At Home With Benjamin

One week ago today, we left the NICU and started the next chapter of our journey as a little family. In some ways it feels like it has been a month instead of a week. We spent the first days just trying to figure out how to be parents to a preemie at home. We still haven't figured it out, but are definitely getting more comfortable with it.

Benjamin is eating like a pro. I think his friend Aiden (see 5/2 blog) must have given him some pointers on eating. We are not sure how this is possible, but Benjamin weighed 4lbs 14oz on last Tuesday, and today he weighed 5lbs 14oz at the Pediatrician's office. That is exactly one pound gained in a week! He had lost several ounces in the NICU do to poor eating and diuretics the week before leaving and had just gained it back when we left. Do you think we should stop giving him ice cream, chocolate, and bacon? I'll have to ask his doctor about that.

Friday we had our first outing, a visit to Benjamin's Pediatrician. We must have looked quite the sight as we fumbled with a baby, a car seat, a monitor, and a tank of oxygen. I remember thinking that we must have looked like an uncoordinated team doing a three-legged race when they called our name to go to the back to the exam room. It's a wonder that we didn't trip over the wires and cords!

Saturday was a bittersweet day as we said our final goodbye to Brian's mom and celebrated her earthly life and passing to be with Jesus. It was good to see family and hear a few stories about her life. It made me realize that there was so much about my mother-in-law that I didn't know and want to learn so that I can pass down stories to Benjamin about the Grandma that anxiously awaited his arrival and dreamed about swinging on the front porch and sharing a cookie with him. I wonder if heaven has a front porch swing and cookies? If so, I hope that Helen is enjoying a good swing and a chocolate chip cookie with Jesus. Here's to you, Helen. We miss you.

With the events of last week over, as family members go back to work or travel back home, it is time to start a new "normal".

New things to pray for: Benjamin is very snorty and plagued with boogers (sorry, but there is no real gracious way to talk about snot.) He gets plugged up and has a hard time breathing. They also plug his cannula sometimes, which of course blocks or limits the oxygen he gets. I have become good friends with the bulb syringe, especially at night. Please continue to pray for health as we slowly start to expose Benjamin to more of the world, and for strength of lungs and the ability to remember to breathe so that we can work toward being cannula, monitor, and tube/wire free!

Thank you for your prayers and praises to God on Benjamin's behalf!

Jamie