Eight months old!

Hello there!

Wanted to give you all a post to keep you updated on K-Man. He is still doing well, growing and developing more each day. Since our last post he has received another RSV shot (he's not a fan of those), gone to the pulmonologist, had blood drawn (or shall I say attempted a blood draw). At the pulmonologist he was turned down to 1/64th of a liter of oxygen. We've begun doing intervals of time where we take him off oxygen and it doesn't phase him at all. In fact, he seems to prefer it as he was never a fan of the tubes. When we went to that appointment he had to get blood drawn for a BMP (tests electrolyte levels) and a blood gas. Well...this was an experience to say the least. This time they started with the foot poke to get the blood gas. That one took about 5 minutes of squeezing his heel to get the blood to come out. Ouch :( but it was done and we moved on to the arm poke for the BMP. After switching the arm band thingie that stops the blood flow from his right arm to his left arm to his right wrist to his left wrist back to his right arm and so on and so on, we finally decided to do the right arm.

Initiate crying, red face and not being able to breathe. And I'm not just talking about Kale...I didn't breathe either in anticipation of the next half hour of torture for the little man.

Three pokes in the right elbow....nothin'. Couldn't get the blood to come out. Pick him up, calm him down for 5 minutes. Lay him back down for the left arm. A new nurse comes in to try and poke him. Two pokes...nothin'. Pick him up, calm him down for 5 minutes. Ask nurse for puke bucket because he's so upset I'm pretty sure he's going to lose his lunch because he keeps choking and dry heaving. Awesome. Different nurse comes in to try and poke him. She asks me which arm they usually poke. I say I'm not sure, I guess that I haven't ever paid attention to which arm. She looks at me like I'm a terrible mother, how do I not know which arm they poke?! She actually asks me, "You don't pay attention to which arm?" Oh no she didn't. She is not giving me feedback on my parenting during the middle of a torture session. Before I can even try to stop the words they poor out of my mouth (ever seen the Christmas Story where the little kid drops the Bomb and immediately regrets it?).....Well I never pay attention because no one has ever had this much of an issue drawing blood. Of course this is in my snottiest of snotty tones. Crap, why was I mean to her? She's the next one in the line of needles. Try the right wrist. Nothin'. While trying the right wrist the first nurse comes back in and says that there was an air bubble in the blood gas (the first one from the heel poke) and says they have to re-do it. Oh no. No No No. Not happening, we're done, no blood draws today. Took Kale and we were outta there. Needless to say I had a migraine the rest of the day from holding my breath for about 45 minutes.

Not cool!!!

Other than that, he's had a pretty decent couple of weeks. He is becoming a boy with a personality! He is so interactive now, loves his bouncy seat and spins in circles in it playing with the toys. He is close to sitting on his own and has had a couple of tries with rice cereal. He doesn't like the taste, and hardly any of it goes down, most ends up on his bib or body. He has transitioned into sleeping in his own crib....finally!!

We're heading back to CR this upcoming weekend to get Kale baptized. He was baptized the day after he was born, but we wanted to have an official ceremony so that should be good.

In other news...Derc and I got to go on our first vacation sans baby since Kale came home. We went down to Rathbun Lake in southern Iowa for a nice quiet retreat. We had a blast and got the presidential suite for a free upgrade since there was a snowstorm and we had originally planned on staying in one of their cottages. Nice! We had a great time until the last day when we both got sick and had to cut the trip short and head back home. Kale had a blast staying with his Nana and Papa Albrecht.

I've been on vacation from work for about a week and half, a nice chance to relax after the holiday season in retail. Always needed! When I go back tomorrow I'll be going to a different position in the company. I'll be working as a Human Resource Business Partner for the Des Moines and Omaha/Lincoln districts. I'm super excited for the new position, it will be a challenge but a great chance for me to learn more about the business.

Derc took advantage of a few more weekends to hunt and poor Mack came out with some torn up paws from the snow.

I think that's about all for now! Hopefully we'll have some pictures from his baptism next week to share.

Have a great week!