Brecken Bishop

Freezing Feet, RSV, and The Pioneer Woman

2011-03-20T21:34:00.000-07:00

Two weeks ago we went to Fort Peck to go ice fishing. This mini vacae was John's Birthday present, I would have preferred palm trees and sunshine...I didn't win.

We ended up bringing our neighbors along with us. They were good sports, with it being butt freezing cold and all...and they are also still talking to us which is also a good sign.

I figure if we can make it through an ice fishing trip together then we can make it through anything.

When we got to Fort Peck we ended up staying at the lake and the five star accomidations were amazing, it was a total man haven. The duct tape home decor, mismatched sheets, endless fishing, and 50 sports channels made it John's heaven.
The trip was fun, but I can honestly say that I have never been so cold in my entire life. Both Kim and I thought we were going to lose our feet. While the guys were ice fishing we were huddled up in the ice shanty trying to stay warm by the heater, and even with the heater it was still fa-reezing!

the best fishing actually occured right when we got there and then we got skunked out, and don't be fooled by the pictures--Kim actually caught the biggest fish, but for the sake of helping the ego's of the guys we let them hold the big guys.

While we were gone we left Brecken at home with Mom and Kelty, I felt weird leaving him because he had been kind of sluggish earlier that week. While we were gone he had a fever and by Monday I ended up taking him to the hospital only to find out he had RSV. crap.

To make a long story short we were back and forth from the hospital all week and John also ended up catching RSV from Little B. In adults, RSV is more like a severe cold, but it can still be very contagious. So I had John quaratined at home for two days and Brecken at home for four days. I was going stir crazy..

Luckily, as soon as Brecken started to get better the weather also started to warm up. Hallelujah!

In other crazy news, I met the Pioneer Woman this weekend. It was a sweaty palms, shaking experience. Yes, I was the one with sweaty palms....I was giddy, and overally excited. It made for a bad first impression, I think....

Long Time No See....

2011-02-28T19:59:00.000-08:00

So Brecken is growing like a noxious weed. yeah, he is growing that fast. It seems like yesterday that we brought him home from Denver. I remember those tiny, tiny fingers that would gently grasp themselves around my pinky. Every cough or sneeze would send me running to his side and his oxygen tubes. Wow! I am so glad that those tubes are gone.

Now, when he coughs I try to avoid it's direct hit. And those tiny fingers are getting huge. My lil' munchkin is now a big boy.

Along with his big boy status he also has a big boy smile to go along with it. He has the most energetic smile. His laugh sends me rolling and those eyes--well, I am jealous of those eyes. Man, I wish I could have crystal cobalt blue eyes.

He is also a real Evil Kenevil. He took a major face plant into our mantel...the tears and sobs lasted for about an hour or so, but once he calmed down he had a marshmallow face and a bright smile to show off his war wounds.

He has also found a love for posing. Yeah, he loves the camera and he loves making faces with food in his mouth. he's kinda gross.

And, the ultimate sign that he is getting big. Well, he is walking. he walks forward, backward, sideways, and he runs. sorta. He has also mastered the stairs. He goes up and down, up and down. He would do it all day long if I would let him.

He has also upgraded to toddler shoes, he waddled around for the first day, but now he takes off like a mad man in his new kicks.

Oh, and I turned 26. John, with his awesome party planning abilities threw me a surprise party. And, no party would be complete without the presence of Chuck. yeah, he was kick. hahahaa. get it? kick.

We all avoided eating his face.

John also turned 27. I can't seem to find the pictures of that night, but I did find the pictures of that morning. Yeah, he is a real poser.

I think he could learn a few things from Brecken about smiling for a picture....

Fishing Excursions and the Knife Wielding Maniac

2011-01-20T16:18:00.000-08:00

Last week we made a quick change of plans and decided to go to Casper for the weekend. As usual the trip was an excuse for John to go fishing again.

John and his brother, along with the boys, and some friends entered the local ice fishing derby. They caught a lot of great fish and they were not that far off from having the largest fish either. One of the guys on their team actually won a new ice auger and some money.

So while the weekend was full of a lot of fishing it was also full of a lot of time in the pickup. During our drive through the beautiful (hahahaha) State of Wyoming I played around with my new camera. John didn't think I would be able to get a picture of the Sheridan sign because we were driving to fast...little did he know that not only do I rock as a photographer, but my camera speed is well equipped to get such pictures! HA!

Little B, you ask? What has he been up to?

Well, over the last few weeks he has really started to walk. He no longer needs the couch to hold himself up and if we say, "We gonna get you" he starts to run away...kind of. It is more like his arms thrashing in the air while his legs try to keep up.

He does have a new trick though...~~he likes to help with the dishes,~~ he likes to climb into the dishwasher while I am trying to empty it.

Most of the time he gets bored of standing on the dishwasher so he then resorts to pulling the pans out and then he bangs them around on the floor.

While I was putting away dishes the other day he saw his favorite cup and about peed himself with excitement while trying to pull it out.

When he gave up and knew that it was stuck in on the top shelf he moved on to a new adventure. Yep, he found the knives. I should have stopped taking pictures because he soon became a wide-eyed, knife wielding maniac...I think it was because he knows that knives are off limits. Obviously, I am really strict on that rule.

No more pics because I had to retrieve the knife which sent my punk into a back thrashing fit of rage...and the tears came a rollin' out....

Love,
the fish crazed John, the camera happy Halsey, and the knife wielding Punk.

New Years in a flash....(I'm kinda digging this flash thing).

2011-01-06T16:23:00.000-08:00

Went to the Belgrade Lounge and sang a lot of Karaoke. John said Abby and I were the worst he'd ever seen. Obviously, he doesn't know talent when he sees it.

Then there was Buck he was a lil' of Johnny, a lil' of Charlie and I think a lil' of Santa.

New Years. New camera. new babies. Old fire/snow tricks.

And more of the snow on fire snow tricks...

And lots of food. loves from Sammy to Brecken. And Buzz Lightyear.

New Years day with the peeps.

John has moves.

We have moves.

And we have some moves that are probably not suitable for children's eyes.

Phew.....

Christmas in a Flash

2011-01-06T16:02:00.000-08:00

B loves to attach Squirt- Squirt loves to lick Brecken.

We ate lots of candy. Lots is actually an understatement.

John caught fish...of course.

B's favorite present. A box of packing peanuts, it was also he favorite treat. gross.

Gingerbread building competition. Team John/Halsey/Kelty won. Why? because I am writing this post and what I say is always honest and true.

Christmas morning. Can there ever be a good Christmas morning picture?

There you have it folks....

Christmas with the Bishops and a lot of crap...literally.

2010-12-27T18:05:00.000-08:00

When I look at our Christmas card from last year I laugh. a. lot. Okay, maybe I shouldn't be laughing, but I mean seriously, Brecken looks like a doll. Look at his arms, he looks like an outstretched, oxygen lovin' baby.

I am, however, so thankful for this year's picture. Even though Little B looks like a premature Casanova with his puckered lips I know that I would never give up his silly face or personality for anything.

Our Christmas season was so wonderful this year. We were able to find the perfect tree within 30 minutes, Brecken got to see Santa....twice, and John has been able to slaughter lots and lots of fish!

So from our house to yours we hope you had an awesome Christmas!

FYI...I will have Christmas pics up as soon as I steal Kelty's camera to retrieve all the pictures!

Until then...enjoy our lovely faces hahahahahahahaha

Fact: My baby is a human vaccuum cleaner.

2010-12-03T11:19:00.000-08:00

Little B has turned into a mad man...or baby. whatever. Anyway, now that he is mobile he is going crazy. He gets into everything, he attempts to climb everything, and he BANGS everything. Yeah, just about everything we own has his grubby lil' fingers prints on it now.

His newest fettish is eating everything off the floor. I don't even know how he finds some of the the things that he puts in his mouth. I feel as though I am gagging him twenty times a day. Yesterday for instance, he managed to rip off both of his OWN socks and shoved BOTH of them in his mouth...at the same time. He also found cat food, styrofoam pieces, a rock, a pen cap, and a bobby pin. I am not lying.

However, even with the new desire for unedible objects he is not nearly has fussy anymore. After his birthday we took him into the hospital on the 10th to get tubes put in his ears.

