Finally Got Our Ducks In A Row

Kalista found someone shorter than her to rest her arm on...poor Mallory!

Oh my...those HMO insurances are super tricky. After a bajillion phone calls everywhere, we think we may have mastered how to work through the system. Never underestimate how much power your pediatrician has...cuz they are the ones in charge of all your referrals. We are lucky to have two case managers too; one from our insurance and one from the HMO group. We definitely made those ladies work hard this past week to make sure we had authorizations to see what seems like a dozen specialists. Whew..it's all done and all our ducks are in a row (for now)!

Kalista has been doing well this week....no doctor appointments to mention about since it was a quiet week. She has been a little more fussy since it feels like Satan's armpit down here in San Diego. We have all been sitting around the house sweating because of the humidity and heat. Babies can lay around naked and be considered "cute". If we did that...then "cute" is not quite the right word we would use....so we've been in our tank tops and shorts. We even had a bout of some thundershowers today....oooohh...memories of Florida.

Because it is so hot...Kalista decided to wear one of her "one-of-kind onesies" that our friends made to commemorate the event:

So... I sing in my sleep.
You can use anything for a microphone when it's Karaoke time!


Wait...this is my Celine Dion moment!


No paparazzi please!
(Outfit courtesy of Cristina and Crawford designs)

Daddy & Baby Bonding Weekend

Can't believe that Monday is just around the corner and another weekend has come and gone. Jen had to fly up to the Bay Area yesterday since her grandfather passed away last week and the memorial services were earlier this morning. That left Dad and daughter to hang out with each other all weekend. Kalista and Matt had a fun time doing father-daughter activities together..uh hum....watching football...going to Target...more watching football...and of course, snuggle time!

Matt said that Kali is starting to roll on her back from side to side more...but prefers going from her right side to her left. When she lays on her left side, she has started to get into crawling pose. We are going to have a more mobile little girl pretty soon. We better cherish the non-mobile baby we have a little bit more before we need chase after her.

Friday already?

"Too bad the week is almost over."

Since Kalista has been home, it is truly amazing how fast time flies each day. On our days off, we never seem to get much done around the house. We are sure that once we get our daily regimen down...it will be much easier.

My taxi service to all my appointments

Here is the latest Kalista news:

• We saw Dr. Mehl, the pediatric neurologist, this week for her high-risk infant consultation. He is the person who will tell us if Kalista is where she needs to be developmentally. From his exam, she is right where she should be for a cute 4 month old. His only small concern was her neck strength since she has been laid up in bed for so long and not able to get in that quality tummy time. It just means we need to work on sitting her up more and having her hold her own head up. Her reflexes and motor response skills were all age appropriate. Dr. Mehl told us that with everything going on, he is not too concerned if she crawls or walks later than most kids. He also told us she has great communication skills and eye contact. For those of you who have seen or talked to us recently, Kalista is a chatterbox with her "oohs" and "ahhs". Sometimes she even talks herself to sleep. Dr. Mehl told us to look for the "motorboat" sound as the next milestone in speech development. Can't wait for that one! All in all, we don't have to see him until December for her 6 month old follow-up visit and make sure she is where she needs to be at that time.

• We also saw Dr. Saenz this week for her follow-up on the fundoplication surgery and G-tube. It looks like she is recovering well and we don't anticipate any more visits with him until her final closure surgery at the age of 2 or 3. We asked him about her reflux and the retching that still happens. He told us the retching and gagging, she does multiple times a day, is something she will have to just out grow...poor baby. Nobody likes to see their child dry heave and turn that scary shade of red-purple.

• So it looks like we have now officially been turned over to Dr. Gossman, the plastic surgeon, for her expertise in tissue expanders. The goal is to make her belly cosmetically appealing for her final closure. The tissue expanders are to create extra skin for the surgeons to work with, so they can discard the scar tissue that is currently on her belly (that purplish skin). She may also get a cosmetic belly button too in the process. We have an appointment with her in the later part of October.

