Josh and Carter

Dear Josh,

Anyone can be a Father .... but it takes a special man to become a Dad. I watched you last night with your kids at the skating rink and I watched how you held Carter and how you would bring him so close to your face and kiss his head. I loved seeing you do that.

Even though you've been a Father for four years now, and you've been a good one ... but now you're even better ... you are a Dad. It's so evident that your life revolves around your two little boys.

I couldn't get Luke to hold still long enough to even get a picture of his face. He was loving the party, the presents and the cake wasn't he? But that's okay ... he was having fun.

I love you Josh .... you're a good man with a heart of gold.

Love,

Mom

It's a Carter Day!

Hasn't he grown? He has fat rolls. I can't show you of course, but trust me .... they're there. Several of them, in several places. Carter was instantly hungry when we got home yesterday evening and wasn't really in the mood for picture taking. But being that is my priority, he had to wait to eat. Pictures come first in this house you know. I'll have to save the big photo session for tomorrow since he'll be here all day.

Marlboro Man brought the kids home and they were so excited. This was the first time they've seen Carter in "live person." They knew him from all the pictures, but they were in awe. Especially Jay. He just couldn't keep from loving on him. They all wanted their picture taken with Carter, but they each wanted to be by him. They couldn't get enough of him.
At bedtime last night I rolled Carter's little bassinet into their room. Sam ask him if he wanted to watch Bob the Beel-dor, and Jay wanted his bed rolled over beside his bed, so he could watch baby Carter.

Then Jay ask if we could have a baby like Carter ........ and we decided we'd better give him back before Jay gets any more bright ideas! When you're Grandma, there IS a return policy!

Be Blessed Everyone.

Cute Kids

This is a very cute kid. I think he knows it. Can you tell? This is Luke, my Grandson. He's Carter's big brother and very much in charge. I drove over to visit them this afternoon ... and probably shouldn't have, but I felt better today and thought I was up for it.

Luke got out of his cage right before I left. You know I'm kidding don't you? It was a pretty day and he walked outside with me as I was leaving. In the span of three minutes outside, he waded through a muddy ditch, got soaked, and was a muddy mess. I think the kid is ready for Spring.

Then his Uncle Joey caught up with him. .... and this is priceless. They're both cute kids.

Luke's little baby brother Carter came home with me, and is spending the night. I'm so excited and wow, is it bringing back the memories of the every four hour feedings. But what's a Grandmother for! Luke is going to his other Grandmothers for the night, and their Mommy and Daddy are getting a night off.

Gotta run .... it's bottle time and I hear the little pip-squeak squealing! Oh, I just love it.

Be Blessed Everyone.

The Babe is Home

He is home. I spent the entire afternoon, evening and into the night visiting this little guy. I fed him, bathed him, changed him and photographed him. I love this picture the best.

My daughter Juli met me at Amy and Josh's, to gift Amy, with a total cleaning and reorganization of her entire house. Room by room we cleaned, organized and revamped. She was ecstatic. It was a fun day, and as tired as I was by the time I came home ... I just felt so good.

The highlight of all this was putting the finishing touches on Carter's room. His room is "classic pooh" and painted in Khaki and Sage. We decorated the walls and went through all the tiny little preemie clothes and baby things. We "toted" up by size, and arranged everything for her, so that all she has to do is take down one tote a time. Completely organized ... in a very pretty nursery for a very precious baby named Carter Joe.

I had saved everything from my babies in case another Grandchild came along .... and Carter happened to be the winner! As Juli said, "Wow Mom! Carter scored!"

Luke, who is three, was loving his baby brother being home. As was Buddy ... the dog. He "slept" on guard at the feet of whoever held Carter.

Then, during his 7:00PM feeding ... Juli was holding him and giving him his bottle, and he suddenly stopped breathing. I noticed the odd look on Juli's face from across the room as she was watching him. She calmly said, "Mom, is he okay?" I ran over there and took him from her. He was completely apneic. Not breathing. It's funny, it doesn't matter how long you've been a Nurse, or how much experience you have ... when something like this happens, and especially to your own child, you forget everything you know for a split second. I never thought I'd have to resuscitate my own grandchild. Just as I was about to start giving him breaths, he sputtered and started breathing again.

Of course, I called the Neonatologist in the NICU he had just come from. He felt sure that it was an isolated event due to gulping too much too fast and gave instructions to watch him for a couple more feedings, and keep him upright for about thirty minutes after each feeding. Or if he did it again, he would put him back in the hospital for a bit longer. We watched him, and he's perfectly okay. Let's just pray that he doesn't do it again. My heart can't take it.

Whew! Carter is okay. It was very scary ... and I got home in the wee hours of the morning. So today, I'm Mommy again, until the next visit with this little man that I love so much ... and his big brother Luke.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Carter Update

It's been a long week and a half since I've gotten to see my "newest little favorite" guy. We've all had really snotty noses and been sick, including me!

SO, today after work, I snuck up to NICU to visit my little guy. Was I ever shocked! This little guy isn't so little anymore .... he's a whopping 3lb-10 oz. Can you believe that? He went and gained a whole pound while I was gone! I was just itching to get my hands on him .. but I wouldn't have gotten him sick for the world.

Today he had his first real bottle. He did not tolerate it well. He tried, bless his little heart ... but he's just not ready yet. He's 33weeks and 5 days now and it's time to start trying him. Usually babies have to be at around 34-35 weeks to know how to suck, swallow and breath all at the same time,without their little heart rate dropping ... and his dropped. His nurse did say that they'll continue to attempt twice a day until he "does it."

