As different as night and day.

First we would like to apologize for not posting a full update yesterday.  We all had a quite the crazy day and were just too exhausted to post a full update.  So here is yesterday's and today's update in order.

Mommy and Daddy roomed in with Josh in the "closet" in the NICU.  We spent the night trying to get some sleep while listening to all the sweet little noises Josh makes at night and being stuck on the terrible sleeping chairs provided.  While Mommy and Daddy didn't have a good night, Josh had a great night.  He had one episode of bradycardia during his 6am feeding, which resulted from trying to give him fortified breast milk without thickener (he apparently is a purist when it comes to his breast milk, he spits it out with the thickener in it).  We quickly switched him to nursing and some thickened formula and he did well with the rest of his feeding.  Mommy and Daddy were very comfortable with his home monitor and his feeding schedule.

Josh continued to gain weight well.  He was up to 2,406 grams, or 5 pounds 4.9 ounces.  After our long night, Mommy and Daddy were tired, but a little keyed up.  As we sat in our little closet watching our little guy sleep, our nurse practitioner was pleading our case with the attending - trying to convince the attending that Josh was ready to go home.  After some deliberation and discussion with us about our comfort level of caring for Josh, especially with his feeding issues, the attending decided that it would be all right for Josh to go home!!  In the mean time, Mommy and Daddy were convinced that this time (there had been 3 other "discharge dates" before now), Josh would be going home with us. 

Josh's discharge orders came in around 10:30am, and by noon, Mommy, Daddy, and Josh were leaving the hospital as quickly as legally possible, just in case the doctors decided to change their minds.  So Josh is home!!!

The rest of the day yesterday and today was spent resting, adjusting to having Josh home, trying to find a routine and restoring order to a house that has not been tended to much in the last 3 months.  Mommy and Daddy have also been working very hard to make sure Josh keeps his body temperature up.  With the current cold weather we are having, this has proven to be a bit harder then we thought Not that his temperature has been too low (we have been checking regularly) but our house has felt cold to us, so we are keeping a close eye on it.  We are pretty sure we have things figured out now and thanks to the space heater Grammie brought if feels more like the middle of August then the middle of February.

Josh had his first visit with his pediatrician today and she says that he looks great!  She did say that they would monitor Josh's heart murmur, and that if it does not go away, then he may need a follow up with a cardiologist.  Josh is on a apnea/bradycardia monitor at home, but has not had a single alarm since yesterday's 6am feeding.  He has an eye exam scheduled for Friday, a follow up appointment with his pediatrician next Wednesday (and once week for a few weeks to monitor his weight gain), an appointment at the neonatal clinic the following Monday, and a six month follow up with the hearing clinic.  Other than that, we have all just been enjoying being home.

That being said, we would love to have visitors come see Josh, but a few ground rules must be followed for at least the next three to six months.  Josh is still neutropenic, which means his immune system is weaker than normal.  This means that no children, and only healthy adults should come to visit.  After this, any visitors must wash their hands thoroughly before touching Josh.  If your children really want to see Josh, we can arrange a "window drive-by" where they can see him through the window. 

When interacting with Josh, people should be quiet and not do quick movements, as over stimulation can tire Josh out and he will just go to sleep.  He is still 37 weeks adjusted age, which means that even though he might be considered full term, he would still be a little early.  Also, he has been asked to do much more than he should for the last 11 weeks, which means he is very developed in some areas and a little less in others.  So even though he looks like a full term baby, he must be treated a bit differently while he catches up. 

We want to thank everyone for their love and support through this trying time for us.  We do not think we could have done nearly so well without you all.  Haley Long is going to start up meal rotations again, so if you would like to help, please contact her at haleyuf@hotmail.com.  Now that Josh is home, we will most likely not update this blog as often (daily), but we will post updates periodically. 

Daddy will be home for the next two weeks to help with the adjustment period and so he can spend lots of time snuggling with Josh.  Mommy will be home full time beginning officially next Monday, although she will not be returning to work before then.  We are excited to have the opportunity for Mommy to be able to stay home full time for this season of our lived.

Prayer Requests:

• Josh continue his good growth now that he is home
• Josh stay healthy and not get sick
• Josh maintain his ability to hold his body temperature well
• Josh's heart murmur go away on its own
• Mommy and Daddy catch up on much needed rest and develop a daily routine

Praises:

• Josh is home from the hospital!
• Josh's pediatrician says he is doing great!
• Josh met the cats!  They are not sure what to make of him.
• Daddy is able to be home with Josh for two whole weeks and Mommy will be home with Josh full time!

(View one of the closet)

(View two of the closet - yep, that's it, all the room you get for two adults and a baby)

(Mommy getting Josh all strapped into his car seat for the great escape!)

(He is definitely smaller than his car seat!)

(Our little family getting ready to go home (that is Josh's monitor on Daddy's shoulder))

(Sweet boy getting ready for his first doctors appointment - he is using newborn clothes as extra layers since they are still pretty big on him)

(Grammie and Josh sharing a moment together)

(Josh enjoying his first official tummy time)

(A full size view of our little pint size man - who was measured at 18.5 inches long today)