The best hospital visit yet!

Today was such an awesome visit!  We got there about 12:15 and they had just got his first blood gas back since taking him off the ventilator and it was great!  When we walked in they were taking away the ventilator machine, it had been left until they saw he was doing fine off of it, so glad to see it gone, 2 big pieces of equipment gone now :)  He was wide awake when we got there too.  Since his blood gas came back good the dr came to talk to us and told us they were going to take out his umbilical line and then he needed to stay still for an hour to make sure it clotted so he wouldn't bleed badly so we decided it was best we just leave and let them do that so I went to pump and then hung out with Mark in the waiting room until about 1:20.

When we came back in the nurse had just started his "touch time" and had me do his temp and change his diaper then she told me I could hold him <3  So she gave him to me and he was really hungry trying to eat his blanket so I put his paci in his mouth and he sucked on it like crazy, she started his tube feed and let Mark hold that...so first time he's fed him.  He sucked on the paci until it was almost gone then spit out the paci like since he wasn't hungry anymore he didn't want to suck.  He was so content with a belly full of mommy's milk :)  He's now taking 1oz per feeding and digesting all of it!  I held him for an hour and he was just so content, it was definitely something we both needed badly.  I kept asking Mark if he wanted to hold him but he didn't want to take him from me so I sat holding him and just watching him sleep for an hour.  I finally told Mark to take him I knew he was dying to hold him so he held him for awhile then we laid him down so he could sleep.  We needed to get home to the boys anyway they have been having a really hard time the past couple days with us being away from them so much, we never leave them much less everyday for hours.

Now Preston needs to get the PICC line out, in order to do that he has to start taking more feeds so he doesn't need the nutrients from the IV.  If he stays stable all night we'll get to feed tomorrow :)  If he can start taking his feeds well and keep his oxygen levels stable to get off the nasal canula and he'll be able to come home.  But we still don't know how long that will take...hopefully he does it fast and is home in a few days!!!

Today's visit <3

First time being held since getting to the hospital, up until now he's just been lifted to change position or move blankets...even the nurses haven't held him

Mommy finally gets to hold him!

My <3

Daddy giving him his food

Gorgeous boy

Daddy finally getting to hold him

Loving on Daddy <3