A Happy Wednesday

We got to visit the hospital today, just Skip and I, thanks to Aunt Heidi and her sis-in-law, Eleanor--thanks ladies!! We were hoping that by being there for 3 hours on our own we'd get a lot of time to hold our little man (and many photo opps were scheduled in my mind), but we had strict nurse lady today. She wouldn't get him out until his feeding time, which was about the time we'd planned to leave. We finally got to hold him, and she did suggest/allow me to try to nurse Zach!!!! It (understandably) wasn't a "perfect" situation being the first nursing session, but we are going to slowly start this learning process. The nurse was describing to us that he has to learn to suck, something that doesn't usually happen until 34 or 35 weeks, and that we'd have to train him. It was a great first try and we will continue to try again. Daddy got some good holding time in after I tried to nurse him and as usual Zach was wide-eyed and extra awake for daddy-o. He is just so super sweet!

We went up last night, as well, and had planned to take turns w/ the big kids in the family waiting room. When we were approaching the hospital, Calvin got super excited, saying, "go hospital, see Zachary." We were quite surprised by his excitement, and honestly couldn't deny him a visit to see his baby brother. They didn't do too bad, just normal 2 and 4 year old energy trying to be contained in the NICU--you can only imagine! I got to hold Zach and the kids could see him better that way. They touched his foot, which was under a blanket, and that seemed to make them pretty happy. I, of course, forgot the camera, and missed a cute moment. I know I'll have many years of snapping pics of the 3 together!

Zach is staying at 3 lb 8 1/2 oz for now, and tolerating his feeds super-well. Unfortunatly we had to face our first step backwards, all-be-it a minor step! They had to put the nasal canula back on Zach as he had a "spell" and was hovering toward the lower end of what they like to see. Zach just needs a very minor amount of oxygen to help him out and we are ok with that for now. If that is the only "bad" thing we have to face, it is not bad at all. They have taken away his heat from his bed and luckily we brought clothes for him today. He finally is wearing clothes!! The preemie outfit that seemed so tiny at home was large on him for now. It is so sweet to see him in clothing (doesn't that sound so minor?) and makes him seem more like my baby than just a little doll.

Have I described another minor new-mom thing yet? I can't remember, but will describe it again: changing Zach's diaper!! We are lucky enough to get to do 2 parent things, take his temperature and change his diaper. This tiny littly hiney (3 1/2 pounds remember) wearing a preemie diaper that is way too big for him. When he is poopy you have to try to wipe him down, but keep all the wires out of the way, inside of his isolette, working thru these 2 small hand holes. I honestly feel like a helpless new mommy who has never in her life seen a diaper before in my life!! If you actually need another wipe you have to reach outside of the isolette and rather far away from the baby to get to the wipes. Then, trying to put his diaper back on and trying to get it tight enough and tucked under, wires out, feet not crooked, working around all the extra equipment. It is seriously difficult!!! I guess maybe when we come home all those diaper changes will be easy, right? God has a way of making you see things thru different eyes every once in a while.

We are waiting on some blood results to come back this week, so positive prayers for a good result! We also have a cranial scan scheduled first thing in the morning. It may be a day or 2 before we get results, and again, positive prayers for good results!! We know there are many hurdles still to jump, but Zach continues to prove to us that he truly is our miracle baby!