DUE DATE

So despite being a traumatic birth, Garrett amazed everyone in the NICU and Special Care nursery. He was so healthy despite being born 9 weeks early. He came off the CPAP just a couple of hours after birth.

He had no medical issues other than some jaundice and the need to grow and be monitored to determine if he had any issues going on. He had one bradycardia event on December 11th but no significant apnea. He also had a tachycardia event about two weeks after he was born, but nothing else during that time in the hospital. He was on the billirubin light for quite a while, came off of it, was put back on it, and then was just on the billi blanket for a while, and then came off of that for good. I was a happy mommy when he came off of that because I could hold him for longer periods of time.He had a feeding tube that he was fed through every three hours. I pumped breast milk for him so that he could have the benefits of the milk.

I didn't get to meet him until the night after he was born and I didn't get to hold him until two days after his birth. I cried and cried because I felt a lot of guilt. Is this what my body did to him? Is this what happens when you do fertility treatments? I questioned a lot of things. I felt like I had done this and this little miracle did not deserve to have to face challenges like this early in life. I cried every time I saw him for several days. It was incredibly hard to see him for the first time but it got better as i understood his medical prognosis and how everything was going for him as he continued to improve.

His growth was amazing. He only had one day that I remember him not having a weight increase. He was 2 pounds 9oz when he was born and dropped down in weight as all babies do right after birth and then went up from there. He was 4 pounds 2 oz when we left the hospital. He was in the NICU from December 3rd when he was born until December 23rd. I was really sooo ready to get to the Special care stepdown unit where we could relax a little more and have more private time with him. It was really nice up there in that unit. I felt like he was being held back on feeds and such by being in NICU a little longer than necessary because we were waiting on a room to open up.

We celebrated Christmas and New Years in the hospital with him. I got to kiss the cutest boy on New Years eve at midnight. Mommy got to do Garrett's first photo session in the hospital. I was so excited when he was able to wear clothes for the first time. He looked so cute all dressed up. Everyone commented on how well dressed he was! We still did Kangaroo care/skin to skin as much as we could also.

On New year's Eve the nurse said we could take him out of the isolette FINALLY and he could be in a hospital bassinet. The difference was amazing. We could hold him more often and snuggle more. We worked on feeding more and he learned how to breastfeed so well. He made such quick progress with that. On new years day, they removed his feeding tube! I was ecstatic to see my baby without all the tape on his face and a tube in his nose.

Finally on January 5th after 34 days in the hospital, our baby got to come home with us! Those days of going to the hospital every day were physically and emotionally taxing..having to leave him every single evening was hard, some days really really hard. We wanted him with us soo badly! Chris came to see him during his lunch breaks and after work as well. It was challenging for both of us. Also our dog wondered why we were coming and going so much and I had a lot of guilt for leaving her so often. I am so happy to be together under one roof!

Today is bittersweet, because it's his due date. I am incredibly grateful that he was born healthy, although early and small. He had some challenges to overcome but overall did wonderful and is still doing wonderful. We are adjusting at home still but feel like we're finally getting into a routine. We are not only celebrating his due date today but also he is two months old today! He celebrated the superbowl yesterday and has graduated out of a majority of his preemie clothes although too small for newborn clothes yet, so it's a challenge finding things that fit without being too big. He is eating well and growing fast. He weighed 5 pounds 10oz last Monday at his doctor appointment.

He is our little miracle. He just wanted to come early. What a wonderful experience it has been to witness what should be occurring in the womb. God truly is amazing at how he has made human life to grow and develop perfectly in the womb..everything working in harmony between mother and baby. I feel incredibly blessed because so many babies that are born even bigger than Garrett but early have problems and his only real problem was being a little guy. I am grateful for infertility because it taught me so many things and I"m grateful for his early birth because myself and Chris and everyone around has had the chance to witness what a real miracle looks like!