It Ain't Easy Being Sick

Aiden is currently on 15 minute breathing treatments every six hours because he started his coughing episodes again. The doctor said if he is still pulling in below his ribcage after 5 days of the treatments then we need to take him back in. Monday is the 5th day, and he is still breathing the same. If it doesn't improve it's back to the doctor we go. Could it possibly improve in a day?

Everyone has been sick after a week out of daycare they were all feeling better, but now a week in daycare we're sick again. Building up their immune system is a slow painful process. All have coughs, but none as bad as Aiden.

Ever since starting daycare and getting sick Carolyn has woken up in the middle of the night screaming multiple times a night. We go in give put her pacifier back in and she goes right back to sleep. She never truly is awake though! Sometimes it's a full cry with screaming, but sometimes it is just her "complaining". Either way we wake up and get out of bed to give her the paci and back to bed we go. Rinse and repeat until 5am when we wake them all for daycare. After waking up six times in one night between 1:30 and 3:30 I was done fighting the pacifier war with her. So the next night we gave her the pacifier and she fell asleep only to awaken 2 hours later screaming. We checked on her and gave her the pacifier back, but when she started screaming again 30 minutes later we let her scream. For 20-25 minutes she cried and screamed until she eventually drifted off into sleep. She didn't wake up the rest of the night. The next night I didn't give her the pacifier at all, and she didn't wake up at all. The next night was the same, but she woke up once or twice, but was just soothed without the pacifier. She has done very well since taking the pacifier away. Now we know if she cries in the night it is for a reason other than her pacifier has fallen out of her mouth. We feel like we've won this battle, and perhaps the nighttime war with Carolyn.

Some pictures of the babies from yesterday eating

Alexis after being cleaned up

Max & Carolyn during the feeding


Aiden eating.

We've been trying to find a place for everything, and fed the babies in front of the island instead of on the side yesterday. We decided to go back to the side of the island so when they can turn and reach they aren't able to grab anything but each other. We'd rather be safe than sorry.

Eating Baby Food

We've been feeding baby food at the 4:30 feeding with a small bottle after. We've tried several different kinds and what we know is....

Sweet Peas are a no all around with gagging.
Sweet Potatoes on the other hand are loved by all.
Chicken and Turkey were gagged on and spit out.
Oatmeal no matter how warm or cold was not liked by Max or Alexis. Even with Fruit.
Peaches are loved.
Bananas are a huge hit.
Green beans they liked.
Squash was not liked.

Max will gag on most anything the first bite.
Alexis if she doesn't like it will let it sit in her mouth and then spit it out.
Aiden likes to splatter it far and wide by making noises with it in his mouth.
Carolyn usually cries in between bites if she feels like her eating buddy is getting more than her.

Alexis & Carolyn

232, originally uploaded by Golden Loving Knitter.

Alexis: I'm the princess and pink is WAY better than purple seeeester!
Carolyn: You have a bugger in your nose.

We're Seven Months...(well almost!)

The babies are only 2 days away from being seven months! Can you believe it? The time never seems to just be still. When every day you're constantly busy I guess time just flies. There is always something on the to-do list, but lucky for us we don't mind taking care of what doesn't get done today tomorrow!

Here are a few pictures from today...all dressed up with no place to go!

Aiden is feeling much better after nearly a full round of antibiotics he rarely coughs anymore. He is also eating and sleeping much better!

Maxwell is still hamming it up for everyone. He finds almost everything funny and is always the first to learn how to make noises.

Alexis is still moving 24/7, and I honestly don't see her slowing down anytime soon. We're unsure where she gets her energy from, but where ever it came from there was apparently no shortage.

Carolyn is still complaining at night, but feeling much better. She does the best at tummy time still, but their physical therapist has her work cut out for her since Carolyn doesn't like a lot of holding time.

Sisters

Brothers

The older they get the cuter they get, and unfortunately it takes a lot more work to get them all together in one picture. We do the best we can, but sometimes there is just nothing you can do to get a good group picture.

This is by far my favorite outtake so far of all the group pictures. It is almost as if Alexis is telling Aiden don't even think about spreading your germs this way!

Some videos of the last few days
Aiden lost his voice...


Aiden getting his voice back....


Carolyn Tries Sweet Potatoes...


Maxwell Plays The Piano...

The One Where Aiden Rides In An Ambulance

Since around the 15th of Feb Aiden has had a bad cough, and about month and four visits to the doctor later he still wasn't feeling better. So Andy and I talked about it and I would call the after hours number and get him taken to MUSC to be checked out. The after hours nurse told me to hang up the phone and call 911...so I did. The fire department arrived first, and then EMS after evaluating him for a few minutes we were asked where we wanted him taken...MUSC (duh)! I rode in the ambulance with Aiden while Andy drove ahead to MUSC and met us there. On our way he screamed at the lady and at me for giving him a breathing treatment. The master escape artist from the NNICU wanted nothing to do with the mask.
He was tested for RSV, Flu, and Whooping Cough. The RSV and Flu tests came back negative, but we're still waiting on the WC results. Just in case he has it we were given some antibiotics, but unfortunately if he does have it the meds won't help his cough just stop him from being contagious. We also have to have the other three tested if it comes back positive.
I have a lot of questions, but my main one is if it isn't RSV, the Flu, and possibly not whooping cough what is causing him to cough?

A short video of Aiden earlier today


Pictures from last night