Your First Week

Well, Sweet Boy, you can't say that your birth story wasn't uneventful! You were born at 4:26 pm on Wednesday, January 8, 2014. You born 10 weeks and 2 days earlier than your expected arrival. Needless to say it was a little scary to all of the people that love you! You weighed 2 lbs 15 oz and you were 17 inches long. Even though your arrival was a bit of a surprise, you have made us the happiest people in the world, it was love at first sight! 

 Your first picture!

 Daddy cutting your cord.

 First picture of your face

 Meeting Momma 

 Kisses

 In NICU

 I forgot they wheeled me down to see you after recovery, but I'm sure I was really excited to see you!

 Holding Daddy's hand

BIG feet!

Right after you were born they took you off to the NICU and Momma was taken to recovery. Momma was sick, thats why you had to join the world so early, so after you were born I didn't get to see you for a whole day because I couldn't get out of bed. It was the longest 30 hours of my life, I was so excited to see you! Daddy went down and visited you and took pictures and video to show Momma, Nana, Papa, Mimi, and Grandfather. You were born during flu season, so the only people allowed in the NICU are mommies and daddies. Your Grandparents, Uncles, Aunts, and friends are not very happy about not getting to meet you yet! All the more reason for you to hurry up and grow so you can come home and meet all the people that love you so much! 
All of your nurses in the NICU comment about your long arms and legs and your big feet and hands! You are pretty skinny, but we are trying to fatten you up! You have a head full of dark hair and look JUST like your daddy. You are strong like daddy too, you are constantly pushing yourself off your bed and rearranging yourself in some pretty funky positions. We have been really trying to get your lungs up and running, and your doing a great job! The day after you were born the doctors had to put you on a ventilator so you wouldn't have to work so hard to breath. You improved so much that they soon took you off of that and had you on a CPAP, which just pushed air into your lungs. By Sunday, they had you on the nasal cannula and now you are pretty much breathing all on your own. Right now, you are breathing a little too fast. The doctors say you have some fluid on your lungs, so they are giving you medicine to flush it all out. We are praying very hard that the the medicine works so you don't have to work so hard to breath and instead you can work on growing bigger and stronger. 

 On your ventilator

 Off the ventilator and going to the CPAP, loved getting to see your little face!

 Kangarooing 

 Look at Jackson's muscles, similar to anyone we know?? 

Under his Bilirubin light, rockin' his sweet shades

Right now you are eating Momma's breast milk through a feeding tube and doing a great job! When Momma was sick right before you were born the doctors had to give me magnesium to try and keep me healthy enough to deliver you. The magnesium can do funny things to your tummy and unfortunately, you had that in your system too. So after you were born the doctors were very slow in giving you milk. They stared you on 1CC every three hours. As of today you are eating 7 CCs and they are increasing it every few feedings by 1 CC. Soon you will be up to 24 CCs every three hours, and then you will really start growing! I can't wait to see you grow big and strong! 
This week Momma and Daddy have spent a lot of time at your bed. Momma can't drive yet because of her c-section, so Papa is picking me up in the morning and bringing me to the hospital to see you. Daddy had to go back to work this week, but his boss is kind enough to allow him to come to the hospital for a couple hours around lunch time to visit with you. This is when the nurses let us change your diaper and take your temperature and hold your little hands and feet. Once a day for about an hour we get to have "Kangaroo time." Its Momma's favorite part of the day because they place you on my chest and we snuggle and nap together. Its so hard not being able to hold you and kiss on you when I want to, so I treasure that hour each day. Daddy has gotten to do it with you too, but his chest is not as squishy as Momma's, so you didn't like it as much yet! I guess we found out the one negative thing about daddy's strong muscles, they aren't as comfy to nap on :) 

 Kangaroo time

Changing your diaper *disclaimer* its gross!!

After we snuggle, Daddy takes me home so I can rest a little, I'll need to do that for about another week. All of your friends and family have been taking really good care of us. They have been bringing us dinner and sending us cards and gifts for you. Your Nana, Papa, Aunt Lindsay, Uncle Brian, and Aunt Lauren cleaned our house before we came home from the hospital. I would just like to say that it wasn't dirty to begin with! Lauren has organized a calendar where people have signed up to bring us food. Uncle Tim and Aunt Liz, as well as Will and Elizabeth have made us yummy dinners so far this week. Your cousin, Trey, has drawn pictures for you that are hanging up in your nursery! While Momma was still in the hospital, our friends Joe, Joseph, Allie, and Titus came to visit us, we prayed for your health and it meant so much to Daddy and I. Momma's friends, Lizzie, Nicole, Jenn and Walker drove from Raleigh and Tiz drove from Charlotte to visit. They brought you all kinds cute stuff, I can already tell that they are going to spoil you like crazy. Borgia and Ben visited us and brought flowers and gifts. The Folgers also stopped by to see us, you have 25 high school volleyball players that are already in love with you and can't wait to spoil you! Mrs. Troxell was Momma and Daddy's World History teacher the year we started dating and she was Momma's mentor her first year teaching. She had twin daughters that were premies, and came to visit us the day after you were born. Its been comforting to talk to others that have been through similar experiences. We are so blessed to be surrounded by amazing family and friends that are supporting us during this really hard time. When we planned on having you this was not the way we thought it would go. We are trying to do the best we can, but its hard being at home without you here. Every night we go back to the hospital to spend just a little more time with you. All of your nurses, PAs, respiratory therapists, and doctors are wonderful. We are so lucky that we live close to the best NICU around. They all take great care of you and great care of Momma and Daddy when we need it! 

 Pretty flowers from the Walkers, Lowder, Inc. (Daddy's work), and Set Point Volleyball Club (not pictured)

 Your favorite position, just like Momma

 So handsome!

 Big foot :)

 Sleeping HARD

You are all arms and legs!

We love you so much, sweet boy! Your first week of life has been a roller coster, but we are so happy that you are here and that we get to spend more time with you than originally planned. I am going to spend time writing to you to keep our family and friends updated on how you are doing. We all love you so much and pray that you continue to fight and grow into a strong healthy boy so that you can come home to us soon. 

 I keep finding you in the weirdest positions :)

 Date time with Momma's boy

 Sweet sleeper

 Another funny sleeping position

 Trying to find our thumb, are we?

 Best part of my day

Meet Jackson Crews!