The Eve of Jack's Due Date

Well Jack is due tomorrow!

This might be what I would look like if he was still where he was supposed to be. 

This little wrap situation has been fabulous for when Jack has been fussy and I am trying to get things done. Just toss him in there.

Its a whole heck of a lot easier to carry him in this than in my arms all the time.

 This is my view of him when he's tucked in the pouch.

 Taking a cat nap in the sun.

 Jack in the potato sack.

Tummy time 

We went on a family outing to the forest. It was a GORGEOUS day and lots of others were out there enjoying the day with us :)

Steve had wanted to go target shooting for a while, so we took the opportunity to try a longer family get away. 

Mom and Jack stayed safe in the quiet car 

Daddy doing his thing. 

(sorry for the bad picture, but it's true to life... this was our view!)

And on another slightly creepy note, this is the other family (below) that was out there. 

Now, I KNOW this is not an activity that all of my thousands, ok hundreds, 

ok, 10 readers

 will agree with....

but this family was amazing. 

Mom and Dad and daughters all out there enjoying each other, laughing, talking, interacting, teaching and learning. Not one cell phone or electronic device. Just the family. They brought lunch and made a day of it. Mom and Dad were obviously quite accomplished and the girls weren't too shabby!

 So though it isn't an activity all would enjoy, I SO ENJOYED seeing this family. It reminded me of family time I had growing up and I can only hope our little family will have times like these in the future.

And even though I was in the car, I learned quite a bit just by watching! 

I wish we had gotten their names and numbers so we could be friends. 

ok, now I'll end my crazy obsession with this awesome family-ness.

And then there is our family. lol

Snuggling on the bed, watching a movie. 

Listening to Jack's baby noises gave us quite the giggles that night.

This is the "I'm done, I don't want to eat any more" face.

 

 Jack prays. 

Dear Jesus, please oh please give my parents the strength to get up lots and lots of times with me in the middle of the night. 

Amen

oh, and please help them to be civilized and kind people during the day time too after being up all night.

Amen again.

When we aren't taking cat naps, we've been making slow progress on other things in the house too.

The crib building process is complete, and it just needs some paint. 

Maybe next weekend if it's warm enough?

 

I finally got some pictures and frames up on the wall. It's taken me quite some time to figure out what to put on this wall. 

I don't usually have problems making decisions and committing, but for some reason, when it comes to choosing what to hang on the walls, I can't commit. 

These frames (from the best store on planet earth, World Market), are perfect because they make it SO simple to switch out the pictures inside.  

So, I don't have to commit. 

Love all around.

  

Lastly, this was a revision in the kitchen. It used to be all yellow frames, but those just hadn't been working for me in a while. 

The wall got an upgrade and it's more of a wall workstation now, which I love as it helps our small home be functional but not crowded. 

(The day I quit nursing, I will open up an organizing business. It gives me such joy)

 

Well, that's it. 

Tomorrow we'll celebrate Jack's due date by staying home.

Maybe I should make him a "Happy This Should Have Been Your Birthday" cake. 

:)

We love you Jack.

Life of Jack

So it's getting harder to chose pictures! 

All Jack does is eat, sleep, poop... repeat.

and I just don't want to post the same sleeping pictures over and over. 

However, since that is what he does, at least you can watch him grow.

Jack and I went to an appointment this week and he officially weighs in at over 9lbs.

Snuggled into Mom and Dad's bed while mom gets ready

 

He had to have his green on for St. Patty's Day

Shameless selfie. 

Not the best of either of us, but feeling the need to document that I was there for this journey and show my face in a few pictures with Jack. 

I told you he sleeps a lot. Except at night.

We have had a rough couple nights. I think Jack does fine, but his little sounds (that sound exactly like a billy goat by the way) keep us up. 

Looks so small still. 

Mama needed to get out of the house, so we bundled up and went for a walk. 

He's sporting the hat his Grammy knitted for him too.

Bailey and Jack continue to get to know each other. 

Bailey is still moping and not eating. 

So we're trying to let the two of them become friends. 

Here we are having family night. All 4 of us up on the bed. 

Bailey has never been so happy. 

Cuddles and play time with mama. 

I'm trying to keep Jack awake more before bedtime in hopes to get more 4 hour stretches at night instead of during the day. 

Tummy time! First looking left

...lift the head and turn...

...now looking right. 

Showing off is up up and away outfit. 

He's growing out of his newborn stuff already! 

Jack has been a trooper when I take him out on errands. We eat and then RACE out the door ASAP. I am utterly terrified of him getting hungry while we are out and I have no way of feeding him. 

