Aaron wearing his first pair of jeans!

"Life is Good", especially when daddy snuggles with his little man so mommy can get some stuff done!

Aaron in going on 7 weeks old now. He's getting bigger, and getting a little easier. His zantac (med for reflux) dose was increased but he still obviously has reflux symptoms. He snores alot, wheezes, and sounds very congested, although his lungs are clear. It's all upper airway noise from milk that comes up after, and while, he's eating. He's adorable, and sweet, but a much fussier baby than Charlie. He screams, for seemingly no reason, but it's obvious to me that he hurts. He arches his back, his stomach is stiff as a board, and he could be sound asleep and then scream all of a sudden. We are hoping it gets better over time. He goes back to the doc on Thursday for another dose of Synagis so we'll see what he says then.

The last two nights have been better or me. He's asleep around 10pm, and then is up at 2am and 6am. He eats at those times and goes right back to sleep. And his feeds only take 20 minutes rather than 40 minutes. He also sleeps soundly in between, no random screaming that has me jumping out of bed every 1/2 hour or so. SO I have been better rested the last two days and in a better mood all around!

Hope everyone enjoyed the nice weather we had this weekend!

Picture post!

Cohen Family portrait, from the eyes of Charlie CohenCharlie's artwork is steadily progressing (in normal developmental patterns, but still fun to see changes every day!). He started making faces with eyes a few weeks ago. He then started giving the faces mouths about a week ago. As of this weekend, the faces have legs. Now he has started drawing specific people. Above is our family. He says that the people are (from L to R): Daddy, Charlie, Mommy, Baby Aaron (the cyclops) and Sidney is up front. I absolutely fell in love with this and was almost in tears when I saw it. I feel stupid saying that but it's so amazing to me to watch him develop and change and start describing the world around him!
Giving baby brother a kiss

We went to my parents' this weekend for Easter and above is my absolute favorite picture. "Gampa" and Aaron. He was so alert this weekend and really took it all in.

Chilling while the older boys decorated easter eggs. My lucky Jewish boys have Catholic grandparents (on my side) and a mom who cannot give up her childhood traditions. They get to have it all!

Charlie and me coloring eggs with Christy and Bode...Bode took it upon himself to color his hands and then dump a whole bowl of color all over the table! I give my sis big props for being brave enough to try this with a one year old and my mom for letting it happen in her kitchen!

Bode in his tye-died state with Aaron (waving hello!)

Uncle Mike and Charlie zoning out to some cartoon...eating popcorn...some life!

The boys getting a much needed bath from "Gampa"

All of the boys!

Charlie with his Easter bucket (it had a train on it! thanks Tutu), getting ready to search for eggs and treats...

Our Easter bunny his some fun treats for the boys as well. Charlie got some LIghtning McQueen crocs and a Thomas umbrella (he calls it a cumbrella...don't know why, and I can't seem to break him of it!). He got some eggs filled with monies (change from the Easter Bunny's wallet), jelly beans, and teddy grahams. He also found the eggs that he colored the day before! How fun. We've never done Easter eggs with him before so this was a fun day for him!

Charlie keeping his brother quiet...

He loves his baby brother!

And here's my little chunkster! He went to the doctor's yesterday for his belated one month check up...he weighs 9lb 4oz! Look at those cheeks! iI'll write more about the visit after another appointment we have today.

mommy and her boys!

Happy Due Date to Me and Aaron!

We're home!!!!!!!!!!

Napping in his bassinet on Friday 4/3...this is the day he really started acting like he had reflux and when he stopped eating much at all...but still very cute!
Hanging with his big brother on his one month birthday. Charlie loves holding his hands...so cute!

At the zoo on Sunday. Here is a baby turtle that I fell in love with...I LOVE turtles and thought this little guy was just the cutest!

Charlie being cute in the zoo's treehouse

Me forcing Charlie to pose with me for a picture...

Running away from me and the camera

Trying to convince me that he couldn't leave the treehouse because he wasn't done hatching...that's my boy!

