Due Date

Dear Samuel, 

Today, March 23, 2015, was your original due date. It seems crazy to think that today was the day we should have met you for the first time. That today was that day. What's weird is that the past 3 months have been kind of a blur and all too real at the same time. It just goes to show that things in life don't always work out as you plan....that someone else is in control....and even if that plan isn't what we wanted or didn't work out, in the end it's God's plan. And His plan is perfect. 

Look at how much you have grown in the past 3 months. Your mom and I have had the privilege of getting a "sneak peak", as it were. In reality, December 6, 2014, is your birthday; but in theory, today is that day. 

Photo by Kevin Schultz. Thanks bud. 

We are so happy to have you home. It feels like we have added hours in our days now that we aren't driving back and forth to the hospital. Did you know there are 24 hours in one day? Before, it only felt like 18 or so. Although, I think you got some of those hours messed up. Sleepy time should be from the hours of 8:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. and not 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. They must have forgot to tell you that in the NICU.

Other than not sleeping very well, life at home has been great. You are handling your brother's random outbursts of Thomas/Frozen songs well. He still hasn't grasped the concept of inside voices yet.

Overall, life has returned to a state of "normalcy" and I can't tell you how happy we are to have some. Even though we still have a long road ahead of us, I feel the worst of our journey is over. We can't wait to start the next leg of the journey that is life with you.

Happy Birthday, well sort of.

Love,
Mom and Dad

Home

Dear Samuel,

Today, you came home. Of course, I made a video:

Love, 

Mom and Dad

Testing...1....2

Dear Samuel,

What a difference a few days makes.....

Sorry that it's been a few days but we've had a lot going on! Your mom and I have been working on getting things ready for you to come HOME! Ever since reality has set in, we have been scrambling to get things ready at home. I think we are in a good place now but it's been a busy few days trying to get our live in order.

Last Friday, you were taken off of oxygen and have not looked back. I think it's safe to say that we shouldn't be needing it any longer! Then last night we removed your NG tube.

Your medical team thought it would be a good idea for mom to spend the night with you to help see if feedings would become easier with one person, instead of multiple nurses (And to prep for home). So she spent the night with you last night and you did pretty well (Mom is pretty tired today though). You also had a "hearing test" last night and passed with flying colors.

During the day today was another busy one! First, we had your "workout" with the Occupational Therapist. According to her, you are in the 50th percentile of all babies (not just premies) for muscle tone/movement/etc. (I'm not exactly sure how to explain it...I was just excited).

Next, we had your Car Seat Test where you sat in your car seat for an hour and a half to see if you had any de-sats. While you did have a few de-sats, they weren't bad enough for a failing grade (You must get that from me and not your mom.....You get the passing with flying colors from her).

Then you had your "procedure", for lack of a better term, which wiped you out for the rest of the day. You did really well during and after......you're one tough little guy.

Tomorrow, is the last "test day". You have an eye exam scheduled.

Pretty much, if that goes well we will be DISCHARGING on Friday. Yes, we will be coming HOME! We are beyond excited...and nervous....and anxious....and a lot of other emotions. There is so much more to say about this whole thing coming to a close, but we will save it for other posts. Hopefully my next post will have our whole family under one roof.

Love,
Mom and Dad

Reality setting in.....

Dear Samuel,

2 steps forward; 1 small step back.

Since coming off of O2 on Saturday, you had to go back on to a VERY small amount on Sunday afternoon. You have been off and on again throughout the week (mostly during feedings). However, when you are "on" O2, it's not the same as you were before. The O2 you were on up until Saturday was 1 liter of pressure but now you are all the way down to 0.02 liters of pressure. I believe one nurse said that you could actually blow air at you and you would get more O2 (which really isn't true but you get what we mean).

Feedings have been continuing to trend in the right direction. I believe the number that was thrown around today was that you are taking about 70% of your feedings by mouth. Tonight, when mom was down to see you, you took a "Full Feeding" while nursing. You've really had no learning curve whatsoever to taking feedings by mouth (Proving the doctors wrong, yet again).

Reality set in over the weekend for your mom and I, pal. On Sunday, your nurse told us that during rounds that your doctor started to talk about the possibility of you coming home. This weekend. Now, I don't think it's going to move that fast (because you are back on oxygen) but it still reinforced that we will be bringing home a baby. It's almost surreal; because we have gotten into our "new normal" routine and haven't really had time to get ready to bring a baby home! We figured we would have plenty of time to get ready! It was only the beginning of December......the Best laid plans, right?

Your mom had a cool "pay it forward" experience today too. I won't steal her thunder though, I'll let her explain:

Experienced a wonderful display of the good that is still present in the world. I am a part of a contest group on Fb, mainly for cloth diapers and baby items. A few weeks back a mommy noticed my profile pic and asked about Sammy. Last night I entered a contest for a baby carrier valued at $150 but lost. Woke up to find that the woman that won gifted it to me and bought one for another mommy with a sick infant, PLUS another woman sent money to the admin of the page to send me the newborn insert as well so that we can use it sooner. Needless to say I cried for a few minutes. I most definitely will find a way to pay it forward!!!!!

After all of the kindness shown to us the past few months, we plan on incorporating "Paying it Forward" into our lives as well. As parents, we hope that we can teach you how great it feels to Pay it Forward because let me tell you....We won't ever forget those who paid it forward for us. 

Love, 

Mom and Dad