Due Date and Inching Towards Home

October 20th.  The date circled on my calendar for nine months now, is here.  My due date.

Back in January when I began my IVF cycle, who would have known it would turn out like this.  I was looking forward to a fall baby, and spending the end of 2010 as a new mother, at home getting to know my child.  I always joked that I hoped he'd come early, because I thought having a birth date of 10/10/10 would be very cool.  I didn't mean 4 months early!

Taken minutes after birth by a nurse with
John's cell phone.



If you look closely at the top of
the picture, you can see my face in the
background laying on the
operating table.  Scared to death.

Today is a bittersweet day for me.  We missed out on so many things that new parents are supposed to experience.  [A whole third trimester.  A baby belly.  Labor.  Holding our newborn son.  Leaving the hospital with our baby.]  Instead we got the most terrifying day/night of our lives the day he was born, 5 weeks until we held him the first time, and 114 days in the NICU so far.  But, we also have Andrew.  And that makes today wonderful.


Hanging out with my boy earlier today

J and I are very, very lucky that Andrew is here with us today.  I can't even imagine facing today's date if things had turned out differently after his early birth.  Our little boy is a fighter, and already has brought us so much joy.  Each day, as he gets stronger and more alert we find ourselves smiling more and more.  His personality is beginning to show too - he's outspoken, determined, and is a cuddle-bug for sure.  We love him so much!


Hey!  Can someone get me a paci over here?



Much better.



A bottle is even better!



Food coma.  Cuddles are good.



I see you, Mommy!

Just a quick update since the last post.  Things have gotten better this week.  The doctor ordered a bunch of tests to see if anything else was going on (besides the immunizations and increased feeds) to cause his spells and increased respiration rate.  He had lots of bloodwork done to look for signs of infection (none), an echocardiogram of his heart to see if he had indications of pulmonary hypertension (negative), a swallow study to see if he was aspirating when he took the bottle (he's not), and an Upper GI to confirm reflux (he is.)  Luckily, everything came back fine.  He's been spell-free for a few days now, and we are beginning to bottle-feed again.  We'll work up his feeds at a slower pace this time, and hopefully he will handle it all better.  We're hopeful that he'll still be coming home in the next few weeks, but not making any predictions on dates just yet.

But...we can't wait for that day!  It will always be one to remember and celebrate.  Who needs Oct 20th?



Happy family