Wednesday, December 30

The Daily BAM Report

Ever wonder what Bryce is doing?

Oddly enough, sometimes I do.

Let me clarify. I ALWAYS know exactly what Bryce is doing at that specific moment in time. But if you asked me when he sleeps and when he eats? My "mommy brain" would mutter something about educated guesses.

But this information is really quite important, at least for any self respecting type A personality. But really, even types Aish's like myself feel compelled to seek out the trends, the specifics on intakes and outputs, the best-time-to-plan-a-shower times, especially the shower times.

And so in a state of shear helplessness I began making a log of everything I could write on a notepad that went everywhere with me. Everything. Everywhere. Exausting.

And then it occurred to me - a spreadsheet! Yes, why didn't I think of that days ago when I began this endeavor? Blame it on the mommy brain. It's my go to for everything these days anyway. I mean seriously, there's a whole other post on mommy brain. Another day.

Anyway, today, after my spreadsheet epiphany, I found myself googling for templates to get what I needed in a jiffy. And then I stumbled upon my new obsession. The Daily BAM report.

As in The Daily Bryce Alexander Moline report. As in an online application that takes my silly little log in a notepad and sprinkles it with some magic fairy dust. It's like the pinnacle of the pinnacle of baby tracking. And as anyone who has ever had a baby knows (or at least I prefer to imagine that every one of you out there agrees with me) nothing could be more valuable.

Seriously though. Bryce isn't growing fast enough; because he's not eating enough. And I know, as a preemie mom knows, that he needs to have 24 ounces of his 22 calorie formula in every 24 hours in order to even have a shot at the "catch up growth" his doctors are all stammering on about.

But in my no sleep longer than 4 hours marathon I can't always recall exactly how much of that bottle he took at 2:15 a.m. - his favorite meal time. Let alone, what time of the day he is most likely to eat well, or be sleeping, or smiling, or gassy...and sometimes if I remembered to give him his multivitamin. How about the two doses of this and one dose of that.

An apparently brilliant and otherwise like minded stay at home dad developed Trixie Tracker a few years ago for this very purpose. I discovered it today and fell madly, deeply in love with it.

And the best part is - I can share it with you all!!!! GO here, to the Daily BAM Report, at anytime of the day or night to see if Bryce is awake or asleep, eating or not, when the last time he pooped was, how much he weighs or if he's had his medicine for the day. You can even see that although Bryce is 6 months, 23 days old today his corrected age is a mere 3 months, 4 days.

I could go on and on about my new best friend but Bryce will be up to eat again in only two hours so I have to say adios for today. Thanks for checking in with us!

P/S for Bristelle: Please tell baby Kolby's family that I would be honored to hear from them. Some of the best resources I had during our hospital stay with Bryce, and even since, have been other micro preemie moms. Ladies who once were strangers are now the first person I think of when Bryce is going through something. Because I know that they know like very few do. Baby Kolby and family will be in my prayers. Much love.