Taking a Look Back: Jeremy's NICU Stay (Part 2)

This story is broken up into a few different blog. This is the fourth.

Find the first three here:

Taking a Look Back: Jeremy's Pregnancy

Taking a Look Back: Jeremy's Bed Rest and Labor

Taking a Look Back: Jeremy's NICU Stay (Part 1)

We are on Day 8. This is the day of our baby shower:

5/1/10, 8 days old: Today is your baby shower. Daddy and Mommy are feeling so blessed by the love everybody around us is showing! You got so many cool things! We came to see you at 8pm today. Mommy called every three hours (after each feeding) to see how you were doing! You didn't eat very much because you got circumcised today and were very sleepy after. Allison was here all day with you. Matt and Tammy came to visit you, too! Tammy held you for awhile. Matt prayed over you. We are so thankful for them in our lives. You only nursed for about 10 minutes. But we can tell you are getting stronger each day!

5/2/10, 9 days old: Mommy had a rough morning at church, missing you. I have such a hard time when I am away. I was crying in the bathroom. Summer Christopher came in and hugged me! I really needed that! I just want to take you home! I need to allow God to be in control and be ok that I am not.  Mommy got here at 12pm today to nurse and you DID! You have taken 4 bottles all on your own and then nursed! I am so proud of you! We got plenty of skin-to-skin today! It's amazing how God made our bodies so perfectly. My milk stays up and is increased when we get lots of STS! GiGi came to visit. Daddy came to being me dinner and visit with you! We had to go to a class to learn how to take care of you when we get home. We both thought it was LAME! Hehe! We are so anxious to take you home and show you your room, even though you will be sleeping in our room for a few months! We

came back to see you after the class. Arlene had already given you a bath. You smelled so good!

5/3/10, 10 days old: We had a great report on your eating today! In 24 hours, they have only gavaged 42cc. That's less then 1 feeding. When I got here you had just finished ALL of your bottle and were wide awake. We played with the toy Allison gave you. At one point I changed you and got ready to do STS but you were acting like you ere hungry, so I tried to nurse you . . . and you ate for about 15 minutes! This is the first time you have shown an interest in eating!! I was so encouraged! We had some sweet STS time for 1.5 hours. You slept so peacefully while I sang and read to you. I tried to wake you for your next feeding but you were konked out! So I let you sleep and pumped. Brandy (your nurse today) says she can tell I nurse you when she tries to give you the bottle. I love that! They suggested I bring in a different bottle that breastfed babies tend to like more. So I will tomorrow.

Left: Your little nose cracks me up! It's lopsided because you came out sunny side up!
Right: I know this is a little creepy! But it remiss Daddy of his friend Jeremy Bohlman (whom you were named after).
His nick name was Crazy Eyes because he did this with his eyes!

5/4/10, 11 days old: You are getting better and better at eating! You drank the entire contents of 3 bottles last night! I took stats today to show how well you are doing:
You have to eat 56cc at each feeding!
12pm: Nursed 46cc, Gavaged  10cc
3pm:   Nursed 36cc, Gavaged  20cc
6pm:   Nursed 14cc, Gavaged  42cc
As the day wore on, nursing wore you out. You are a little fighter though! The Nurse Practitioner told me if you drink 90% of your feedings in the next 24 hours you can have your NG tube out and eat what you want the next few days and see how your weight goes. That's one step closer to coming home! Daddy is on his way to eat dinner with me and see you. I can't wait to tell him the good news. We fall more and more in love with you each day! You are so precious!

I love all these expressions! I can still see them today!
You looks like a little frog on the middle one!

5/5/10, 12 days old: Mommy only stayed a few hours today. I am really sleepy. During the night when you are awake eating, I am awake pumping. You took your NG out 3 times today so the NP said we can leave it out because you are doing so well eating on your own!! You drank all your bottles throughout the night and even cried for MORE!! This is music to Mommy's ears!! Thank you, Jesus! Can you believe I didn't take any pictures this day? Oy!

5/6/10, 13 days old: You are still gaining weight and eating on your own! They are saying they may discharge you Saturday or Sunday (today is Thursday!). I am so excited! Just in time for Mother's Day! How sweet! Daddy sat STS with you today while Mommy read a book to you both. The pictures are priceless. We got all the things we needed for your room today with the gift cards from your baby shower! You are such a lucky little man!

Precious

5/7/10, 14 days old: YOU ARE COMING HOME TODAY!! I called to check in on you at 9am, as I do every morning and Sharon (your nurse today) told me the good news!! Mommy and Auntie are deep cleaning the house this morning! Daddy is on his way home from work. We to to the hospital and Sharon had everything ready in bags ready to go! Mommy had to sign a few papers and off we went! You had about 7 nurses come to say goodbye to you! They all say you are SO cute! You  are still tiny, weighing in at albs, and need to keep gaining weight. You also have times where you stop breathing. It scares us but that will go away as your lungs develop.

Top: Buckling you in!
Bottom Left: Sierra meets you for the first time!
Bottom Right: Ready to go! Look how small you are in that car seat! 5lbs 1oz!

See his progress from the first year:
Taking a Look Back: Jeremy's First Year