes and wires. I'm also working on more clothes that could be used during transition times when Carlitos is still in the hospital, but not needing quite as much medical support. Hopefully he won't need a lot of intervention, but I'd like to be prepared if he does. If he doesn't, unfortunately, I'm sure plenty of other babies could use the little gowns.

And, of course, I had to knit little hats and booties. These are really stretchy, so they will probably fit just fine even if we do manage to keep him in for a few more weeks. I've only finished the one set, but I've got another in progress and Owen, Brenna, and I just bought some more of this wonderful, stretchy yarn to make a few more with today. If anything falls on the floor in the hospital it has to be washed before baby can use it again, so several pairs are necessary since hats and booties are notorious for falling off.

At this point we are in a waiting game. The doctors are making decisions literally hour to hour based on Kristi's blood pressure and labs and Carlitos' size and heartbeat. Every day he stays in makes a huge difference, so even one or two days could shorten his NICU stay by double that. Kristi will not be leaving the hospital now until after baby arrives. She and Simon are understandably quite worried and would greatly appreciate any prayers/ thoughts/ good wishes you would choose to send their way.

Anticipation!

So, it looks like it was a good thing we had Kristi's shower last weekend. She ended up in the hospital this morning with extremely high blood pressure. After several attempts to bring it down failed, she was transported to Seattle. It's looking like we will have a Grandbaby tomorrow one way or another. Right now, baby is doing fine, it's Kristi who's having the problems. They are letting her sleep for a few hours and then finalizing plans in the morning according to my latest update. Kristi's due date isn't until June 8th so baby should have 7-8 more weeks to go. Right now we are playing the waiting game, but it doesn't look like there's any way she'll be going too much longer. They are guessing Carlitos is about 4- 4.5 lbs right now. We've been planning on a pretty big baby, but now it looks like we'll be getting an extra small one. Devon is with her at the hospital and Rod is planning on going down tomorrow, but we have several appointments here the next 2 days as well as a sick child (Duncan this time), so I won't be going to see her until Friday or Saturday. Since I can't be at the hospital right now, I'm spending my time knitting preemie stuff. Devon has both of the cameras with her though, so I won't be posting pictures for a while.

We've been so excited to meet this little guy, but we were really hoping it would still be another month at least.

Updates!

Pixie is the white one and Sonata is the black.

We are having so much fun with our alpacas. Brenna especially loves to help me with them. I've gotten all the quail cages finished and set up under the rabbits, complete with their own automatic watering system. We've finally gotten both of the lawn mowers in working condition. Most of the yard has dried out enough to mow. There's just one little section that will have to wait. I haven't gotten the garden tilled yet, as it isn't quite dried out enough for that. I'm almost finished planting my raised garden beds though.

Glory B is the brown and white alpaca

We're adjusting to a new schedule around here. Devon just started Spring quarter and has different class times. Cameron is no longer going to his reading tutor and Connor just started Driver's ed. I feel like I don't have a clue who's coming or going, let alone when. We should get used to the new routine in a few weeks. Especially, if we can keep everyone from getting sick. I had three sick kids last week and this week a few of us have the sniffles. I'm hoping it's just our pesky seasonal allergies. Mine started the day Rod mowed the lawn which certainly fits my seasonal pattern. You'd think with always wanting a mini farm as bad as I have, I could have been born without allergies to things like animals and hay, but no such luck. I simply refuse to give in to them and get used to the stuffiness and rashes(from the hay, no rashes from the animals).

Doesn't Surprise have the cutest little face?

Owen seems to be getting back to normal after his illness last week. His ketone test finally came back a little on the high side, but not dangerously so. I'm guessing he had so many problems because of getting the stomach bug when he was already borderline over from trying to adjust to the new ketogenic diet ratio. He's eating and drinking like normal again although he's still complaining a lot. He really doesn't like taking the extra baking soda, not that I blame him, but it's necessary right now.

Roscoe in the far field away from the girls for now.

Millie and Chico seem to be getting along great with Roscoe

Pixie

Sonata and her daughter, Surprise

Glory B

I did finish up the Kids Clothes Sewing Week challenge, but I didn't manage to get anything else finished. We were so busy over the weekend that I barely got my hour a day in. I have one dress almost completed, I just need to sew the bodice onto the skirt then do the buttons and buttonholes. The other dress is about halfway finished so hopefully I'll have pictures of those later this week.

Baby Shower!

We had the baby shower for my Stepdaughter Kristi and her wonderful husband Simon today! Baby Carlitos is due in just about two months and Kristi is excited to have everything ready for his arrival. Devon made the cake, of course! Kristi and Simon have chosen a safari theme for baby's room. They've already gotten a lot of monkey stuff, so Devon and I and Grandma Carolyn went with elephants for the shower.

Yes, we actually cut the cake. We did save the little elephant on top though.

I've shown some parts of the quilt on the blog before, but I finished it just in time for the shower, so today you get to see the finished product! This is what I was sewing this week in addition to the hour of Kids Clothes Sewing I've been working on.

I also made the diaper cake with a little "help" from Brenna. Brenna was pretty disappointed that the cake was for "Baby Litos" and not for her.

The Blueberry Pomegranate punch turned out pink not blue, but it was still good.

My little nephew couldn't wait for the Bumbo seat to be unwrapped! he just decided to test it out anyway.

My sister Tammy couldn't make the shower since she had to work this weekend, but she sent this little giraffe bank that she painted herself. It even came with starter funds!

Devon won the baby food guessing game, but I think the little kids had the most fun with it.

Devon and Kristi

Grandma Carolyn, Kristi, Me, and Morgan

Mama and Papa

Baby Kevin Carlos

Now we just need to wait a little longer until we get to meet the little guy! I'm not sure who's the most excited!