Feeling Better!

I think that I am finally coming to terms with having a "premie." For so long, I could not wrap my brain around that idea that I would have a little baby that would need some extra attention. I really envisioned myself going to the hospital, popping him out and then going home (preferably the Thursday before Memorial Day so that our family could all come out and meet him). That plan failed horribly!!

I have spent most of my days over the past two weeks in the NICU with Charlie. Seeing him improve each day has brought me comfort and I finally feel good that he is "OK." He has really started to grow and is changing each day. He is doing great. I have this sense of pride when the doctors and nurses talk about how great he is doing and how he is "ahead" of most babies his age/size. Just knowing that he is doing better and improving each day makes me feel so much better because I know that we are one day closer to getting him home and getting on with our lives. Soon, this will all be a distant memory!!

Today, Charlie was taken out from under the bili light. He is wearing clothes now and we are working to keep him self-heated. He will need to maintain his body heat to be able to come home. The doctors are weaning him from the incubator now (we hope that he can get out sometime tomorrow) and then he will get to sleep in a crib. From there, the last hurdle will be feedings. He is doing great with these as well. From what the doctors have told us, babies don't usually develop their suckling reflex until 36 weeks gestation. Since Charlie is still under the 35-week mark, we are ahead of schedule as he is already nursing and taking a bottle. The key now will be to get him to do one of these at each of his feedings so that we can take the feeding tube out. This is going to take some more time as he has to really strengthen all those muscles that he will need. He really is doing great though and continues to progress!!

I will work to get some more pictures on here tomorrow. It is amazing how much he has changed in just two weeks of life. They say that babies don't smile for several months, but Charlie has already been sporting a grin for nearly a week. It is the sweetest thing, especially seeing his dimples :) I can't wait for him to come home!!