52 Days Later- It Is Our Turn

YAY!!! It may have been a long journey, but he still going home before his due date (June 25th). He will be home for Father's Day. :-) I am sitting here just watching both Kevins sleep. One in the bed next to me and the other in his crib. I am so blessed and so excited that I do not know if I'll be able to sleep tonight, but I will try.

I got the phone call at 7:48am this morning. I thought they were calling to see if I was on my way for his 8:30am feeding. I heard Laura's voice (the NICU nurse manager). My heart began to race because she could only be calling for one reason. She told me that we would be rooming in tonight. She called as soon as the orders were written.

I got to the NICU expecting to feed him throughout the day in bay 8 of the NICU and move to the Family Room in the evening once Kevin got off work. However Laura said she would move him to the Family Room and I could "drop him off" at the NICU when I left to go get Kevin and our overnight bag. I wanted to cry tears of joy as I watched Laura disconnect him from all the monitors. The nurses all stopped to talked to me. They celebrated with me. It was overwhelming and so surreal. We rolled Baby Kevin's crib into the Family Room. I could now hold my baby and walk around with him. Baby Kevin seemed so content.

I spent the afternoon with Baby Kevin and my mom brought me lunch and came to take pictures for me. (Thanks Mom). It just did not seem real. Our day was finally here! I cried most of the way home as I drove to get Kevin and our stuff. This day will always be unforgettable. I will never find the words to describe the emotions that I feel.

They have warned me about failing to remember that Baby Kevin should not even be born yet. He is a preemie. He is healthy but he will require limited exposure for at least the first month while his immune system builds- only to leave the house for doctor appointments. He is still developing (for example: his eyes are not yet fully developed but they'll get there). I have to take him for a pediatrician, optometrist, urologist and development clinic appointments within the next month. The NICU has a reunion on June 27th for the all the preemies. The nurses said they better not see me there because it would be too soon for all that exposure. I told them that I was not even thinking about it. We'll attend the reunion next year. I am perfectly content to just be at home with our son. I could not ask for more. I am looking forward to this time that I have with him before July 20th (when I return to work). I am praying that the days don't fly by and I'll be ready to return to work when the time comes.

But for now, I sit here on the Family Room bed listening to both Kevins as they sleep. Thank you God for this day. It is all I can do to keep from myself from dancing around the room! :-)