Silas Update II 79 Days Old II We can see the LIGHT!!

37.5 Weeks Gestation
11.5 Weeks Old
5 lbs 1 oz. (FIVE!!!)
2,270 Grams

oh buddy. We are on the up and up (knock on wood!)! Your staph infection antibiotics ran their course and cured your cellulitis in only 5 days. Antibiotics finished Sunday and you’ll be out of isolation (patient zero style) by tomorrow. At this point the name of the game is to get you breathing independently and feeding from a bottle. Those are our biggest goals, along with back sleeping (which you hate, you much prefer to be on your side or belly and you aren’t sorry about it, and of course the dreaded “carseat challenge” where you’ll have to sit in your carseat for 90 minutes, unassisted, but that’s the very last thing, so we’ll chill on worrying about that for now.

Mr. Independent! Now that you’ve moved into an open-air big boy crib and have gained some weight, I’m able to do so many more mom things! I can lift you out of your crib by myself without assistance (this is HUGE), and we can also swaddle you for quick holds for anyone who visits. It’s so nice being able to have just a little bit more control and I’m feeling more like a real mom each day.

The docs have estimated that you’ll be a due date discharge baby. Today it blew my mind to realize that your due date is 18 days away!!! Whaaat? I know better than to bank on you coming home on your due date (7/14), but I can definitely see the light at the end of the tunnel and boy is it shining so bright. Your daddy is doing an amazing job at getting your nursery up and running but dude, I don't even care about being "ready". All I need is a carseat and some diapers and let's just get you home!

Here’s a few brief updates on your sweet little body:

YOUR LUNGS. You are on the nasal cannula with five liters of pressure - this is down from 7 liters (more pressure) on Saturday. You are progressing so well in the lung department, particularly after blowing a hole in your right lung early on. Goal is to get you down to ~2 liters and then we can start bottle feeding you. Also the past 2 days you’ve required ZERO supplemental oxygen, sitting pretty at 21% Oxygen / room air. This is fantastic and means that we might not have to bring you home on oxygen support. Score!

YOUR FEEDINGS. Still through an NG (nasogastric) tube, getting my milk with a little extra muscle milk protein from nutrition. You've done some nipple exploration and showed some interest. Your mama is still undecided whether we’re going to breastfeed - BRB on that front. But for now your intestines and digestion is golden.

YOUR EYES. You showed early signs of ROP (Retinopathy of prematurity) a few weeks ago, which is an early indication you would need laser surgery of the retina and probably glasses for the rest of your life. There are 4 grades and you have a grade 1 in just one eye. They think you’ll actually be fine and heal yourself, but it’s something we’ll be keeping an eye on (see what I did there?).

INFANT MASSAGE! You LOVE being massaged! It’s the cutest ever. The timing has to be right, but you’ve been waking up pretty consistently at 3pm after we get done with skin to skin and I put you back in your crib. We started with your legs/feet and you couldn’t stop looking around the room and cooing the sweetest little noises, mimicking my voice. It was so precious and so very special to see your eyes and face light up at the sensations. I’m def on deck to do more of that, sweet boy. Also it helps map your brain to your skin and limbs, and who doesn’t love a good massage. So much goodness!

Keep on keeping on, baby boy. Before you know it, we’ll be home napping and going on neighborhood walks and having all of the fun at home as a family of 4! My heart nearly explodes just thinking about it. Gosh we just love you so hard. 

Your first big boy clothes!

Awake for longer periods of time!

First nice, soft blanket we brought from home

That little tootin grin though! 

Love those little Sizemore hands

Sometimes you just need a little NICU Rose (Thanks @amystreger!!)

Somebunny loves his Grandpa