Cousin Time

I had a great few days with my cousins, Carole and Kristi. They came to the Blue Heron Condo on Hood Canal for 3 days. It is always SO good to get together. We just talked and explored and ate and relaxed! We MUST do this more often!

EASTER

I rented a condo on Hood Canal for Easter week. All my kids and grandkids were supposed to come for a few days. Corbin, Melody and their 3 kids were here from Friday through Monday. Alissa and Dan came out for most of Saturday and missed a few visits with Max during the day. It was a beautiful day and we did everything from hunting Easter eggs to beach combing. I just LOVE having my family all together....if only Max and Mason could have been there too! Here is an assortment of pictures from our time together.

Happy Birthday Alissa

Happy 32nd birthday Alissa!! I am glad we got to celebrate Alissa's birthday even if it was a little late. She deserved a little special time just for her!

Bouncy Seat

I had a great visit with Max today....although he didn't really ever wake up to join in the visit! Alissa got him a little vibrating bouncy seat that fits in his crib. He got all tucked in and comfy and seemed to really like it.

He is slowly being weaned down in "Breaths Per Minute" on the ventilator. The weaning is all related to whether or not his "blood gasses" are good. If they meet the criteria they set the "BPM" down by 2 at 10:00 at night. So far he has gone down 3 days in a row. GO MAX!! If the progress continues he still has quite a few days before meeting his goal of 20....but he is currently going the right way!

Max and Mom

I saw Max on Friday and he was happily and sleepily resting in his Mama's arms.
He is now off of the antibiotic but I don't have any information as to it's success.
Max is now taking a diuretic because he is retaining water. His weight is fluctuating right around 5 pounds! That is a BIG gain...... He is still on the ventilator and the little lungs aren't working on their own yet. He is also being followed by an eye doctor for the beginnings of a condition called "retinopathy of prematurity". Hopefully this will correct itself and not get any worse. Got to get him off that extra oxygen....at least that is how I understand it.

My 3 other Grandchildren!!

Everyone is reading and following the progress of Max.....I must remember I have 3 other ADORABLE grandchildren!! I went with their family to the Daffodil Parade on April 9th....this is an OLD tradition in the Puyallup Valley where I grew up.

Norah and Elliott happy with their daffodils!


Simon happy too!!







Elliott with the Seafair Pirates!!




Ahhhh......cute kids in my lap and a parade going by....how wonderful!!

My friend Jeanne protecting Norah from the clowns!!

Friends.....Jeanne and Karen!!

ME holding Max!!!!

What a special day....I got to hold Max. Thank you Alissa for granting me this special priveledge. I held him for 1 hour and 45 minutes! During this time he managed to pull out his feeding tube and started choking (since he was being fed at the time!) The nurses promptly and efficiently took care of getting it back in place....but it surely did scare me!! He was awake and alert during the whole time and seemed to be gazing right into my eyes!! OK...I know that is probably not fact....but I like to think so!

Max continues on his antibiotic but is nearly done with it. Hopefully it worked! He has gained a LOT of weight very quickly and looks kind of "puffy"....he is retaining water. I will update on that state soon.