Where do I begin, such a full week! Let’s start with this past Saturday. The girls were able to visit their brother again but this time it was even more special, they got to hold him!! This only lasted a few seconds a piece but it still was a big moment for them. It makes everything seem a little more real when brother is being held vs looking at him through his iscolet. On Saturday they also approved Kirby and I to start holding him 2x a day. This will complicate my schedule a bit but we are making it work.
Joseph is now 3 pounds 6 ounces or 1520 grams. While I was holding him for the second time on Monday the doctor came in and said he was ready to try a bottle! This is a huge step we have been waiting for! His first bottle was a major success and he has continued to improve since then. He is having no problems sucking and swallowing but still does get sleepy towards the end of the feedings. To start they will only give him one bottle every 12 hours, this will prevent him from burning too many calories at first while he is learning how to master the bottle. If he continues to gain weight they will continue to up the amount of bottles he eats per 24 hours. Yesterday, he jumped over that 1500 gram mark we have been waiting on and in return he was able to put on his first outfit! This will help him learn how to regulate his body temperature on his own without the help of the iscolet warming his bed up or down. So far, he is regulating without any problems!
As you can see, the Lord has blessed us with another fantastic week and we are just one step closer to our little man coming home! This is beyond exciting, the travels to and from the hospital are becoming long and we are so ready to have him with us all the time! We all miss him when we are gone and the girls have his baby gear all ready for when he makes his way home. They are excited to be a part of his everyday life. We are beyond thankful for the smooth transitions Joseph has had each and every milestone we have come across. His life is a testament to Gods faithfulness, he is nothing short of a miracle!
Oh, my goodness! Such a full week! Eating, dressing, sister’s holding – that is enough to wipe a guy out!! I love the expressions – Isla just content and loving her new brother. Of course, First-Born Madelyn is completely concerned – “Am I doing this right?? Is he ok??? Is Mom doing this right?? Oh, no – what is going to break in the next moment????!!!!!!” (Gotta love those first-born girls – where would we be without them making sure everything is ok????!!!!) Romi, you still look like the kid who has just been released into the candy store, with the guidelines – “Eat anything you want!!” We all know that it will get a lot harder, as God answers your prayers to Just Bring Joseph Home To Us Safely!! But obviously He has not only given you the blessing of Joseph and his little life added to the Price Family, but He has also given you an abundance of grace, as He will continue to do, to love, cherish and care for Joseph, and show him how much he is truly loved. Prayerfully, Joseph will one day fully grasp the love that God has for him, as demonstrated by putting him into the Price family. It is so fun to watch your path from afar, and see God so clearly at work, lovin’ on his kids. Great work, Price Family! Great work, God!!
Oh, how could I forget to mention??? Kirby – the quiet, strong rock in the family. You are the “glue” that makes it all work. Sure, you may appear to be the one in the background, but we know where the real strength comes from at this house. Dude, don’t ever forget where this family is grounded – first on Jesus, but Jesus put YOU at the front, and gave every one of His precious kids YOUR name – can’t put a PRICE on that, can we!!?!?!??! (Yuk, yuk!) 🙂 Love you, Kirby Price!!