Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Bringing Jack Home

There are no words for the feelings Chris and I felt, finally' getting to take our baby boy home.



Friday:
One of the NICU Doctors called me mid Friday morning, introduced herself and simply stated, "How would you like it if you could bring your baby home later this afternoon?" I first asked her if she was joking and then described how very much I would! I called Chris he booked it home from work and we went to the hospital to pick up our boy. We went through about a 5 hour discharge and FINALLY left the hospital with our Jack in hand. By the time we got home it was well past 6PM so we ordered pizza cuddled our little boy and kept our little secret to ourselves and enjoyed the night with just our little family of three. (We even gave Jack his VERY first bath!)



All ready to go!


What's going on mom and dad?

Sweet little face



Daddy giving surprisingly calm Jack his first bathWhat a little cutie!

Saturday:



We got some very good sleep in-between feedings Friday night and woke up very rested and still a bit wired from all the excitement. THEN at around Noon we headed up to Grandma and Grandpa Kenner's house for the Easter party with all of Chris' family. Everybody was EXTREMELY surprised and let out a big cheer when they saw Jack was with us and Chris' dad even started to cry letting us know it was, "The best Easter present EVER." (We happen to agree.) We had a ton of fun and ate some yummy food. Jack got held by almost all the family and finally got to meet his two cute cousins Kyle and Lucas. Kyle was sooooo- excited it was adorable.


Aunite Jessica and Jack



Big boy Kyle sitting next to me at lunch



Uncle Cole getting some snuggles





Sunday:

To great-grandmas house we go! I seriously thought my grandma was going to have a heart attack, she was speechless! All of my family was crazy excited and everybody wanted a piece of love from the little Jack. Jack even participated in his very first Easter egg hunt! It was such a fun day :) Jack got stolen by my sister and her husband for a little while, it kinda made me nervous! haha just kidding :) but they did take a family picture with him heehee. Grandma and Grandpa Ewell didn't get much lovings in so they made sure to stop by Monday. What a wonderful first weekend home :)



yeah, perfect reaction!


Sitting with great grandpa :)


Heather and Kyle stealing my baby




Jack's first egg hunt prize from great grandma



Look what he got! What a lucky baby :)

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Wordless Wednesday



"Hey Grandpa, Whats that on your face?"-Jack

Monday, April 18, 2011

Jack is 1 week old!

Oh-my! Our little boy is already a week old! He is learning more and more everyday and we are so proud of him and finally seeing some major progress! Chris and I spent a lovely evening together Saturday night, celebrating our Jack's one week mark. We went to a movie, made dinner at home together, and visited for a good hour just kissing and cuddling our son. We sure love that little guy-more than words could even BEGIN to describe. As a present to us Jack decided he was too hot in the isolette and was moved to an open crib! Now we can hold him for every feeding and he seems so much more alert and A LOT less sleepy ( I think he was always so drowsy due to the steamy sauna of a bedroom.) He has 2 things now checked off his list! He can maintain body temperature for at least 48 hours, and his IV fluids have been discontinued. He almost has steady weight gain checked off, and they unplugged his oxygen tonight to test him out again without it (he was over 100% all day, so the nurses are pretty sure he will do fine without it.)


Today was such a wonderful day, my little boy finished every single bottle for the first time EVER. He has never once finished a feeding and I was shocked and pleasantly surprised when he gulped down each bottle I fed him under 20 minutes! DEFINITELY a perfect day. I really hope he keeps up this winners streak and can come home to his family soon. We love our Jack and feel so grateful to be his mommy and daddy. Happy 1 week little bean!









Jack, 5 pounds 5 ounces almost back up to his birth weight!


A little groggy after eating


Gosh I love this little boy


My boys :)

PJ's from Grandma Kenner


Mmmm....he loves his mommies milk


Little' bum

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

THREE is the magic number!

We are officially a family of THREE and Jack Christopher Ryan Kenner is also THREE days old today! Little Jack is Here :) 5 weeks early! Though after 3 weeks total in the hospital I feel like I've been waiting far longer than 8 months for my little man to arrive. Chris and I are SOOOO extremely blessed with how healthy Jack is and how much progress he is making daily! He was already off oxygen and a ventilator in less than 24 hours and he successfully breast fed today! He is so extremely adorable. Every coo, burp, sigh, and cry just melts our hearts, we could stare at him all day long... He is in a billibed due to jaundice and also in a heating incubator because he can't quite maintain his body heat. The Nurse and Dr says once he is eating better he will gain some weight and be able to maintain his body temperature and THEN be able to come home with us :) They haven't set an exact estimate of when that will be because every baby is different and we will just have to go at Jack's pace. In the mean time I am at the hospital for every feeding during the day, 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm, and 9pm. I am feeling wonderful and so blessed every day I get to spend with my little man.
My Labor: Was delicious. I enjoyed every aspect of how wonderful and how spiritual it was. I feel even closer to my husband than before (which I didn't think was possible) and I feel such a unity with both sides of our family. Jack has such loving grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins! We are so glad he will have so many wonderful examples in his life. Long story short and sparing the details....I labored for 15 hours and pushed for an hour in a half. My epidural wore off in the last 3 hours and the anesthesiologist offered to put in a new one, but I was so past being ready for Jack to arrive that I passed and literally, "pushed through." I had my wonderful husband by my side the entire time and my mother on the other side of me towards the end. My sister Heather and Daddy were behind the curtain and I had many visitors waiting in the hall at the very end of things. Heather was able to catch the events of the day on her amazing camera, I am so glad she was there it felt so right having my big sister near me right before I became a mother. I really wish Ashlee was able to be there too...I had so much support and love throughout the entire pregnancy that it felt exactly right to have so many people at the actual event to love me and root me on. I love you all and I am just so extremely happy. Here is Jack Christopher Ryan Kenner, all 5 pounds 7 ounces, and 18.5 inches of him!

So cozy and warm :)


CUTEST little face EVER!!! Looks like his daddy :) even has his dimples when he smiles (or screams)
The two most important people in my life
Jack loving mommy
Jack staring at his daddy, just hours old.
Drugged up :(
Scrunchy face!