Day 13 Monday June 29

 This is Stephen filling in for Stacey.

Today has been another roller coaster. We started out with the expectation of hearing your getting discharged tomorrow, but that came crashing down rather quickly. Instead, it was the routine of he didn't eat enough overnight and now your discharge is in jeopardy. Then the words we didn't want to hear started getting thrown around again: re-insertion of the NG feeding tube which would prolong the stay another 3-5 days.

If you think you just got frustrated reading that, imagine how we felt. The hopes of finally being out of the hospital potentially dashed over two consecutive shortfall feedings in which the total deficit was overcome by the rest of the feedings during the 24 hr period. Even removing the emotion from the situation and looking at it from a data driven (engineering) perspective would show you there are trends to his eating that were being ignored by only focusing on the two nighttime feedings.

In short, Mommy wasn't happy and neither was Daddy. Fortunately, we had a discussion with the doctor and he hadn't ruled out the discharge on Tuesday, but said any backsliding would mean retention. We are also frustrated because this jeopardizes two things the start of the ICPC proceedings which don't start until discharge and the court appearance on Wednesday to begin adoption finalization proceedings.

Our day did have a few good moments including a trip to the local Boutiquey place called Gardner Village for a little shopping. Followed by dinner at Tapanyaki Japanese Steakhouse, which is like a Shogun for those of you back home, with our friends and NICU cohorts Dan and Anna whose daughter Daneah shares the room with Mason. Excellent choice and just a good chance to maintain our bond and sanity while not listening to alarms, bells, and cries.

Through the 11:30 PM feeding, he met the goal in each feeding. Mason continued gaining weight and was up to 5 lbs 6 oz, yet another criteria for release.

He's a little bulldog and a battler.

On behalf of Stacey and Mason, I continue to ask for your prayers. Please prayer for Mason's health and eating and that we can keep our emotions and frustrations in check.

Day 12 Sunday June 28

When we got to the hospital today we found out our little guy passed his car seat challenge!!! Yay!!  One step closer to the door!!! 

Then he was given a hearing test.  He passed!!

Then we learned how to bathe him.  Then we fed him and he is really getting the hang of this eating business!!

He loves hanging onto the bottle when we are feeding him!!

And he doesn’t like for it to be taken away!!  :)

We have met many new friends.  This is the sweet family that we share a room with.

And this is my sweet family of 3!! 

Good night sweet angel!

Day 11 Saturday June 27

Today we got ready and picked up Chick-fil-a for breakfast!! :)

We got to the hospital and found out that Mason only took 18 cc on his own and the nurse finished the rest by tube.  (this mommy was very sad to hear this)

We had planned to go to Park City today so we went ahead and went.  I will tell you it was hard to enjoy myself knowing my baby boy wasn’t with us. 

First stop:  Utah Olympic Park

Bobsled track

Olympic ski jumps

Freestyle Pool

Then we headed to downtown Park City.  We looked at the little shops and then had lunch at the No Name Saloon.

Downtown

A good ole bear hug :)

Then we had been away from Mason long enough!  Time to head back to the hospital!!

And low and behold, we walked in and he was tube free!  Little stinker pulled the tube out.  He had enough of that thing!!!

Part of our discharge duties that have to be done before we leave is to watch a video and practice infant CPR.  So we checked that off the list today!!

This evening we went for evening feeding.  Baby boy ate well!!!  52 cc’s!!

Another thing to be done before discharge is the car seat challenge.  They are getting ready to do that as well!!  We brought the car seat in tonight.

We are ready to bring our boy home!!

Isn’t this the truth!!

Day 10 Friday June 26

Our little guy really turned a corner today!!  We learned a way from our awesome nurse Debbie to feed him and it is working!!!  He has been eating his goal amount all day!!!! 

Picture overload!!!  I just can’t get enough of him!!!!

Hopefully tomorrow he will get the tube out of his nose!  At that point we will most likely be in NICU 2 more days after tomorrow!!

