Fresh face, on the move.

It was back in May when I took the last photo for the blog banner. Max had just started sitting independently and was quite happy to sit on the couch like a big boy for a photo. I figured five months of growing called for an updated banner, so we took to the couch again for some new photos. Not only has Max gained a few inches, a few pounds, and a few curls, but he's also gained a few new moves. Let's just say Max doesn't like sitting still. He makes a rather handsome motion blur.

The old banner

Sitting is for shmucks!

Climbing is for kings!

The cats aren't in here!

We have lift off.

It's been a long time in the works, but we finally, officially have a puller-upper.

No such thing as a 'simple cold'.

It's been nearly 10 months since we've said goodbye to our days in the NICU. Long gone are the days of beeps and bells, pokes and prods, and the every day reminders that we have a baby that's not nop-notch in the health department. Our days don't look exactly like that of parents with typical babies, but for the most part it's pretty darn normal. So normal that it's easy for most people to forget that we have a baby that is medically fragile.

He's growing so big, and strong, and he's worlds away from the tiny, frail, sick baby he was in the NICU - surely he's healthy now and we don't need to be so "paranoid" about germs and his health. This is the sentiment we've begun to receive from people who aren't as close to our lives and understanding of Max's medical history. We continue to remind people that Max is more susceptible to illnesses and those illnesses can be much more serious for him. Yes, even something as simple as the common cold.

Saturday night marked our first trip to the ER with Max. He was having a fussy night, was not himself, and having what we thought was a reflux flare. I had to soothe him back to sleep a couple of times before I joined him in bed at midnight. Something was definitely amiss. He was tossing and turning, and his breathing was wheezy, and he gasped for breath when he cried. I called Rafael home from work and we headed to Children's Emergency. We spent close to three hours there, where Max got a generalized diagnosis of 'reactive airway disease episode'. He got a chest x-ray (which was the most uncomfortable looking thing ever), nebulized epinephrine, followed by salbutamol , and an oral dose of dexamethasone.  Once his breathing was back under control we were sent on our way with a second dose of dex and a prescription for a salbutamol puffer.

Not a fun way to spend a Saturday night.

 We woke up the next morning to a snotty, coughing baby. Ah...the common cold - and a very mild cold at that. We keep telling people that illnesses that would make you, or I, or your healthy kids grumpy, would likely send Max to the hospital. We were lucky to not have to test out that theory until now, and we're lucky it's just a cold. Already we've received flack from people (mostly unknowing coworkers and acquaintances of acquaintances) who know nothing of Max or his medical history who snicker at the overprotective parents taking their kid to the ER for a cold. You don't need to go to the hospital for the sniffles, ya know. We don't particularly enjoy having to defend our necessity for medical intervention to people who have no idea what it's like having a baby with a complicated medical history. But some people are lucky enough to never have to understand.

We'll always have to be a little more cautious, and illness are always going to carry a little more risk to Max than to a healthy kid. His immune system is not top notch and the damage to his lungs is not something that will ever go away. He will get stronger and healthier and more resilient with time, but for now we'll remain his cautious, over protective parents.

And so marks the beginning of cold, flu and RSV season.