Sleepy guy

I ate all dads brownies this morning and all my formula. Took a bath
and now I'm spent. I got my clean clothes on and hugged my mom and
dad. Im off to sleep.

This kid likes to sleep

Well he sleeps about an hour after he eats and fills diapers like a
champ. But he just looks slick all day. Here are a few new pics.

First doctors appt

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> Brian

Hello everyone.

Hello everyone. Im coming home today with my mom and dad. It took me a
week and three days to convince the nurses here that I was fine. Wait
till I show them my blogging skills.
After a quick trip to get a circumcision. Not sure what that entails
but, whatever. I'll be all better and ready for the car ride home.
Since no one was allowed to visit me except my mom and dad, they have
been telling me how wonderful it will be to meet all of you. I'll be
ready for some visitors In about a month or so. See you soon.

Feeding

Ethan got his feeding tube removed today. Nice!

Brian

Look who is eating.

Ethan is taking a bottle and doing great. Scheduled to come home on
saturday if all is well.

Exciting News

Things are busy this week. I have been working and Libby has been recovering and spending time with Ethan in the Intermediate Care Nursery at Tacoma General during the day. After work we usually spend about an hour at home making dinner and getting ready to spend the rest of our night at the hospital with him. We are learning a great number of things from the nurses and as new parents we are grateful and eager to know the best practices.

Today will leave from work for a couple weeks to spend more time at home because there is a chance that Ethan will be healthy enough to come home. He has gained weight at 1oz per day and is now 4# 13oz. We are going to take advantage of the "in room care" where we will spend the next couple nights (and days) with him taking care of his needs in a hospital room, and also have nurses ready to answer any question at any hour. So long as he is letting us know when he needs feeding during this time, he will be released from hospital care.

Libby and I are really excited! No more back and fourth to the hospital and leaving him every day (that has been tearing us up inside). 

I am not sure of the normal progress of infants, but I believe that all of our prayers (and those of our friends and family) have been answered and that is what I attribute to his rapid progress. We feel blessed. 

Thank you.

-Brian

Progress

Ethan has gained weight and is now at 4# 12oz. He is a progress monster! He is maintaining his temperature and is in a regular crib and not the isolette, wahoo! He is a good eater and takes to bottle and breast very well. The tube in his nose is for the times he falls asleep while eating so the rest of the bottle is fed directly into his tummy (gavage feeding). No word in when he will come home yet but the progress is coming along.

Week End

Libby and I are traveling a lot more nowadays trying to spend as much time as possible staying with Ethan and there are no cell phones allowed in the nursery at Tacoma General so communicating about his progress is somewhat delayed. the Ronald McDonald house is "ok" if you "have to" use it we found. so we are driving this week and for the foreseeable future. Ethan dropped to 4 pounds 8 ounces and has since gained an ounce. well take any progress at this point. he is "vigorous" in the mornings so mom is trying hard to make it to his morning feedings. he is very healthy and in good hands, just early. we are all struggling to keep a happy face through all this so send positive vibes. :0)

Proud Parents

Libby and I are now the proud parents of a new baby boy. Ethan Lucas
Strother was born on Tuesday morning 1/12/10 at 2:12am weighing 4lbs
11oz. Ethan was anxious to meet his mom and dad that he had heard so
much talk from the last 8 1/2 months so he was delivered early.
Incredible is the only way to describe what Libby and I are going
through. We love him dearly.