Well, today started off with even better news than last night’s. We got to her bed side at around 7:40 am and the nurse was just about to take some blood to check the gases. Once those results came back (which only takes about 3 minutes or so), the doctor said they will remove the tube! YEAH!!!!
She did very well and when we went back around 10:15 am after breakfast, they let us hold her! I can’t tell you how wonderful that moment was! We took so many pictures, you’d think we were new time parents! (I will download more pictures once we get home) And they have started bottle feeding her. The doctor says it is easier to monitor her while sucking on a bottle than it is while nursing. Plus, nursing takes a bit more energy. But they will allow me to start nursing her tomorrow. You can bet that I will be there at 6 am to start feeding her! I figure the earlier I start nursing her, the sooner we can go home. I also got to wash her hair this afternoon. It still had meconium in it and tomorrow, when they take the line out of her belly button, I can give her a complete bath. The nurse said it was very nice to have a parent be as competent as I was. I told her I have had some practice at this baby thing. :0)
The children can’t stay here at the House with us for there is not a room big enough. However, we decided that we really need our children down here with us, so Adam left at about 1 pm to go and pick them up. We received a voucher to rent a hotel room for 2 days. I will stay here at night and Adam will take the children to the hotel with him. That way, when I need to go over to the NICU at early times, I’m not leaving anyone here alone and he doesn’t have to get the children here so early in the morning. It is fine for us all to be here during the day, so we are okay with this arrangement. Not to mention that fact that the beds here at the house are those air mattress beds and when one person moves, so does the other person! Up and down, side to side is what we have been doing all night. So it will be nice for both of us to actually get some good sleep at night!
They should be here between 6 and 7 tonight. I sure am looking forward to seeing them! This is the longest I have ever been away from all of them, for I haven’t seen them since last Thursday night. It will be very, very good.