Austin graduates NICU 7/11/12!

So as we had hoped yesterday, the hospital discharged Austin on his 2 month birthday, a full 2.5 weeks ahead of schedule!  Our first night alone was a bit of trial and error, but overall I'd say it went well and we managed to actually get a little bit of sleep.  Fortunately, Austin loves to eat, so it's not too tedious sitting through the middle of the night feedings.  He's a needy boy, and prefers to be held/cuddled when he's sleeping, so we're going to have to find a way around that when his sister comes home!

The nurses swooned with congratulations and goodbyes (not really goodbye since he'll be back frequently until his sister gets out).  It felt really good to leave the hospital in such a fashion.  Not taking anything away from the elation that all parents feel leaving the hospital... but to emerge from such a long, unpredictable roller coaster as NICU graduates, has to be one of our proudest accomplishments.  Even better is that we'll get to do it twice!

Smiling big on his 2 month birthday

Cheryl has just a little bit of fun staging Austin like a model

Leaving Hoag with a little extra cargo

And we're home!

Touchdown!

Home at last!

Lolo Manny came over to greet Austin in his new abode

Today we also celebrated the lives of our friends' twins who tragically lost their battle with prematurity just a short while ago.  It was quite an emotional ceremony, but we were so glad to be a part of the memorial as so much of their struggles not only reminded us of our own, but also point out how marginally safe Austin and Malia entered the world.  It gives us solace to know that our friends got to meet their precious twins if even for just a short while, and much of their memories will be of the hope they acquired from watching two tiny humans fight so hard.  If you haven't yet hugged your children today, go do it.  And if you already have, go do it again... You are blessed!

Back in the car for a ride up to Claremont to see his Nana

It's the little things, like finally being able to cut off his hospital tag

Austin with his first Nana visit

Austin and Uncle Kurt

 Malia was finally placed in an open crib, like the one Austin had before his discharge.  She has also demonstrated enough consistency in her blood gas saturation levels that they have removed her pulse oximeter, so one more cord has been removed from her monitor.
She's barely shy of 5 pounds still, but doing just awesome.  Her nurse today reported that she had been taking he last 2 feeds entirely, and then took another full one with me this evening.  She seems to have things clicking into place just like Austin before his discharge, although I haven't heard any inference of her impending discharge.  Cheryl and I still think it will be another week, but who knows!

Malia is now in a "big girl" crib

Milk drunk...

So the real fun will start soon, and we get to feel like real twin parents; tired, overwhelmed, cranky, etc...  Boy, this is going to be some fun!  Don't feel sorry for us, this is exactly what we asked for!