• We had a few breakthroughs this week in the bottle feeding department. Yesterday, she wanted to suck on everything...fingers...blankets...toys...and even her pacifier and bottle. The last time she truly enjoyed sucking on her pacifier was in mid-July. We'd like to think it means that she is finally feeling more secure about certain items in her mouth and swallowing...but it could also be from the full moon the other day. Odd yet sometimes good things happen when there is a full moon. Since she has been home, we have taken what we learned from OT in the NICU and applied it. So every time she eats now, we make sure we give her different textures in her mouth and have recently started just placing a small amount of milk in a bottle for her to taste and she seems to be more accepting of it. We hope she will catch on and eventually bottle feed most of the time. We know it might be a while from now, but every step counts.

Family Fun!

Kalista wanted to blog about her weekend...so here it goes:

"My grandma came to visit me. I like it when she holds me.





I finally got to meet my cousins, Aly and Alex. I really like Alex- he's funny!









My Auntie Kat and Uncle Jimmie are pretty cool too.





I went to daddy's work picnic and met some other babies. They all kept crying though.





The weekend was too long and I need some sleep now. Time for me to rest."

No Tears

Kalista laying on the pediatrician's table

Kalista saw Dr. Berent (pediatrician) today for the second time this month. We had to see him two days after our discharge from the hospital and then today for Kalista's big "four month old immunization" shots. We had a list of questions to ask Dr. Berent too...poor guy....but we're glad he took the time to listen and answer all of them. It's so true what experienced parents say when they tell you to write down all your questions before you see the doctor...because it works. Twelve questions answered in a matter of ten minutes...pretty efficient! So back to Kalista....it was the big shot day and she did so well. Matt held her and nurse Suzy worked her speedy shot giving skills. Boom boom boom....DONE! No tears!!!. We know that our little girl has been through so much more, that a few little shots would be easy peasy. We hope in two months that Kalista will be just as tolerant and forgiving for her six month old set of shots. Cross our fingers!

So in the grand scheme of things, Kalista is going to be seen by many specialists in the next few weeks and months for all the areas we need to address due to her omphalocele. She truly has a fuller schedule than her parents. In the next month we are scheduled with four different specialists: Dr. Saenz (surgeon), Dr. Mehl (neurologist), Dr. Nigam (cardiologist) and Dr. Gosman (plastic surgeon). Somewhere in the mix we are supposed to see the dietitian/nutritionist and occupational therapist for the feeding issues. Thank goodness for our smart phones or we would be all over the place!

Grandma's Here!

Grandma Evelyn is in town for the week. Kalista wore her special grandma outfit just for the occasion.

My shirt says "Off to Grandma's"

The highlight for today was not only grandma's arrival, but Kalista actually showed interest in her bottle. We have been struggling with her feeding issues, but this may be a breakthrough. She still shows no interest in sucking, but she likes to gum and bite things. She essentially gummed out some milk from her bottle and showed genuine interest when she tasted the milk. Maybe we'll try again with her next feeding and see what happens. Awesome job Kali!!! That's our girl!

Bubble Baths

It's Bath Time!!!

Kalista hanging out in her tub

Kalista is learning to enjoy her "spa" days. There are no more tears when she sits in her whale shaped bath tub. It looks like she enjoys the water now. We think it must be an age thing...we heard that most older kids love being in the water. Given that both of her parents were water babies themselves, we hope that Kalista will enjoy swimming someday.

She doesn't mind having her hair washed anymore

She is beginning to wear all the onesies that our friends and relatives made during her baby shower. I'm sure Auntie Steph is very proud of her onesie masterpiece since Kalista sports it very well. We have many more cute ones to wear and wear proudly!

One of my unique onesies

Wednesday is almost here...we are very excited that Grandma Evelyn (Yin Yin) is coming to visit. She is finally going to be able to hold Kalista for the first time. The last time visitors were allowed in the NICU, Grandma was only able to touch her through the isolette holes, since Kalista had just undergone reduction surgery. We're sure Grandma is super excited! It is going to be very busy house this weekend with additional family members coming as well. Kids and adults will be running around all over the place!

