Presents! Weekly update

I know I've already updated on Wednesday but here is the weekly roundup.

On Friday Mum and I went to Northwick Park so Mum could have a chat about going back to work and have another look at my kidneys. One of the Consultants also had a look and agreed with the Consultant at Tommies that my right kidney is almost twice the length of the left.  He said there are lots of causes and that I may need more tests but that the Nephrologists (kidney doctors) will make that decision.

One of my neighbours from Chelsea was also at Northwick for an appointment, so Mum and I met him and his parents for a catch up. It was lovely to see them and my little ex-neighbour has grown so much since our time in hospital. We swapped tips on parent training so I will practice some of his ideas soon.

In the evening, my god parents, Fred and Sherifa came for dinner. It must have been a good dinner because they stayed for breakfast!  Fred helped feed me and Sherifa helped wind me. They give good cuddles and make M+D smile and laugh which is nice.

Yesterday we went shopping.  First we went to look at sofas near Heathrow, then we went to look at new cars for Mum and Dad.  We now have 2 cars but no sofas!  Mum's new car is a Jaguar estate so my buggy can fit in the back, and it goes quick enough to keep her happy.  It has quite a lot of toys but Dad's has got more. Dad says that his car has DVD players in the back for me and even electric seats for me to irritate M&D by fiddling with them when I'm older. 
Today we went to a party in North London and met some of Dad's friends from work.  The weather held out and I was super-cute (as always) and got lots of cuddles.  I got a present too.  A machine that will make food for me when I'm ready for weaning.  I did my first PROPER smiling!  Not at M or D but at Megan, who I met at the party.  She's a year or so older than me but a girl's a girl. Still, at least M+D have seen me smile properly now. It seemed to make them very happy!

Cute

Irresistable

Then we went to Kew to listen to a choir that Mum sings in. I stayed quiet for the whole thing and got more cuddles from some of Mum's fellow singers.

Bye for another week.

Love to all,
Arthur xxx

Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me!

It was a double birthday for me today.

I turned 8 weeks old from my due date and a whopping 5 months since I was born.  Yes folks, I'm THAT old!

To celebrate, I had my final download overnight and then visited one of the Respiratory Consultants at the Evelina Children's Hospital at Tommies.  She said I looked very well 'like a normal baby' with no signs of breathing problems and a brilliant download.  So, I stay off the oxygen and am discharged from a lung point of view.  She said there was no reason I can't fly as I'm well and not on oxygen and that I can learn to swim soon too!  It also means that I am discharged from the Outreach team.  No more home visits from the helpful Outreach nurses.  I will now be under the care of the normal Health visitor from my GP practice. 

In case this meant that fewer doctors would see me, I threw a spanner in the works.  I had an ultrasound of my kidneys on Monday to see if there was anything structural that may have caused my urinary tract infection I had in May.

The Radiology Consultant did my scan with 2 registrars watching (well 3 if you count Mum).   My right kidney looked lovely according to Mum and the Consultant but my left looked a bit small and 'dysplastic' or 'not normal'.  Humph.

This is unlikely to cause me any harm but my kidneys had looked normal during mum's antenatal scans so something probably happened after I'd been born.  So I will be referred to the Nephrologists to check I'm alright from a kidney point of view.  More appointments...

I now weigh 4.94kg and measure 55.5cm from head to toe.  This puts me on the 50th centile - nice and average.

Overall, a good birthday.  More news on Sunday.

Love to all,

Arthur xxx

Weekly round up - Fathers' Day

Happy Fathers' Day to all those dads out there.

I gave Dad a card and 2 books for him to read to me.  One suitable for now.  One which Mum says is a bit rude but reflects parenthood quite well.  Feel free to look up a book written by Adam Mansbach and Ricardo Cortes.
 
This week has been fairly busy.  Not only have I continued with my feeding, pooing, sleeping and gaining weight  but I have also been out and about.

Hello fans!

My download was better than last week so I remain in air all the time and will see the Consultant at Tommies next week.  No one seems worried that things will change but the oxygen concentrator and cylinders etc will stay with me for at least 3 months just in case I take a turn for the worse.  I could get a cold or a cough I suppose.

Mum met up with 2 friends who are both expecting little boys.  More playmates for me.  Lucy's little one is cooked and her and her husband are playing the waiting game.  Jude has a bit longer to go. I suppose I can be patient and wait for new friends to arrive.

On Monday, Mum and I went to meet some more new mums from our area.  One of the other Tommies' mums introduced us to the group.  There were babies my age and a bit older.  It seems all mums, whether their babies are premature or not, have similar worries about bottle vs breast, different routines, different nappies/teats/dummies etc.  Mum says she will take me there again next week so I can talk to the other babies about training Mums and Dads and lulling them into false senses of security with sleeping through the night.  I have SO many tips to pass on...

