One Month (November 15)

On Novemeber 15, Griffin turned one month old! I can't believe how the time has flown already.

I'm totally copying my friend, Jamie's, idea of taking the monthly picture with the pet (Ollee) to show how Griffin is growing. Thanks, Jamie!! (oh - and forgive the pile of toys next to the chair. I'm still working on his room and finding places for all of that!)
Everyone says he looks so much like his daddy - which I pretend to mind, but I really don't. I'm a fan of his daddy's looks. ;) My family and a few other tell me he's going to have my eyes, but we'll just wait and see!

At one month, he likes to eat and sleep and poop! :)

He is a REALLY good eater, almost too good! He can drain a five and a half ounce bottle like it's nothing.

He gets the hiccups ... a lot. He gets them before he eats and after he eats. It doesn't bother him that much, but it bothers me! I feel so sorry for him.

When he's awake, he likes to be in his swing. He is just starting to focus in on things like our faces and pictures in books that we show him.

The video here is totally for my memories only. I using a super high pitched voice and likely it will be a little bit annoying for anyone else to watch, so please don't feel obligated. :)


We love you Griffin and are so proud of how you've grown over the last month. We can't imagine not having you now! Thank you, God, for growing him so healthily!

First Bath!

Well, Griffin got his first bath on his second day at home with us... it was Sunday afternoon.

And here's the true confession: Neither Chris or I had any idea how to do it! I knew how to give a baby a bath, but not with this "don't get the umbilical cord wet" notion. So, thankfully, BooBoo was there to help. She told us to be prepared because we would probably hear him scream like he never had before... and we did! But, honestly, it was kind of nice to hear those lungs working so well. The funny thing was, he started to enjoy it once he got really warm with the water. It's the lotion afterward that he really does not like! He let's me know even now that he does not appreciate my efforts to keep his skin baby soft.

Here's the little photo journey of the bath:

Daddy changing his diaper before we got started... and getting tinkled on a little. :)


And here I am getting everything ready.

As you can tell, Griffin LOVES baths (ha!)


All finished and dried off!
Here he is in his warmest pajamas, and all ready to eat!

Robbie Seay Band - Your Love Is Strong

Days 6, 7, and 8... HOME!

(For any grammar police out there - I know. There are all kinds of changes between present and past tense in this story. I'll fix it before I make the book...but for now, consider it an exercise in your patience. ... You're welcome. :) )

This is the account of our last 3 days in the hospital...Chris and I talked about a song by the Robbie Seay Band that's in the previous post. I highly recommend listening to this song, praying this song. It's good stuff. It was certainly our theme song for the week.

Wednesday, 10/20

This morning Chris called the hospital to check on Griffin (like he did every morning) and the nurse told us that they had to put Griffin on the nasal canula last night after we left because he wasn't able to hold his oxygen saturations high enough.

When we got to the hospital, Griffin was on the nasal canula at 3 liters per minute.

Today, Griffin breastfed like a champ 3 times - 18 minutes, 27 minutes, and 35 minutes. Mommy is so proud! We also found out that he really likes for his head to be rubbed.

Today, Griffin was visited by Aunt Rachel all by herself and was held by her. He was wearing his cousins' hand-me-down sleepers and the blanket Cousin Micah gave him!

Today, Griffin was visited by mommy's friend Ashley and was held by her.

Today, Griffin was held and visited by Aunt Jodi and Uncle Robert.

Today, Griffin grew stronger and stronger and was weaned down to 1/2 liter of oxygen per minute by the time we left the hospital.

Today, Griffin prayed with mommy and daddy some more, asking God to make him even stronger through the night.

　

　

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Today, Chris left the house EARLY to go give Griffin his first bottle feed of the morning. When he went to the NICU and looked for Griffin's bed, it was gone! "Oh, he's been moved to the Neonatal Progressive Care Unit! He did great over night," one of the nurses told him.

Today, Griffin was taken completely off of his oxygen support. This is huge. He officially has NO help - Just monitors on him to make sure he is doing well. You may not be able to tell, but this is a different bed for him. The progressive care unit has cribs that resemble what someone might have at home instead of the very medical looking ones in the NICU. Also - look at that bruise on that sweet baby's hand. Yuck!

Today, Boo Boo spent the whole day at the hospital with Griffin and me. She was such a good helper. I don't think I could have made it through all of this without her.

Today, I asked the doctor when we might could take Griffin home...We've been thinking about when we should do this. We just loved Dr. Lynch. She was always so helpful and positive and telling us how much Griffin looks like Chris. Today - Dr. Lynch said we could probably take Griffin home tomorrow!!! We just had to pass a few final tests and get the circumcision.

Today, Griffin was circumcised.

Today, Griffin had his hearing screening and passed!

Today, Griffin took his car seat test. This means he has to sit in his car seat for 90 minutes and keep his oxygen saturations above 90 percent, or if they dip below that he has to resolve it within 20 seconds. The first time he attempted it, he did not pass. We think he was just too tired from his circumcision and his hearing screening. His oxygen seemed to drop when his head dropped into the seat and he wasn't able to recover his airway.

Today, Allen and Trevor, Chris's best friends, came to the hospital to meet Griffin and held him.

Today, Yogi came to the hospital and finally got to hold Griffin! ( I think there's a picture of this on mom's camera...)

Today, I stayed at the hospital almost 11hours. It was the most amount of time I've ever gotten to spend with him and Chris had to pry me away to leave at about 9:30 that night when Griffin was starting his second attempt at the car seat test. I was so tired. So tired of saying goodbye to my baby. As we left, tears filled my eyes, and seemed to fill my lungs. It was hard to breathe - I guess that's the feeling of a mom being pulled away from her baby.

