Pictorial Update (Just for you Dad!)

 On Thursday, September 12, 2013, I was officially released from the hospital.  It was the first time I was home in over 5 weeks. It was the first time that I was reunited with my husband and 2 oldest children.  While I was over thrilled to be reunited and home, but was beyond sad to be so far away from my miracle baby.  It was the first time in 7 months that I had been without him.   Tomorrow, CJ is officially one week old...but he should still be in my uterus as a 29 week and 2 day baby.  In his first week of outside world...well, NICU world, he has remained stable and has been progressing wonderfully.  Again, doctors and nurses can not explain the reason why he is doing so well medically.  However, I know that he continues to thrive and progress due to all of your prayers and well wishes.  Our baby continues to prove that he is a fighter.  When he was born, his lungs were stiff.  Due to this, he was put on a ventilator known as an oscillator to quickly vibrate his lungs to make them more flexible.  He was off of this ventilator in a little over 24 hours and moved to a small ventilator and after a little over 48 hours, he was moved to a CPAP.  The CPAP is not a ventilator, meaning it does not go through his mouth and trachea to his lungs.  It is oxygen through his nose and he breathes on his own.  The CPAP is as a reminder to him to breathe if he needs it.  Thankfully, he has been doing well on the CPAP and hasn't had any alarms set off!  He does have a feeding tube and gets fed about 2 ml of breast milk every 3 hours.  He has a PICC line through his neck instead of an IV.  This PICC line can stay for a long period of time and saves him from having to be re-stuck by an IV every few days.   The other other cords on him is a blood pressure cord and cords to monitor his temperature and heart rate.  To say that this is all he needs is beyond a miracle.  He is doing surprisingly well for as early as he was born.    As for me, recovery from a c-section has been way more difficult for me than my previous two vaginal deliveries.  I also think that the being on bed rest for over 7 weeks has had a huge effect on my recovery as I tire very easily since I try to compensate for not using my stomach muscles.  BUT I'M NOT COMPLAINING! My miracle baby CJ is alive and thriving as is my 2 oldest children.

Ok, now for what you have been waiting for...PICTURES!

Our first touch...about 6 hours after he was born...

Daddy and CJ...first picture together. 

Mommy and CJ...our first picture together...sorry for the scariness... I had lost a lot blood and was still not strong enough to stand for a long period of time.  I actually passed out from too low of blood pressure about an hour before this picture was taken..nothing was going to stop my from seeing my baby though! 

A day or two later...this pictures shows just how teeny tiny he really is. 

On Friday, the 13th...our miracle baby opened his eyes for the very first time!  This was also the day the graduated to the CPAP and off of the ventilator. Who ever said Friday the 13th was unlucky has never met our miracle baby! 

Most babies like to be snuggled up tight, to mimic how they were in the uterus...not our baby! He loves to stretch!

Today, he was moved from an isolated room to the "general population"...(haha..mini joke)...when moving him, he had to have his CPAP off.  I got to see his whole face for the first time today!

6 days after he was born, I got to hold my miracle baby in my arms for the first time.  Words can not describe the joy and blessings that I felt to be able to do hold him.  He, of course, took this as if it was no big deal and slept the whole time.  He was able to keep his oxygen, breathing, temperature, heart rate, everything completely stable.  The nurses were amazed at how well he did and kept commenting that he knew his Mommy was holding him.  Of course I fought back tears of joy the entire time...and every time I look at this picture! 

I'm still working on his birth story...hopefully I'll have the done next week...recovery has been rough!  Thank you all so much for your continued prayers, gifts, good thoughts, texts, and emails.  This journey is long from over, but we couldn't have came this far without all of your support!