NICU Reunion

Brax playin in the water

Brax and Caid playing in the water


Brax on the slide

Brother love !!!!

So a while a go the McKay NICU had a reunion it was at the North Ogden Aquatic Center. Braxton love playing in the water. Caiden loved watching him and getting in the water a little. It was fun to see some the kids that were in the NICU with him.

WE ARE HOME !!!!!!

Papa Cooper Holding Caiden for the FIRST TIME !!!

Grandma Poulsen holding Caiden for the FIRST TIME !!

Stevi holding Caiden for the FIRST TIME !!!

Braxton holding Caiden for the FIRST TIME !!!

Riding down the elevator in the hospital on our way HOME!!!!!

IT IS OFFICIAL!!!! We are HOME !!!! Our family is now complete!!! It was nice and weird leaving the hospital today WITH Caiden !!!! I just want to thank and the Nurses and Doctor's at the McKay Dee NICU!!!! It was also nice to get him home and let a few people that have not been able to hold him get a chance. Stevi and Grandma Poulsen got to hold him. Papa Cooper also held him for the first time since he was born (he did not want to Break him)!!!

I am hoping that Caiden with sleep some what thought the night!! That has been a plus not having to wake up in the night to feed him for the last to weeks. I will most likley not be posting every day now but I will keep everyone updated. Thanks for all your thoughts and prayers for Caiden it has helped

Caiden Update

Today was another good day. Caiden ate all his feeding at 11pm, Most of the feeding at 2 am, Then all of his 5am , 8 am feeding. Then when Grammy Poulsen went up at 11 am he ate 75% of his feeding. This was really nice to have a little more time with Brax. Today Jen and I went to lunch with the kiddo's. This was really fun to get out with a friend that I have not seen in a while. Then I went up for the 2pm feeding which Caiden ate all of. Then Grammy and Papa Cooper came up with me to the 5 pm feeding so that they could help with Caiden's bath. It was really nice to have another set of hands there to help with the whole situation.

A Few More Down !!! 2.26.09

Caiden worn out with all the visitor's

Grammy Cooper, Daddy and Caiden, (3 generations)

Grammy holding Caiden for the first time

Daddy and Brax playing out side of Caiden's room.

So today was a Great day!!! At the 2 am feeding he ate his whole bottle. Then at the 5 am feeding he at the whole 2 oz. Then when I was up there at 8 am he ate the whole 2 oz again. Then my mom when up at 11am and he did not eat for her. But she did get to hold him and love him. At the 2 pm feeding he ate the whole thing again, (he eat's for his mommy) Kati came up to the hospital with me and got to see Caiden throught the window.

Then at 5pm feeding Gary got to hold and love him for a while then I feed him and he ate 75 % of the feeding. We are moving in the right direction. They had me bring in my car seat to get checked out. So maybe soon!!!!

Yesterday we had a good day as well. He ate a lot and we had a lot of visitors Gammy and Papa Cooper came and then Grammy and Papa Poulsen joined the party!!! It was so fun!!! I just wanted to thank everyone for all there help with Brax and all the pray's and thoughts for Caiden

He did it !!! One Down

Caiden did it he drank his 2 oz bottle all by him self!!!! He has been having a little bit of a struggle getting the whole 2 oz down but tonight he did it!!! Yeah we are on our way to HOME!!!!

The nurse today gave me so hope that there is an end in site!!!! She started teaching me about all the stuff that we would need to do when we get home !!!! She also said that we need to bring our car seat in to be checked out !!! I was like there is an end in site!!!!

New Bed!!!!

Caiden eating !!!!
He's got clothes on !!!!

Mommy Feeding Caiden

When I went in to the Unit today at 8 am Caiden was in a Normal Bed with NO LIGHT'S!!!!
I was so happy and then I realized that he was wearing clothes. So I went home and got all my clothes that would fit him.
The nurse said that at the 5 am feeding he ate the whole 2 oz. I was so excited. So then I feed him and he ate 1/2 oz which was good.
At the 11 am feeding Grammy Poulsen went up there and held him for an hour and a half they did not let her feed him they did not want to over stress him.
At the 2pm feeding I got to feed him again and he ate 1 oz. I also was able to give him a bath since he had to have the repeat ultrasound on his head. Which was normal !!!
At the 5 pm feeding Gary came with me (he went back to work this week). Caiden ate 2 oz. I am so impressed with how well he is doing. I will keep you updated.

