14 Weeks

We’ve had a Very Busy day! I have to say I have completely LOVED getting to take care of Ryan! It’s been a tiny glimpse into what life should and hopefully soon will be like.

In order to take a bottle they insist that he be swaddled. He isn’t enjoying swaddling much. He pretty much demands to be able to move his arms/hands!

I’m looking forward to many more early morning with my little man! I can’t help but smile this morning as I held him in my arms and listened to his little ‘voice.’

Poor little guy is having some tummy issues. He has tremendous gas! He would most certainly make his Papa proud! Hopefully he will be taken off the iron supplements soon so he’ll have more frequent stinky diapers and less tummy troubles!

Today Dr. B told us that he remembers Everything about our little man. He said that he knows Exactly who he is when he sees his isolette cover. He discontinued Ryan’s caffeine today. We are praying this transition to life without caffeine goes smoothly. They will be watching him closely for heart and pulse ox drops over the next several days.

Ryan has been scooting himself around his snuggly lately. This morning I caught him worming his little body toward the edge of the isolette then stopping once his little fingers were touching the sides.

I had my first Thanksgiving cry this morning. I’ve had the privilege of holding Ryan in my arms while eating my meals the last few days. Today at lunch I was thinking how thankful I was to get to opportunity to spend a few days with my son when it hit me. I should be feeding a 6 month old this Thanksgiving. It’s hard. I wouldn’t trade Ryan for anything in the world but at the same time my heart aches for my first little man.

Once I pulled myself together I ‘snuck’ Ryan his first (microscopic) taste of sweet tatters. Dean still insists that Ryan will be able to eat Christmas. Momma just beat Daddy to the punch!

Sadly our time in Ryan’s private room came to an end this evening. I’m still having mixed emotions about his move. It’s hard after 14 weeks getting a taste of home then switching back to life in the NICU.

We did have a little bit of fun while they were moving Ryan to his new room. Dean and I went a picked out our Christmas tree for Ryan’s First Christmas!

This is the first year that we were able to pick out our tree before the crème of the crop had been picked over!

The farm smelled Amazing!

Since our first Christmas Dean has taken my love for Christmas and impressed me with his Christmas tree picking abilities!

HE found our Christmas tree this year. (Of course we looked around before buying but he had listened and seems to understand what I expect in a tree)

Funniest thing is we saw a couple measureing their tree according to their husbands hight. .. .not two hours earlier Dean and I had the same discussion at lunch that a tree about his height would be perfect for the house! Since we saw another couple with the same methodolgy we are now sure that this is an acceptable form of Christmas tree measurement!!

A visit to the tree farm is never complete without seeing the animals.

I may have to rethink Ryan’s tree cutting ensemble.
Apparently Camo and barnyard animals gets kind of interesting!

You wouldn’t think goats would stray from tin cans but they
seemed to be very interested in Dean’s Camo jacket.

The donkey tried to get an early supper when Dean went to pet him!
He started nibbling at deans arm. Saddest part about it the poor
donkey left his hay to ‘taste’ Dean’s shirt!!

When we arrived at the tree farm Dean swore up and down that he saw a baby pig
and I HAD to see it after we bout our tree. We get to the pin where he said
he saw it and no sign of a pig what-so-ever!

Dean once again insisted that the markings on the ground were made by the pig and that it had to be hiding inside the barn house. Smarty Pants me says “Here piggy piggy piggy.”

 

 

As if right on cue the baby pig comes runny and snorting out of the house and straight to me!

Overall we had a very nice day. I can’t lie and say I don’t miss caring for my little boy. I’m just trying to keep it in the front of my mind that this is a step toward coming home. We shouldn’t be in this unit to terribly long. Dr. B said today we should be safe in thinking that we can have our little one home by Christmas!

Part 2

We’ve had a very nice day with Ryan! He did well with his physical therapy. He has been very gassy today and that took a toll on his bottle feeding today.

He did take 5mls with his physical therapist today. She taught us a few “tricks” to help Ryan along.

