16 month development

As promised and almost on time! :) I also FINALLY sewed Hailey's American dress up dress! Feeling a bit motivated!

So here we go...bear with me this is a way over due update but so exciting!! We are having serious fun with the kids!

This is how we get things done! :) Brooke is such a ham and a bully - she was playing with everyone else's toys, yet giving this sweet little smile.

Yep, they play like this! He's not even phased by it and she'll crawl all the way across the room just to lay on him.

Brennan Nicholas 16 lbs 15 oz (birth weight 1 lb 4 oz)

Brennan's eyes are starting to settle down and not racing as much! This is giving him better balance and he's actually sitting by himself! He's such a scrawny boy that we're pretty much feeding him nonstop to keep up with how active he is! We found baby food jars that are 180 calories each - talk about packing on the pounds! :) He's growing well, just skinny! I know he doesn't have them on in this picture, but we're working with him for 5-10 minutes at a time a couple times a day to keep his glasses on. He was doing really well, but then got curious and pulls them off to lick them when we're not looking. That's how he's figuring things out...licking everything in sight! Kinda weird, but makes sense with his visual impairments. Brennan's also starting to craw/scoot! I really think he has it in him to be up to speed as Brooke but he's a really laid back baby. He's rolling over with no problem and now pulling toward things with his arms - doesn't quite have his legs coordinated to motor all over but he can get where he wants to!

Landon posing with his bottle! He looks thrilled right :)

Landon James 21 lbs 11 oz (birth weight 1 lb 7 oz)


This little turkey is doing great! I know I've said this before, but he's just on his own schedule! He's working with Physical Therapy (PT) and Speech Therapy to work on the skills he needs a little help mastering - sitting, crawling and eating. His therapists really believe in him and I know that makes so much difference! It makes us feel really great having them work with him too! He's doing a lot of small (but key) developments that some people may miss, but we're checking them off in our minds. Like the picture above in the exersaucer...he's standing flat foot! He used to always stand on his tip toes and this shows he's getting more control of his legs and knows that they do something :) He's sitting with much less support and when he rolls over his legs get right up in the crawling position but he doesn't have strong enough leg muscles to get his big belly anywhere! His muscle strength is something else we're working on. Even though he's almost 22 lbs, he's like a rock because he hardly sustains himself! He's getting better but used to be like sack of potatoes!




Brooklyn Danielle 16 lbs 3 oz (birth weight 1 lb 3.5 oz)

Brooklyn is doing great!! She's such a ham! We're getting through the days of her being our "drama llama" for all of you who know the "Llama llama red pajama" books! :) For the longest time her face used to be a permanent frown, one that I'd never seen before but it's so easy to get her to smile and play! A couple weeks ago she had one on one time with Meme whil Nich and I got away to Boston and she has been a different kid since! Thanks Meme!! :) So, what's Brooke doing...crawling on her hands & knees (knees are a big deal and have took a long time to learn!), taking steps with a push toy and holding onto our fingers, becoming more social, clapping, switching toys from hand to hand and eating us out of house and home! This girl is the biggest snack food junky we know! Since Nich and I rarely take care of them together, one day between the 2 of us she ate an entire package of puffs! She's playing us already! :)



Video's!!! Brooklyn taking her first steps and her playing so sweetly with Landon! I can't stress how much FUN it's getting now that they're able to play more, be more active (I know we'd better watch out!) and are more social! We thank God every day for them and how great they're doing developmentally! They are such blessings!!

1 Year Adjusted Birthday!

Can you believe it!? The babies due date if they lasted full term would've been January 17 so today we celebrated their 1 year adjusted birthday! I'm hoping to post a developmental update in the next few days - I've got some great video's of them! Around 2-3 years old preemies usually catch up and they don't need to go by their adjusted age. Since they were born so early, they give them 4 months handicap. :) In September they couldn't have cake and I really missed getting the cake/frosting all over so we had that tonight! Enjoy!


I made a healthy baby cake of flour, baking soda, applesauce & milk because they haven't really ate much people food. Frosting was made of cream cheese, applesauce and vanilla. It was disgusting, but they ate it and Hailey actually loved it!

Brennan digging in!


Landon got in on the fun even though he couldn't eat any cake!

Brooke wasn't shy and had frosting everywhere!

And to finish it off, a video of our night!

Landon's firsts!

Just home from the hospital and he hits the ground running! Today Landon got his first hair cut - his first REAL one, the neurosurgeons saved his hair when he they shaved his head for the shunt :). I started the haircut because I do Hailey's, but quickly realized I have no idea how to cut boys hair! Nich finished his new do and he looks quite handsome!

Before

After

Landon also got his first tooth today! We've been waiting for his bottom since his gum is pretty much transparent there, but he shocked us and has a top middle one! Couldn't get a decent picture that didn't look weird :)



Next first - he laughed!! He's getting his voice back! It's faint and probably 1/2 way though this video, but so cute!

He's making so much progress and we're so proud of him! He is on his own schedule and we just remember that when we get discouraged. He seems to just get by day to day, then all of a sudden has a development explosion! And to think, he was supposed to be a blind, deaf vegetable! He just melts my heart! God is sooooo good!

Heading Home!!!

You read that right!! After 7 days in the hospital this boy if jumping ship and feeling much better! He ended up skipping moderate care (our luck would have it the 2 others from PICU moved, but Landon's bed was taken by the evening) so we waited one more day in ICU (3.5 total) and moved right up to general yesterday evening! As hard has it has been to be here and see him so sick, we have been so supported and in feel like we're in the right place! Since he's been here a total of 4 residents, 2 interns, 4 Respiratory Therapists and a slew of nurses have taken care of him this week and also knew him from the NICU!! Talk about being excellent care! We also saw 4 former surgeons, 2 dietary people and 2 security guards that we knew from the last stay! WOW! The Pollak babies are kinda famous at U of M! :) The RT he had yesterday took care of him the day he was born and did a double take! The medical team at UM know our kids inside and out and that feels so reassuring! It was nice to see familiar faces :)

Moving to Moderate Care!

Look at this miracle boy! He's moving to moderate care (step between ICU & general) sometime today if the moderate care discharges stay on course and a bed is free! I think he just wanted a tour of the hospital :) He's feeling so much better! Last night when the doctor came in to check on him, he stood back in amazement, smiled and shook his head. He said given Landon's Chronic Lung, BPD and history and how he looked Thursday morning, this should've been so much worse. He said Landon's recovering so well and so quickly! God's got his hand on our son and it's incredible to have front row seats to see these miracles! Take a look how Landon's feeling now!!



He moved to the regular nasal cannula today and to 1 liter (at home he's on .5). Breathing treatments every 4 hours and continuous Gtube feeds and tolerating everything well!