Day #2: So in love!

Today was a red-letter day for Joel! When we got there this morning he was finishing his morning bottle...ALL of it! He was wide awake for a while and we got to hold him quite a bit before he had to go back into his isolette (which Rob calls his "box"!). The nurse reported that he did well during the night and that he is doing much better maintaining his own body temperature. We got to meet with the neonatologist today who gave us excellent news. Joel is doing very well with taking the bottle and shows absolutely no signs of drug withdrawal! His birthmother had some drug use, and we were concerned about that. Not only does he not show any signs of withdrawal, but he is doing so well that they are discontinuing the testing series altogether! Yeah!!!! The IV in his head should come out Wednesday, and if he continues to do well on his bottle they will remove his feeding tube. I can't wait to hold him without all the tubes and stuff. The doctor said that he anticipates about two more weeks before he can go home. We of course are hoping for sooner than that. Rob fed him for the first time today. The male bonding must have worked, because boy can this kid burp! His eyes were open a lot today. I love the pictures I posted with his eyes open. We think he might be left-handed because he is always moving his left hand up around his face or to hold your finger. Later this afternoon, our favorite nurse, Angie, helped us with what they call "skin to skin holding", which is supposed to increase his ability to regulate his own temperature and somehow make him gain weight faster. We'll try anything to spring him from the hospital, so we were all for it! Both of us took a turn. You take your shirt off (or open it up) and lay him (wearing nothing but a diaper) directly on your chest. Of course, the nurse covered us with blankets to help with his body temperature. He fussed when they took off his clothes, but settled down immediately once he was on our chests. We each sat with him for about an hour like this. The nurse said he did really well with it, and of course we didn't mind it at all! Rob also got his first diaper change in today. It's not easy with all the wires, but he was a trooper. I got the first nasty diaper today....again, I think the whole "male bonding" thing had something to do with that! Thanks again for the support we are getting from everyone. Please keep us in your prayers. The baby's grandmother is still trying to cause some trouble, but our social worker assures us that there is absolutely nothing she can do to stop the adoption. I had a little (okay, not so little) melt down tonight about that, but our social worker completely reassured both of us that they have done everything completely legally and this baby is not going anywhere but Defiance, Ohio! Oh, I almost forgot. Courtney came to see the baby today and stayed to feed him for a little bit. She again said how happy she was with her decision and was glad that we were so attached to him. She held him but really does not seem too comfortable with it. I think the tubes and everything were too much for her. I would have never thought I could love someone so much after not even knowing him for two days, but I'm smitten! More tomorrow....Good night!