BIG FAT BABY!!

5 POUNDS!!!  This is a pretty big milestone!  It's funny that people have full term babies that are this small.  I can't imagine how big he would have gotten if he had been patient and stayed inside!



January 29, 2011  2290  grams/ 5 lbs. 0.77 oz.



Latest update on Welton

If he can't go for the Falcons, he might as well go for Daddy's team!  Go Pack Go!

Baby Welton is growing so fast!  He's up to 4 lbs. 15 oz. and today the doctors increased his feedings.  He is only recieving 18x his body weight instead of 20x because they're hoping his lungs will work better with less fluids.  He is on full preemie formula now (since I couldn't pump because of my medication) and is being supplemented for slightly low sodium and potassium.  He is having weekly eye exams with the opthalmalogist to check his eyes for ROP ( retinopathy of prematurity).  This week they found he's in the very  beginning stages, but fortunately, even if it progresses, it's easily manageble.  Welton aslo has an inguinal and an abdominal hernia, but both are very common is baby's born as early as he was.  He will have surgery a few weeks before he comes home to take care of both of those.  The surgery is minimally invasive and the docs say it's nothing to really worry about.  He's in an open crib now, which is awesome because he is keeping his temperature up where it needs to be.  His lungs are progressing, albeit slowly.  On the 10th of January, he was extibated and started on the CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine.  It no longer breathed for the baby, but gave him the sir pressure he needed to breath on his own.  On the 25th, he graduated to the big boy breather!  He's on a high flow cannula, which is only one step away from breathing on his own.  He's on 4 liters per minute of oxygen, and 25%.  We breathe 21% around 2 liters per minute, so he's getting close!!!!  Once he is breathing completely on his own, he will start bottle feeding, which will hopefully be easy because he loves taking his binky when being fed through the OG tube.

So, health-wise things aren't perfect, but par for the course with a 24 weeker!  In other news, he is beautiful!  His chubby little cheeks and dimples are the light of my life!  His poops stink to high heaven, but hey...at least he poops!  Since they extibated him, he's been so vocal!  His hiccups are adorable, and although it breaks my heart, I LOVE to hear him cry.  It's very tiny and quiet, but he's getting louder by the day.

It's definitely challenging, but we're making it through.  He should be home in 4-6 weeks, and we can't wait!!!

the world around him

Heart rate, O2 Saturation & BPM



Feeding pump & Oxygen pump



Duke Engelbert VonTurtlestein & Nuggy



View looking out.  Awesome curtains.

Go Dawgs!  And decorations courtesy of the AZ cousins.

This is the "room" where Welton spends all of his time, and where we spend a lot of ours.

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daddy time

Baby Dub in his hat Auntie San made for him and all snuggly with the dad. He's on the canula for breathing, so snuggle time is much more comfy for everyone!

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Momma time

Tonight was the first time that I visited little Welton all by myself. He's going to be 10 weeks old (34 corrected) tomorrow, and this was by far the best bonding experience I've had with the little guy. Although this is not something I ever thought I would make public because I know it's hard for others to understand, but I feel like there's been a lack of closeness because he's so restricted. The nurses are the ones who feed him and take care of him, but that's supposed to be MY job! I can't just walk up to his bed and pick him up and snuggle him like I want to. I've been struggling with these feelings since he was born. I think the fact that I was only able to give him milk for the first three weeks makes me feel obselete now. Well, it did. Satan has been pumping my brain full of bull crap--making me feel unnecessary, like I'm a bad mom because I couldn't carry him to term and I can't breast feed him. Well, Satan is a punk. Tonight, for the first time, I really felt how much this little guy needs, and wants his momma. I think because everything happened to fast with his delivery, it's taken quite a while for reality to set in. That reality is, I am the mother of the most beautiful baby I have ever laid eyes on. I feel a love for that little man that I never thought I had the capacity to feel. My heart feels like it's going to explode (in a good way) every time I see him, or think about him, or smell his yucky diapers or wash his tiny little clothes. I'm usually really good with words, but somehow, there are no words to describe how I feel. I was telling myself that this happened to me because I had done something wrong. But it has taken 10 weeks for me to realize that I must have done something right for Heavenly Father to bless me with such a perfect little soul. He is so stong and such a fighter (a good combination of Samoan and Scottish).

Doctors say we have about a month left. I have a lot to do.

I guess THIS is what blogs are for...

Never in my life did I think "wow, I wish I were newly married, unemployed, living in a state I hate, with a premature baby who lives in the hospital." But honestly, life couldn't be more wonderful. Don't get me wrong, there are things about life that could be much, MUCH better. But when I look at the big picture, I have so much more than I ever imagined--more than I ever thought I wanted.

I am married to the most amazing man I have ever met. Without jobs, we get to spend lots of quality time with each other! I can't think of anything positive about living in Utah. Except (here's the vague tie-in), in Utah, a lot of women have a lot of babies. So, they have really good hospitals, and really good NICU's. Which brings me to my amazingly beautiful and perfect baby boy, Benjamin "Welton" Tuinei.

When I hit age 25, I decided to live my life differently. I wasn't sure that I would ever meet a man who I wanted to marry or one who would be able to make me eternally happy. I seriously doubted that I would have the chance to be a mommy. So, I went back to school, worked nights, and got myself prepared for the long haul. And then he walked in. The most wonderful punk ever :)

Anyway, I was just thinking tonight. Then I wrote this. The end.