There are a few things that we have to do before discharge.  We have to take an infant CPR “class” (video and practice on doll).  He has to pass the car seat challenge. 

We moved into a different hotel today that has a kitchen so we can do bottles!! :) 

That’s about it for today. 

Day 9 Thursday June 25

Quoting Courtney Lott from Faithful Adoption Consultants---“Yesterday was hard.  Today His mercies were new!!”

What a day!!  Busy, but good!!

This morning we did lots of legal stuff to get ready to come home!!  Then, we went to the NICU zoo (as Stephen likes to call it) and we found out our little guy was “moving on up”, or as the NICU peeps call it, Utah County.  Basically, he is now a level 2 acuity instead of level 3.  This means he no longer needs to be right by the nurse’s station.  We are getting closer to the door!!  This was just such a blessing.  We were just sad to leave Mason’s little roomie, Daneah!  Their parents have become our friends.  (Later this evening we found out she gets to move closer to the door also and will be roomies with Mason again!!)

They even brought us flowers, a bear for Mason, and a sweet card!

Today at lunch we found a good new place to eat.  I ordered a taco salad.  This was the biggest I’ve ever seen!!!

We got back to the hospital and snuggled with our main squeeze!

 

 

Our little guy ate 41 cc’s of formula at 5!!  We are so proud of him!!  He is completely off IV fluids.  His goal was 48 so he was almost there!!

Now tonight we’re packing up and heading to a new hotel---one with a kitchen!  Bottles, ya know!!! :)

So true!!  Lord, we love you and we thank you for healing our sweet baby Mason! My lips will never stop praising you.

Day 8 Wednesday June 24

Happy 1 week birthday Mason!!

Today was a rough day for sweet Mason.  He’s having a really hard time eating enough. 

Daddy, on the other hand, is eating JUST FINE!!!

We are praying that feeding is easier on the lil’ guy tomorrow.  He had to have an ng tube put in his nose so he can be sure and get nutrition.

He has lost 5 oz since birth. :(

Before our birth mom left Utah, I gave her a card.  I told her how much we loved her.  I also told her that if she changed her mind and wanted to communicate that we would welcome her with open arms!!  Well today, that happened!!!!  I am so excited for her to be able to keep up with our little guy!!!  She is absolutely precious!  I’m not sure how long it will last but we will cherish the memories we can for sweet Mason. 

Tomorrow will be better!!  I’m claiming it. :)

We love you Mason Parker Wright!

Day 7 Tuesday June 23

Today was pretty uneventful!  We did most of Mason’s “cares” today!  I even changed 2 poopy diapers!!!  :)  He is still not super interested in drinking the bottle but he’s working on it. 

He likes to be swaddled.  He rested very good in between feedings.

I still have to pinch myself!!  I just can’t believe he is ours! 

This little stinker has gotten to where he will start to whimper if he hears my voice so I will come to pick him up.  He loves to snuggle and be held.  And I’m loving every single minute of it.

I just can’t get enough!!!

I’m so thankful for Mason Parker Wright.

Day 6 Monday 6-22-15

A Big Day!!!

This morning we arrived at the hospital and this is what we saw.

We soon found out that you were getting all your tubes out today!!!  What a huge moment!!!  First out, the chest tube.  Then the breathing tube and the feeding tube came out.  This is what our beautiful baby boy looked like without his tubes.

Perfection!!!!

They did put the oxygen back into his nose.

Just look at this beautiful baby!!  I know I’m partial, but I just can’t get enough of him!!

We left for lunch and to bring our gift to our birth mom.  When we came back, his arterial line was removed too.  And then……this happened.  The moment I have been waiting for a long time.

We are completely in love!!!

Mason is doing so good that he progressed into this bed.

We have started helping with his care.  I love it!!  We check his temperature, change his diaper, and then bottle feed him.  He’s not taking to the bottle too good today but his little throat probably still hurts from the tube down his throat.

The new love of our lives!

We stayed at the hospital all day except lunch and dinner, so we’re tired!!  Signing off and good night!! :)