Disconnected

Archer has been doing great since he has been without oxygen tubes and an apnea monitor! Without having any beeps throughout the night, he is able to sleep a little better. Archer's sleeping habits are inconsistent and yet improving. He has slept anywhere from 3 to 8 hours straight a night and is taking longer naps throughout the day. Now if only Mom can get used to this new schedule, then everyone will be getting more sleep!
Archer enjoyed a recent visit from Grandma and Grandpa Kumfer where he showed them everything that he can do. He had his first real attempt at crawling the other night. His legs, hips, and knee motions looked perfect, though he did not get very far. The therapists are still impressed with his progress. His muscles are getting stronger, he is playing more on his side, and he is rolling to and from his side more often. He is also getting better at sitting up with assistance. He will be rolling over on his own soon enough. He is also quite the chatterbox and is often babbling (even during his breathing treatment!).
Archer had an appointment with his neurologist and was cleared from seeing her again, unless he has any future problems. She was not concerned about his development, though she did refer him to another specialist. Archer has a noticeable metopic ridge, which runs up and down the middle of his forehead. This can occur when the plates in his skull fuse too early. It does not seem to impair him or cause any developmental delays, as it seems to be just cosmetic. The popular opinion is that he will not require surgery and it will look better over time, as he grows and gets more hair on his head. An appointment has been scheduled at the end of September with a plastic surgeon to get a professional opinion. The plastic surgeon also works with a neurosurgeon when performing such operations.
Archer visited his pulmonologist again as well, and he was very pleased with Archer's progress! The doctor did caution that Archer may still have reactive airway disease or develop asthma at some point and may have a rough time fighting a cold due to his underdeveloped immune system from being so premature, but as long as he can remain healthy he does not see the pulmonologist again for three months. The pulmonologist recommended taking Archer off his diuretic medication today, and to take him off his reflux medication in one week. As long as he does well with those changes, this leaves Archer with just one daily medication, his steroid breathing treatment that he takes with a nebulizer. This is perfect timing because he has recently figured out how to clamp his mouth shut to avoid taking his medicine. The pacifier fake-out no longer fools him!
Archer's latest weight is 11 pounds 8 ounces, and he is almost 24 inches long. Mom recently packed up all of his preemie, newborn, and 0-3 months clothing and couldn't believe how far he has come! Those clothes look so tiny now, but Mom and Dad still recall walking into Archer's NICU room and seeing him in clothes for the first time!

Archer in a onesie after 13 weeks of just a diaper! He was 4 pounds, 2 ounces here. Look how big that pacifier looks compared to the picture below!

Favorite smile pic so far!

Not only is Archer sleeping in his own crib, but this was the first night he was totally disconnected! No IVs, umbilical lines, chest tubes, leads, temp probe, cannula, or ET, OG, or NG tubes! Ahh, must feel great!

Thanks for the cute hat and swaddle, Jussara!

No, this wasn't one of those lame photographer poses. He was just in the middle of getting his thumb in his mouth!

Yo!

Where's my coffee?

Play time is hard work!