Bottle and Bath then Bed

Caiden fighting for the wash cloth

Happy after his bath

Caiden loved getting his hair washed!!!

Mommy Bathing Caiden

Daddy and Caiden

Caiden Drinking his Bottle !!!

Today we went up to the unit twice, we took Braxton with us at the 11am feeding. Brax was so happy to get to see his little brother. He got to come to the window and look in at him.

Caiden drank from a bottle he drank 1 1/2 oz of his 2 oz feeding. Which was really good except he through up when Gary was putting him back in bed. Not a lot just a little.

So then we went back up for the 5 pm feeding and this time we left Braxton with Grandma Poulsen(Thanks for watching him) !!!

Caided drank 1 oz of the 2 oz and did not puck this time !!! YEAH !!!! Then we got to give him a little sponge bath which he did not like, as you can see he was trying to rip the wash cloth out of my hand. But just like his Big Brother he LOVED getting his hair washed!!!! It was so nice to get to hold him and wash him I felt like a mom again.

Caiden is still on the Billie Light just one. His Billie is 10.3 which has gone down from yesterday of 12.7 but they want it a little lower before they take him off the lights. Then he can get out of the Isolate and in a normal crib. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prays!!!!

ONE WEEK OLD !!!!

One week old!!! Caiden is still in the NICU :(. He is doing better his billie went down again today. They said that if it is lower tomorrow that they will take him off the lights. Which would be nice so then we could cuddle him longer then we can no with him being on the lights.

Thanks to all the great nurse's and doctors at the NICU.

Not much to report today. Hopefully we will have been news to report tomorrow!

Our Little Fighter !!! 2.20.09

First Time in Papa Poulsen's Arm's

Grammy and Papa with Caiden

Grammy cuddling Caiden

Braxton at Isolates and Ice Cream


Today was another good day. We started the day with a trip to my doctor's office. I got to get my staples out !!! YEAH !!!! Then we went to the hospital to check on and feed Caiden.

When we got to the hospital Caiden was on Two Billie Lights again. A little set back but they are not to worried about it right now.

Thanks to everyone for watching Braxton while we have been heading up to the hospital.

Caiden did really well nursing today !!! Caiden's feeding have been up'd which is really good and he is handling them well. So they told us today that they were going to stop his TPN feeding's. If he does well with out those then they will be able to pull his Centeral Line(IV). This would be the last line in Caiden except his feeding tube in his nose.

NICU has this awesome class called Isolates and Ice Cream. This is a class for Older Brothers and Sister's to come and learn about all the tube and wires that are hooked on their brother or sister. Braxton was the only brother there so it was nice the nurse went in and found out what was on Caiden and placed the same on the baby doll. It was really cute Braxton was so cute asking questions and color a picture to place on Caiden's bed side. Braxton really like this cause he got a Popsicle when we were all done!!!

So at the 5 pm feeding. Gary stayed home with Braxton (since he is having a really hard time with this whole thing.) for a little Daddy and Brax time. Grammy Poulsen drove up with me and Papa Poulsen meet us there. They did move Caiden to a window bed which is nice so Brax and other can now see Caiden a little better.

This was really a nice visit since Papa Poulsen has not held Caiden due to all the tube that he had they scared him. Also Grammy got to hold him as well.

I also wanted to tell all the nurses at the NICU Thanks for taking such great care of

"OUR LITTLE FIGHTER"!!!!

Moved Rooms 2.19.09

Caiden with Daddy
Caiden looking up at Mommy
So today was a good day, with a little step back. When we arrived at 11 am for the feeding, Caiden was off the O2, and breathing on room air. They told us that they no longer have to check his blood sugars since he has been able to control them.

The little set back was the his Billie jumped up 4.5 points so they had to place him back on one of the Billie Lights. But they are hoping that he does not have to be on the light for long.

