Loki update: Ongoing fever, continued growth

Loki's fever is ongoing, unfortunately. However, so are his generally good mood and impressive development. Loki started bearing weight on all fours, rocking back and forth on arms and knees. He now constantly bangs to toys together or bangs them on the table. Yesterday when I offered him a cracker for his right hand, which was already holding on to a rattler, he switched the rattler to his left hand after which he grabbed the cracker with his right hand. Pretty complex problem solving for such a tiny man, if I may say so!?

Current weight is 15 lbs and 7 oz, which brings our little guy at approximately the 35th percentile for weight, and almost 80th percentile for weight with length on the preemie chart. Little guy needs to go on a diet before we know it. On the regular chart he still charts below the 5th percentile for a 7 month old.

We have had a good friend visit who brought Loki a bag full of goodies and super cute overalls, perfect for the extremely hot weather, and in addition to that we've just done our almost daily doctors visit to figure out what is causing this everlasting low grade fever. No teeth seem to be coming out, no clear other signs either. It's somewhat of a mystery which will most likely need further investigation. Possibly we will have to see the same infectious disease doctor that treated him when he was still at Alta Bates NICU.

Speaking about the NICU. September 17th I will have my first meeting with the Alta Bates NICU partnership council as a parent representative. I am very excited about this chance to "pay back" the NICU for helping us so tremendously well.

Also following soon is a invitation to participate in our Christmas Gift drive for the babies at the NICU during this upcoming Christmas. I would love to be able to brighten the day of all those parents during the challenging Christmas days with your help. The exact how and what are being worked on.

Finally, we are still unsure what will happen with feeding therapy for Loki. He will no longer qualify through the state, still infuriated about those new regulations, and it is unclear if the insurance will pay for therapy.

Some recent photo's of our ever growing miracle.

He loves sleeping on his tummy:


Loki was very excited to meet Auntie Sharon:


Silly boy, in one of his cool overalls, shying away from the camera:


Showing off his shaking skills:


Loki met his friends Finnie for the first time. Finn sings very cool Loki Artichoki songs and promised to teach Loki how to talk:


The London Underground Hat and Paddington were gifts from Finnie and his mom. Paddington is a very special gift as the little bear friend was bought in the nieghborhood of Paddington in London where Finnie was born:


Loki's head growth has never been a problem, pretty obvious on this picture:


Mom and Loki during an outing to the Oakland Chinatown festival around the corner from where we live:


Loki is wearing yet another overall, this one came from Lova and Muus' fashionable closet:


How about this cute one piece outfit from Cousi Nicole and her son Basje?


>Loki and his early interventionist Barbara, to whom we will have to say goodbye by the end of September (don't get me started on this again....)