Sunday May 18th

Well I had hardly any sleep last night... All I wanted to do was be at the hospital with Wesley.  When we finally got there he was passed out asleep.  We got some cute pictures that I will need to upload on the computer.  We shared with the nurses all my adventures being a vet and talked about all our dogs.  They say Wesley is such a sweet baby and how cute he is.  I said aren't they all at this age and size?  I am glad they like him though ;). 

How could u not like him?! ;)

One of the nurses gave us some ideas for pictures, so we took our wedding rings and washed them real good and placed them on Wesley's wrist.  Well joes was huge on him, but mine would have been hard to get back off his hand if we pushed too hard.

Amazing how big Joe's ring is on him!

We also bought a stuffed hippo in the gift shop to lay next to him for pictures.  And one day we can give the hippo to Wesley and show him how small he was.  Those pictures are on the camera though.  

Wesley did have another transfusion last night but won't need another for a while. He still is having periodic drops of his heartrate and sometimes he needs stimulation and sometimes he recovers on his own.  He had one episode while we were there.  The Dr restarted feeding him around noon.  I'm sure his belly will be happy.  Dr. Said in about 2 weeks we should be able to transfer him safely.  Yay! 

Wesley started to have trouble with having rapid breathing.  The nurse suctioned his nose, flipped him on stomach, checked temp and nothing

 Helped.  The respiratory therapist came and used a device to pound his chest to get him to cry and break up any gunk in his lungs.  Still no luck.  Then she stuck a catheter down nose and suctioned some gunk and that seemed to do the trick.  About that time we decided to head home.  It's always so hard to go. 

Love you baby Wesley and we hope to see you again soon!

Saturday May 17 Wesley is 2 weeks old!!

Wesley is doing well with his breathing, heart rate dropped again this morning but he recovered on his own.  Dr called and said he is doing well on breathing and said still too soon for transfer but it's getting better yay!  His red count was low so he said they would do a transfusion today.  He is tolerating his food but they will discontinue feeds while transfusing.  The nurse said he gets caffeine in his IV, I thought this was interesting.  I don't think she was joking. 

Tonight we were trying to decide what to have for dinner and the thought came to mind about going and staying the night at the McDonald house.  Only 10$ key deposit and the stay is free! Just have to have hospital call them to prove we have a baby there.  How cool is that?!?!

We arrived in Monroe and checked in to the McDonald house.  It's fully stocked with snacks, drinks and food you can cook.  Pretty nice for a free room.

Got to the hospital and Wesley has another roommate.  Now he isn't the only boy.  This one is smaller than Wes was when he was born.  Prayers for the little guy.  The two girls he's been bunking with seem to be doing well too.  Wesley got his blood this afternoon and he was nice and pink for us.  I asked about the caffeine and it's true.  They use it for the apnea (stopping breathing). So even Wesley gets his morning cup!

Wesley greeted us with a wave today!  He is filling out.  He's just a hair under 2lbs!!!! Yay!!! His head is rounding out and looking less come shaped too.  We have a looker here.  Ladies watch out! Of course I'm biased ;). 

Joe was ecstatic to see his prints on his incubator.  He didn't think they made them.  We will take them home tomorrow.  How cute are those tiny toes!

He started to ham up the camera with smiles before we left.  Poor guy has wires all over him.  

We will be back in the morning to see our little buddy.  Good night all!

Friday May 16

Waiting for dr to call but nurse says he's doing well. Breathing good, no feeding yet, heart rate stable.  I dread the day they tell me otherwise.

Every time I see a baby on tv I get sad and think of Wesley.  I want to be with him, hold him, talk to him... It's not fair.  But I am thankful he is getting good treatment and is doing well.  

His bedding came today! Boy that was fast.  Now he needs a bed to put it on haha.

Dr calls when I'm in a room and he didn't even try to call clinic.  I hope if something was wrong he would.  I called back and my nurse was in the bathroom and they took a message for her to call me back.  She never did.  Ugh!

Made my usual 9pm call and the nurse said he is doing good and they started his feedings again at 1/2cc an hour.  Bili lights are still off yay! He did get bradycardic one time (slow heart rate) and she had to stimulate him and he went back to normal.  This is her first time having Wesley so she wasn't sure if that was norm for him and I told her they never had to stimulate him.  She assured me that it was normal for preemies.  She told me the dr consulted with another dr in New Orleans about the thyroid and they said to test in a week.  

I can't wait to see my boy on Sunday... It can't come fast enough!

Thursday May 15th

Wesley is doing great so this won't be much of a blog today.  He was having some episodes of bradycardia yesterday (slow heart rate) so they watched him close today.  He is doing good on the machine in his nose for breathing and they are gradually weaning him off of it.  Still no feeds today but that will start tomorrow. Dr said so far the culture is negative and if the final is negative they will discontinue antibiotics.  His belly is looking good, no distention. Alert and happy!

Just called for the night update and nurse said all is good and they checked his bilirubin and it was good so the bili lights are off yay! His heart rate has been stable too.  I asked if they checked his thyroid bc yesterday the dr mentioned they would but she could not find it in the chart so I will have to ask tomorrow.  I keep forgetting to ask his weight ugh! But prob good bc it goes up and down and I may get discouraged if it goes down.  He was sound asleep when I called... I wish I could just sit there all night and watch him sleep :( It's hard being far away.  I won't rush his arrival though.  I want a strong healthy boy when he gets here! 

It's a good day bc we see Wesley!

Wesley got his second gift today from miss Jenny from yogi and friends.  Can you guess what was on the outfits?!  Of course tigers and lions! Soooo cute!

Dr called later than usual... He seems like me, late to get in but will bust but all night if he had to.