Hallejulah! I heard angels singing that day.

It took awhile for him to finally sleep through the night, but his is doing it now. He has always been a happy baby, but now he is a happy/mountain dew crazed/candy fed baby.

My second round of giddiness happened when John finally got his buck. No more hunting season meant ...prepping for fishing season.

Correction: He has already begun the ice fishing season.

While John and the boys reduced the fish populated at Highlight, Brecken got to play with his cousins he was a bit dramatic at times. Note: I have become this crazy camera lady when it comes to taking pictures...I figured I would take a break over Thanksgiving and not torture the family.

Anyway, Thanksgiving was great the food and company were awesome, ghe shopping was not as great...I will say it again: I hate waffle irons. here's the story 'bout that adventure.

Other news: Our dear friend Colleen had her lil' babe Maddie over the Thanksgiving week. Brecken still is not quite sure what she is....he is a bit skeptical about this whole baby business.

I also learned a valuable lesson over Thanksgiving: A spoon in the bottom of a bowl will end the life of a beater. 'nuf said.

And the best part about November: Little B STANDING on his own!

YEAH!!!!! Okay to be honest this was not the very first time, but it was the first time I actually got a picture.

FYI.

If you are really ~~bored~~ interested check out my sister's blog. She is doing 25 days of ugly sweaters. That's right folks she is going to wear an ugly sweater from now until Christmas. Yeah, she is just that classy.

Happy Birthday Little B!

2010-11-04T06:46:00.000-07:00

It's crazy to believe what we were going through this time a year ago. Buying a new house, bed rest in Billings for three weeks, and WaLah--a 2 lb. 15 ounce little munchkin. He is truly a fighter, he was fighting for life back then and he is still a fiery little carpet crawler now. Believe me. Everything that I did to torture my parents is now coming back to haunt me.

The doctors told us after Brecken was born that if this had happened thirty years earlier we would have both died and I am so thankful for the technology that we have today that kept us both alive.

I am also so thankful that Brecken has had the ability to grow and become such a strong little man. I love pulling out his first diapers to compare them to his diapers now. It just seems so unreal that a human being could fit into something so small.

There is only one regret I have..I wish we would have been able to get an ink stamp of his hand and foot the day he was born, but I understand he was too fragile for anyone to touch. So instead I look at this picture to remember how small his little feet were. Even back then his little feet looked so tender and perfect.

Now, a year later I still feel as though I am being blessed everyday. I love how Brecken makes me laugh and how my personality he possesses. John says he acts like me--it is kind of cute now, but I am imaging him to be a terror when he gets older. I love his squishy face that he makes when he is frustrated, I love his contagious laugh, and I love his excitement when he sees John or me walk into a room.

I DON'T love, however, that everytime I punish him he laughs at me. No joke. I spank him and he laughs. I say, "NO" and he laughs. It scares me how mischevious he already is...

I love that for Halloween he let us dress him up as a monkey, then a chicken, then a monkey again and he never cried or complained....well, I guess he kind of cried (but I blame that on the ear infection).

Everyday I try to thank my Heavenly Father for my precious boy and the miracle that he is in my life and after everything we have been through over this past year I am so thankful that I get to tell my little man Happy Birthday today.

Happy Birthday Brecken we love you!

I don't even know how to explain this...

2010-10-28T13:14:00.000-07:00

So I am trying to find words for the experience I had this morning. I still can't even begin to describe what went through my head at the exact moment it happened..it was weird, because I do remember panic, embarressment and complete madness all occuring at one time.

Now, some of you will understand what I am going through, others may want to block me as a friend on facebook, and some of you will laugh hystarically.

Before I get "ahead"(no pun intended.you will understand in less then 30 seconds what this means) I need to explain what happened last night.

So, last night B and I attended the annual pumpkin carving party at the Barnwell abode. It is always so delightful and fun. John, however, didn't show up. Yes, he was hunting, and yes he finally killed an elk. Whatever, I am fine with that. So when he got home late last night he decided in his infamous wisdom that he would quarter the elk in our garage. Whatever, I am still fine with that. Then, came the realization that he needed to do something with the elk once he was finished. His plan: put it in the garbage can. I am not fine with this.

Hello! for those of you that have never been up close and personal to good ole' Wapati...well let me tell ya, they are big....our garbage on the other hand is NOT that big. John kept barkin' at me because I wasn't being that helpful so I huffed into the house and said as I slammed the door, "Fine you try to put a square peg in a round hole."

Ten minutes later. Tap, tap, tap on the front door. I opened. John replied, "I put it in the garbage can" (emphasis on snotty tone that came from his mouth). I believed him and then finally was able to go to bed at 2:30 in the AM.

NO. No. the story is not over. So, I left the house kind of late today and when I opened the garage door and walked outside this is what I saw.

BAHHHHHH! I almost died. I remember repeating something in a very loud voice that I am sure the neighbors heard. Obviously, John and I have to completely different perspectives on what it means to put the elk in the garbage can.

I called him right away, trying to remain calm and said, "There will be no negotiation. The elk that has taken up residency in our FRONT yard has to go." Further, I tried to explain that there was more than a handful of reasons on why this was soo wrong. First, our garbage pickup doesn't happen until Tuesday and that head will not be sticking out for 5 days. Secondly, Halloween in on Sunday and everyone and their dog will be coming up our driveway. Third, this is not what I had in mind for scaring the trick-or-treaters. The list could go on and on about the reasons on why this is not o.k.

note: John I love you, but the elk has to go. sorry.

For everyone else, please don't judge ;)

This is why I love this kid...

2010-10-15T20:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, as I was getting Brecken undressed to give him a bath he decided to poop, while in my arms. Gross. Really gross. If it would have been any other kid I probably would have thrown up right there, but I didn't. I just looked at him and he smiled at me with this look that said, "That's right, I pooped and there is nothin' you can do 'bout it."

This video is why I don't give him away at times like that....

Organized? Yeah Right.

2010-10-07T13:37:00.000-07:00

So, someone told me the other day that they couldn't believe how organized I was...Yeah. Well. Um. They haven't been to my house. Obviously.

Oh, and yes that is Brecken laying on the floor at two in the afternoon with no clothes on.

Funny story about no clothes. The other day Brecken peed thought another outfit. I am guessing it is time to go up a size in the diaper area. Anyway, so he peed through an outfit and I wasn't home. So I thought, "hey I have to stop at Target anyway so I will just run in and buy a new outfit." First off, I didn't think other mothers judged other mothers.

O.K. so maybe I did walk into Target towing my baby around in a diaper. But did it require them to stare at us, yes, it was a little cold, but did they want him to stay in the wet onesie instead?

So, after the gaukers kept on staring, I decided I would just put the new outfit on him in the store. Second problem. NOW, a new set of mothers were not only staring at my naked baby, but they watched me rip the tags off the clothes as I put them on my baby who was sitting in a shopping cart in the store. Really, did they think I was going to just now walk out of the store?

And finally, because I was so over being stared at I just walked up to the register, handed the tags to the cashier, who by all accounts was no more than 17, who said, "Where's the outfit?" ....sooooo, I now had to explain my story to another person, again.

By the time we got to the car...he needed a diaper change.

So, back to the point. No, I am not organized. Yes, I use to be before Brecken. No, my house is not always clean. I often don't shower everyday because I would rather sleep then get wet, which then requires another hour to get ready. The answer is to my "fake organization"....I am good at perception. As I assume most mothers are.

And by the way. My punk is chewing on our coffee table right now. This is what he looks like if you want a mental image.

{Family Pics}

2010-10-03T12:08:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I decided it was time to take a family photo. I had to plead and even bribe John to do it, but I have the evidence that he cooperated. I also decided Brecken "needed" one-year photos as well. Yes, I know he is only 11 months, but in Montana you never know when it will snow. And, in my defense if this year is like last year we will have 80 degree weather one day and 20 the next. Yeah, I am not a fan.

Kelty ended up taking our pictures and she did such an amazing job. Brecken was cooperative for the most part. If he wouldn't have been in the hospital for so long, which meant a million shots, I would have updated him on his Tetnus. He licked and chewed on every vehicle at the car lot where the pictures were taken.

