Looking back...

Well... 2008 is almost and 2009 is coming on fast and furious. I look back on 2008 and I am amazed at how much our life has changed over the last 12 months. We have been so very very blessed over the last year.



In January 2008, we were given the chance to adopt another child. Our son Michael Ian Lucas was born on June 5, 2008. He is such a wonderful, sweet, easy going and happy baby. He has a beautiful smile and a wonderful gleam in his eye that holds such promise and joy. People notice him wherever we go and he smiles at everyone.



In April of 2008, after over 9 years of fertility treaments, I finally received a positive pregnancy test. It was a rocky road. But after being hospitalized at 26w3d pregnant and spending 8 weeks at USA Children's and Women's hospital in Mobile, AL, Nathaniel Blake Lucas was born via C-section at 37w1d on December 1, 2008. After having some issues with fluid on his lungs, he was transferred to the NICU at Memorial Hospital in Gulfport. He was released on December 10th and has been going strong every since. Thankfully, he is also a very easy going baby. The one benefit to spending 10 days in the NICU is the boy can sleep through anything. He's so used to the NICU being active 24/7, a little noise doesn't phase him at all. He eats, he sleeps and he rarely cries. He is a true joy in our lives.



Jack is becoming such a little man these days. It's amazing how tender he can be with his little brothers. He loves to come up and stroke their heads and give them sweet kisses. He loves to play with Michael and make him laugh. He tries to make Nathan laugh. He doesn't quite understand that Nathan doesn't laugh yet...LOL Like any 3yo boy, he has his moments. But for the most part, he is a sweet, loving, sensitive boy and a complete blessing in our lives.

Have a wonderful 2009 everyone!

Pam, Jeff, Jack, Michael and Nathan

Christmas 2008

We had the rare pleasure of celebrating both Michael and Nathan's 1st Christmas at our house. Here are a few pics to document our day.

This wasn't Christmas Day, but we have a gentleman in the neighborhood who sits in his front yard as Santa for two hours a night starting the week after Thanksgiving. It's great to not have to go to THE MALL for Santa pics.

Jack got a Kid Tough Digital Camera for Christmas. He loved it!

Michael is not real sure about the camera...

But sometimes he'll crack a big 'ol smile for ya.

WOOHOO! It's Christmas!

Such a sweet baby...

Oh My HE**!!!!

Thank God for good health insurance. We just got a copy of the bill the hospital submitted for Nathan's NICU stay in Gulfport. Only 33K and some change.... :::THUD:::

Growing growing growing

We had Nathan's 1st pediatrician's appt and he has managed to gain back all of the weight he lost in the NICU, plus surpassed his birthweight. YEAH!!! My little man went from a birth weight of 6lbs 9oz, to a low of 6lbs 30z in the NICU. He was 6lbs 6oz when he was discharged on 12/10 and was 7lbs 1oz when he was weighed at the Dr's office on 12/17. We go back on 1/5 for a 1mo recheck. We confirmed that the insurance company will pay for him to have the RSV vaccine Synagious. It's $1500/shot, once a month through May. Thankfully we have good insurance because we'd never be able to afford it otherwise. Michael will also be getting the vaccine. The Dr said that RSV in a child Jack's age is just a head cold. In a child Michael or Nathan's age, it's a week in the PICU under an oxygen tent. With Nathan already spending 9 days in the NICU, the last thing we all need is a week in the PICU.

Tomorrow is Nathan's actual due date. It's seems a little strange. With everything that has been happening with this pregnacy and subsequent delivery. It doesn't even feel like I was pregnant. If I didn't have the scar to prove it, I wouldn't seem like he got here any differently than my other two beautiful boys.

Just a coupe of quickie pics...

What a face!!!


Sleeping angel

Just a quick update...

Nathan is such a mellow baby. It's hard to believe with all the trouble we have had since 26 weeks, that he would be as mellow as he is now. We always said that THIS would be the one to give us all the trouble. But he seems to be a good sleeper and a very content baby. The only issue we are having is he doesn't seem to like the idea of breastfeeding. After 9 days being either tube or bottle fed in the NICU, he's just not adjusting to change in "mode of delivery". We'll work it out eventually, just not sure which of us will give in first.

We are home!

We are home and sorta settled. I will update more with pictures in the next couple of days.

It's official...

Nathan is coming home tomorrow!!!! We completed most of our discharge paperwork tonight and all we have to do is wait on the Dr to complete his rounds tomorrow. WOOHOO!!!!!

Another day, another trip to Gulfport...

Now that Nathan is doing so much better, these trips to Gulfport are getting old. It is also getting much harder to leave him there. I just want to bring him home where I can look at him, nuzzle him and stroke his hair anytime I feel the urge. It's amazing how it all just still doesn't seem real. Was I REALLY pregnant? Did I REALLY have a baby just a little over a week ago? It's all been such a whirlwind, it's hard to believe any of it really happened.

We had a good visit today. He is really starting to get strong and you are starting to see some personality come out. Our little guy seems to be very laid back and he actually seems to smile a lot for such a little guy. Michael was smiley like this as a newborn and he is such a happy baby. I'm hoping this an indicator of the happy baby that Nathan will be also. This boy also seems to really like his sleep. The nurses in the NICU really like to feed him, because afterwards he is a social little bug and will sit with them while they do their charts.

