kaymcgee: 3rd times a charm.....

.....yep, Zane tried the open air crib yesterday for the THIRD time! He hasn't tried it in a couple of weeks. So far, so good. When Kelly and I were driving up this morning she said she was kind of expecting him to be back in the "giraffe" when we got here this morning. I agreed. Mainly because when Ned called last night for his update Zane's temp was 97.9. However, it went back up during the night and he was still in the open crib this morning! Yeeaaaa Zane! We have him bundled up to the max. The max is 2 receiving type blankets to swaddle him and a warmer heavier blanket over him. He also has on a t-shirt, hat and jammies with feet. Anything more is not considered acceptable for weaning to open crib and is too much. His bottles have been increased to every other feeding and he is now getting 45 mLs. That's and ounce and a half. He's on the fast track to going home now! He has also been spell free since Sunday.

Today was an exciting day for the NICU. They reached full bed capacity. This is the first time this has happened since the remodel in April that established the NICU as a 60 bed facility! The NICU has become overrun with twins and triplets. There aren't any in our pod but I hear from other families that they are precious to watch as they interact with each other. If one is not extremely critical they stay in the same bed. We have another baby in our pod that is possibly going home Friday so maybe a set of multiples will take his place. If baby Ziyan does indeed go home on Friday there will be only one baby left that was in the pod when Zane arrived. That baby is Kobe and he's been here since February when he was born at 25 weeks. He has multiple problems but has won the hearts of everyone and pretty much rules the pod. Kobe has already advanced from a bassinette to a regular crib with mobiles and music toys plus he has his own swing.

My aunt Betty Ruth lives in Antioch and came by yesterday to have lunch with me and Kel. It was a welcomed diversion from the same old, same old. We have been busier than usual this week and I'm sure that we'll get busier and busier as Zane continues to add more skills that require more of our attention. We aren't the norm as far as NICU parents and grandparents go. We are here EVERY day, all day, and if Ned doesn't get a chance to come before 6pm he comes at 8 when the NICU reopens and stays a couple of hours making sure he gives Zane his 9 o'clock bottle. Kelly and Ned have learned so much from the nurses and I'm so proud of their dedication to being the best parents they can be. They change all his diapers, take his temp, give him his bottles and have even given him several baths. They have taken the approach that this isn't a bad thing but an opportunity to learn all they can and get hands on experience with professionals right there willing to help and teach. We have been blessed with amazing nurses who go above and beyond to make Kelly feel like the mother and not just a visitor to the NICU.

Despite being busy I've still taken photos.......every day! Enjoy!

Inez, Zane's biggest fan! Inez works the front desk and always greets us with a smile and a report from her early morning visit with Zane. Her report usually goes something like this, " I just went back there and talked to Zane and he wants waffles for breakfast!" or "Zane told me he wants a John Deere" She is a character! We love her!

Zane loves his "tummy time"! He better enjoy it now, when he comes home it's "back to sleep". Unlike when his mommy and uncle Matt were babies and we were told to put them on their bellys to sleep never their backs.....