I thought getting John to take the pictures would be the most stressful part of the process, HOWEVER. Now let me emphasize the however...my pants became the issue. Now, a dirty little secret that people didn't tell me was once I stopped breast feeding all my weight would come back. Fast. I mean like 12 days fast. So, the beautiful pants that I bought while I was breast feeding needed a little help to fit on to my body. It included Spanx, laying on the floor sucking in my gut, sweat, and a brief glimpse of Julia Roberts in Eat, Pray, Love.

Why is he so happy and why am I so miserable?

2010-09-24T16:01:00.000-07:00

Really, I should have known this day would come. I always thought all my possessions would be fine, but they're not. I underestimated the skill and power of the 15 pounds that enable his body to move. Yes, it happened and I have had to watch the horror unfold.

In the last two weeks I have watched Brecken begin to kind of crawl, then crawl, then stand up, then get in the drawers in my bathroom, then tear every one of my magazines to shreds. Oh yes, did I mention he attempted to eat the magazines before he ended their lives. Yes my Real Simple magazine, of which I have waited patiently all month to read became a chew toy before I even cracked it open. My beautifully designed house, while not baby proof, has become a treasure chest of chew toys for little b. The books are missing covers, the pretty flower arrangements have miraculously begun to re-appear in his diapers, and the tv antennae...well it didn't survive.

And why is he so happy? Well, he has come to find out that cords are his best friends, curling irons can easily be ripped off the counter, tv's can be unplugged, and the vaccuum cleaner cord is great to get tangled in. He knows that he is now in control. That's right. My 3-toothed monster has found the new joy in crawling, grabbing, pulling, and screaming.

Along with "firsts"...he experienced his first Bobcat Football game. The chaos that occurs at the game is right up is alley. It is chaotic, loud, busy, messy and has a distinct smell. Oh right, I am talking about my house ;)

Did I mention that he now yells some form of "MAMA"....when he wants something. It is the beginning of the end folks.

It's Official!

2010-08-16T13:05:00.001-07:00

On Friday morning Brecken woke up with a 102 fever. I had this internal battle with myself all day while trying to debate if I should or shouldn't take him to the doctor. I knew something was wrong with him when he laid around the house all day and didn't even make a peep. He is usually pretty vocal. He yells at me, the tv, the neighborhood cat, his food, just about anything that comes through his path gets yelled at. BUT he did nothing on Friday.

And even more alarming was the fact that he cuddled with me all day. Am I a bad mom because I was a tiny bit happy that my baby was sick because he finally cuddled with me?

Well, it didn't last long. When we got to the doctor's office Brecken became entranced with the butcher paper on the table and forgot all about me.

When the doctor came in, her name is Dr. Pepper. BAHAHAHAHAHA! She looked in his ears and said that he had an ear infection.

...that was my reaction as well.

So she gave him antibiotics, dosed him with motrin, and sent him home.

later that night he was back to his "tent" routine.

...and now I have the ear infection ;)

Sharp little thing....

2010-08-04T21:54:00.000-07:00

We have made a break through...

No, we haven't found a shark with a striking resemblance to a human....

We have...

A TOOTH.

That little bugger is pretty sharp though.

What is so great about Dad?

2010-08-03T18:24:00.000-07:00

So for some reason Brecken has decided that it is finally time to make a change in his little life. He is now sitting up, well kind of. If I sit him up he will stay there until he twitches, moves or breathes...then he falls over and I start the whole process over. He is also starting to talk. Drumroll...and the first words to come out of this little punk's mouth
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DADADADADADADADA. break. DADADADADADA. breath. DADADADA.

I just thought that maybe since I gained 40 pounds, have a scar the size of antartica on my stomach, and I wipe his butt that I would be entitled to have the first word.

WRONG.

Nope. John is soaking it all up.

I mean this is what the guy considers babysitting.

REALLY?!?!

Why are buckles necessary?

2010-07-23T14:28:00.001-07:00

I promised myself that I would become better at blogging as Brecken became more independent. Yeah right. He can't even crawl yet, but somehow he still manages to scoot backwards, grab a hold of whatever he can and either naw it until it no longer functions or pull on it until it snaps in two.

Even though we haven't been blogging we are alive and well...sorta. Pictures are always great evidence for the "parentals" to show that we still have managed to keep Brecken alive, even though our attempts to keep household plants living has failed dramatically.

Today I learned why there are those crazy straps in the stroller that are "supposably" there to hold the baby in...

Lately, Brecken has been in a crabby mood. Crabby may be an understatement, so try to imagine a teenage girl, no sleep, "that-time-of-the month," and finding out that her sister ruined her favorite shirt that she was planning on wearing for freaking hot date. Yeah, that type of mood is what have seemed to have taken over Little B's life (in his defense he is teething). Anyway, back to the story.

Soooo, as any good parent would do I saddled him up with his favorite toy and loaded him in his stroller to go for a walk. Ladedada, I grabbed my keys from the car, flipped his stroller around and proceeded down the driveway. As I turned onto the sidewalk I hit a rock. Disclaimer: Not an unusual occurance to hit a large rock on the sidewalk in our subdivision. Not thinking much about it I tried to pop my stroller over the rock.

Then came the sound. The sound that every parent (I am assuming) hates. As I looked around the front of the stroller there was no rock. Nope just little B face down on the sidewalk. He had had slipped underneath the tray on his seat, and had fallen face first on the side and I with all my great wisdom had somehow run over my own child (not all the way) with HIS stroller.

He was crying, I was crying. Blood was coming out of his nose, tears were flying every which way. The worst part of the whole three second ordeal is that as I turned around to run to the house I realized that I had an audience.

Next door a group of guys were putting in a sprinkler system and had witnessed the whole event...hopefully not the running over part. Not a word came out of their mouths.

Silence. Silence. Sprinkler turning on. Silence. Dog bark. Silence.

I, with my screaming baby in tow did the the walk of shame back to my house.

When the tears stopped, and the blood dried his wounds turned out not to be that bad. My ego as a parent...well, lets just say I won't be testing out his acrobatic skills for awhile ;)

Here is evidence that he was perfectly healthy yesterday...

His battle scar...

Summa Time!

2010-06-22T19:56:00.000-07:00

I wish I had a really good reason to explain my inadequancy in keeping up with the blog. I actually did it on purpose so you would all be chomping at the bit for my next post (wink, wink).

Now, everyone stop and breathe. Can you feel that? Yep, I think maybe summer has finally arrived in Bozeman. Who knows there may still be one more snow storm up Mother Nature's sleeve? However, in the meantime while we wait around for the next freakishly, outragous storm to blast us, bytheway did ya'll hear about the nice little tornado that hit Billings and tore the Metra to shreds and flooded Kambrie's apartment (OH SNAP!)...anyway, back to the my original thought, while we wait for the next big storm to hit us, Brecken and I have been busy.

We have been working, swimming, playing, walking, shopping, and garage selling. And Brecken has been developing lots of new and useful skills. He can now chew on his own feet, simutaneously cry and laugh, roll and get stuck, and my favorite...throw up on me in public, ALL the time.

What other adventures has Little B been up to?

He is finally big enough to go in a swing...if a blanket it bunched around his body.

Brecken is enjoying the finer things in life...like massages from Ephraim.

He is becoming more prepared day-by-day. In June it is not uncommon to have to wear a cozy bomber hat because of snow, rain, hail, or 30 degree weather.

He is now starting to like his Johnny Jumper. When he first sat in it he liked to swing rather than bounce. Yeah, he is weird.

He has been enjoying numerous outings with John.

Brecken is now getting old enough where he can sit by his cousin Arleigh without being mauled to death.

Little B went to the Splash Park for the first time. His one attempt at getting in the water resulted in a tears that led him to lay under an umbrella soaking up the sun for the rest of the day.

He has started to figure out how to play in his exer-saucer. Most of the time he just yells at the wall. It is a very one sided conversation ;)

Did I mention before how much he likes to swing?

Now, that the weather is finally bearable. It means eating outside, soaking up the sun, and Brecken babbling to the other customers (babbling often involves screaming. laughing. screaming. laughing. repeat).