Mum continues her training and did a 8k run on Tuesday night.  She left me with Dad and his friend Laurence.  He has two children himself so he's very good at cuddles, and he gave me 2012 Olympic baby grows.  Super-cool.  Thank you.  Mum was a bit quiet when she came back from her run and she said it was a bit further than she'd been expecting! But that she was glad she had done it.

Wednesday night was another first for me.  M+D went out to a restaurant again - but this time no babysitter (pity, I liked her) - I came too. Fortunately M&D's friends were very child friendly and kept me amused through dinner.

Regular readers will know I have already been to Mum's work.  Well I was born there! But I have been back since then too.  So, this Friday I went to Dad's work at the Homerton.  Mum drove me there and I stayed with Dad whilst she went and did the weekly shop.  Dad's work colleagues all said hello and I got lots of cuddles from lots of people.  I was super cute (as always).  I keep almost smiling and then converting the expression into a yawn or wind. I know, I'm a bit naughty but it keeps everyone on their toes...

Still looking!

Yesterday we all went to see the Grandparents E in the country.  It rained a lot so we stayed indoors and watched the ducks and swallows playing in the rain from the cosy indoors.  M+D filled the car with lots of boxes.  They seemed very pleased about this, but not as pleased as Grandad and Granny E ...  When we got home, Dad unpacked these boxes and proudly announced that the last of their wedding presents have now been unpacked and can now be used.  Yippee.  It's only taken them 18 months!

Today we went to Windsor with M+D's friends, Simon and Cathrine.  We went to watch the polo at The Royal Guards Polo Club.  I slept quite a bit but M+D enjoyed themselves.  It was our first polo match and it was very exciting. I hope I can learn to ride when I'm bigger. A very important woman called Brenda was there - we had to stand up for the National Anthem when she arrived. She didn't look much taller than me, nicer hat though.

Note my teeny guardsman on my top. V patriotic.

Happy families

And now to bed. I have finally trained my lovely if dozy parents. And by putting me down as soon as I start to grizzle at 8ish, I go to sleep within about 15 mins. When I wake up again - well that's still very much up to me!

Love to all,
Arthur x

Weekly round up - 20 weeks

This Saturday I turned 20 weeks old!  And I now weight nearly 4.5kg.

It's been a busy time since my last blog - nearly a week! I'm going to aim to post a weekly update every weekend from now on, unless something really exciting happens obviously!

Still got it!

On Wednesday my overnight download was looked at by the doctors and nurses.  It was 'OK' but not great so I have to do another one next week but remain off oxygen.  The Outreach team haven't got rid of me just yet.  That evening, M+D had a night out and I wasn't invited.  Cue 'the babysitter'!!  Along came Katie for the evening.  She already has a little girl and another small on the way so M+D knew I was in safe hands.  I was on best behaviour and ate and slept and didn't pee on her.  M+D had a lovely time with their friends Simon and Cathrine and Dad now knows he likes gulls' eggs on a bed of Wagu beef tartare (raw!) with truffle shavings. Sounds horrid to me!

Thursday was fairly uneventful minus the odd 'poo disaster'.  Currently I am saving up my poos for truely spectacular results every other day or so.  I like to catch M+D off guard, usually once I've already been changed.  Hee hee.

Message to Mum - I still need to grow into these

Mum got up early on Friday to go running.  She is trying to get back to her pre-pregnancy, or rather pre-Chelsea ITU figure.  There is a Carluccio's opposite the hospital which became a favourite for M+D and other parents whilst I was there.  Dangerous!  Her friend, Cat is a personal trainer, and is helping Mum achieve her goals.  So far she has lost over 5 inches (Mum doesn't like weighing herself), which is truely fantastic.  Well done Mum and thank you Cat!

Friday night was party night.  M+D's nextdoor neighbour had a birthday party so we went round to say hello.  I met lots of new people and practised looking maximally cute - and I'm getting very good at it.

Saturday was a busy day.  My passport arrived (so now I can escape the country and come back) along with some gifts including a lovely blanket from Jo; a rocket, champagne and some super clothes from Simon, Lucy and their 2 sons Jamie and Oscar.  We did more family stuff and went to look at sofas.  We sat on lots of different ones, looked at lots of fabric and I didn't puke on any of them.  Well done me.  The travelling and being carried around allowed me to sleep quite a bit and M+D then paid the price for this in the evening. I was awake!  Mum tried to settle me by cuddling me and when that didn't work she held me and bounced on her big purple Swiss ball.  This is normally the magic trick to get me to settle but even that didn't work.  Dad tried swaddling me and jiggling me.  In the end (2 hours later) I had a drink of boiled water and some Calpol and eventually settled.  Phew!

Dancing with Daddy

M+D and I slept in this morning then it was out to look at more sofas!  More sitting and walking around and comparing fabrics.  Yawn.  I didn't sleep as much this time so M+D are hoping I'll sleep a bit better tonight.  I'll see how I feel.....

Love to all,
Arthur x

How cute are my feet!!!