Today, I lost it. I was so scared that he would not pass his car seat test and that we would not get to take him home on Friday. I was SO tired. I missed him SO much. I was hurting so bad in places that didn't even make sense with my surgery. It hurt to breathe. This new love hurts...it's so strong it hurts... and I'm helpless in the hands of my Creator.

Today, Chris and I got closer as a couple.

Then, late that night - Griffin passed his car seat test! While I was sobbing in the shower, Chris called the nurse at about 11:00 to see if he passed - and he did. Finding this out was the best pain relief I had felt yet. We were so thankful. God has answered our prayers daily, and it was looking like having our whole family at home was going to be a reality.

　

Friday, October 22

Today, Chris and I could hardly wait to leave to go to the hospital. They had told us we would probably get to take Griffin home by about 11:00 this morning.

Today, we found out that Griffin had racked up a $77,000 bill at Cook's as of the night before! I paid our deductable at the registration office - and Chris and I thanked God for insurance!

We got to the hospital to find our little prince still doing well. We hovered and fussed over him waiting to find out when the doctor might come to tell us he could go home. Everyone kept saying it would be soon!

Well, 11:00 came and went. Our doctor, Dr. Lynch, was off today and so we were waiting for her partner to come in and see him.

Finally, at about 1:30 a nurse practitioner came in and reviewed all of Griffin's charts and checked him out and told

Chris and I that we would, in fact take our baby home today! There's not another feeling like that. We just needed to talk with the actual physician to know if we needed to take him in for lab work to check his billirubin levels on Saturday or just at our pediatrician's appointment on Monday.

At around 3:30, Dr. Nedrulow came! He checked out Griffin and joined the club of folks who can't help but notice how much Griffin looks like his daddy. Dr. Nedrulow gave us some warning signs for increased billirubin and jaundice to look for and told us we could go home and just take him to the doctor on Monday!

Chris and I almost immediately asked the nurses to unhook him from all of his monitors. We dressed him in his first onsie and pants - He had only been able to wear things that snap down the middle so far.

Chris brought the car around to the front of the hospital and the nurse walked me out to the valet drive, carrying Griffin in his carrier.

The nurse checked us off on car seat installation and off we went!

We're finally home!

Then Uncle Ira surprised us with a visit.

The journey we have been through the last ten days has brought Chris and I closer together and closer to God. It undoubtedly deepened our love for Griffin. It undoubtedly deepened our love for our family and friends. This is a strong love. It is God's love.

So, like the song says, "Why do I worry? Why do I freak out?" Look at this precious baby the day after that crazy week. I'd say he looks like he's been loved by "strong love." Thanks for letting me share our journey.

Days 3, 4, and 5

I'm finally finding time to get back to this. This is what happened on days 3, 4, and 5 that we were in the hospital with sweet Griffin - who, by the way, is doing fantastic!!

Today is Sunday, October 17.

Today was a good day.
Today Griffin got both of his IV's taken out of his hands.
Today, Griffin stopped taking Dopamine for his blood pressure.
Today, Griffin got to wear clothes for the first time.


Today, his umbilical central line was taken out.

Today I held my baby for the first time.


Today, Griffin was held by his daddy for the first time.

Today, Griffin was fed real breastmilk through an OG tube instead of just IV nutrition and he tolerated it without difficulty!

Today, we prayed for Griffin before we left the hospital and his O2 saturations sored form 93% to 99% while he listed to his daddy commit him into God's hands for the night.

Today we thanked God for all of our blessing and for his strong love.


Today is Monday, October 18.

Today was a good day.

Today, Griffin held is oxygen saturations at great levels while receiving little to no extra oxygen through his c-pap.

Today, Griffin kicked and squirmed more than we have ever seen him kick and squirm.

Today, Griffin squeezed our fingers tighter than he ever has.

Today, Griffin sucked the pacifier while he was taking a feed into his stomach. He looked so cute!

Today, Griffin sucked on the pacifier while being held by his daddy and held is O2 high, still!!

Today, Griffin's mommy did "kangaroo care" (skin to skin contact holding) with Griffin for the first time. (He's tucked down inside my dress!)

Today, we prayed with Griffin again before we left him for the night and we thanked God for how He's blessed us with sweet baby Griffin.


Today is Tuesday, October 19.

Today, Griffin's swelling was down enough that he opened his eyes for the first time. We believe Griffin got to see his mommy and daddy for the first time today!

Today, Griffin got his c-pap taken off! He lasted all day without the c-pap machine or the nasal canula (nothing on his sweet face except the feeding tube). By the end of the day, though, he was tired. He was allowing his O2 sats to drop in the the 80s while he was sleeping.

Griffin tried nursing for the first time today and was able to latch, but may not have sucked very well.

Griffin took this first bottle today, given by Daddy. The nurses took the feeding tube out completely! He then took all of his feedings by bottle the rest of the day and evening!
Since he took the bottle well, the nurses left the feeding tube out. For the rest of the day, Griffin didn't have anything on his face!


Griffin got a visit from Mommy's friend, Lindsay, from Mike and Marsha Gilbert, from Daddy's friends from camp, and from Yogi and BooBoo.

Griffin moved even more today and was squeezing our fingers even harder than yesterday!

Today, Griffin's nurses moved the feeding pole away from his bed because the doctors think he will not need it any more!

Today, we thanked God for all of the progress Griffin made and asked him to continue healing our baby. We want him home so badly!