Humming

I have received several links from friends about the benefits of music to preemies.  Here and here are two of them.  While I have not seen any guitars around nor heard any Spanish lullabies being sung in this NICU, I can vouch for humming.  I can literally watch Victor's oxygen levels go up when I hum and go down if I stop for too long.

I have learned several things about humming.  First of all, humming too long can make you lightheaded; I have to take a break every now and then.  Secondly, humming makes you sleepy.  Third, you cannot hum while yawning or crying.  In addition, I can hum no better than I can sing.  Sorry, Victor.  Finally, it's difficult to come up with a large humming repertoire.

In an attempt to have available one song after the other, I find that the following have worked well...

Old hymns.  I guess it's because they're in my long-term memory, but Victor gets to hear a lot of these from Amazing Grace to It Is Well, Victory in Jesus, Redeemed How I Love to Proclaim It and others.

Choruses from the 70s and 80s.  Again, long term memory.  Don't judge me.

Children's songs and folk tunes.  Andrew loved the Barney Song so Victor gets that one.  The Eensy Weensy Spider is another good one.  I refuse to hum Ring Around the Rosie.

Children's Church Songs.  Of course there are the oldies but goodies such as Jesus Loves the Little Children but I've got some new ones from my girls, too.

The King's Strings repertoire.  Yeah.  He loves The Farmer and the Cowman Should Be Friends.  He hasn't gotten the hang of playing his violin behind his head yet.  We're still working on breathing at all times.

Broadway Tunes.  It would make sense that while I'm humming The Farmer and the Cowman my mind would go to musicals beyond Oklahoma.  He particularly likes The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof and Wicked.  Funny, those are some of my favorites, too.  Sorry, Andrew.

My wedding music.  Uh-huh.  Go figure.  I had all but forgotten what songs were even performed in our wedding but for some reason, it's coming back to me here.  Jesus, Let Us Come to Know You.  Wow.  That dates us.

Suzuki Violin Book 1.  I may or may not be able to hum the whole book, in order, beginning to end.  Sad.  But I might as well get him started.

Yesterday wasn't quite as good as the day before but certainly nothing to be upset about.  He is up from 910 grams on Thursday to 920 grams Friday.  This still isn't enough to be 2 lb. 1 oz (that would be 936 grams) so he remains steady at 2 pounds!  For those in the know, his high flow nasal cannula is now at 5.0 LPM (down from 5.5 yesterday morning), and typically between 25% - 28%.  He is getting a few more meds which upset him a little but that's to be expected.

Victor got his hospital onesie yesterday.  We're thinking he'll be able to wear it for Christmas.

Skin-to-skin is our favorite part of the day, usually happening at 8:30AM and 4:30PM.  He didn't tolerate the second one as much yesterday so we called it quits at 50 minutes.  As soon as I put him back in his bed he filled his pants.  Then it all made sense.  When you're such a little guy, a little bit of constipation can make you upset enough to desat!

Pray for weight gain.  Pray that all systems work together so he remembers to breathe!  So many things being asked of Little Man.

Pray for paperwork.  I hate paperwork and bureaucracy.  They make me cry.  The good news is that our agency told us yesterday that ICPC has been sent off to the Utah powers-that-be.  Their prediction is that it should be approved on Monday.  Assuming that it is approved on Monday, it will then be overnighted to PA.  For those who have no idea what I'm talking about, these formal adoption papers need to be approved in Utah before Victor would be allowed to leave.  They then need to be approved in PA before he can enter.  Since he's not going anywhere anytime soon, we're not as anxious about this as we would be if we were sitting in a hotel waiting to go home.  However, it will be nice to know that this is all finished and one less thing to worry about.  Please pray for PA.  I love my state but it's not known for being especially adoption-friendly.  Pray that our paperwork finds favor on whoever's desk it ends up and that there are no road blocks.

Pray for my eldest daughter who turns 15 on Tuesday.  Pray for me, missing her birthday.  You can help us both out by sending her a card to celebrate her day.  We won't talk about the fact that in one year Mariana will start to drive.  Yikes!  I will also be missing her performances of Thoroughly Modern Millie next weekend.  This is really hard.  Not only is this the first time I'm missing one of her productions, but she is playing the lead role of Millie!  We have asked that someone be allowed to record the musical so that I can see it.  Please pray that this happens.

Grandma is coming on the 22nd to help at home.  Pray for safety as she travels.

Praise God for all of the wonderful people who have helped out at the King house in one way or other. We are so blessed.