Oh, and how could I forget. Summer means that all the Mortenson kids are home during the day. Often when I am trying to get my work done the girls will watch Brecken. This is what happens if they are left unattended...
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The boa is kinda cute...just sayin'!

My baby is growing up so fast...

2010-05-24T08:55:00.000-07:00

I guess I should feel blessed that Brecken was born was an overly exuberant personality. One minute he is laughing frantically, the next minute he is crying at the top of his lungs. The crying doesn't really bother me anymore, most the time I laugh at his overly dramatic way of expressing himself. What does get to me his his hand chewing. Case-in-point, I think he is smart, I mean doesn't he look smart?

But those hands, he just keeps shoving them in his mouth and gagging himself until he either throws up or his eyes are watering so hard because his fists are halfway down his gullet.

I have one worry, now he has found his feet. How long before he starts to shove his feet down his throat? Now, don't get me wrong I am extremely happy that he weened himself off of his binkie, but sometimes I wonder how nice it would be to have one so I could get him to sleep more easily..I realize now that sucking on a binkie is just a dream.

Last night I kept trying to put one in his mouth and he kept spitting it out. After five minutes he began to think of this as more of a game so he would suck on the binkie for a few seconds then spit it out as far as possible. Yes, he laughed and laughed. I didn't find it as funny.

On a brighter note, one of his cowboy hats is finally starting to fit him. It only took 30 shots before he would sit still long enough for me to get a good picture.

His smile only lasted about 1.5 seconds before it was replaced with this look.

'nuf said.

A few of my {favorite} things...

2010-05-02T18:14:00.000-07:00

his green Carhartt jacket...

his ability to hold his head up...

his fascination with the fish tank...

his frustration that he cannot get into the fish tank (so he proceeds to bang his head on the glass)...

his sadness when Nemo hides behinds the rock...

Sleeping. Well, lets be honest who doesn't love it when a baby is sleeping?

his love/hate relationship with rice cereal...

Rolling, yes proof that he can roll...

What's so great about the foyer?

2010-04-14T09:35:00.000-07:00

Brecken has been growing so fast. I can't believe that just a few weeks ago he got blessed (finally). It was so great to have all of our family in town, but I do think the commotion with a litte much for Baby B.

Over the last week he has changed a lot...I mean a lot! He started rolling over the weekend, he now grabs at my fingers if I dangle them over his face, he chews on everything, he slobbers through three outfits a day, and he has started to babble...all the time.

In church he babbles more frequently, which means that I spend most of my time in the foyer. John teaches a Sunday School class and is now in the Elders Quorum so that means that I am with Brecken for the three longest hours of the week.

I have never spent much time in the foyer, and now I know why. I was bored out of my ever-lovin mind. AND, every time I tried to go back to Relief Society Brecken would get so excited that he would started babbling again, and as soon as I would leave the room he would be quiet. Needless to say, he won the battle, but I am hoping I can win the war.

p.s. I won't give him up for adoption if he keeps flashing this face at me:

{Intentions} or, the lack of :)

2010-03-31T09:31:00.000-07:00

O.K. you know the saying, "the road to H-E-double hockey sticks is paved with good intentions?" Yes, we all know the saying. John believes this is the mantra for my life. I yell at him and tell him that I always finish everything. He points at that there are a variety of crafts sitting in the basement that are half finished, a box full of jewelry making junk that has never been used, and a wide variety of moldy food in the fridge that was suppose to be used for my newest dinner idea. I, roll my eyes and point at that while I have intented to do a lot of things. I have however, managed to 1. keep my baby breathing 2. shower on a semi-regular basis and 3. eat, so I don't starve. Though, my examples my be rather shallow (minus keeping Brecken alive) I prove to him that while some of my good intentions do not necessarily follow through it is not my fault. Why? Well, because I deal with this on a daily basis: Yes, the many split personalities of Brecken is what keeps me from following through with all those things I intended to do. For example, I intended to clean the house, but he just kept sticking out his lower lip at me soooo I had to sit there and laugh at him. Those, toes. Well, let me tell you. He is starting to find them. And since that point, I have intended to do the laundry, dishes, and again eradicate the smell coming from my sink, but that stuff has all been pushed off so I can watch him grab at those little nubbers. His smile. Well, heck. I might as well have not even intended to shower (which I haven't yet) because when he smiles it is often followed with a laugh that makes his whole body shake. His laugh, is sooo cute that often I will force it out of him by pushing his cheeks together saying "Chubby Bunny" which makes him laugh and laugh to the point that tears start to form at the corner of his eyes. And, then the laughing stops immediately. Why? Well, do I need to explain this look?

Don't worry. He always manages to bring out that smile after a few moments of crying and the result is this: (p.s. Grams...this is for you!!!)

139 days later

2010-03-10T08:45:00.000-08:00

I have wondered for a long time what this day would be like. The day when Brecken would not have cords coming in-and-out of his body. The day when we would be able to hold our baby in the comfort of our home. The day when we would not have oxygen tanks scattered around our house. The day when people would not stare out us in the store. The day when my baby could lay peacefully on our bed, dressed in tiny jeans and an old navy tee-shirt, without cords, wires, oxygen and monitors, softly laughing at himself while he slept with his binky hanging out of the side of his mouth. It is odd to think that that day is finally here.

We have somehow managed to go from our tiny little 2 pound 15 ounce baby, who could not breathe on his own.

To this, our 9 pound baby who's lungs seem to work perfectly fine. Side note: he is no longer sleeping peacefully, but has resorted to screaming to get my attention ;)

On Monday, our pediatrician did Brecken's final check-up on his oxygen saturation. Not only is his oxygen finally normal, but we were able to get rid of the stock pile of oxygen tanks scattered throughout our house.

I would have never imagined that walking into the doctor's office 139 days ago would have led to this crazy ride. I am fairly certain that I have led a rather normal life. No real problems or stresses. No huge trials that have drastically defined my life. Even this trial seemed to eventually become reality, and it forced John and I to except the inevitable and realize that all the crying in the world couldn't change the situation we were in. So we were forced to come to terms with the fact that this was life. We never once blamed God, or thought, "why is this happening to us"? As I think back on this experience I have come to understand that trials are just a part of life, and sometimes the greatest blessings come from the trials that we endure. Right now John and Brecken are laying on the bed next to me and I realize that the greatest blessings I have in my life are cuddled right up next to me :)
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On a side note, and a bit off topic...because that is how I roll... I bought some neat decorative St. Patty's paper plates and I decided to warm up some spaghetti in the microwave. After 30 seconds I turned around to see a fire brewing in my microwave. Turns out that the "neatness" on the plates was foil.

This was the outcome of my ordeal:

Take home message to be gained: Not all paper plates are created equal.

Happy Birthday Chicka!

2010-03-04T15:01:00.000-08:00

So Brecken hasn't met her yet, but his Aunt Kelty is going to teach him many fun things and will fill his mind with many useless facts. As the third sister she has developed a rather unique personality, and it is only fitting that on her 21st birthday that I should share a few fun an interesting facts about my quasi-Napoleon Dynamite sister. Now, in her defense she can't defend herself because sadly she is studying abroad in the land of clovers and leprechans.

What you need to know about Kelty:
1. She loves Converse shoes
2. Her favorite movie is Empire Records
3. She once dressed up in a bunny outfit and stood on the corner of 11th and College with a sign that said "Honk if you love carrots"....by herself.
4. Her car will never stay in park (beware)
5. The music that she listens to is often emo-ish and usually involves a band of which I have never heard of...
6. She should have been a teenager in the 80's, not only is her closet full of neon jewlery, ugly tights, and a set of radio cassette earrings, but I think she secretly believes that "Let's get Physical" is the mantra of her life...sad, but true.
7. Even though she is gone for 6 months her bedroom is still a disaster.
8. Kelty and Kambrie (sister 2) both have an obnoxiously weird sense of humor and are both in love with Scrubs.
9. She is reliable....very reliable, she moved us into our house.
10. She is named after Jim Kelts--a saddle bronc rider
11. She has a dog, Squirt, a boarder collie/pomeranian mix who believes he is a cat. She also HAD Arial, a house-trained rabbit, Arial did not believe she was a cat, but she did like to eat the furniture.
12. Kelty doesn't eat apples
13. she often quotes Calvin and Hobbes
14. She loves ayn rand
15. Ridge (brother of sis 1,2 and 3) Kelty are best friends
16. Kelty and my Dad share a deep passion for ebay shopping
17. Kelty was the Choteau Bulldog mascot in high school, she could do the worm in her costume...classy
18. Kelty loves to sew and make sock monkeys...my Mom also loves to sew, I don't think she makes sock monkeys though
19. Kelty knows the entire dance to Thriller
20. She loves useless websites, case-in-point: Cleverbot
21. Her eldest sis loves her quacky personality and thinks she rocks!!!