A promise of a carousel ride is the only way he left the treehouse...

Hanging out with cousin Ethan at Bubby and Zayda's house Sunday night...

In the hospital... this is when he was having the pneumogram and pH probe study done. The pH probe cut his poor little nostril so he's got a little scab from it. He's still very cute though! We found out that he's just a bit over 8 pounds now. Big boy! We missed his one month check up (was supposed to be Thursday morning but we didn't get discharged from CHOP until 8pm Thursday) so Monday we will go and have him seen for his one month check and well visit!

Talking to Mr. Giraffe once he was more alert and feeling better, asking him why he was in a crazy metal crib and why his mommy looked like hell all week!

Some artwork that Charlie sent over with daddy...he was very worried about baby Aaron and told me this morning that next time, daddy gets to stay in the hospital with his brother and I get to stay at home...hahaha.

Grandpa (my dad) holding Aaron during a visit (they relieved me so I could go home and shower...so essential!)

And he is now home and had a great night last night and a good day today. They concluded that he likely had a virus and terrible reflux (as evidenced by the milk scan). He's home, still on his apnea monitor and also on some meds for reflux. Thanks to everyone for their thoughts and prayers and well wishes. We are certain that it made a huge difference for our little man!

update

We are still in the hospital. Aaron is doing well and has not had any blue spells since monday night. He's had numerous tests, not all of which we have the results. The upper GI looking for a tracheal-esophageal fistula was negative. So his upper airway anatomy is normal. The CT scan was not completely normal so we are doing an MRI tomorrow. The pH test was normal but the apnea team said that happens half the time when patients have bad reflux. The EEG was done but we don't know the results. They are going to start treatment for reflux once they do a milk scan but I don't know when that will be. It is very reassuring that everything looks normal so far. I guess because of how "scary" (word used by the docs here) his episode was on monday afternoon when we were here (same thing that was happening at home), they are not comfortable calling it reflux and just sending him home. They want to rule absolutely everything else out. I am glad they are being thorough but I feel terrible for the little guy. He's probably going to be spoiled rotten after this because I feel so badly that he's been through so much. I am at the hospital 24 hours except for an hour yesterday when I went home to shower and an hour later tonight when my parents are coming and I will be home showering. I miss Charlie, I feel badly for Alex because we are split up once again. I am missing our passover Seder tonight which is always alot of fun. Charlie and Alex will be there. Please still keep Aaron in your thoughts. I am hoping the MRI is "normal" and the changes they saw on the CT scan are just normal for Aaron, although not "normal". I also hope he is not having seizures based on the EEG findings. Happy Passover to all and Happy Easter to all this weekend!

please pray...

Baby Aaron (as he is known around our house) is in the hospital. He was admitted yesterday afternoon and will be there for several more days. Alex is with him now while I ran home to shower real quick and pay some bills. Long story short, he started turning blue and becoming apneic on sunday into monday. The pediatrician sent him to CHOP's Er and they admitted us. I was assuming it was bad reflux and we'd be home with Zantac...they think it might be something more along with reflux. He has had a battery of tests so far, and many more to come. It absolutely breaks my heart to see my little man go through this. Reflux would be awesome...even bad reflux. I will take that over anything else they are looking at. He has had a CT scan of his head, and MRI tomorrow and an EEG tomorrow. He's had an EKG and will have an echo sometime in the next two days. HE had an LP, tons of bloodwork, a urine cath culture, and a respiratory culture sent. Right now he's on a 5 lead pneumogram with pH probe and will have a milk scan and upper GI done sometime soon. He's hooked up to tons of wires and he and I and ALex are miserable. He had a spell last night and his O2 sats dropped into the low 50's. Just pray that this is reflux and that we will be home soon. Also please pray that Charlie isn't too scarred by the past few months because once again, his mommy has gone away and he's left wondering, "what the hell"...I'll update more tomorrow!

Happy one month Birthday Aaron!