Day#8: Where's the Geek Squad when you need them?

Holy cow! You have NO idea how long it took me to post these pictures on this blog tonight! The wireless network is still not working here (at least on my laptop), and Cara the night manager finally took pity on me and let me use her computer on her network to post. Supposedly she is going to figure out the problem with the RMH wireless tomorrow, but no one has been able to do so yet! I am not going to send the pictures through the e-mail anymore....it is too much of a hassle and the files keep coming back marked "too big". Anyone who wants to look at the pictures will need to check the blog or shutterfly (password: joelaiden). ANYWAY...today was another good day. Joel is continuing to get stronger and doing a little better with his bottle every day. Mom got a little frustrated this afternoon because he ate better for the nurse than he did for us and he will probably starve when he comes home (a little theatrical, but I can't help it!), but the nurse continues to say that he will catch on soon. He is up to 4 pounds, 10 1/2 ounces, so he is gaining weight. The doctor came in again today and said that he should be home by next weekend. We hope so because the routine is getting monotonous. After being with the baby all day we pretty much come back to the RMH and do whatever laundry the baby has dirtied during the day and watch TV. I have some stories about this place, but those are better shared later! The staff here is really nice, but other than that I am not too impressed I guess. We must be making progress, though, because the nurse told me to bring in his car seat and an outfit for his hospital picture tomorrow. They won't take his picture until his feeding tube is out, but this is a good sign. We also made arrangements for his circumcision in a couple of days. We have a favorite nurse (Sheila) and she told me that I probably would not want to be there for that as it is done in the room. No problem...I already feel guilty enough about signing a paper giving the doctor permission to hurt my baby as it is! He is loveable as can be and I can't wait for us to come home. Everyday I see what the family next to us goes through and it makes me so happy that baby Joel is so healthy despite coming early. Baby Joshua coded once today while I was there. They got him back and hooked him back up to the monitors, but it was scary. His mother had just walked out of the room about a minute before it happened and luckily the nurse was in the room talking to us when the monitor went off. I guess he is going home on Tuesday, but they have to take a bunch of equipment with them. Keep them in your prayers. They need it. Rob went back to Defiance tonight. He is working tomorrow and Marty our neighbor is bringing him back on Tuesday afternoon. The logic there is that we only want one car down here when Joel is discharged. We are so thankful to all of our friends and family who have really gone out of their way to help us while we are here. It's not easy being away from home, but at least we feel like things are under control there. It is so sweet watching Rob with Joel! He changes his diaper (even the nasty ones!) without complaining at all and is eager to take his temperature and feed him. We try to take turns. I'll get him all day tomorrow, so Daddy will have some catching up to do once he comes back! I'm off to the shower, so this is all for tonight. Enjoy the pictures! Good night!