BRECKEN IS HOME!!!

Wow. What a day Monday was!! I showed up at the hospital for his 9am feeding to find Brecken NOT in his little area. I asked the nurse where Brecken Walker was and she ever so casually replied "Oh, someone already came and got him..." Ummmmm. I very calmly said, "As I am his mother, could you please be more specific as to WHO came and got him?" She apologized, thinking I had been called about his last minute Car Seat Evaluation that had been scheduled, and I was just thankful he didn't get sent home with someone else! We knew that the Car Seat Eval would be the last of his "tests" that he must pass before he could be discharged, so we were excited that the doctors ordered it to be done. I found the testing room and anxiously waited to hear that he passed with flying colors!

Feeding on his own... Check!

Maintain body temperature.... Check!

Pass car seat eval... Check!

I was told that he would be discharged in the afternoon, and it was a whirlwind after that! I called Eric at work so he could get to the hospital to see his little man come home, filled out paperwork, went through discharge procedures with the nurse, packed up all of Brecken's belongings and memories.... And then strapped him in his car seat for his first car seat ride! I was SO nervous driving with the precious cargo in the backseat!

We were a little cocky at first getting home... Brecken was sound asleep and we had to wake him up for his feedings. He went right to sleep in his crib, and we thought we'd have NO problems with him waking up throughout the night for feedings... In fact, we assumed we might have to wake him up. That was NOT the case. The nurses had been making comments all week about how "we have a little night owl" and "Which of you did he get his night owl status from?". All along, we just thought they meant when they woke him up for feedings, he ate really well through the night. As it turns out, they were referring to his powerful lungs that can only be heard between the hours of 11pm - 5am. What a difference. We had never really heard him do anything louder than a grunt, so when 11pm rolled around and we heard a screeching sound from the nursery, we looked at each other like WHAT THE HECK IS THAT??? 4 great feedings and 8 diapers later and it's a new day! To be perfectly honest, we had no complaints about walking across the hall to grab our little guy as it's MUCH better than waking up in the middle of the night and calling the nurses at a hospital 30 minutes away to ask how our son is doing. We are just so overwhelmingly happy to have him home with us.

Before leaving the hospital, the doctors and nurses stressed that although he is coming home and might look like a full term baby, we need to remember that he shouldn't even be out into the world yet! He should still be tucked away on bed rest for another full month. Eeeek! That is weird to think. We have been told that we should limit the amount of different people that hold him, and should also limit how much stimulation he receives. It's most important that he saves up the little energy that he has for his feedings and we otherwise lay low for a little bit and make sure that he is a healthy boy when he gets to be full term. He was born at week 34.... Discharged from the hospital at week 36... And we hope that he is big and strong and healthy when he turns to a full term baby at week 40. We might just have to have a little party for him to celebrate his July 13th due date!!

We will take Brecken to see the pediatrician tomorrow morning and are hopeful that his weight continues to go up and all looks good!

Below are some pictures from our day of discharge:

Brecken taking a nap in his big boy bed before we get the good news

More sleeping

Brecken hears that we get to go home....

... And can't keep the smile off his face!!

Dressed and ready to leave the hospital!

Strapped in and ready to roll.... This is the SAME hat that his Uncle Aaron wore home from the hospital back in March of 1984. Thanks for letting Brecken borrow it uncle Aaron.... He can't wait to meet you!!!!

First family photo as Brecken feels his freedom

Brecken with Mom Brecken with Dad

Brecken settles into his new bed. I think it likes it

Happy to be home :)