Swimming & Urology

Saturday Josh took Carter swimming for the first time. He wasn't so sure about it at first, but after they got a ball to play with he decided it was okay. Sunday I got out there with him and dunked him a couple times - he did great! He didn't even cry about it :)

Funny pictures from his bag change after swimming. I couldn't catch C with the sunglasses on, so Josh will suffice!

Yesterday we went to Birmingham for a visit with one of Carter's favorites - Dr Joseph - our urologist. It was a long day. We checked in right before 11 to get our paperwork, and headed up to imaging. Carter screamed through the entire renal ultrasound, but was gentleman enough to blow kisses to his tech as we left :) In his defense, he was hungry from not being allowed to eat for 3 hours. He scarfed some bottle on our way to the cafeteria, and followed it up with some hamburger and french fries. They called us back as soon as we made it back to clinic. We kept him entertained while we waited for the doctor by playing hide and seek around the curtain, eating goldfish, and playing with Mountain Dew bottles.

Dr Joseph came in right around our appointment time (1:30p) and after calming Carter down enough to finish chewing his goldfish, took a peek in his diaper. He immediately mentioned that his urinary stoma was too small. He said the ultrasound showed retention of fluid on the bladder and backed up in his kidney. The plan is to cath 3-4 times a day to really drain his bladder well. He taught Josh and I how to do it, and watched me do it to make sure we were able. We'll go back in a month for a repeat ultrasound, and if he's still retaining too much we'll either cath more or have a surgery to revise his stoma. He checked C's testicles and said both were still in place from the prior surgery. We talked about the plan long-term for Carter's urology needs - a Mitrofanoff is more than likely in our future. He gave Carter a high-five when he was finished, and his nurse set-up our supply delivery. While I scheduled our August appointment, Josh headed down to check-in at Nephrology clinic for our cast-less weigh-in. After a short wait, we were taken back for the moment of truth. 21 pounds 3 ounces. Since our April appointment he's averaged 5 grams gained a day. I think 10 was our big goal, but Mary Jane said as long as he's progressing, eating better, and not losing we'll hold tight. All of our favorites came to see him while we were in Clinic 7, and raved over how great his feet look :)

Josh went back to work after we got home, and Carter and I headed over to Meemer's to wait for some of our family to get in from Florida. We're having our 4th of July shin-dig again this year. We took Meemer Billie Earl, and Aunts Mary Anne and Rochelle to eat Mexican. Carter - little pig - ate half of my beans, some rice, several chips, and some tortilla. He asked for his bottle on the way back to Meemer's... a first, I think. I fed him his medicine bottle, and then Meemer Billie fed him the rest. He snuggled right up to her and was playing with her afterward :) He's such a sweet little man.

New words: yes (yeh-yeh), no (uhn-uh)... both of these are accompanied by dramatic head shakes, eat (eeee) he'll sign this sometimes, too. thank you (da-da) this one gets signed, sometimes.

He's getting really good at telling us what he wants. We can go through a series of yes or no questions and usually figure it out. He's a very smart, attentive child. Yesterday he hollered for me over the monitor for the first time - he's got us both wrapped :)

Stay tuned for tons of pictures from our fabulous 4th!