Too many pictures!

So today was Greydon's 7-month birthday. We of course took a few traditional blue bear pictures. Kristen was only there to play baby wrangler for the first attempt, after that I was trying to entertain, contain, and snap all at the same time. Most of them are blurry sorry, but I think they're pretty cute anyway... so I'm posting all of them.

He was happy and giggly and squirmy, and seeing all of the pics together gets that point across.

He is doing better in tummy time, so I had to include some pics of that, he is drooling up a storm, so there's some bubbles and at least one waterfall of drool. He kept grabbing his shirt and pulling it up, apparently he is very proud of his abs, so I had to include those... you get the idea...

He just had another trip to the stabby place, and they stabbed him again, and he still really really doesn't like that. He is a pretty calm baby, we don't exactly give him a chance to get too worked up about anything, so to see him that instantly distressed is so hard.

He is doing good. He has growth charts, and he is catching up.

I shall explain:

Preemies go in one of three cycles.

1.) their growth curves stay the same shape as a full term baby, but just evenly smaller, or you cold think of it as they just stay consistent with their adjusted age.

2.) Some preemies catch up in one, some or all of the charts. Greydon for instance is closing the gap a little in weight and head circ., but in height he has already almost caught up to the growth curve of a full term 7 month baby, which is really cool. Tall is good.

3.) Some preemies actually regress, they grow well for a while and then the gains start getting smaller and they actually start regressing. This is very bad and very sad. Usually it is a sign of severe brain damage. Our doctor had two visits with babies in this category earlier in the day the day of our visit.

Neither one of them are going to make it.

It just made me so sad and so thankful for how blessed we truly are. I can't imagine having that conversation with the babies parents.. you could tell it bothered the doc.

Greydon now weighs 13 pounds 1.5 ounces, he is 25 1/2 inches long. And I don't remember his head measurements... when Kristen corrects this I'll add it in. His head is 16 inches or so around.

A mom and baby from our time in the NICU came over for a play date with Kristen and Greydon. I was in and out, and had another chance to pause to be grateful for being so blessed.

Most preemies are not calm and happy. They don't have the time in the womb to learn coping skills and just are known to be fussy. This other baby fit that category. If Greydon cries he is either really hungry and you've been slow to read his progressively unsubtle clues, or he is tired and is fighting falling asleep, or is getting stabbed with a huge needle at the stabby place.

If he is bored with whatever he is doing he will fuss, but it starts slow and builds. (we tend to be hovering pretty close)(understatement)

This other baby, according to Kristen would suddenly just scream about nothing, then eventually settle down.. And I'm sorry but Greydon's head is perfect... uhm apparently that is a blessing too...(fill in the blanks)

So, there you go... happy 7 months mister man.

(everyone keep July 26th open.. big big fest in the works)