I'm Four Months Old!

I'm 4 Months Old

Yes...our baby is four months old now! We can't believe how fast time flies. We are so grateful to be able to celebrate this monthly milestone with her at home instead of the NICU. It has been so much fun having her with us.

She thinks her lamb swing is a rollercoaster

We took a commemorative long walk around the neighborhood in her stroller. The dogs came with and got a good comb through with The Furminator. Our fantastic neighbors, Dave and Julie, let us borrow it. The tiny comb works some serious magic. Joey looks 10 pounds lighter and much happier.

Joey looks so happy, while Bella has spotted another dog

Kalista met her (Great) Uncle Casey tonight when we met up for dinner. He came down to San Diego because he is giving a presentation this week at a work-related conference. Good luck Uncle! Kalista hopes she gets to meet Naomi, Ethan and Ryan soon. I'm sure they will have a blast once she starts crawling and walking...and maybe even dancing.

Well...it is getting late and the pillow is screaming out our names. Kalista just fell back to sleep after waking up at 10 pm. Must have been from all the excitement from tonight.

Good night everyone!

The Weekend Is Here!

It's Saturday night and Kali is all snuggled in bed. Nothing beats a good meal, bath and massage before bed. A day in the life of Kalista consists of a morning face wash, breakfast, playtime, lunch, noon nap, more playtime, afternoon snack, her late afternoon nap, book reading time, bath, massage, dinner and then bedtime. It always amazes us how babies can sleep anywhere and in any position.

Asleep in the lamb swing

Asleep on our bed

Oh...she's awake!

We are so glad that the weekend is here! With the two of us working this week and having Kalista home..it has taken some time to adjust. It is true..when the baby sleeps...we sleep too. It is the only way to regain our beauty rest...otherwise we would be delirious. Looks like Sunday is going to be a lazy, football day!

Take Me Out To The Ball Game

Greetings everyone from Petco Stadium! The Padres took on the San Francisco Giants tonight and we were able to get tickets to go. This was Kalista's first baseball game! We placed her in the Baby Bjorn and off we went. She fit well in it without the tummy shield and did not fuss at all for the mere three innings that we stayed and watched. Go Giants!!!!

Kalista putting on her fuzzy jacket

Hanging out in the carrier

Kalista is adjusting well to the house and all the activities around her. She has taken a new liking to Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. She becomes so mesmerized with the cartoon and even starts to cry
when you block her view. Matt loves to sit and watch with her. Are we steadily grooming a couch potato.??? We hope not.

Kalista watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse in our bed

Back To Work

It's officially here...the last day of maternity leave for Jen. We are both back to work, but have managed to alter our schedules a little bit so one of us is watching Kalista at all times. We can't imagine sending her to a daycare at this point in time. Not only would it stress us out worrying about her, but we think it may also stress out the daycare provider with all the care Kalista needs at this time. She really isn't that high maintenance...but to learn all the intricacies of Kalista can be intimidating. Hopefully we haven't scared everyone away, in case we need a last minute babysitter.

Please don't leave me!!!!

Days At Home

"My...what a big newborn you have!" "She's almost 4 months old." "Oh."

Oh my...has it been a busy few days in the Lam house. It's truly like bringing home a newborn, even though Kalista is almost 4 months old. Sorry for the delay in the homecoming news.

As soon as we left Rady's, Kalista fell asleep during her car ride home. We only live 10 minutes away...but somehow that didn't stop her. When we got home, we were greeted by the Rady's home care team to help us set up Kalista's feeding pump and go over all of her g-tube care. Kalista slept for a good portion of the afternoon and into the evening since the nurses from Rady's home care service kept her entertained past her usual afternoon nap. Regardless of the long nap, Kalista did a great job sleeping through the night. We, on the other hand, woke up frequently to make sure she was okay.

