Koa's first 6 weeks home

Koa is now 6 weeks old. He has had a busy couple of weeks. He came home with jaundice, and was under lights for a few days. He is just now starting to lose his yellow color, it is mostly left in his eyes.

When he was two weeks old we started the genetic testing process to see if he had Retinoblastoma like Gabi. We got back the results a few weeks ago, and he is clear. We are very happy about the news!

Gabi and Kai have been sick since Koa came home from the hospital. We did good keeping them away from him and not getting him sick until about 2 weeks ago. Koa became sick with a stuffy nose and cough. We took him in. He has MPV, Metapneumo Virus. It hits kids the same as RSV. We are hoping he is getting to the end of it now.

To top things off, Koa has acid reflux. We can go through up to 8 burp rags a day with his spit up. Hopefully, like Gabi did, he will grow out of it soon.

Overall, Koa is a very happy baby. Gabi continues to adore him and asks to touch him all day long. Kai every morning goes "Hi Baby." He also likes to give us the baby's pacifier. He will be a good little helper too.

Here are some pictures to update his first few weeks home.

Koa pretty much slept for the first month he was home. He was so content to lay wherever and just sleep. This was taken on the bilibed before it was sent back.

Two weeks old. These were still preemie outfits.

Our bedroom in the afternoon gets a lot of sun. Koa was very content sleeping with the sun on him.

Oops! His hat was too big. Most newborn hats were too big for him.

I give up...I know I'm cute!

Koa never had the startle reflex when sleeping. He could sleep very happy with his hands out of the blankets. He now gets startled more.

Three weeks old.

Again, very happily sleeping!

I should have taken these pictures earlier. My mom gives the baby's bunnies when they are born. This is Koa's bunny. It just shows how tiny he still is. He has outgrown preemie clothes, and is now filling in newborn clothes. The 0-3 month clothes are still too big on him. It won't be long and they will fit.

Getting bigger.

The two boys.

Four weeks old. This is the outfit that Kai came home from the hospital in. Koa is now around 8 lbs, which is how big Gabi and Kai were when they were born. If he was born when he was supposed to, this is probably how big he would have been.

Tummy time.

St. Patrick's day.

The kids have been asking to hold Koa. This is the first time we have let them. They both love their baby brother!

Grandmom came out for three weeks to help out. She was a great help! With Koa being sick, she took shifts at night holding him, and in the morning let me sleep in. It will be hard getting into our normal routine now that she is gone.

Nice and awake. He has changed so much. This is 5 weeks old.

Hanging out with Grandmom while mommy worked.

Koa had been put on the burp rag at the top of the picture. He kept scooting down, until he got to this position. He loves to sleep with his legs curled under him.

6 weeks old. Nice chubby cheeks. He is now around 9 lbs.

Koa loves looking at the ceiling fans.

Koa's first days home

Koa and I were able to come home from the hospital on Monday afternoon. It is nice to be home again. We are slowly easing into being a family of 5. Kai continues to want nothing to do with the baby, although he will now say the word 'baby.' Gabi has a really nasty cold, and so we haven't let her near the baby. This has been really hard on her. She wants to help out and kiss him. Hopefully in a few days she will be better, and I know she will be a great big sister and helper!

Koa's first night home he wanted to be held the whole night. Nathan and I took 2 hour shifts watching him. Last night he slept in his bassinet for 4 hours of the night. That was nice. He kindof has his days and nights mixed up. He will get there.

We got his bili levels checked yesterday and they had gone from 9 to 14.8. The doctor wanted to wait to put him on bili lights at home. Today we went again to get his levels checked. They have continued to go up. This morning they were 18.9. His doctor put him on bili lights. He has been the best baby. He loves the bed...he just gets all snuggly and has slept the whole day. He only comes out to eat. We are hoping tomorrow his levels will be lower and we can stop using the lights. What is with my kids and jaundice?!?!

Here are a couple pictures... This was the morning that we left the hospital. This was the onesie that Koa wore under his sleeper. He is so tiny, this is preemie size. I always look at the preemie outfits while shopping and marvel at how tiny they are, and just laugh that they would never fit my kids. Now, Koa is that size. I'll give him 1-2 weeks and he will be into newborn size.

Aren't I cute?

Another preemie outfit. This is the sleeper that he wore home. Daddy went and bought him some outfits after he was born. He did a great job!

Daddy and Koa resting after we got home. We have a picture like this of daddy and each of the kids. So sweet!

This is Koa on his bilibed. We had to put three blankets on top of him to try to keep him warm. He also has a space heater.

You can see the glowing lights under him. He is too tiny that his hands can't fit in the arm holes provided.

Up close of him. He has really done a great job just resting while in the bed. Hopefully the lights will make a big difference in his test results tomorrow!

More videos... These are from the hospital



This was taken after Koa had his bath. He did not like being out of the bath. Watch closely. You will see the nurse should have put a diaper on him quicker!

This is Koa's first hair wash. You can actually see him moving his head back and forth. He is loving it!

Happy Valentine's Day!! Welcoming Kekoa Fernando Riquino!!

