A trip to Tahoe

Family portraits...

outside on the deck at the cabin

I was 10 days old the first time I went to the cabin in Tahoe with my parents and grandparents. We decided it was time to try taking Aiden up and continue on the family tradition. We were apprehensive because of the lower oxygen in the air at high altitudes, but after talking with Aiden's pulminologist, pediatrician, home nurse, and basically anyone else that would reassure us we decided to give it a try. Besides I needed a mini vacation before I go back to work in a couple weeks. So, we loaded the car to the brim with Aiden's "supplies" and headed up to Tahoe with an O2 monitor strapped to Aiden's foot to monitor him. We had to up his oxygen from 1/4 liter to 1/2 liter on the way up and he stayed there, comfortably, the whole trip. I was worried he would have to go up higher, but at 1/2 liter he was breathing unlabored and just fine.

It was good to be able to get Aiden out of the house for something other than a doctors appointment. Lake Tahoe is full of outdoor activites and that is the one thing we can do out of the house with Aiden since we can't be indoors with alot of people around. My parents and grandma Marlys were waiting for us when we got there. My parents cleaned the entire cabin, cleaned mattresses and washed all the bedding, even got rid of the old, dusty curtains for Aiden's arrival.

We had a great time. I didn't cook or wash a single dish the whole trip. There was no shortage of people wanting to hold Aiden, so except at night, he didn't get put down the entire trip. When my parents would hear Aiden in the morning they came running in our room to take him so that we could sleep in. We took Aiden to walk the trail and see the stream profile and took him to see the lake for the first time (very shortly, it was really windy that day)! It was neat to see his reaction to the outdoors - which was a look of "OK, can we go back inside please???"

I got to get out of the house with my mom and grandma to do some shopping and Jeremy got to bond with my dad going to fabulous places like the hardware store and the dump. Jeremy and I even got to go have a beer at the brewery with my dad and grandma while nana Robyn babysat. We basically got spoiled for 2 days, including the dog who scored a new collar and toy out of the trip. I can't wait until Aiden is older and we can take him to the park and the beach and ride bikes all over the place like I did when I was little :)

On the trail...

My mom, dad and Jeremy checking out nature...

Aiden outside in the woods!

Rest time

Maybe he likes the outdoors :)

At the lake - he was all bundled up because it was chilly

Great mama (grandma Marlys) would talk to him and he would just smile away at her!

A couple weeks later...

We went to Shriners today for Aiden's follow up appointment. The harness did not work and his right hip is still out of the socket. At least his left hip looks "beautiful" though, they say that the outcomes are much better when just one hip is out rather than both. We talked to the doctor about surgery and she recommended, and we agree, to wait until after he is a year old. She said that hip dislocations are not life threatening and the anesthesiologists want Aiden to be over 10 kilos (22 pounds) and be at a better place health-wise (off 02) before going under anesthetic. She said it would be better for him to grow, develop and be a normal baby for a while first. So, we have our next appointment with Shriners in December to plan the surgery and weeks of casting that will follow it. The cast is usually on for 12 weeks with a cast change at 6 weeks.

We think this is the best for him. We went back and forth between getting it over with while he was little and waiting. The doctor said that waiting won't change the severity of the surgery, with the dislocation he has they will most likely need to open him up and do some maneuvering to get it in the socket. The harness had such an impact on his oxygen requirements, we know casting him now will just delay him coming off oxygen and we also still need to watch his belly from the intestinal surgery and we can't do that if there is a cast over it. Timing wise we also think it will be more comfortable for him to have a cast during the winter instead of the hot summer months and since we won't be able to take him out and have alot of visitors during the winter (a.k.a RSV/cold/flu season) it seems like a good time.

We also asked her to look at his feet again and make sure she did not want to do any further casting, she said the left foot looks totally normal and that the left looked good and just needs movement and stretching - casting won't do anything further. So that was good news.

So, Aiden has been enjoying the last few days without the harness on. He has been kicking and working on rolling over. It has been fun the last few weeks watching him discover new things. He has learned that if he moves in his bouncy chair that he can make it bounce and has learned that he can bat at his toys that hang and they move and make noise. He puts his hands together at his chest and interlocks his fingers and holds his hands together when he is hungry and during feedings (he still holds his bottle during feedings also). He smiles so much more at us now instead of just at his gas :) He suddenly has eyebrows and really long, dark eyelashes that I swear were not there 2 weeks ago.

Today he weighed 9 lbs. 7 oz. and he has FINALLY outgrown newborn sized clothes! He is still small even for his corrected age (3 mo. & 1 week), but he is gaining and growing. His doctors are happy as long as he keeps gaining at least 1/2 oz per day. We know Aiden is going to be on his own growth curve and developmental curve - he will do EVERYTHING, but he will do it on his schedule :)

Playing in the bouncy chair - he loves to bat around the toys

Playtime with momma on the floor

I'm trying to take a pic while he was smiling and laughing at me, but in typical boy fashion, this was what I got ;)

Hanging out with daddy on the computer