when I started this blog five years ago, I was a pet sitter and the name animal-crackers made sense. now I'm a stay-at-home-dad and freelance writer, but rather than confuse everyone by getting a different blog, it's just easier to keep posting things here.

Andree's still at the hospital and likely will be until late next week. Then she's confined to bed rest until the baby is born. And if she starts to bleed again, she will go back to the hospital and remain there.

We're at 24 weeks now -- the very earliest a baby has even a chance of surviving with lifelong medical conditions such as cerebral palsy and mental retardation.

The goal is 28 weeks. At that point, Dylan has a 95 percent chance of developing into a normal, healthy child. So every day in the womb counts.

Unfortunately, the bleeding has led to contractions which lead to more bleeding. The doctor gave her magnesium sulate which reduces the contractions. It can also lead to lung failure if too much is given.

The doctor measured and weighed the baby. Dylan is 1 pound and 10 ounces -- at the 79th percentile. He's a big boy, and that helps with his survivability. Plus, Andree has received a couple of steroid shots that will accelerate Dylan's lung development. His Olympic dreams, however, are gone.

In short, the people at the hospital seem to be on top of things.