Kalista is doing well adjusting to the house and the dogs these few past days. Bella and Joey were pretty happy to see her when she appeared Wednesday afternoon. We think they were more happy to see us at home for a full day, for a change. Bella greeted Kalista with a big slobbery kiss and wagging tail. Joey, on the other hand, gave Kalista a sniff down and then headed to his bed. The dogs seem to have accepted the newest family member with no problems. Both of them love to lick her feet.

Kalista is developing her verbal skills and babbles a lot more. She enjoys playing with her toys and hanging out in various rooms of the house. We have been trying our best to make sure we prepare ahead for Kalista's feeds and medications. We are still ironing out a set routine and streamlining the process. It never seems like it stops! Welcome to the world of parenting, huh?

It's Homecoming Day!

WE'RE COMING HOME!!!

Car seat challenge with her tummy shield

We started our morning with our car seat challenge. We just had to make sure that Kalista can hold her oxygen saturation for the duration that she's harnessed into the seat itself and to see how she would tolerate her tummy shield. She wasn't too fond of the car seat at first, but didn't mind after sitting in it for the required 30 minutes.

Kalista reflecting on all her time in the NICU

When we look back, it seemed like it was only a few days ago that we entered the NICU....but we all know that wasn't the case. Those 3 1/2 months were probably the hardest 3 1/2 months of our lives, but now that Kalista is finally home...it was worth the wait. We really don't even know where to start in thanking everyone at Rady Children's NICU for all the love and support that they have extended to us. In the time of our stay, Kalista has surely built a good size fan club. How can anyone resist that smile....right?

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OUR THANK YOU SECTION:

We would love to thank our primary nurses for their healing hands...Tawny, Kristen, Anna and Marilyn. They have been with Kalista for many weeks, months and even from the very first day she was born. We believe they spent more time with Kalista than their own children sometimes. We cannot thank you enough for everything that you have done for us!

We can't forget our non-primary nurses! We thank you for all that you have done in taking care of our little girl. Let us see if we can make a list of who we have been blessed to work with: Emily, Rose, Linda, Janet, Diana, Tabitha, all the Sarahs/Saras, all the Jennifers, Micaela, Shareen, Lauren, Rachel, Rachelle, Erika, Tamyra, Jack, Suzanne, Heather, Rosa, Jaime, Lindsay, Penny, Mary, Michelle, Amanda, Nate, Tammi, Jackie, Tracy, Amber, MaryAnne, Denise, Dionne, Eleata, Sam, Rosa, Catherine, Lynn, Susan, Marsha, Bryan, Laura, Valerie, Raquel, Nancy, Vicky, Ken, Meg, Gina, all the Amys, Mia, Jill and Jaime. Sorry if I left anyone out or didn't spell your name right...our brains a little over saturated at the moment.

Thank you to all our NNPs: Barbara (at least her hair is thicker than before =) ), Kylee, Natasha, Stephanie, Angela, Stacie, Kim, Carol, Tammy, April.

Thank you to our team of neonatalogists: Dr. DeLaRosa, Dr. Lane, Dr. Wong, Dr. Speziale, Dr. Sutner, Dr. Evans, Dr. Knight.

Thank you Dr. Saenz for your miracle hands in repairing Kalista's omphalocele. We know our journey is not over yet...but we are so much closer.

Thank you Casi, Anne and Adriana for working with Kalista in OT.

Thank you Ruth for giving milking advice because you are our "breast" friend.

Thank you Karen and Linda for making Kalista's PT enjoyable.

Thank you to all of the BAs that have greeted us at the window, given us bottles and labels for the milk factory, buzzed us in and out of the NICU and for working hard behind the scenes.

And lastly, to Jennifer, our social worker, who has held our hand and given us support through all of this, we thank you from the bottom our our hearts.

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We were officially discharged and left Rady's with smiles and joyful tears a little after 1 pm and headed home to begin our new life adventure. This is only the beginning for Kalista Lam!

Kalista's first time out in the real world