Catching up through Christmas Day...

Feliz navidad!

We were expecting Dylan to come home on the 23rd, but when I hadn't heard by that afternoon, I went in to visit. He had been doing just fine with his feedings, passed his car seat test, etc, but his temps had been low overnight. The nurse told me the whole NICU had been cold that morning and she had turned up the temp, plus he had not been wearing as many layers as she preferred he wear...I have issues staying warm in our house so it's always toasty warm and I'm always assuming everyone else is just as cold as I am, so I would tend to overdress my babies. I was annoyed that this stupid issue had held him back a day.

On the morning of the 24th, we were called and told Dylan would be ready to come home around 3pm. Andy and I planned to split up the Christmas Eve celebration (we celebrate with my side of the family) with Andy and Ethan attending the 3:30 through dinner/E's bedtime and then I would go over for presents after dinner...but a few minutes after we got that call, they called back and changed the time to 6:30 since the doctor who would circumcise him couldn't be there until 5:30. So, the 3 of us headed over to Christmas Eve in two cars...we were all able to have dinner with my family and open a few gifts and then I went over to the hospital to pick up Dylan and Andy & Ethan went home so E could go to bed.

One of the nurses went over the discharge papers with me, and then I filled up a paper bag full of hospital stuff our insurance will be charged for (diapers, formula, diaper rash cream, etc), loaded Dylan into his car seat, kissed Owen goodbye and left to get my car...I was glad no one was in the hospital hallways on Christmas Eve because I cried openly on my way out to the parking garage...we certainly don't want to rush Owen, but knowing I was going to leave him behind, especially on Christmas, really sucked.

I'd been worried about leaving with Dylan in the frigid cold...so I was glad that I was able to get my car warmed up and pull up to the front of the hospital as a nurse brought Dylan down to the front door for me...it's standard discharge procedure I guess. I was nervous to drive with an infant in the car again...I need to get a little mirror set up so I can see their faces in the rear-view mirror as I drive. It was only a mile or two, but I had to keep checking on him at every stop light.

We had a good night with Dylan last night. He was up pretty much every 3 hours to eat and Andy and I took turns getting up to feed him. We set up a portable crib (the one we bought for this past summer's Sandberg family trip...the one that Ethan never slept in!) in our room...turns out he's a loud sleeper...and I know we'll have to have both babies sleeping in their crib in their own room by Sunday night since Andy goes back to work on Monday...but for last night, we were much more comfortable having him next to us as we get used to his sounds and signals. I jumped at every tiny sound when Ethan was a newborn, but it's different this time around...I think we both have a better idea of what is just a normal infant grunt and what's a "hey, I'm hungry!"

We visited Owen this evening as Gamma and Gampa watched Dylan and Ethan. He is just short of meeting his cue-based feeding...by 3cc!! Can't they round up?! He's passed his car-seat test, he isn't hooked up to any leads/monitors, doesn't have a feeding tube in, was circumcised at the same time as Dylan (Owen slept through it!)...he's ready to go. The nurse told us tonight that it really depends on which Dr is following him tomorrow...some are conservative, some are not. Of course, we don't want to rush him, but we want our baby home too. He was looking absolutely adorable tonight too...he'd had a bath recently and his hair was all clean and puffy...it's super dark and long and was standing up in a mohawk.

We all had a great Christmas Day. Ethan opened presents from Santa, us, and everyone else. Andy's family brought Christmas to us at our house which was wonderful...it was great to have everyone together. Our puppy is here on a visit while her foster family is spending the Holidays somewhere. She was really hyper and was really bugging the crap out of me, but Ethan loves to have her here...and he chases her with his tractor.

Ethan has been absolutely wonderful with Dylan so far. We told him on Christmas Eve night that Dylan would be home when he woke up. When he came to our room to have his milk in the morning, he saw Dylan and said "Ooooh, baby!" with a huge smile. He's been saying really cute stuff...running over to him to say "Hi baby!" "Baby can't talk" "Hi baby Dylan"...and the one that cracked us up before his bedtime tonight, "I have too many baby brothers"...just wait until both of them are home, Ethie!!

I'll post some pictures tomorrow.