12.22.15

Here we are – eight weeks in and about to celebrate our third holiday in the NICU.  It feels different this time though – more hopeful, more stable, more happiness.  There’s something about Christmas time that rejuvenates a childlike belief that anything is possible and that miracles do happen.  We believe.

8 weeks (32 weeks gestational) Update:

weight: 1,515(3 lb 5 oz)| height: 17 inches

Health Updates:

In a nutshell- Brain bleed scans are still looking the same, blood is receding as doctors hope at this point!  Tolerating feeds and increased amounts of breast milk! Still breathing on CPAP and smaller prongs due to Jack ripping out his larger tubes!  Mom didn’t fall down stairs this week!  BADA BING BADA BOOM.

Exciting Jack Progress:

Jack has found his hands and stares at them with great scrutiny.  When he’s not judging his fingers he smiles A LOT.  He’s so alert these days and really seems to notice voices and we like to take credit for when he smiles but are certain it’s a little smirk after relieving gas or pooping inside Mom’s shirt during kangarooing (true story).

It’s becoming harder and harder to leave him at the end of a visit because he’s a real baby boy now.  As parents, it’s so unnatural to leave your baby – we keep looking back every step we take towards the door to make sure he’s not stretching out his hand for us to grab.  It’s the hardest thing for us at this point – to not look back.  We go to bed and wish the night away so we can rush back to his side tomorrow.

Eight weeks in and eight weeks to go until we would have been full term.  So much time has passed and so much time to come.  It’s a lot to think about that’s why we focus on each day and each day turns into each week and this week is Christmas week!  Jack’s first Christmas will be magical, we won’t let it be any other way and neither will his family back home or his family at Winthrop.  Holidays are to be shared with loved ones and fortunately for us we have gained a staff full of loved ones this year.  A staff that helps us believe every day that miracles* do happen.  

(*see below for miracle reference).