The nurse said that they might be moving Caiden to the next room(He was in room 1 which is the HIGH room). But she was not sure that it would be done today or when.

So my parents when up at 6pm and there was a sticky note on the sign in book that said "your baby has been moved to Pod 2".

Then we went up at 8p for his feeding. He did not eat this time he was really tired. It was really weird to be in the step down room. It was alot quieter in this room not so many alarms going off and only 2 nurses to 6 babies instead of one nurse to one baby.

I am doing ok I get to get my staples out tomorrow!!! Yeah!!!! I am hoping that all goes well. I will keep you all updated.

Pictures of Caiden

Grammy holding Caiden's hand
Mommy holding Caiden

Daddy holding Caiden

Caiden holding Mommy and Grammy's hands

Step's in the RIGHT Direction !!!!

Daddy cuddling Caiden
Caiden sleeping in mommy's arm's

Caiden in Daddy's arm's

Today we went up to the hospital for the 11 am feeding. I was hoping that Caiden might have one of the Billie Light's off, since the doctors said that this is what they were hoping for if his Bili stayed the leaves it was at.
So when I walked in to the NICU and Caiden had a BLANKET over his incubator I almost started to cry!!!! The light were GONE !!! ALL OF THEM !!!!! The Heidi(nurse) said that he was doing so good. She turned off the lights and he was sound a sleep so she did not want to wake him by taking the SUN GLASSES Off. So she left them on. She said the next time she came over to check on him he had taken the glasses off. She said he even undid the latch on them. He is already being mister independent.
I asked what his sugars have been since that also has been an issue. Heidi(the Nurse) said that they were stable and that they are going to take out the ART Line (this is a IV line that goes directly in to his Arterial Artery.) later today after his next blood draw. Another BIG STEP in the right direction!!!
I also wanted to give a really BIG THANK-YOU to Gary!!!!! Gary has been a WONDERFUL HUSBAND AND FATHER through all of this. I was so grateful that he has been there for me and for Braxton. He stayed the night at the hospital with me 2 out of the3 nights that I was there. He has been a shoulder for me to cry on and believe me there has been alot of CRYING!!!!
We are all so blessed that he has the priesthood to give blessing and everything that we need. Gary and Braxton have had a lot of daddies and brax time which is really good.
Today when I was getting ready Brax asked me " Mommy why is Caiden not home with us ?" I started to cry and had to explain to him about the whole situation that is going on . Then he told me that he wanted him home so he could play with him. I am so glad he is doing so well with this. It's hard to explain everything to a 3 1/2 years old that you have a brother but you can't see him yet, but he is doing so well.
Sorry that the post lately have been a little longer. Just trying to keep everyone updated. Thanks for all the prayers and meals and thought that all of you have given to us.

Hardest Day So Far.......

So today had to be the Hardest Day of my life !!!!!! So I got discharged from the hospital. Most mom's are happy to leave the hospital, but the MAJOR differance is that they get to take their babies home with them. That made me cry when they took me out and I did not have my little Caiden with me.

So as if having to leave the hospital with out my baby was not enough........................ No I get slammed with, Caiden's blood count is low,so they think he might have a bleed on the brain. That is not what you want to hear when you are in the NICU sitting by your self( Gar went home to spend the night with Brax, and then they were going to come and get me), holding your little one in your arm's!!!

Speaking of Brax he has had a nasty cough so we decided that we need to go get him checked out (thanks to a nudge from Dr. Mike my uncle) to make sure it was not RSV. After we checked out of the hospital we headed over to Brax's doctor appointment. Great news no RSV, just a virus.

So then Gary, my Mom and I headed back up to the hospital for the 5 pm feeding. I was hoping that the doctor would be there so that I could talk to him about the results of the Ultrasound of the Brain. Dr. Christiansen was there YEAH!!!!! I am so glad that he was there. He took the time to pull up the Ultrasound and go frame by frame and let us know that everything is NORMAL!!!!!!! I was so relieved !!!!!

That is the update for today I will post again soon to keep you up to date.

Pictures of Caiden

Caiden off the vent

First Family Picture ( Most of the Family)