Day #4: Happy Birthday Joel!

Joel is one week old today! It is amazing to think of how much our lives have changed in 7 loooong days! Joel was wide awake today when we got there, and we got to hold him right away and Daddy did more "skin on skin" time. He was much more cooperative today because NO MORE IV!!!!! Now he needs to get rid of the feeding tube and the other wires he's hooked up to and we can really cuddle him! He drank most of his bottle for the nurse at 9:00 and had to get the rest through his feeding tube. He is just to small to work hard enough to finish the bottle on his own. They have upped his bottle to 37-40 ccs, and he generally takes 20-25 through the bottle before he is asleep. He is still a world class burper! He is back up to 4 pounds 10 ounces, so that is an improvement. He peed on me today, so I quess I have been officially initiated into the club! He slept most of the time until his 3:00 feeding, which I did alone since Rob took Bailey back to Defiance. He is going to get some things taken care of at home and be back sometime tomorrow. Joel took 25ccs from the bottle for me and the rest through the tube. The doctor was in today and said again that he thinks maybe another week would be possible before sending him home. Let's keep our fingers crossed! The baby next to Joel, Joshua, is not doing well at all, and that upset me a lot today. We haven't talked much to his parents, but I was in the room today when the doctor told his mother that she would set up Hospice for her and that she recommended they take him home and let nature take it's course. He apparently has some kind of genetic heart defect. He was born the day before Joel and is smaller than he is. Please say a prayer for their family. I have only had a son for three days and I can't even imagine what that has to be like. Anyway, after Joel's 3:00 feeding he began to have what the nurse delicately referred to as "liquid stools" (sorry, but you weren't actually there so I don't feel I need to mince words!) His bottom is very sore and the nurse told me that she needed to put him back in the isolette with his bare bottom up to get some air on it. He was NOT a fan of that, let me tell you! He finally fell asleep, so I left since she needed him to stay there until his 6:00 feeding. I got myself to the Ronald McDonald House okay. It is a weird place. The common areas are very nice and food and laundry are free. The rooms, however, have no TV or radio and are very small and dark. Pretty depressing, if you ask me. I'm feeling pretty lonely tonight, but I think I will just go to bed early and try to get to the hospital earlier than usual in the morning for some Momma time. Joel was making some pretty cute faces this morning. Rob got a really cute picture of him with a big smile on his face. Speaking of pictures....I could not post any tonight because I can't get my laptop to work here. The front desk said that they would have someone help me tomorrow. I'm feeling withdrawal! Hopefully it will be fixed tomorrow and I can start sending pictures again. Also, I want to apologize for not answering all of my e-mails and phone messages individually. By the time the end of the day rolls around, we are too tired to do much but sleep and get ready to see the baby the next day. I hope people understand. We can't wait for young Mr.Foster to start making the rounds once he bulks up a little bit! Good night....