We were not as successful breastfeeding today as we were last night. He would latch on ok, but did not want to stay at the breast. I guess it's too much work for him compared to the ease of drinking out of a bottle. We'll just keep trying and hopefully we'll eventually get the hang of it. I'm going to see if the lactation consultant is available to help us out some tomorrow. There are a couple of things I need to get from her also. They have quite the breastfeeding center at Memorial. OS Hospital needs to take a few pointers from them. :-)

We'll go back again tomorrow and then hopefully we'll make our last trip to Gulfport on Wednesday.

Not coming home until Wednesday...

Evidently Nathan had an Apnea episode when they first took him off the oxygen. Tonight was the first we have heard of this... :( Anyway, it was a 1x incident but they wait 5 days after something like this before they let them go home. :::sigh:::

On an up note, we were able to attempt breastfeeding tonight and he latched on like a champ. I was really concerned since he had been either tube fed or bottle fed for the last week. He didn't nurse long, too much work for him I guess...LOL But we'll try again tomorrow. Nathan is proof that I don't give up easily. ;)

We are on room air!!!

They pulled Nathan off the nasal canula yesterday and he has been on room ever since. His sats are good at 97-100% and his respirations are normal. We are getting conflicting information from the nurses about when he might go home. The Dr said that if he did well on room air for 24 hours, he could go home. Last night the NICU nurse told us that the normal timeframe is 48 hours after removing oxygen support. Of course the Dr has the last word, but we all know how that goes. So... he may go home today... he may go home tomorrow.

For those of you itching for some more pictures... here are a few to sure to satisfy. :)

Mommy's first chance to hold him.

Daddy kisses!!!


He's such a content baby... let's hope this continues!!!



BIG YAWN!!!!



My!!! What big EYES YOU HAVE!!!!

Even more improvement...

Today we got to the hospital and Nathan had been moved to the Transition Nursery and was in a regular bassinet. He still had his oxygen strapped on, but the setting was somewhere about halfway between 21 and 30%. 21% is considered the same as room air. We spoke the the dr and he will be taking him off the oxygen tomorrow and if he is able to hold his sats on room air for 24 hours, we can take him HOME. That means, if all goes well, we will be taking him home on Sunday.

WOOHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a pic or two... or SIX

Jeff hasn't had a chance to go through the pics from last night yet. But here are a few from the last couple of days.

One of Nathan's caregivers... Nurse Ashleigh




Mommy's first diaper change




For the first couple of days, this was all the touching we could do.




One MAD BABY!




1st night in the NICU... gotta love the space helmet oxygen bubble.


Such tiny little fingers...

Nathan is improving every day

He is now off his IV fluids and has moved from a High Flow nasal canula to a regular canula. We were able to hold and feed him today. He slept in my arms for a good two hours and is so much more content and comfortable. His breathing is still fast, but he is not struggling as much to breath now. He is not eating as much as they would like for him to eat. So if he does not start eating more tomorrow, they will have to put his IV back in until he starts eating more. We do not know when he will be going home. He has to eat consistantly and be able to hold his O2 sats on room air. He seems to have turned a corner today, so hopefully it won't be long before he meets this criteria.

Just got home a little while ago...

Nathan is holding his own and is about the same as he was yesterday. It's amazing to sit and watch him sleep. He looks so peaceful from the neck up and his littls chest is working so hard to breath. We weren't able to hold him today, but I did get a chance to change his diaper. :-)Jeff took more pictures today, so hopefully I'll get a chance to post a few tonight. Thanks for all of the great emails and comments!!!

Pam, Jeff, Jack, Michael and Nathan

A quickie pic from last night

Here is a picture of me feeding Nathan a "lemon pop". It's a lemon/glycerin swab used to clean in and around his mouth. He has a stong sucking reflex, so hopefully he'll be able to eat soon.

Just got home from the hospital...

Nathan looks much better than he did when he left Ocean Springs Hospital yesterday. His respirations are averaging down in the 60's so that definitely an improvement. We're hoping to be able to hold him tomorrow. I've been doing my best to pump regularly so I can feed him when he's ready. I saw a little bit of "progress" today, but not enough to collect for him. I don't want to start him out of formula if I can help it. We'll be heading back to the hospital tomorrow morning and I will update when we get home.

Just a quick update...

I was discharged at 2:30 and I am heading to Memorial Hospital in Gulfport to be with Nathan. He has been removed from the tent and is on a nasal canula with Oxygen at 40%. When he was in the tent he was on 50%. He is not working as hard to breath and is retracting and grunting intermittantly now. Room air saturates at 21% so we are heading in the right direction. We will update when we can!!!!

Pam, Jeff, Jack, Michael and Nathan

Nathan is here!

Nathan arrived at 9:29 am at Ocean Springs Hospital. He weighed 6lbs., 9 oz. at 20 1/4" long. He started out strong and fighting; what a set of lungs. Unfortunately, he developed trouble breathing and was transported to Memorial in Gulfport. Pam is doing well and hopes to join Nathan tomorrow as early as possible. Here's some quick photos...

WE'RE HAVING A BABY

Woke up to a trickle of water, wasn't sure it was my water breaking or what... Took a shower, coughed and YEAH it was my water breaking. Getting boys up and dressed and headind to drop them off at a friends house.

Will up date when we can!!!!!!