He Gained Weight!!!

Every time I finish nursing Ian, the nurse asks me what size supplement I think Ian should be given (25ml or 50ml). Each day I only asked for the full supplement (50ml) to be given once. These supplements have been of my milk that I have pumped. Sometimes the decision was easy because either he nursed very little or he did an awesome job. Many times though it was a tough call. I was torn between wanting to wean him off the supplements and wanting to make sure he gained weight. This was one of those instances where "praying without ceasing" becomes a reality. Thankfully our prayers were answered as Ian gained about one ounce. Yesterday he weighed a little less than 5lb 10oz and today he's just a little shy of 5lb 11oz. So he's been about 5lb 10oz for 3 days as he went up a little one day, down a little the next, and then up again today. Because he gained some weight, the heat was turned off in his isolette at 2am. Today was his first day to wear a onesie (see pic below). The onesie is newborn size and the sleeper is preemie size. The other sleepers he wore over the last few days were newborn size. There is "growing room" in the newborn size ones, which are meant for 5-9 pounds. The preemie size ones fit a little better, but the newborn ones will do just fine. This "Babysaurus" preemie sleeper was one that Paul purchased at Walmart for Nadia. It's currently the only article of clothing that I have in preemie size for Ian.

I chose to have Ian wear it today because Paul is coming to visit me! From Tuesday through Saturday the only day I saw Paul was Thursday. Friday and Saturday I had visitors for only 20 minutes each day. I have felt a bit like I am in solitary confinement. Paul's parents visited with Ian & I briefly on Friday en route to watch Nadia while Paul started painting Ian's room. A colleague of mine from work, Caryn, came by yesterday to bring me my final exams. She also delivered a card that all of the students in my graduate Language Arts methods course had signed. That's the second baby card I've received, and I'll be treasuring both of them (all the faculty in my department signed the other one).

She also brought a gift that a nursing professor had given me - a husky stuffed animal (which is the mascot at our university). It's really soft. Paul said that earlier in the week the neighbors had brought over a Christmas outfit and a large stuffed teddy bear for Ian. Naturally Nadia thought it was for her. I plan at some point in the not so distant future to put that bear away. I want Ian to have a few things that are new to him as most things will be hand-me-downs or toys that are for both of them to share. So I am considering these two stuffed animals to be Ian's. He can share with her of course! Caryn offered to bring me a meal last night, but I had already eaten a hot pocket before she arrived. I did take her up on her offer to bring me lunch today. So I will be having two visitors today as Caryn is bringing me lunch and then later Paul is bringing me dinner and we'll watch a couple of hours of the Steelers football game together. I have yet to turn on the tv that is in this room. Hopefully we can figure out how to use it, and maybe just maybe the Steelers will win a game.

The first picture is very appropriate for today because Ian pulled that NG tube out of his nose during the night. He was not very happy when the nurse had to put a new one in (goes to his stomach). Then he pulled it out again at 8am, but this time the nurse asked the doctor if she could leave it out since we knew they planned to take it out later today. He said yes as long as I would give him a bottle after nursing him. So Ian had his first bottle feeding today. I didn't want him to have any bottles for awhile given what happened with Nadia preferring the bottle over nursing, but I didn't want to have the poor guy deal with another NG tube. He did very well with the bottle.

Last night I graded the easy set of exams. I say easy because the questions were all multiple choice or true and false. I have posted 4 of 7 grade sheets to the Registrar. Of the 3 I have left to do, 2 will be very time consuming and 1 will barely take any time whatsoever. The reason the other 2 will take a lot of time is because most of the questions on those exams were essay questions. Grades aren't due until noon on Wednesday, so I am confident I can finish on time.

Ian's bloodwork at 5am revealed that his bilirubin count continues to go down little by little. I am hoping he'll be taken off of the Wallaby blanket today as diaper changes and such are really challenging when he's wearing this thing around his midsection. I am soooooooooo looking forward to going home tomorrow. I can feed my baby more often (here he has to wait 3 hours in between feedings), sleep in my own bed, not hear alarms going off all the time, hold my baby as much as I want to, and of course spend time with Paul and my sweet little Nadia. Oh how I have missed my girl. I hope many years pass before I have to spend 10 days apart from her again. It's been really hard on me and also on her.