Welp, the title really says it all. I figure the sleep deprivation Ben and I are experiencing now will be nothing compared to my not sleeping when he's a teenager. I think I'm finally coming around to realizing that things are all right and that he is actually going to be a teenager one day. I spent all day, every day, for the last 4 months, worrying that something was going to go wrong. I was terrified that I would go up to the NICU and nurses and doctors would be swarming around him. I just knew that they were going to have to hit that code button at one point or another. Nope. It didn't happen. He's good. He's great. He's apparently a medical marvel. He has beaten all the odds. I should have no reason to be scared that things won't be fine from here on out. But I am. I think I will be for a while, but now that I'm aware of the problem, I'm trying to work through it. I have never seen a more perfect human being. He's sweet and pleasant (unless he's hungry, then he's a beast, but a very cute and quiet beast). He sounds like a gremlin whether he's eating, sleeping, or pooping. He sounds like Stripe, but looks as cute as Gizmo :) I don't throw the word miracle around very often. But uh, I'm the momma to one.
Welton's first week home was very busy. I know I mentioned the pediatrician in the last post, so I won't be redundant. Baby's hernias are apparently pretty serious, but the surgeon wants to wait until after RSV season for him to spend any time in the children's hospital. We're scheduled for March 30th, and hopefully he will be off oxygen and will have gained more weight. Both factors will make the surgery go more smoothly. Welt's ROP is non-existent now! The ophthalmologist said that his eyes have healed themselves, and that this is the first time he can recall (and he's no spring chicken) that he hasn't had to perform surgery on a 24 weeker (like I said, miracle). Some time in the next few weeks, we will do an overnight monitoring of the baby's O2 sats, to determine if he needs to stay on the oxygen or not. He absolutely hates the cannula up his nose and the adhesive that holds it on. He's gotten very sneaky with his grubby little hands and pulls his cannula out several times a day.
I was a little distracted during the baby shower thrown by my in-laws, being the first time I'd spent away from the baby since he came home. It's a good thing his daddy is awesome with him. Anyway, the shower was so much fun. Decorations were cute, food was great, I only cried once or twice talking about my little boy, and Ben's family was more than generous. I hadn't really spent time with them since I got pregnant, so it was good to catch up and see everyone. Some of the kids look like they have grown a foot, just since last summer.
I'm super excited about my mom and dad coming out. Mom will be here for 3 weeks to help out, and my dad is coming for baby's blessing and conference. Ali's coming out for a weekend to help me get the nursery together and, of course, to see Bon Jovi. It will be nice to have some Cowart family in town, and maybe to sleep for an hour or two :)
For those of you here, or who want to come, Welton will be blessed at our ward building on Sunday, March 27th. The service begins at 11:00, and we would love for our family and friends to be there. After all, it is because of all your prayers and love that he is doing so well, that we get to spend every day with this beautiful, healthy little spirit. Well, he's a little boy, but a huge spirit. I don't have the address for the church right now, but I will be posting it soon, and will probably send out an email as well.
Lastly, I want to give a shout out to two women who I will never be able to thank enough: Gramma Shelly and Auntie Tamara. They are two of the nurses who took care of Welton. Shelly was a day shift primary nurse, and Tamara was a night shift primary nurse. Any mother would worry about her baby when she couldn't be there to take care of him all the time. But the only peace I ever had was when I thought about these women who spend their lives taking care of other people's children. And they didn't just take care of him, they took care of me. They had been in this situation before, and I was so new, and nervous and scared. They made it abundantly clear that they loved my little boy, but made it even more clear that I was his Momma and that he loved me and knew me. When I doubted my abilities, they were there to reassure me and lift me up. I am eternally indebted to these two ladies (and the numerous others who took care of him) and I just want them to know that I love them, and have seldom felt the appreciation and love for a non-family member. Well, at this point, they may not be blood, but they are family. We love you. SO much.
Ok. Time for sleep. So long.
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