Thursday, the Brown family packed up the car and headed south to Boston for clinic. Camden's appointment was at 1pm and we left early to have lunch at Hotel Hanson's beforehand. Marjorie and Mark also watched Maddie while we were in clinic. Camden's visit went very well. We saw many of his team and they were all very happy with his progress and how healthy he looks. His weight was 20 1/4 pounds. The docs also gave us the green light to keep introducing foods, and give him back his yogurt! Our new goal is to reduce his night feeds from 10 ounces to 5 and increase his daily oral intake by the 5 ounces. It has not been easy yet. If we can accomplish this goal by our next appointment in Feb. 2009, and he is not needing any boluses or night tube feedings, we can get the G tube removed at that Feb. clinic visit!!! We can then convert from formula to regular, whole milk!! I cannot even imagine NOT mixing formula anymore!! It would be awesome!
Dr Jaskic also invited us to be present during a lecture he is giving to the entire medical student body at Harvard University, but I am not sure if another trip to Boston will fit into our schedules in early November. But what an honor!
Andy and I then took Camden to 10 East to visit and show him off! We then headed back to Hotel Hanson for a great dinner and relaxation.
Friday morning, we again packed up the car and headed 4 more hours south to the Foley-Brown B & B to visit with Andy's sisters. We arrived about 4 pm. The kids napped some in the car and did a great job! We enjoyed another great meal and relaxed some more! Maddie even tried out Wii games! Saturday was a beautiful day in NJ. Clear blue sky and warm, in the low 70's. After breakfast Maddie helped Flo make toys for their birds and did an awesome job with her coordination and selection of beads and toys to hang in the cage.
We all went to a huge farm about 5 miles from the B&B and looked at all the variety of pumpkins. We then went on a hay ride around the farm. We all enjoyed that, even Camden!! After 20 minutes we got off and were allowed one pumpkin each. Maddie then played in a great children's area and hay maze. it was lunch time, so we got hot dogs there on the farm and doughnuts (one free for each of us with the hay ride) and had a picnic! Maddie then tried her hand at pumpkin sling shot! She did really well with some help from Andy and I.
We then returned to the B&B for naps for the kids and Nancy, Flo and I went shopping for a new car seat for Camden, now that he can officially turn around and face front. We found a great one and bought it on the spot.
Sunday we headed back to Hotel Hanson and enjoyed yet another great meal and rested from the 4 hour trip back. Monday we headed home and arrived about 2 pm.
While we were gone, Camden developed a horrible cough and Monday afternoon we were able to get him into the doctor's office, but we were told it was probably just croup and to keep Motrin and warm showers going, which we were already doing. Tuesday the kids returned to daycare and our crazy lives keep moving foreword.