Grannies

Lovely visits from 2 out of 3 grannies this week. Many thanks for coming. Sorry that I cried all the way through one of you and slept all the way through the other!

Cuddles with Granny W

And I've certainly noticed a change in M&D since our collective visit to the specialist. They're just more chilled and a bit more casual with me. I have decided to reward this good behaviour with some of my own. I ahev been looking around much more purposefully, and following things and people which interest me. I also slept almost all the way through last night.

I know, I spoil them, I really do.

Other news:
Feeding                     tick
Peeing                       tick
Pooing                       tick
Out-growing  clothes  tick
Looking cute              tick
Job done.

'You looking at me?'

And a huge thank you to you, my lovely readers. You've looked me up from 60 countries and have clicked on my blog over 75,000 times. I hope you're enjoying my life as much as I am!

Love to all,
Arthur x

British Barbeque weather!

Whilst yesterday was gloriously sunny, today was not so bright but in true British style, M+D and I went to a barbeque over in East London to see one of Dad's friends and his family.  His youngest is 12 months old and is MUCH bigger than me. I can't imagine how I'm going to get that big in 11months but I'll give it a go none the less.

Yesterday, I saw both sets of God parents.  First was Fred and Sherifa on the Southbank which was lovely, if a little hot.  M+D kept the sun off me with a muslin.  These bits of cloth are proving very useful indeed.  As are clothes pegs.  They have helped hold my oxygen tubing snug in my buggy, have held muslins over my carrycot to shield me from the sun and held my picture books against the walls of my carrycot to prevent them attacking me!

Next, were P and L.  It was P's birthday so they held a dinner to celebrate.  Everyone had a lovely time and I was angelic.  That was my birthday present to Uncle P.

This evening, I have been utterly adorable.  Looking intently at Dad and trying ever so hard to smile.  I can do one side or the other but not both at the same time.  Nearly there.

Muslin used as pillow!

On a slightly more bothersome note, I haven't had a poo for 2 days.  I have been farting and my tummy is soft and I'm still hungry and feeding well but no results of my food intake have appeared in my nappies.  This is beginning to annoy me so I have been grizzling all evening.  M+D are watching closely and making sure I am not dehydrated.  Watch this space or nappy as the case may be.

A big thank you to Jean, Brian, Pat and Laura for their lovely presents.  Also, thank you to whoever sent me the Sleep Sheep.  There was no note with it and M+D are pretty sure they didn't order it themselves!

Peaceful for now....

Love to all,

Arthur xxx

Hardly my fault!

After 5 weeks of training M+D and being visited regularly by the Outreach team from Tommies, it was my turn to visit people.

Yesterday Mum and I trundled off to the Southbank to meet other mums and dads from the area with their babies for morning coffee and then met another escapee from Chelsea for lunch.  After that we met up with Dad's lovely secretary Launa, and then came home.  Hectic social life or what?!  It was nice to meet other 'normal babies' and their parents and to know that most babies don't have such a rocky start to their lives.  It was also lovely to meet Launa.  She hasn't been very well but is getting better and she gives nice cuddles. 

My Chelsea SCBU partner in crime is doing well at home.  Mum and her mum swapped "1st week home and beyond" stories whilst we slept for a bit, fed for a bit and generally wanted some attention for most of the time.

Today Mum and I went to Sunshine House for my first physiotherapy appointment.  This is to help me get my arms and legs moving properly and to keep assessing my development as I get older.  This is very important given my MRI result and the bleed I had so early in my life.  My brain can 'remodel' quite well as I am so young so different parts of my brain can take over functions that damaged bits of brain should have been doing.  The physiotherapist said I was a bit young to start making judgments but that I seemed to be doing ok so far and that she'd see me again in 2 months.

This afternoon, we (me, M+D) went to Tommies to see one of the Neonatologists because M&D were worried about my eyesight and my development.  He had kindly agreed to see us after M+D had spoken to the Outreach nurses.  He listened carefully, and very thoroughly,  to M+D and their concerns.  He read my MRI report and then examined me from top to toe, and I really mean end to end.

He came to the conclusion that I can see perfectly well. He suggested that the reason M&D think I'm not looking at them is because I am 'bored' of M+D's faces. This seems a bit harsh but I have been looking at them for months now and there's really so very much to see. He told them to stop worrying about my eyesight and my smiling. Now I would have explained this myself - but, and I know this may surprise you, I don't actually write this blog; M&D do the writing. And they don't always get it right. So sorry for the confusion and worry.

"I told them I could see"

He also said I was moving my arms and legs normally with no difference between the two sides and that whilst the MRI wasn't normal and that the statistics suggest certain outcomes are more likely, it doesn't necessarily mean I won't be normal. Well as normal as any product of M+D's genes and nurture.

 M+D were massively reassured and comforted that they were being 'normal, paranoid, first-time, medical parents'.  I fear I'm going to continue being scrutinised forever...

"Nothing wrong with me!"

All in all, a lovely couple of days.

Love to all,
Arthur xxx