Dad's First Night Update

First of all, before anything else I feel like I should publicly praise God for all of his care and protection for my family. We have been praying for today for almost three years and to be here with three healthy babies after the multitudes of trials, tears, and turbulence is a testament to his never ending faithfulness no matter what we think we see or know along the way. It has been my favorite bible verse for years…and it is at the top of our family blog: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean NOT on your own understanding…” Glory to Him, his Son, Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who works within all of us calling us to his loving embrace.

Likewise, we owe a tremendous amount of gratitude to all of the staff here at National Naval Medical Center. Having our babies born at “The President’s Hospital” is really cool…but most importantly because the nurses, doctors, house keepers, and everyone else involved in our stay here has been so amazing. Over the past six weeks we have made some real friends with those taking care of Autumn, and I am sure we will make even more friends during the time our babies are in the NICU.

Last…and certainly not least…thank-you to all of you who have been following us on Facebook, Twitter, our new blog, emails, phone calls, prayer trees, prayer bulletins, and I’m sure other ways I haven’t even heard of who have been praying for Autumn, the boys, and everything involved in this pregnancy. It has been a roller coaster, but it has been the best ride ever. More excitingly…we get the BIG roller coast next!! So thank-you so much for your prayers, your notes, your dinners, and the multitude of other ways you have all shown us how much our little (albeit bigger) family is loved!!

Okay…now to what you care about…the babies!!

Caleb is doing great. Breathing with forced air into his lungs…but it is at normal room oxygen levels and is just helping his lungs stay slightly inflated while he breathes. He looks great…is sleeping peacefully (when we aren’t poking at him)…and is doing just about as well as I think is possible.

Gideon is doing good. His breathing is still laborious and from a heavily biased and greenhorn father it is sometimes hard to watch his little chest compress and decompress so severly. He also makes these really cute but helpless little grunts that definitely triggers the protective side of a parent. But in spite of that…he IS getting all the oxygen he needs and they didn’t give him the medicine they gave Ezra. He also has the oxygen forced in through his nose…but his is at a saturation level of 23% O2 vs 21% which is normal. Besides that…he is doing well. They anticipate his lungs will simply get stronger through all of this and as long as he continues to maintain the proper O2 levels in his bloodstream they will just continue to monitor him. So just pray his little lungs grow quick!!

Ezra is doing great. He took to the medicine great and his breathing is like his slightly older brother, Caleb’s. He is also on forced air…but like Caleb, it is at normal room O2 saturation levels. Now that his breathing is more controlled he is snug as a bug.

Autumn is sleeping!! She still gets interrupted every two hours by the nurse…but we convinced them to give her Ambient tonight to help her rest. She deserves it!! I…like so many of you…am just so proud of her. For those who’ve talked to her you know how upbeat she has sounded during this whole thing…yet I know how hard / uncomfortable she has been. I am so happy for her that she is at least comfortable in a new way…even if that means she will be miserable with pain in a new way tomorrow. At least it is something different!! She hasn’t seen the babies since the C-section. She’ll be allowed to go tomorrow afternoon once some of the meds wear off. Until then, she is content watching little videos I have taken and looking at new pics I bring in!
Not that people care too much about Dad (scary word)…but I’m doing great. I was able to help change diapers this evening and the nurses are all about teaching me to help take care of them. My first diaper by myself was probably the worst diaper ever…but YOU try changing your first diaper through an incubator and with all those wires!! LOL!! But like most Dads…I’m just happy to be here and thrilled that everyone is healthy!!

Well…that’s it for day one. Below are some pics to give you an idea of their sizes. Thanks again and we’ll update soon!!

God Bless!

J

Caleb holding Daddy's finger

Gideon w/ Daddy

 Ezra w/ Daddy