We learned how to hold his head so that it is easier to swallow with gravity
And also how to bring his cheeks forward and jaw lifted!

He was very tuckered after his bottle feed that he slept nearly up until the exact hour of his next feeding!

Ryan enjoyed a very long nap in Mommy’s arms this evening. It was pretty bitter sweet this afternoon. Tonight will be out last night to room in. There are several little ones who are set to go home in the next few days so we are moving across the hall and will meet our new roommates in the morning.

Daddy came by and had dinner with us this evening. He helped Mommy with Ryan’s diaper change. I’m sure Ryan was pretty confused when Daddy changed his diaper on top of the pillow atop the bedside table!

Ryan wore his first newborn diaper tonight! It is completely! Swallowing him whole!!

Daddy also helped with Ryan’s weight this evening.He gained 30 grams and weighed 1700 grams!!That is 3lbs 12oz!!!!

We are settling down for the night! Gammie will be back after work to help Mommy “tag” team the munchkin tonight!

Part 1

We Survived!!

We all (Ryan, Mommy, & Gammie) made it through our first night with what I feel are flying colors!

Ryan is continuing to wake around 30-45minutes before his feedings. He seems to do well if we change him and take his temp before his feeds start.

His respirations were up overnight so we weren’t able to bottle feed him again overnight but the physical therapist will be here around 10! We are going to get the opportunity to participate in his physical therapy then bottle feed Ryan this morning.

I am very thankful for our overnight stay with Ryan. I’m already starting me a “Things I’ve learned from Ryan’s Rooming In” list.

Number one. . . There MUST be a change of clothes within arm’s reach of whatever changing station we use overnight! We’ve been doing very well strategically placing diapers during feeds but inevitably at 1 in the morning the little stink will find a way to urinate NOT in the diaper during the change but on his onsie!

New Very BIG BOY Room!!

Ryan was moved to a new room last night. His Nurse B called me first thing this morning to let me know that he had his own private room and that I could (needed) to bring up things for his room.

She was tickled this afternoon when she was able to hold Ryan. She calls him ‘our boy.’ She was over the moon that she was able to hold him! She says she tries to leave the holding for mommy/daddy.             

 

 

I had a blast with my papaw and grandma this morning!

 

 They will celebrate their 65^th wedding anniversary on New Year’s Day!

 

 

We had a miniature photo shoot this morning for their anniversary announcements.

We just made it through the standing water on I30 before it was shut down!

 

 

Ryan had two bottles today. He took a bottle from Mommy this morning. (8mls)

 

He took a total of 13mls from his daddy! That is just about half of his regular feed!

I Loved having us all here in the room with Ryan. It was almost like his birth was ment to be. There was a daddy feeding the little one that bottle, a mommy sitting up next to them in the bed, and a gammy helping out! Mom said this morning felt similar to the call that she thought we’d be having around this time of the year. Instead of waking her up to go have Ryan i woke her up because he was in his own room and we were going to be allowed to really ‘care’ for Ryan!

Our little man must have loved his time with Mommy today. He gained 85grams!! That is 3lbs 11oz!!!!! We are getting ready to settle in for the night! So far so good . . .
let’s home little man gets a little bit of sleep!!

91 Days

I didn't realize we were this deep into Ryan's hospitalization.

Ryan's doing well. The doctor increased his calories to 26 and increased his amount per feeding to 30mls every 3hours.

Dean and Mimi took me out to dinner after work then we visited Ryan till nearly midnight.

I loved rocking him after work even though I cried nearly the entire time. I all I could think about is how that is what I'm missing each night. At times it hits me very hard that I'm essentially absent for his first 3-4 months of his life.

Ryan was weight was up again to 1580. That approxametly 3lbs 8 oz.

Ryan has figured out all too well that when mommy comes to see him at night that after he falls asleep none of his family will be around for a while. It hurts deep to walk away and leave your baby but it's especially difficult when he knows your leaving and tries his hardest to stay awake.