Our Routine

In the days following my discharge from the hospital, we sort of developed a little routine. Early mornings were spent hanging out with my sweet mother and with Johnathan, and then after I got all cleaned up and ready for the day, my mom would drive me to the hospital and drop me off to spend some time with Eli. She was such a superstar taking care of Johnathan...who was less than cooperative at times...but overall he really did love hanging out with his Grammy! We {LoVe} you, Grammy!!!

When I arrived at the hospital I would walk upstairs to the NICU, scrub up and walk excitedly over to where my sweet baby was sleeping. I got to change his diapers and help with the feedings, and eventually I got to try to breastfeed him...which was something that I was very much looking forward to doing. There is just something so incredibly calming & reassuring about being able to provide the perfect nourishment for your baby from your own body. It is truly an amazing experience...probably why I nursed Johnathan for 20 months!!!...and why I was anxious to see if Eli would be able to latch on and nurse too...which he was able to, like a champ! Haha! ;)

After spending an hour or so with Eli, I would walk downstairs and eat something from the cafeteria for lunch...a chef salad, a carton of milk and a cup of chocolate pudding!...and then after getting re-charged I'd head back up to the NICU...scrub up again...and then help out with the next feeding/diaper changing. Each time that I saw him he was making improvements, and it was so exciting to see him doing so well. The nurses were all so sweet, and the ones that stood out were named Susan, Maggie, Jessica and Brittany. They all were Eli's nurses at different times, and they all thought that he was so incredibly cute!!!

I met one of the other NICU mothers whose baby had been born at 25 weeks...he had been there for 8 weeks, and was doing really well despite his early arrival. It was nice being able to talk to her and to talk about our sweet little boys and their progress. I know that that sweet mom will be so happy to be able to bring her little guy home...he was getting to go home sometime in July.

After picking me up in the afternoon, my mom, Johnathan and I would hang out some more at home. After Aaron returned from work in the evenings, we would eat dinner, get Johnathan down for bed, and then Aaron and I would return to the NICU while mom stayed home with Monkey. And that's pretty much how things went for a few days. We really had no idea how long Eli would be in the NICU, so we were prepared to continue our little routine until our sweet boy came home. When I visited Saturday morning the neonatologist came by to see me while I was holding him and let me know he would probably be discharged the following day since he was doing so well!!! Hooray!!! It was much sooner than we expected, and Sunday was sure to be a happy day!!!

*Grace*

Sweet boy.

Look who else has the crooked pinkies!!! Like Mommy, Like Big Brother, Like Baby Brother!!!

Precious face...he had the ng tube (feeding tube) down his nose into his tummy to get his food until he was ready to take a bottle and then eventually breastfeed.

My tiny little guy! His arm has a splint on it to keep it straight since his IV was in his arm and he wasn't allowd to move it. Poor guy, he had his IVs changed out so many times. Little veins tend to be a bit tricky, and when one IV placement went bad they had to change it out, obviously. He had them in his arms, hands, and feet. Eventually by Saturday he was IV free!!!

Looks like big brother!

Dada and his precious son.

What a precious little face! Too cute!

I love my sweetie pie!

Little ball of love!

Snuggling with Dada.

Awake! Big brown eyes!

Tube-free!!! Way to go, buddy!!!

About to try to nurse...he was a hungry little buddy!

Enjoying time with my baby.

Happy Mommy!