{Love, Love, Love, Love, Love}

2010-02-21T17:33:00.001-08:00

This is why I love him*

What a social butterfly!

2010-02-21T14:25:00.000-08:00

Brecken has become quite the social butterfly. This week we have packed him around to basketball games, parties, President's day shopping, a baby shower(well, it was his shower...so I am glad he could make an appearance), and numorous other outings.

I think I may have scared a little old sales lady to death. This past week I was shopping in Macy's and I thought I would work on toning my biceps by caring him around the store in his car seat. Yeah, bad idea. Not only did I have two limp noodles but everytime I tried to pull a shirt off of the rack I would knock another five outfits off the rack by accidently bumping his carseat against the clothes rack. So, I asked this little old sales lady if it would be alright if I sat Brecken down by her register. Now, I didn't go venture all around the store, I stayed close and kept him in eye range. I think the little old lady was scared to death that someone was going to steal him. I assured her that no one wanted to steal my defective baby...who wants to steal a baby that comes with "baggage" aka oxygen tank. I don't think she appreciated my sarcasm.

We also took Brecken on his first walk...ever. Yeah, he slept the whole time. I actually think it took more effort to get John out of the door than Brecken. There is the sore spot in our relationship. Basically, it would be less painful to get all my teeth pulled out withOUT novacaine than to get John to go on a walk. He will hike up and down the Bridgers effortessly, but to walk around the block is torture.

We also went to an 80's party this week. Our good friends, Luke and Missy, are moving back to Utah (not cool). So in honor of their departure from the Big Sky State we celebrated with big bangs, leg warmers, slap bracelets...and Michael Jackson!

Oh yeah, we also celebrated with John and Luke and wearing skin-tight, Miley Cyrus, lepard-patterned jeans. Hot!

Our friends Melea and Chelsy also offered to put on a baby shower for Brecken this weekend. It was fantastic. We just realized how many people care about Brecken and how many people are willing to brave the snowy road up to Mortenson's house ;)

Because his social calender has been free today he has been stuck like white on rice to the Boppy pillow that Melea got him! Precious....

{Big ol' gummers}

2010-02-09T22:14:00.000-08:00

Fact: We are new at this whole baby business. I now realize that two well-educated adults with their master degrees have finally met their match. Yes, I will be the first to admit that when I dreamed of having a baby I thought it would involve a few sleepless nights, but then our lives would slowly adjust back to normal. Sub-consciously I believed that that the baby would gradually learn to live around our schedule. Second fact: I was wrong.

I often dreamed that when I had a baby I would stop working. My days would involve feeding the baby, putting the baby to sleep and then have oodles of time to do all those things that I had dreamed of doing. Those things included decorating the nursery, blogging Brecken's first year, decorating our house, doing laundry, cleaning out my fridge, oohh! and in the process looking fabulous. Well, it is almost 2 in the afternoon and I am still in my pajama's (which are covered in spit up), my teeth still need to be brushed and there is a strange odor radiating from the kitchen of which I have lost all patience to scout out. To my dismay I do need to shower and brush my teeth because I have to be at work at 6:15 tonight.

Brecken on the other hand has already been in two different outfits, cried all day, and has somehow managed to stay awake since 6 am. Yes, the dreams that I had of having oodles of time disappeared quickly since coming home.

I have also come to another realization. While my son is still on oxygen, and will be for quite awhile, I truly believe that his lungs work fine.

Case-in-point #1:

And if you still don't believe here is Case-in-point #2:

And for all you skeptics out there here is case-in-point #3:

Yes, I truly believe that his lungs work fine. His crying is just about as frequent as his dirty diapers.

Now, many of you may say that I need to look at the positive side of this experience. You may think, "After all you have been through you should cherish those tears." My personal belief is that God has graced me with a son who is going to punish me for everything I ever did wrong in my life.

I think his crying is merely a ploy. Before he cries he often makes this face.

Or he will make this face. Of which, both faces are followed by a rapid gun fire of tears, squealing, and kicking.

Deep down inside I am truly a sucker for that smirk and I know that I will take the crying anyday just as long as I can see those big ol' gummers when he smiles!!!

First Week Home!

2010-01-23T21:17:00.000-08:00

On January 16th we went into Presbyterian St. Lukes for the last time. YEAH!!! Before we left the hospital we had to get him set up on his own portable oxygen tank. He also got his last shots and then we scooted out of the hospital as fast as we could before they changed their minds and told us that we needed to stay.

Before we left Denver we went to Brice and Cyndee's house to prove to them that we were going back to Montana and that we would finally be giving them their house back :).

They have been awesome through this whole ordeal. They literally found out one afternoon that we would be coming to stay with them, for what we thought would only be a week or two at tops. Two months later...well, lets say they still claim us as family. We love them so much, and words cannot describe what a blessing they have been in our lives.

Before we left town they threw a small going away party for Brecken. Here is a picture of the awesome cake that they got him...too bad he didn't get to eat any of it!

Since we have been home things have been going rather smoothly....for Brecken, as for John and I we are learning that sleep is a luxury of the past. We are hoping he will get into a schedule soon. He is still on the NICU schedule which basically means that if he wants something he gets it as soon as he makes noise, I don't operate that way so we have been having some troubles compromising. Also, in the NICU there was always light and noises, so John and I having to learn to sleep with the light on, and there always needs to be some sort of noise.

Furthermore, I look rather stylish these days walking around town with this nifty backpack that carries his oxygen tank. I know you are all jealous and want one for yourselves ;)

This is the machine that he is on at home. The nurse who set it up said that I will love it because it is a calming white noise. Fact: I disagree.

Sooo, on a happier note our friend, Traci, made this amazing hat for Brecken. Everytime we go out I put it on him. I have to say that I am in love with the bill on it!

Brecken ended his first week on a huge note! Tonight we took him to the Cat/Griz Basketball game. Awesome is a total understatement of how well he behaved. For the first half he slept and during the second half he sat on our laps and watched the game. No crying, no fussing. It was awesome...oh yeah, we won the game too! Go Cats!!!

I see the light....

2010-01-15T18:29:00.000-08:00

It is official: Tomorrow we are going home!

Brecken has had a busy week getting to this point. On Monday he was circumcised and today they performed his last eye exam as well as gave him a dose of Synrgis for help prevent him from getting RSV.

Last night he also did the "carseat challenge," this challenge required him to sit in his carseat for four hours to make sure he maintained adequate oxygen levels--of which he did. We also were able to spend the night at the hospital with him last night too. It was kind of weird to have him all to ourselves. The nurses brought his crib into our room and unhooked his monitors. The only thing we had to worry about what his oxygen. I am guessing that this was suppose to be a dry run of what it will be like when we get home. It was great for me. Everytime I tried to get up to take care of him in the night John would tell me to just go back to bed.

End result of John's generousity: John is sleeping right now. I think he is still trying to recover from last night.

The night went pretty well. We fed and changed him a few times and for the first time EVER it felt as though we actually had a baby, don't get me wrong I have always felt like he was mine, but it seemed less real with all the doctors, monitors and nurses by our sides every minute.

Tomorrow, though, we make the long trek home. John and I both joked that when we were in Bozeman last week it felt as though Denver was more of a home then our new house....hopefully that will change when we bring the baby home.

Secretly, I am doing a little jig. For the mere fact that I get to go home, sleep in my own bed, and not have to make the awful drive to downtown Denver ever again (maybe not EVER again, just for not a long time).....:)

We have returned!

