Day 5: Separation Anxiety

Today was a tough day for Mommy and Daddy. We went home this afternoon without any of our new babies. It was so much harder for me than I thought, and I knew it was going to be VERY hard for Amy. We got through leaving the parking lot and getting on the road home. OK, the tough part's over, now on to the good stuff!

The beans have learned about something new on Day 5... CLOTHING!
(New pictures are up for those who just can't wait)

One of the things I used to help cheer Amy up on the ride home was that she had a chance to pick out some outfits for new pictures. It worked pretty well.

Emily still has a few things to work on. The last day or so they've been working down the air coming in through the cannula. She still had two "incidents" last night where her O2 sat level dropped too low. She's gotten a new, slightly larger cannula and we start over. The LPN who examined her thinks it's possible she is experiencing some reflux (not unusual for preemies) that could be complicated her breathing. That might lead to her getting her feeding tube put back in until they get it back under control. Poor baby girl! I know how much she hates that. No temperature issues for her, at least.

Noah is picking up momentum. He is very happy to have all the unpleasant sticky tape holding tubes and Velcro to his little head long gone. He's becoming so interested in his surroundings, looking around, watching, listening. Almost distracting enough to get his attention off his bottle... *almost*. He's becoming quite popular with the nurses. (That's my boy!)

Sydney has also had all of her various tubes and tapes removed and she just gets prettier every time I look at her. I know I've mentioned her crossed eyes before, and she still does it. She's too adorable for words.

One of the NICU LPNs (the one who spoke to Amy right before the C-section) spoke to us about the beans today, detailing what we're doing about Emily's troubles and she also mentioned that the next step for Noah and Sydney will be weaning them off of the incubators into regular cribs. If they do well with that, then they will be coming home! We'll know it's almost time when they request their car seats to start putting them in a little at a time to get used to them. I can't wait, and I know Amy would love to have them here!

Amy has started getting results from her pumping and hopefully as that is added to their feedings they'll really start to pick up on their progress, especially little Emily. We went back this evening after a quick nap for Amy and a pumping session. Since Emily had already started feeding when we got their, Noah and Sydney got the breast milk added to their feeds. Emily will get some with her next feeding. The beans also met some new people tonight, Grandparents! My parents came for a visit during the feeding time and got to spend some time holding Emily and Noah while Daddy fed Sydney. Emily nodded off to sleep in her Grandfather's care after a bit while Noah fussed at his Grandmother just a little before settling down and going to sleep. Before that, the beans were dressed in new clothes and took pictures sitting together in Mommy's lap and Daddy's lap until Sydney demanded to be fed.

I know this post is getting long, but I just have a couple more bits to go...

After the above-mentioned visit, Amy went to a room they have at the NICU for pumping to try to get some more for the beans. She was successful, and after 45 minutes we were ready to drop off what we had with the nurses and go home. When we went in, one of the nurses looked up and said "You caught him!" It seems Noah had woken up midway through his nap and took another half-feeding worth of formula before he would quiet back down. We found him napping quietly in her arms. (again, that's my boy!)

Tomorrow I face my own hurdle to get over. I'm going back to work after what seems like such a long time, but has really only been five days. As hard as it is for Amy to leave her babies in a hospital it's a double whammy for me. My babies are in the hospital and my wife is at home and I can't help any of them. It's so humbling becoming a father and learning that no matter how small your babies are, they are so much bigger than anything you thought was important before they got here.

I need some ice cream now.

-John