How can it be that Joshua has been home almost three weeks now?! We are slowly settling in at home. In some ways it is just like it would have been bringing a new baby home from the hospital and the chaos, sleeplessness, adjustments that are involved with a new baby in the house. But in other ways it is SO different. So many new worries about weight gain, growth, germs with Joshua. The monitor and alarms and oxygen equipment don't bother Joe or I too much. We've become accustomed to those things in the NICU, so they don't make us worry too much. (except for the tripping factor or kids playing too near the equipment) My main worry is about Joshua's growth with all the things the doctors have said discouraging my direct breastfeeding. And the other stresses that come with acclimating back to life with our older three. Mom is different than grandmas, not as fun, can't play 24/7, doesn't let as many things slide, so there is attitude and conflict. Mom is also missing her NICU nurse friends. It is like when you move to another city and leave friends behind. I miss their company, their conversations, how they understood me and "get" how hard life in the NICU is. As happy as I am to be home I miss them a lot and definitely miss daily adult interactions. They have told us to stay home as much as possible for RSV season this year and next. With Joshua's lungs in such bad shape a cold could put him back in the hospital.
But we have had a lot of good family time. Playing games, building marble run ramps with wrapping paper tubes, a slide, a car ramp, a dinosaur toy, starting regular school time back up, watching Little House on the Prairie in the evenings, and now cheering on Team USA in the Olympics, and just being together to eat meals together, watch the kids interact with Joshua, saying "did you wash your hands?" for the 100th time that hour because they want to touch him (usually after picking their nose)
All three absolutely adore their youngest brother. Abby wants to hold him many times a day. We have limited it to two times so she doesn't constantly ask. The boys will lay next to Joshua's blanket and watch him or give him a toy. Jeremiah held Joshua for the first time today and just kept looking at him and getting up in his face. Jeremiah has shown a sweet and loving side toward his brother. I'm quite surprised at this. He will play peekaboo and run around from side to side while Joshua is swinging. They love to get him a pacifier, tell me when his cannula is out of his nose, or if he is pulling the cannula, or they tell me when he has a poopy diaper, and when he's crying (as if I couldn't hear it)
Oh, and by the way...Joshua rolled over from belly to back two times today!!! He was mad and didn't like his tummy, but put that energy to good use. But when he rolled over he just screamed more. His lungs are definitely getting stronger because his cries actually are starting to sound like cries, not just soft, staccato-groans.
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