2010-01-11T19:39:00.001-08:00

On New Year's Eve John and I drove home. John already had to go back to do year-end books for work and I wanted to go back to work and unpack the house. We were both scared to death to leave Brecken, but we figured that now would be the best time to get the house in order---instead of trying to unpack with the baby home. Even though we haven't hung anything on the walls or finished putting all the furniture where we want it to be it is now at a point where it is "livable". Unpacking has been an adventure in of itself. Let me explain....
We closed on the house the same week we had the baby, and because of the quick move to Denver we had to leave the moving from our old house to our new house to all of our friends in family. Kelty was a rock star, she coordinated the entire ordeal and managed to get a lot of people to help. John and I now joke that it is like Christmas in our house. Because we didn't get to pack anything everytime we unpack a box it is a real surprise to find out what is inside. BUT, we did manage to get a lot done over the week and I think we are to a point now where I feel comfortable to bring to little man home.

Old picture. But you get the jist, there is now a foot of snow covering the sod.

Master bath leading to my favorite place in the house....walk-in closet. ahhhh;)

Master bedroom. John jokes that this is the least furnished room of the entire house. Which is true. We decided to put our bedroom furniture in the spare room and I am waiting to get a new set for the master.

Living room, with our gigantic green wall and tiny, tiny tv.

Obviously, this is the kitchen table. The point that I am trying to make is that I NOW do not have to move the kitchen table to open the fridge door. I think I hear angels singing...

Now, this is where my heart sings. I now have a kitchen, with a stove that is full size. I even had to buy a stool to get to the top of the cupboard...I have never been so happy to be short.
Disclaimer: Yes, I realize I didn't include pictures of the nursery...you wouldn't either if you knew how dirty it is right now.

O.K. the moment you have all been waiting for. Brecken update!!!

While we were gone Brecken grew sooo much. I changed so much in one week. He gained nearly 1/2 a pound and he is now 6 lbs. 8 ounces. Luckily while we were gone John's sister-in-law Cyndee was able to go see him everyday. She is now going through withdrawals.

Today, he had an awesome day. He is now on what is called "low-flow" which is basically pure, straight-up, glorious oxygen. The cool thing about low-flow is that babies can go home on it. YEAH!!! He has been handling it great. His feedings are now a bit more sporatic because he is starting to eat when he is hungry. Also, they removed his gavage tube and he is now getting his medication in his bottle.

{Drumroll} the Doc called today and said that if he does well he could potentially.....go home this weekend. Now everyone grab your partner and do a little dosey doe!!!!

If that is the case we could be home very soon. If he still seems to be struggling I would imagine that we would only be here for a few more weeks. Either way I feel as though I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

New Home+No Vapotherm=happiness ;)

2010-01-05T13:54:00.000-08:00

So, a few new things have occured. First of all, John and I drove home on New Year's Eve. He had to do year end books and inventory for work, and I wanted to work and try to get the house organized so I would not have to worry about it when we bring Breck home. I am now on Day 5 of NOT seeing Brecken and it is killing me, however the NEW house is clean!

This morning I talked to the nurses and they told us that they took him off of Vapotherm and put him on something similar to Vapotherm, but it has less water in it. Before, he was basically suffocating because the moisture was getting stuck in his nose. They were also able to turn him down to 2 leters (yeah)! He also took a bottle at every feeding yesterday, but he has been pretty tuckered out today so they have decided to gavage him.

Sorry, for not having pictures...I wish I could see what he looks like too ;)

Little Scuba!

2009-12-27T19:05:00.000-08:00

Usually the nurses bathe Brecken, but this week we were allowed to give him a bath. I think we were more nervous then he was. It was a wonderful experience. His cords were taken off and his heart monitors stickers were removed. He looked perfect. At first he squirmed and cried, but once we began to pour the water over his body he began to calm down. He really enjoyed having water slowly poured over his head. He was adorable. He laid in the water cooing.

Earlier this week the doctors decided to turn down his Vapotherm (pressurized oxygen) again for the third time. He seemed to be doing well the first day with his oxygen at 2.5 liters, but by the second day he was squirming a lot, and he was pulling a lot with his chest so the doctors turned him back up to 3 liters. Tomorrow they are planning to turn him down again. We really don't have any high expectations that it will work again, but we are hoping that the new dieretic he is on will make a difference.

The main problem is that his kidneys are still premature and instead of telling his body to get rid of excess fluid, the fluid is left in his body. Therefore, he gets swollen and his lungs fill with fluid. The medication that he was on would basically tell his body to get rid of all the excess fluid. He would have HUGE wet diapers, to the point that he was need new clothes, blankets and sheets. The new medication that he is on is not as intense and does not pull all the fluid out of his body. We are hoping that it will make his weight loss and gain more stable.

{Swing, Swing, Swing}

2009-12-19T16:52:00.000-08:00

Brecken is starting to wake up a lot more during the day so the nurses decided he might like to sit in a swing and look around. He was so *cute* he sat there sucking on his pajamas and staring at his little stuffed dog.

First time I have seen Brecken without tubes on his face...

Being weighed on a scale before breastfeeding so we can "attempt" to guess how much he has eaten.

my new "fave"!!!

{Frustrating is the name of the game}

2009-12-16T21:06:00.000-08:00

So a couple days ago we went into the hospital and Brecken had this horrible rash under his tendergrips (aka the bandages on his face). I kind of freaked out because my first thought was that they weren't checking or changing his bandages enough and the end result was my poor little baby breaking out in a horrible rash. We really tried not to complain because we knew it wouldn't make the situation any better. Cyndee, my sister-in-law, who always make reference to her trailer trash roots decided to call the hospital and give them the 411. Disclaimer: we didn't know she called. So her tactful smackdown basicallly led to her telling them to get their crap in gear and take care of Baby Brecken.

So when we got to the hospital that day the nurses and doctors were VERY attentive. I mean not just attentive, they were so attentive that it was kind of funny. And because of the lack of communication (thus them assuming we knew hospital terms that we didn't know), we were able to find out that the rash was caused because Brecken has very sensitve skin, and we also learned that Brecken has Chronic Lung Disease. here it is, check it out: Chronic Lung Disease.

So since the "incident" Brecken has had awesome care. His rash is clearing up, his eyes are getting better, and they turned down his Vaportherm to 2.5 leters. However, they turned the Vapotherm back to 3 this morning. John and I are both kind of frustrated but we realize that we need to just be patient and do what is best for Brecken.

On a good note, well actually there are two good notes, Brecken took a bath and he {LOOOOOVED} the water. He splashed and kicked around and had a good ol' time. The second good thing has nothing really to do with Brecken, it focuses on trailer trash Cyndee, again, she had us open one of our Christmas presents this morning. She and Kelty got together (scary I know...) and sent our Christmas tree decorations so we could experience a little bit of home. Now everyone say "ahhhhhh". We love both of them (Kelty and Cyndee) they bring a new definition to the word crazy.

Merry Christmakwansika!

2009-12-08T16:38:00.000-08:00

So we attempted to take a family Christmas picture. Brecken kept moving around, John forgot to take off his name tag, and I was blurry in every photo. We managed to get finally get a good picture.

Try to hold yourself back. I know you are jealous of the hats;)
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Love the Bishops!!!

{new car seat}

2009-12-08T16:22:00.000-08:00

Brecken had an uneventful week. John and I joke that we are in the home stretch, but we know that this phase may take the longest. He is still at 3 on his Vapotherm, but he seems to be breathing a lot better. When we go see him he is able to drink around 40 cc's from a bottle and he is usually wide awake when we show up. Last night he was rather comical. He would smile, pucker his lips and stick out his tongue. The doctor's say the only thing holding him back right now our his lungs.

You may not recognize this guy...it is John with a haircut;)

Brecken taking a bottle from John for the first time!

One of John's co-workers had this hat made for Brecken.

His car seat finally arrived in the mail, Austin (John's 3 year-old nephew) keeps sitting in it. He says that it is his new car seat.

"Oh I loooove those eyes...."

2009-12-02T16:25:00.000-08:00

Brecken is officially flirting with all the nurses. When he is awake he is constantly smiling and flashing those big beautiful eyes at all the nurses. Today one of the nurses kept saying, "Oh I loooove those eyes..." He has quite a fan base with the ladies.

