Here we are, home again, around the flower pot!

The title of this blog is in honor of one of our favorite bedtime books...10 Shiny Snails. It is a tale of 10 snails who "go out to play one night" and how after having their own adventure they eventually wind back home again together, 'round the flower pot. In a way, I feel like this is what happened to our little family. Each of us has had our own adventure with some really fun days and a few scary days but now, we are all HOME!

Our sweetie came home this past Sunday after 42 days in the NICU. He still needs oxygen support to kick those apnea spells, but, we are making progress and it was enough for us to bring our boy home! It was equally as exciting and frightening leaving the hospital.

Frightening because...there is still a lot of questions as to what happened and why which remain unanswered; he is on a monitor at home (that could literally wake the dead when it does go off) but he had a nurse that was awake with him at night; navigating through the house with 50ft of tubing without tripping on either that or a toy that was not put away; even after having two kids you still have that moment of - oh crap I have to raise this tiny bundle into an acceptable human being.

Exciting because... he is healthy enough to come home; I don't have to drive to the hospital each day leaving my 4 year old to cry and tell me not to go; I can eat my own food and stay the heck away from the vending machines and their tasty Twix and Kit Kat bars; I only have to wash my hands (what seems like) 50 times a day versus (what seemed like) 100 times a day; we can finally take him on walks outside and get him on his playmat and all the other baby toys; and let's be real...Dorothy said it best...THERE'S NO PLACE LIKE HOME!

I actually didn't cry leaving the hospital like I thought I would. I think a combination of the above exciting/frightening overcame me, but also the bonds we have formed with some of the staff there are going to be lifelong. These people really become like part of your family - and how could they not? They have seen and cared for my sweetie more than anyone so far.

Some fun things/tips of the trade I learned while at Women's and Children's Hospital:
1) The aforementioned twix/kitkat habit that I picked up - fyi - it is cheaper to buy them from the vending machines than from the cafeteria.

2) I repeatedly heard Brahms's Lullaby playing, which I thought was either in my head or someone's cell phone ringer, even though I had heard it many times before (thinking I was losing my mind). Two days before we left the hospital I finally asked someone if I was losing my mind, to which they responded no (thank God) and that every time a baby is born, they play it on the loud speaker. It's pretty cute. But my vote is some good dance music to play when a baby is born in the new hospital.

3) The first patient/visitor elevator goes really fast - so fast that I'd feel dizzy every time I'd get off. Thing is you don't want to wait for another elevator because it may be awhile. Luckily, this will probably not be an issue at the new hospital.

4) I now know more NICU medical lingo than I'd ever care to know. If you ever need a rundown on blood gases, NIV, Q4, desaturation, or a myriad of other things, I'm your girl!

Life is good. God is good. Here's to this new adventure!

We always put him down one way and find him completely rotated shortly after.

Our favorite play mat!

Things I am grateful for today:

1) Baby snuggles in the privacy of my home, in a comfortable chair, with nothing to do except love on my little sweetie. And hopefully take a nap. 

2) The absolute generosity of not only my family and friends but of complete strangers that I have met over the past 6 weeks. We are so so grateful for everything you have done for us.

3) My baby boy - for his growth and increased strength, for his ability to remind me of how fragile life really is and how truly blessed I am no matter what challenges we face!