AND tomorrow .... guess who is going to give him a bottle? I'm sure you guessed! ME! I will have long awaited pictures tomorrow.

It's really funny, because I don't know the nurses in the NICU since I had my babies at a different hospital ... but last February I photographed the birth of a set of Quintuplets at that hospital. It just seems like yesterday since they were born. The same nurses are there, and I have to tell you .... those nurses are fabulous and I know my little guy is in good hands. I remember Emily W. telling me how great they were with her five little bundles ... and she was right, they are top notch. They love "their babies!" Carter couldn't be in better hands, than of those nurses. I'm so glad I got to experience Emily's birth of her Quints with her, and got to meet those nurses back then. Time flies .... it's been a year for the Quints. I know Carter will do just as well, and it's just around the corner that he'll be big enough to come home too.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Carter Update

I visited my newest little guy, that is my favorite at the moment this evening, and he is doing wonderful.

He no longer has an IV for fluids and they've upped his calories and he is just the cutest little thing. His weight is back up to 2.14 and he's no longer losing weight. His face is starting to round out again. It's amazing how just a few ounces in kiddo's this size can make a difference how they look.

He wore real people clothes for the first time today .... a little blue "very preemie" sleeper that fit him perfectly. His hands are so little that I can't really see a finger nail. They still won't wrap all the way around my finger. Meg's baby dolls are lots bigger than Carter is right now.

I guess in three years I've actually forgotten just how teeny tiny my threesome were when they were born. It's like when you're pregnant and you feel the baby move ... then once they're born you can't remember that feeling. Same with labor.

I held him for about thirty minutes and cuddled him and talked to him, and he stayed awake for the longest time. It was heaven when I was holding him. You know that feeling that tickles in the pit of your stomach and takes your breath away when a new puppy licks your face .... that's the feeling! I'm so in love!

Tomorrow is Carter's Mommy's birthday and she has a nice big present waiting for her, from her two boys, when she goes to NICU tomorrow! Carter whispered in my ear just exactly what to do for his Mommy! Then he winked at me, like we had a big secret, and then snuggled against me and went back to sleep.

I'll be taking pictures tomorrow of this handsome little guy in his new duds, so you'll get a peek at how much he's changing.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Carter Update

For all of you that emailed and ask how our newest little guy is doing .... he's doing great! Thanks for all the prayers and uplifting messages, and for caring.

This evening I went to visit him, .... and I got to hold him. I rocked him and told him how loved he is, and I hummed the very same song I hummed to his Daddy almost twenty-seven years ago, in the very same hospital NICU. I told him that his Mommy and Daddy love him and they miss him. I told him he has a big brother named Luke that would love to see him. Would you believe, he opened his little eyes a few times and grunted. The pictures make him look much bigger than he really is. His head is the size of my fist, and I have small hands. He has a lot of hair and looks so funny with all that hair on that little head. He's going to need a haircut soon!

I'll be taking pictures every evening of Carter (for his Mommy), and in about two weeks when they start attempting nipple feedings, I'll get to feed him on the days his Mommy can't be there.

Be Blessed Everyone.

Josh and Carter

Meet Josh. He's Carter's Daddy, and Luke's Daddy too. Today we went to the hospital to see Carter and see how he was doing. .... and, he's doing marvelous!

Meet Carter Joe Eblin. He is off the ventilator, and has no oxygen needs. That is a blessing handed down from God. They placed his nasal feeding tube today and will start feeding him tonight. His umbilical line is out and he has a little IV for hydration. Otherwise, he's doing better than expected for a little thirty-weeker.

He is the spitting image of my son Joey with Josh's dimple in his chin. He's a beautiful baby and I can't wait until the day comes that I can hold and cuddle him. But for now, he has to grow. His little foot is smaller than my thumb, and he has the cutest little round head, with lots of fuzzies on it.

This brings memories of how small my babies were when they were born. Carter was born at the very same gestation to the day as my little kiddo's, and is the exact same size that they were, within a few ounces. Three years as gone by since they were born, and walking into that NICU brought back the memories as if it were yesterday!

Please continue prayers for little Carter, he still has a long way to "grow." It appears that he's what we nurses call a "feeder and grower" and that's about as good as you can get with a little preemie in NICU.

Be Blessed Everyone!

Happy Birthday Carter

My grandson was born this evening, about ten weeks before we expected him. He entered this world via an emergency c-section and weighed in at 3.1 pounds and is 15 inches long. He is on a ventilator, but is doing well and is stable. He pinked right up at birth, but soon wore out and needed a boost due to prematurity.

Carter's Mother experienced a partial abruption and was life flighted to a hospital that could handle such a premature baby.

This evening I sat in my car outside the hospital waiting for the helicopter's arrival at the landing pad. Amy's Mother hadn't made it there yet, nor had my son. I parked and got out to go wait inside and heard the helicopter arriving. I got to stay with the nurse that received Amy at the landing pad and walked with them as they took her straight to surgery. Within thirty minutes of her arrival, Carter was born. He was coming into this world whether we were ready or not.

He's a beautiful little man, and could use your prayers. I'll post more pictures tomorrow after I get to visit this new little favorite man of mine. This one was taken with my cell phone and just isn't the best picture.

Count your Blessings Everyone!