He also got some new clothes. Aunt Cyndee bought him the cutest dinosaur sleeper and Aunt Liz bought him a sleeper that has reindeer on the feet, it is adorable.

Besides the new wardrobe, the doctors also started him on a new medication called Lasix. Because he is still having a difficult time breathing and his vapotherm had to be turned up to 4 leters again, the doctors are hoping this new medication will help to extract fluid from his lungs. So far he has been doing great with the medication. He has lost some weight, which is to be expected, and the nurses have been able to turn down his oxygen. Tomorrow they are also hoping to turn down his Vapotherm.

He also drank 25 cc's from a bottle today. The doctors are surprised that he is able to drink from the bottle, but is not able to breathe on his own very well. They said that most babies at this age are breathing fine, but have a difficult time eating--Brecken is the exact opposite. I told the doctors that he just craves the attention ;)

{Brecken is no longer naked}

2009-11-30T15:46:00.000-08:00

Brecken is finally a baby!

Over the weekend he got to eat from a bottle. The first day he ate 7 cc's and today he actually drank 15 cc's. He also got to wear clothes for the first time. The nurses said they enjoy playing dress up with the babies. I don't think John will mind as long as they don't put him in a pink onesie.

When I was on bedrest John and I both made a couple beanies for Brecken. The nurses keep saying he looks like a little elf with his beanie on...I think he looks adorable ;)

And the most exciting news of all---he finally weighs over 4 pounds. He has gained over a pound since coming to Denver!!!

Thanksgiving and a Side of Breast ;)

2009-11-26T18:22:00.000-08:00

Today was an awesome day. When we got to the hospital the nurses has just taken the central line out of Brecken's arm which meant he is now completely on breast milk. He is now getting 23 cc's a feeding and he is steadily growing. Over the past few days he has been growing like a weed and he is now at 3 lbs. 8 ounces.

We thought it would be at least a week more before we tried to breast feeding, but the nurses told us to just see what would happen. He did awesome. He latched on and was able to breast feed while also receiving food through his feeding tube, which runs down through his nose. It was an awesome experience because he is actually starting to act more like a baby. As he breastfed he was wide awake and kept looking around and playing with my hair.

Furthermore, today made both John and I really appreciate Thanksgiving. We are so thankful that Brecken is healthy and growing. Even though he is small we know that he is a fighter. He has such a personality and we know that he will keep us on our toes.

We are also so thankful for all those who have helped us during this difficult time. The same week Brecken was born we also bought a house. John keeps joking that all we needed to do was get a dog and then we would have completed the American Dream in one week. Over the last few weeks tons of our friends have come together to move us from our old house to our new home. The phone calls, letters, and visits from friends have meant so much to us and we are so thankful to have all of you in our lives.

Finally we are so thankful for our family. It has been their continual help, love, and support that has helped to make this trial bearable. We are especially thankful for Brice and Cyndee. Not only have they opened their home up to us while we are here in Denver, but they have fed us, entertained us, and have made their home feel like our home.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!

No news is good news....

2009-11-22T18:58:00.001-08:00

Brecken had a fairly good weekend. On Friday his Vapotherm was increased back to 4 because he was having a difficult time breathing on his own. Even though everytime we go in to see him he has pulled the Vapotherm out of his nose and is breathing on his own. The doctor also said that there may have been extra fluid in his lungs that was causing him not to breathe so well. They were planning on putting him on antibiotics, but he seems to be doing fine now so I guess they are putting off the antibiotics until they absolutely have to use them. The doctor was also worried about his heart and wanted to make sure that the hole in his heart had not opened again. When the cardiologist came to do the ultrasound he said that the hole was still open but it was so small that we would just have to do a check-up at one year to make sure it closed.

Because of the rough day he had on Friday we haven't been able to hold him all weekend, we are hoping the doctor will give us "The O.k." to take him out of his isolete and hold him on Monday. It is really hard to go in there everyday and see other parents holding their babies and we are stuck looking at him through his isolete, but he still manages to keep us entertained with all of his smiling.

Cardiologist performing the ultrasound.

kangaroo care and reflexes

2009-11-19T11:12:00.000-08:00

Now, John usually writes the posts, but since John didn't participate in Kangaroo Care last night I decided I should write today's post. If you watched Grey's Anatomy last week then you know what Kangaroo Care is, for those of you that didn't watch it Kangaroo Care is when a parent holds a preemie next to their chest, exposing skin to skin. Many belief that Kangaroo Care helps to calm babies by listening to the parent's heart beat. Last night I did this for the first time. For an hour I was able to sit and hold Brecken as he played with my hair and suffered a severe case of the hiccups. By the time I put him back in his isolete his heart rate had dropped from 200 to 150 and he was calmly sleeping. The only downside to the whole experience is that he is a toaster oven and we were both sweating the entire time. For the sake of sparing all of your eyes we thought we would just post pictures of when I had my shirt on (we didn't want anyone to have a heart attack).

This morning the reflexologist came in to test Brecken's reflexes. What she looks for is the ability of the child to stretch out their arms and legs and then bring them back into the fetal position. Not only was Brecken very responsive, but he would often lay their in the fetal position without being swaddled. She said that at this age because their central nervous system is so under developed they often kick around. She also looked at the alignment of his hips and then she sat him up to test his head control. He did such a great job. Even more exciting, though, he was awake and smiling through the whole exercise. She said he was the one of the happiest babies she has ever seen. Most of the time we couldn't stop laughing at him because when he would smile all you could see were his big gums!!!

Graduation Day

2009-11-16T18:53:00.000-08:00

Today was a very good day for both Brecken and us. Brecken has been moved to what they call the "Graduate NICU". This is a place where they focus on getting the baby ready to go home. In the Graduate NICU they spend alot of time helping the baby transition from patient to baby. They encourage holding the baby more often and helping both parents and baby to build a relationship with one another. They will eventually teach the baby how to eat which prepares him to go home.

Here are a few pictures from today.

Now that is just crazy...

2009-11-16T09:16:00.000-08:00

Brecken has remained fairly stable over the weekend. A few new developments have occured. First, the nurses were finally able to take Brecken off of the C-pap machine and put him on VaperTherm. Vapertherm is basically pressurized oxygen that helps to keep his lungs expanded. Unlike the C-pap machine he is doing most of the breathing by himself. If he can get to the point where he doesn't need the VaperTherm the next step will be just an oxygen machine to provide him extra support.

Secondly, the doctors and nurses have been a little concerned about his heart rate. Over the last couple days it has been any where between 160 and 210 heart beats per minute. At first they thought it was the caffeine shots they were giving him, but since his heart rate hasn't decreased they have decided to call in a Cardiologist to perform some EKG's to see if there is something that they are missing. We will know more about that later today.

Finally, on Saturday the nurses decided that it was time to change his IV. The plan was to insert a central line near his heart. The central line would make it so they wouldn't have to change his IV so often. However, they kept blowing through veins. So the next step was to find somewhere else to put the IV. Instead of putting it in the other hand or in his foot they decided to put the IV in his forehead. Poor little guy didn't like that very much.

2009-11-12T19:06:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update. Brecken is kind of keeping the status quo right now. Brecken hasn't made any significant changes but also hasn't had any real problems. This was sort of expected at this point though. The next big steps will be for Brecken to gain some weight and become a little more independent. Since he has stabilized they have moved him into an isolete to make him feel a little more secure and secluded.

However as parents we have made some progress...last night we were able to hold our baby for the first time. This was a big step for us.

Me holding Brecken for the first time as his father.

This video brings both joy and sorrow to us. Brecken is crying which obviously means he is not happy but it is one of the first times that he has been able to cry.

11/11/09 The first couple days in Denver...

2009-11-11T17:53:00.001-08:00

Brecken has done very well since we brought him here to Denver. Over the last two days They were able to take him off the ventilator and put an oxygen nose peice on him. This doesn't make him breath but it provides constant pressure to help him expand his lungs. We also found out that he had a small hole in his heart(this is normal for most baby's especially those that are premature) that has closed up over the last 2 days. He has made some great improvments and is now able to cry, suck on a pacifier, and he has been moved into an isolete(incubator).

Here are a few picture and videos from the last few days.