Well, to say the least, our Valentine's weekend has been very busy! Friday I went for a routine blood pressure check at my OB's office, and found that my blood pressure was 148/112 and was sent immediately up to the hospital. My in-laws met me to take the kids, and Nathan met me to go inside. About an hour later they told us that I was being admitted for inducing. We were not planning on being induced until 3/11, so were a little shocked. Things started slowly. They started me on Pitocin, and Magnesium sulfate for my blood pressure. By 2 in the morning I was still only dilated a few cm, and was throwing up a bunch. At 2:30 our little guy's heart rate went down to 60 bpm, and they rushed (ran) down to the operating room. They prepped me fast for a C-section. Just as they were about to do the c-section, his heart rate went back up to 150 bpm. Little stinker! So, my doctor decided to wait to see what he would do. Then, because of the drugs I had been given, my blood pressure went down to 74/36. They had to stop the pitocin and give me other medicine to stop my contractions to try to stabilize me. They let me sleep for about 6 hours. I had to say that I was very out of it. I don't remember much of anything happening. In the morning they started my Pitocin back up again very slowly. By 10 am, I was dilated to a 4. By 10:40, I was a 7, and by 11:00 I was a 10. I was telling the nurse I was going to push...I don't think she believed me! Kekoa was born at 11:10 am, just as my doctor walked in the door.

We are very excited that Kekoa is a healthy little boy. He was born on Valentine's Day. He weighed 5 lbs, 12 oz (later 5 lbs 13 oz in the nursery), and was 19.5 inches long. He is a very content little boy. We have only really heart him cry when he was born, and right after. We are excited for you to meet the new member of our family. Kekoa is pronounced (Kay-Ko-Ah). It is Hawaiian. It means brave, strong warrior. We thought it was fitting. We will call him Koa for short.

This was taken right after Koa was born. There was a team of doctors waiting for him. He did very good.

We found out that Koa is a thumb and finger sucker. This was minutes after delivering. His eyes are still puffy.

Our new addition to our family. Sorry you can't see his face clearly.

I am still very puffy at this point. Gabi is a very proud big sister. Kai isn't so sure. He wouldn't even come to me when they came to the hospital. I'm sure he will in time love his little brother just as much as we do!



Gabi already helping mommy out.


Gabi and Kai with daddy in the hospital room.



Gabi and Koa.


This is when she first saw him. She was happily checking him out.


Koa has only cried when he was born and right after his bath. He is a very mellow baby. We are sure that will change soon. :)

This is one of the times he cried. He was good all through his bath, and then when they took him out of the warmer, he got mad. Nathan loves this picture. He looks like an angry old man.

Our content little Koa.

This shows how tiny he is. Nathan's hand is twice as big as him. It will take awhile to get used to how tiny he is.



Look how big the newborn diapers are on him.

The proud Grandma and Papa.

We found out today Koa is in the high risk level for his jaundice, so he was put under lights today. We are very happy about this. Having to come home with two previous kids and bili-lights was not fun. Hopefully the hospital lights will be all he needs, and we can all go home tomorrow!


All stretched out.

This is Koa's first bath. He was very content and didn't cry. Hopefully this will continue for baths at home.

Kai's Birthday Party

We had a family birthday party for Kai's second birthday. It was great to be able to spend time with family members.

Kai loves balloons! They have been bopping them around the house non-stop since we brought them home.

We had wanted to have a pirate themed party because Kai is always going "Argh" at people. They just don't make little boy pirate things. So, we went with another passion of his...trains. Here Kai is going "Ooh Ooh, all aboard."


Uncle Michael was nice and helped Kai open his presents.



Kai opened these puzzles and then decided he didn't want them. He was trying to rewrap them in this picture. Gabi has been playing with the puzzle for hours each day since the party!



Auntie Rachel and baby Brayden....who isn't going to be a baby for long. He turns 1 in just a month!

Kai got a remote control car. He was not happy that it would not do what he wanted it to do. There was a point during the party that he screamed and cried for probably 30 minutes. Very embarrassing when you have everyone over at your house! He finally calmed down in time to have cake.

Kai's Thomas the Train cake.

Thomas balloon.

Pirate balloon. We always get our kids balloons for their birthday.

Gabi got a new drawing board that she can practice writing her letters. She has gotten very good. She can write pretty much anything you tell her to. You just need to tell her how to spell it and she can form the letters herself. She will be very ready for kindergarten in another year and a half!

Uncle Jason and Brayden.

After singing Happy Birthday Kai started grabbing things off the cake.

Brayden showing off the conductor party hats.

Kai loves his Uncle Michael, will always go right to him....which is rare for Kai. He is very particular about the people he likes. Michael is so good to play with him! Funny thing is, Kai looks A LOT like Michael at his age.

Uncle Jeb and Kai being pirates. Kai almost looks more like a Cyclops. :)

The morning after the party we let Kai explore his new toys again. He loves his Little People's car track.

Nathan made everyone fajitas for dinner. This is just a picture of the aftermath. I think we dirtied every pot and pan in the house. It took three loads in the dishwasher to clean up! We loves his fajitas, so it is worth it! I will clean up anytime he wants to make them!

Kai "Choo Choo-ing" the following morning.

Kai was so overwhelmed the night of the party that he didn't pay attention to the small things, like the cards, clothes, etc. The following morning he discovered the card that his Papa picked out for him. It is of little kittens meowing Happy Birthday. He listened to it over and over for a LONG TIME! Check out the video below to see how excited he was. He just stood there opening and closing it over and over. Papa picks out the best song cards!

Birthday Videos

Singing Happy Birthday and Kai blowing out his candle.

This is Kai enjoying the card that his Papa gave him.