Momma comes home!

Today was much anticipated, although I think Cheryl's homecoming was envisioned quite differently by us both, mainly in the fact that we figured it might come much, much later.  Just a week ago, Cheryl started to feel the effects of homesickness and talked about wanting to come home (though accepting the impossibility), but last night had a struggle with our impending departure.  It has been so nice to get a chance to meet our kids early; but it would have been a lot less stressful (yet boring, on hospital bed rest) to have them come along at 32+ weeks rather than 27w4d.  After 4 days of quality time in the NICU, it's not hard to recognize that there's almost always a bigger struggle nearby than your own.  Isn't that just life, though?  It's all relative, and depends how far back you pull your focus.  In the NICU, everyone is rooting for each other.  Doesn't matter whether it's a 2 month premie or serious birth defect, you just hope for everyone to leave all smiles.  We left with big smiles, especially knowing our kids were in good hands.

I was glad to bring Cheryl home today.  Back to her own bed, the comforts of home.  We stopped by the hospital in the afternoon to check on the kids.  Amazing how much can change in a few hours.  We returned to find that both of them were off of their bili lights.   Austin is now taking 3cc of breastmilk every 3 hours, double his dose from yesterday, which means he's tolerating it well and his gut is digesting things properly. As a result, he's gotten back up to 2lb 6oz.  Malia on the other hand, while tolerating the feedings better than she did initially, has had a slower gut response to the feedings.  She's getting only 1cc every 6 hours.  She will have plenty of time to catch up, but she's got a long way to go at 1lb 13oz. 
So both Austin and Malia are making nice progress.  We found them both sleeping comfortably this afternoon.

Austin likes sleeping on his belly; it seems to restrict his spastic movements and keep him calm during his sleep. He is definitely going to like to be swaddled. Malia, as usual, is content on her back.  She hardly moved her arms while we were there.

The nurse said Austin was well enough to be held today.  Cheryl opted out because he was sleeping as soundly as we've ever seen him today.  Perhaps tomorrow she'll get to hold her baby boy.  Boy, wouldn't that be something?