HE GREW!

Jacob Update: Well, Jacob is now 3lbs 1.5oz and I am so excited! He has further to go than what he has already gained, but we are just thrilled he reached 3+lbs! He is doing wonderful. He seemed stressed the other day so they did a chest x-ray and ran another test and everything was OK. I think it was because I am normally there to hold him at noon and we went at 3pm that day and he was confused and worried - or at least that is what he told me. He is quite the acrobat! He moves all over. One day last week the nurse looked in to check on him and couldn't find him. He had flipped the other ways (he lays horizontal and had flipped vertical) and had scooted to the end of his bed! His new favorite trick is to flip on his back when they put him on his belly. He really confused his nurse the first time he did it. She could have sworn she put him on his belly, but he was on his back so she flipped him over and then he flipped over again. He is the only one in there that can do that. Craziness! The nurse gave me some exciting news today - they are going to start trying a bottle for 1 feeding a day. I'm so proud. I thought he was ready, but I didn't think they would try it until later. It might be awhile before they increase that/before he gets the hang of it (the little girl next to him has been on 1 bottle a day for over a week now), but any progress is good. He is already famous - he had a story about him in the Apopka Chief (it helps when the editor is his grandfather! Thanks Papa John!). My little boy is just my favorite!

Mommy Update: I'm doing pretty well. Emotionally I have ups and downs. It hits me at night. In the morning I'm pumping and getting ready to see him so I'm ok. I spend all afternoon at the hospital so I'm great then and that sustains me when I get home. It is the nights that are rough - when I'm going to sleep. Sometimes I tear up and sometimes I cry really hard. It is hard to not be able to control my emotions, but at the same time I like feeling. When I was in the hospital, God was so faithful just to wash me in His peace and I was emotionally ok with everything - nothing really hit me. It was like I was just along for the ride. Now when Jacob was born and I saw him I lost it - and I cried every time I saw him after that. Anyway, I think I am getting out some of those emotions that didn't really come while I was in the hospital. Besides crying at night, I'm doing good. I just have to learn my limitations. I had to go the mall last week. I just went in 2 stores - I had to return something and get something. I wasn't there 30min, but it was too much. It is odd not to be able to do everything. So I rest and rest (and feel lazy) and slowly get stuff done. I keep reminding myself that this is my recovery time, it will take 6 full weeks for me to recover and I need to rest before Jacob comes home and keeps me awake!

Jacob's Story Part 3: This will be short. I just forgot a couple of things that happened on Tuesday. I was so relived when Adam and my mom got there. Still no tears over what was happening. I kept saying it was either the peace of God or I was in denial, but I was going with peace until proven otherwise. Sometime after my dad and brother got there, Adam and my brother left to run some errands and get some stuff from our house (once we realized we were in for the long hall we realized we needed some things. I gave Adam a list. I hadn't packed a bag or anything because we still had so much time. I figured I would have a doctors appointment and they would tell me I was dilated before I would pack my bag. Thankfully I have a wonderful husband who got everything and didn't complain). I was most worried about my glasses. I knew I couldn't wear my contacts the entire time, but my glasses were at the eye doctor getting new lenses. Adam was going to stop by there and pay for them so that my brother could pick them up whenever they were done. No more than 30min after Adam left they eye doctor called and said that they were ready to be picked up. I was so relieved. Yes this was all unplanned and I like things planned, but God knows just exactly what He created and worked out the little details that I was worried about. I also was concerned about a camera. I didn't want all of this to happen without any pictures. We weren't prepared at all, but I didn't want to not be able to capture everything. I asked Adam to call his mom and ask her to bring us a camera to borrow. So, I waited at the hospital with my parents while Adam and Micah ran errands and got everything from the house (we forgot a couple of things and Adam's mom had to make 2 trips, I think, to the house to get stuff). Oh, before Adam left, we were trying to figure out what to do with Garnet (the 130lb 2-year-old horse...er...dog we have) and our friends John & Carrie so wonderfully offered to watch him at their house! We couldn't believe it. Miracles of all miracles - they still like us (we think) after having him for about a week! When Adam got back to the hospital he asked if I wanted my Christmas present. Kind of odd that he brought it, but ok. He pulled out my new Nikon camera that I REALLY wanted. I was so excited (but also very drugged so I didn't show much excitement!). He had ordered it online and it had come in and he drove all the way to the mall so that we could have it to capture all of the special memories. That is all of the story for now. Hopefully I'll post more tomorrow morning before I go to the hospital. I have lots of pictures from Wednesday on taken with my new fun camera. Off to pump...