Brecken sporting his new shades!!

Halsey looking at the baby.

Brecken holding my finger again. This is one of the ways that we have found that we can touch him without hime getting upset.

When brecken starts to get upset it helps to make him feel more confined by putting your hand over his arms.

Brecken playing with his hands.

Brecken sucking on his first binkie. There is a video later showing this in action.

Brecken waking up from a long nap before we started his cares.

Brecken sucking on his pacifier for the first time.

11/09/2009 Day 6 "Leaving on a jet plane..."

2009-11-09T16:20:00.000-08:00

Well that last two days have been anything but uneventful. On sunday morning one of the doctors came in and woke me up and said that we had some decisions that we would need to make. We went into the NICU and were told that Brecken was not responding well to the ventilator that they had in billings. We had two options, we could go to the other hospital in billings which has a different machine and see if it would help, or we could go to denver where they have several different machines and far superior medical support.

The decision was made that it would be in Brecken's best interest to head to denver. By around noon that day my dad (Toney) and I were on the highway and Halsey was getting ready to go with the baby on the plane. Below are some pictures of the transport team from denver getting him ready to go.

The transport team at Billings Clinic preparing Brecken for transport.

Brecken waiving good-bye to the nurses in Billings.

Halsey riding in the ambulance from Billings Clinic to the airport.

Brecken's private jet...he's already spoiled.

Inside the plane.

5 Days old and he's already living one of my dreams...I've always wanted to ride in a helicopter.

Brecken in his new "isolete" getting ready to get on the chopper.

Brecken getting unloaded from the Helicopter in Denver.

Since we've been in denver things have been great. We've seen immediate response that the doctors have been unable to attribute to any specific change. One of the nurses said that sometimes all the little guys need is a "therapeutic plane ride". However, we've learned that there will be alot of ups and downs along the road. Fortunatly, we can live a little calmer knowing we are in the best place possible for out baby. We'll update you later today or tomorrow with some more specific progress Brecken has made since we've been here.

11.07.09 Day 4

2009-11-07T19:18:00.001-08:00

Brecken has done great over the last two days. Chest X-Rays revealed that his lungs are still not as developed as they had hoped, however he is doing very well. They have put him on a medicine that "sedates" him a little and helps him to stay calm. This has helped to slow his breathing and allows him to conserve more energy, and helps him to sleep. Sleeping is extremely important for premies since they can't grow unless they are sleeping. In addition this also keeps him from "freaking out" as much when he is touched or moved.

Other news...his lungs are taking oxygen better, we were able to change his first diaper(this usually isn't something to look forward to in most baby's, atleast that's what they tell us), Halsey was able to see his face for the first time, we saw his left eye however his right was a little swollen, and the volcon death grip has re-emerged today. The video will show most of this. So enjoy...

In this video you'll see a lot of new things...diaper change, nurse taking his temperature in his arm pit, you'll see his face for the first time, and you'll get a little perspective on his attitude when he won't let go of his cord.

Just a quick profile view of our BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL...

Here Brecken is stretching a little bit aftwer his "rude awakening".

Our first picture of Brecken with his "eye" open.

Brecken got a little upset when we woke him up to change his diaper. The nurse in this picture is trying to calm him down by putting him back in the "fetal position".

11/06/09 Video and the Blue Light Special

2009-11-05T22:41:00.000-08:00

Quick update. Brecken is doing as expected. His lungs are underdeveloped for his age but he is trying very hard. He wants to breath on his own and he takes around 40 breaths per minute on his own and about 20 that are assisted. Most of his breaths are too shallow to function by themselves to the machine aides him by forcing his lungs to expand. The hope is that this will teach him to slow down his respirations and take bigger slower breaths. The good news is that his lungs are accepting the oxygen well at the moment. They currently have him on about 30% Oxygen. The normal atmosphere is about 21%. This is a big improvement from yesterday when he was up around 60%. Anyways here are a few pictures and videos to check out.

BLUE LIGHT SPECIAL. This light is used to help PREVENT Jaundice, but holy cow is it bright. Hence the mask over his eyes.

A quick video to check out from day one. You'll notice all the tubes coming in and out. Most are constanty functioning but all are normal for a baby this age.

This is one of his more "well behaved" moments. You'll notice him playing with the tube in his mouth with his tongue. Usually he is trying to yank them out or getting really upset. He also throws in a couple big yawns towards the end for show.

11/05/2009

2009-11-05T17:04:00.000-08:00

We've been trying to figure out a good way let people know how Brecken is doing and to get some pictures and video out for those who are interested and we figured a blog would be a great to get the word out. So I think the best way is to let the pictures speak for themselves. We'll put in some quick comments or explanations and feel free to comment and ask questions.

We'll try to keep it up to date with any new news. But first some background...At around 28 weeks and 5-6 days Halsey went in to Dr. Haugen for a routine check-up that revealed some initial signs of Pre-Eclampsia. Her blood pressure was very high and she was admitted into Bozeman Deaconess Hospital to monitor both her and the Brecken.

The next day they told us that we would need to go to Billings(the closest hospital equipped for baby's of less than 34weeks gestation). Once in billings the doctors continued to monitor Halsey and the baby for several days looking for any signs that the Pre-Eclampsia was worsening. However the test's were coming back good so they let her out after about a week. She then went to her sister's house in Billings and spent the next few days with her sister.

On Monday the 2nd of November we went into the doctors office and she had a high protein count(a sign that the pre-eclampsia was worsening). The doctors told us that she could go home for the night and to plan on coming in the next morning to meet with Doctor Damron.

That night Halsey started to have some pretty severe pain under the front of her ribs and in her mid-lower back and this was a sure sign that the Pre-Eclampsia was in full swing. We rushed here into the Hospital around 12:30 that night and she was admitted for the night. We sat around and waited and the doctors came back and told us that Halsey would spend the rest of her pregnancy in the hospital...some dissapointing news at the time but we had no idea how quickly the baby would be delivered.

That morning the doctors said that it looked like we would be able to hold of for a few days and I went back to Bozemand to catch up on some work, get ready to move, and get ready to close on the house. The next morning, November 4th (31 weeks and 1 day gestation), right as I woke up to go to work Halsey called and told me that they would be delivering the baby, and SHE informed the doctors that they would be waiting till I got there. I showed up around 10:00 jumped in some scrubs and we were off to the races. The C-Section was completed and baby Brecken was born at 11:30 AM.

I Decided This should be my Halloween costume since I was unable to celebrate it this year.

Obviously there are a few pictures missing here but you get the idea. Halsey is behind the curtain and then WALA...there's the baby.

Here he his for the first time.

The first 28 minutes for Brecken were very dificult for everyone. Once he had been delivered he was immediatly taken to the other side of the room where the doctors began working on him. They expected to have things going smoothly within 5 minutes and I was instructed that at that point I would follow them to the NICU(Neonatal ICU). After about 10 minutes it was obvious something was not right. The nurses began counting for chest compression not for his heart but for his lungs. His heart never stopped but his lungs were having trouble(at this time we had no idea what was happening). The doctors struggled for 28 minutes before they finally got him "stable".

The doctor later admitted that he had tried everything he could think of and for some reason at the last minute he just came around. This was probibly the longest and most intense 28 minutes of my life. Brecken was then taken to the NICU but I was not allowed to follow him at that point due to some "complications". However, later that afternoon we were allowed to go in and see him for the first time. Below are some pictures of his current condition. I'll try and explain things as we go. So without any furter adue here he is.
He definelty has the "Wallace nose"...it doesn't help that he has the tape pushing his nose up.

If you look closely you'll notice a small green tube in his hand. This used to go to his stomach...untill he pulled it out. The nurses say he is one of the most fiesty premie's they've seen (this is good for now but will ultimatly cause catastrophic pain in his teen-age years).

As a result of the picture above, the doctors were forced to subdue him for a while by restraining his arms so he wouldn't pull out any other cords. This clearly back-fired as the baby began to get angry and turn green...baby Hulk, actually he turned a dark red/purple because he was so upset and the restraints were shortly removed.

This is perhaps the most humbling picture...it speaks for itself.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ, ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

This picture illustrates an incurable disease known as "Wallace Ear".