Day 77

Walker is 37 weeks corrected gestational age today and so close to going home.  Walker did great for his nurse overnight she feed him and he ate well and maintained his breathing.  He also had a really big "big job" and so she also gave him a bath!  He might be little, put he packs a punch!  Last night Walker was up to 4lbs 4.1ozs, the little guy is really packing on the weight now!

Mommy couldn't wait to get to the hospital to give Walker his 9:00 bottle and check on him.  We are getting more and more excited and nervous as we get closer to taking him home, I doubt Mommy will sleep for a week because she'll be watching him breathe!  Walker took 42cc and had several good burps, he was cooing and smiling and so happy this morning.  He also did well with his 12:00 feeding and afterwards the nurse said it was time for his car seat test, that is where they make him sit in his car seat for an hour and 1/2 and make sure he maintains his heart rate and breathing.

Walker was not happy about being strapped into the car seat, and he was fighting and wiggling around causing his stats to be in the upper 80's.  After about 35 minutes he feel asleep and was stating in the upper 90's which is great, but the nurse practitioner decided that since he had a rough start she was going to fail him just to be on the side of caution.  Mommy and Daddy will still get to take Walker home on Sunday, this just means we have to go buy a special car seat called a car seat bed.  It is exactly what it sounds like, a car seat where he can lay flat and still be strapped in.  He will have to travel in this for several weeks until the pediatrician says he is big enough to go in his regular car seat.  This is just a little bump in the road and after almost 80 days we don't care what we have to buy to get him home, as long as we can get him home!

This afternoon Walker breastfed and did really well, this little boy really likes to eat.  He also did a "big job" for Granny, what a great Granny he has to change dirty diapers!  He was mostly quiet and resting for the rest of the afternoon, which is what we like!  Walker also had a visit from Mimi and Bart who were excited to see him off his cannula with nothing on his face for the first time!

Tomorrow night Mommy and Daddy get to stay in the parenting room here at the hospital and take care of Walker all night long.  We can't wait for this opportunity the first time to get to sleep and wake up next to our little boy.  Please continue to pray for us as we keep preparing for Walker to come home, we can't wait for our little boy to see the outside world and breathe the fresh air for the first time!

Good morning Mommy!

What a stretch! 

Car seat test!

He looked so tiny in the big ole car seat.

Good night Mommy!