I am happy to report that Alex has been home for almost a
week and while we had a rough start, things seem to be settling down. We did
have to switch formulas to one for gas since it was taking us 20-30 mins just to
get a burp out of her. We also had a little trouble with the whole temperature
thing. They keep the NICU at 74-75 and had her in a sleeper and blanket. We
keep our house at 70 and had to add a sleep sack and hat to her attire.
She had her first pediatrician appointment and gained 5 oz
in the 5 days she was home and looks great otherwise.
Jonathan for the most part has been a big help and a good
big brother.
He was a little unsure of what to make of her in the beginning,
but seems to be adjusting very well. He has his moments, and needs to be
reminded daily that she is fragile. He has taken ownership for the monitors and
tells us when he hears baby, and for her diapers. He seems to get upset if we
dispose of her dirty diapers instead of giving them to him; if he isn’t right
there, he insists on being summoned for diaper duty. He also likes
participating in bath time. He gets to wash her feet and toes and her belly.
The days that Chris works are rougher than the ones where he
is home as he can help wrangle Jonathan in when he misbehaves or needs
attention that I am unable to give him at that moment.
I stand by my original philosophy which is that the children
should not out number the parents. At least that holds true for these parents-I
couldn’t imagine having more than these two.