He said something about air in his intestine (he has a very heavy accent so hard to interpret) and having to stop the feedings again.  Only on one bili light instead if two.  Doing well on breathing device that he is on.  They sent off another culture and results are pending.  His general screen showed possible low thyroid so they will send off another test tomorrow.  It may just be low due to him being "sick."

Today Joe and I left early to get to Monroe before visiting ended at 6. We arrived at 5:15 and the NICU nurse took off his mask and cap and removed the bili light so we could visit.  

He kept his eyes open the whole time and was following us.  He looks so good compared to the first time we saw him.  He is weighing 1# 14oz! She said he lost but that's more than the last weight I got on Saturday. One of his bunk mates started to cry while we were there and it startled him.  Joe reached in and Wes grabbed his finger and started to settle. Looks like the boys have hit it off!  Here is a video: http://youtu.be/Avqy_qGqt6M

Wesley was even smiling for us which was super adorable but I couldn't catch him with my phone.  Joe may have gotten it on the real camera but my laptop is at work so I can't upload them.  

Before we left we told Wesley that we had to go and he started to wave him tiny hand like he knew.  Made my eyes tear! Here is a little we caught on video: http://youtu.be/QTGlY1K6RM0

Drove home and grabbed dinner, then went to target to see what all they had.  Looked at all the beds and strollers and car seats OH MY! So many choices.  Guess I need to research!  And of course we browsed at the clothes which was dangerous.  We left with a few outfits we

Couldn't walk away from.  Only one I picked joe disapproved of but it's

Plaid which I love and it's yellow and blue which yellow is my fav color.  I love it!!  

We mailed out the documents for court next week.  Don't know the exact day yet.  Now I have to figure out with my schedule which day we can go back to see him this weekend.  Common Wesley heal thy lungs so you can come here!!!!

May 13 Wesley update

Today was my first day being responsible for what is going on with Wesley.  And today they asked me what his name was! That was the most exciting part.  They can finally call him by his name.

 I learned that his birth mom was pumping to supply him milk.  I had to give permission to use donor milk when that ran out.  Wesley is doing well in NICU. He    Was started back on feedings after his dr spoke with me.  He has had no brain bleeds and does not need another transfusion.  His blood type is A+ which means that Joe (O+) and myself (A-) can both donate to him if needed.  Our main focus is getting his lungs strong.  His labs are all normal and no infection.  They tell me he isn't a fussy baby.  The nurse tonight was so happy she could tell me anything and she was very excited for Joe and I. 

We received our first Wesley gift today from Ms. Markham.  She gave him an adorable stuffed blue owl and a cute outfit that says Prince Charming on it :)

We decided to go with a hippo nursery theme that is green and chocolate.  I can't wait to see all the hippo stuff come in!

Tomorrow we will go see Wes for the 9pm visiting.  It's hard going that late but from 6-9 there is no visitors.  Until then, not much to report!

Today is the day! Monday May 12th

Today is the biggest step in the adoption process... The signing of the surrenders by the birth parents.  Until this is done, the birth parents can change their mind. I can't imagine that feeling of getting this far and the adoption failing.  You can be out a lot of money with nothing to show in the end.  It's all based on a signature.  Ink on paper that will change your life and the birth families life forever. 

Originally the birthmom was to sign at 9:30am CST. I could feel my heart racing at work as this time approaches.  I used my heart rate monitor app on my phone and it was 114!  I kept forgetting to breathe and I was out of breath.  Felt like the beginings of a panic attack.  I took slow deep breaths to ease the stress.  10:30 they call and tell me they are both signing at 12:30.  UGH I was already worked up and now I have to wait more!

I kept on with work, luckily we were busy.  Time was going yet still felt like forever.  12:15 I head home for lunch.  12:30 approaches;  everyone is on edge and counting the seconds.  Wesley doesn't realize how big of a family he has.  So many people are following his story on FB.  12:45 comes and so do all the txt msgs and posts on FB.  No I have not heard anything. I was getting overwhelmed with all the people asking.  I was already stressed enough!  I do appreciate everyone rooting for him and us.  He is going to be one well loved and spoiled baby!

Almost 2 and no word.  I head back to work and again we are busy.   So happy we are busy but I just want to sit and stare at my phone until it rings.  

Why haven't they called!? 5:00 I've had enough and I call.  They were just about to call me.  They were working on faxing the surrenders to the hospital!  "They are signed!?"  Yes they were!!! Yay! The biggest hill to climb is over!

Next step is to go before the judge and put him in our name! 

The attny told me I should be able to be updated like previous so I waited until 9pm CST to call.  This is when the new shift nurse has been working a few hours and has all the info.  I call and the same one from the last two nights answer.  I ask if the chart has been updated and she said it had not.  When I told her they signed she was so excited for us.  She did tell me some but not details.  He is back on the bili light, they stopped his feedings again because he was having episodes of apnea (not breathing).  This is normal for this stage of development.  Sometimes they forget to breathe.  They changed his breathing machine and he is doing much better.  They ran some tests and all came back normal.  She said he is a good boy and isn't fussy.

I plan to call in the morning and get this straight so I can get more info.  I can't wait to see Wesley's name on his paper on his incubator.  

Joe and I were so excited and had been waitin to buy anything bc we didn't know if it was going to happen.  Joe really wanted Wes to have a suit so he found one in 3-6 mo and he had to buy it

No we just need an even to take him to lol.  We also bought a couple preemie sets and a newborn set that had hippos on it.  Hippos are Joe's favorite animal so it was a must have item!

Hopefully I have more updates tomorrow on his health.  At least we can now rest knowing we are one huge step closer to Wesley benign ours!