We are working on the breastfeeding thing but have a couple stumbling blocks we're trying to overcome. So that makes it tricky. Yes I could bring a bottle, but then I have to find hot water to warm it and I'm still a rookie at this. So far we have tackled grocery shopping, costco, the mall and a couple appointments. 

I am still able to be productive at home which I was TERRIFIED I was going to get NOTHING done. However, I have a schedule that I am able to keep Jack fairly predictable with. This allows me to know when I have a 2-3 hour chunk of time to do laundry, dinner prep, cleaning the house or run those errands. 

We're settling in. Thanks for checking in :) 

I'll try to post more exciting pictures soon.

Glimpse of Life at Home

Well, I don't have many pictures of the week. We've been busy adjusting, but we're loving being a family of three. Bailey is going through an adjustment phase though.

Her appetite is down and she is mopy, with just not as much pep in her step. so we're trying to give her some love.

I've got the good camera out now though trying to take more photos of life. 

Here is the random sampling I managed to capture this week.

Maybe when Jack lets us sleep at night we'll get more, like with all three of us.

:)

Meeting GG Faye

 Jack is GG Faye's 12th great grandchild!

This one needs editing attention. Missed it somehow. 

 I was brave and went on a walk. 

I was tired after.

I used to be in shape. 

It was a 20 min walk.

I was tired.

Bed rest, I WILL fight back. 

When I can stay awake long enough.

Who ya got there mama?

 The boys.

Trying to take professional-esque pictures. 

I need more practice and more natural light in this house to make it easier.

 

 Bailey sniffing things out. 

She is gentle, even if she thinks Jack took her place in life.

NICU Discharge Day!!!

So it was a big week for Jack.

Tuesday he got his first vaccine. 

Wednesday he got circumcised.

Thursday he recovered. He also got his feeding plan changed from a set amount he was to consume every 3 hours (to gain weight) to feeding him per his cues and just track what he took to make sure he took a certain minimum amount.

Friday he got his feeding tube removed (this time by a nurse, not himself, and it was done on purpose!)

So Friday was a day we were mainly just trying to follow his cues and make sure he was eating and getting enough. A HUGE hurdle to meet before we could go home!

I had to leave the hospital for an appointment before the doctor came by, but later Friday evening we got a phone call with the doctor's update and she indicated he would be ready to discharge maybe Saturday, but probably for sure Sunday. 

WHAT?!?!!?

We were given the impression Monday would be a likely day, but tomorrow???

YAY!

Are we prepared? 

Holy smokes!

First some pics from earlier in the week.

This is how we walked in to find Jack Wednesday.

Sideways in crib, legs free and kickin, and he'd pulled his feeding tube again. 

Daddy is tired. The NICU schedule was wearing us down. 

Sweet boy after meal time.

Auntie finally got to cuddle with me. It was a good visit from sister!

Laying FLAT in the crib instead of at an incline. This is another milestone to reach before going home :)

The morning of DISCHARGE!!!

Grammy and Papa came to visit. Papa's gives loves to Jack :)

Jack testing out his new car seat all hooked up to the monitors.

He had to sit in it for 1.5 hours with no problem before he could be discharged. 

Jack had a sign in his room keeping track of his age (real and adjusted) and how much he weighed. This was his sign the evening we left and all the details of the day. 

The sign they hung on Jack's door. He was in room 3!

Feeding heating station. His feeding plan is the pink sheet on the wall detailing which nipple to use and how to help him be successful in learning to eat. 

The cleaning station. 

This is where I would clean all the bottles and pumping parts using my little pink tubs. 

The kangeroo chair. Many hours clocked in that chair doing skin to skin. 

The view many had of me if they came to visit during a time I needed to pump. 

They sometimes would see me peaking around, but mostly just my feet sticking out from under the privacy curtain. 

Steve's station. When Steve would be able to join us after work, this is the spot he set up in. 

Mama working on Jack's first feed without the monitors attached!

Jack's going home outfit!

 Waiting to be discharged.

Family picture before we walk out the door!

Getting packed up to walk out the door!

First breath of fresh air!

Packed in the car!!!

Bailey sniffing out the new addition. 

After his first meal at home. It's so good to see his little face at home instead of the hospital.

I've been busy pumping. This is what the hospital sent us home with from the freezer. 

Daddy feeding Jack!

We are so thankful for all of your love and support during this journey. We could not have survived with out every little thing you all did to help us out. 

Thanks for loving us.

Thanks for feeding us. 

Thanks for sending letters, texts and phone messages of encouragement.

Jack is one lucky dude to have so many surround him and love him even before meeting him.

WELCOME HOME JACK!