April 12th - Easter and a great day for Ryan

Since it was Easter we decided to stay home in the morning and try to keep things more normal for Drew and Sarah. (I have pictures of them from Easter that will get posted in a later post) Around 9 I called into the NICU to find out how Ryan did overnight and how his morning was going. His nurse told me that he did great overnight and that by 8 am his breathing was slow enough that he was allowed to have his first bottle! He took a 15 ml bottle without any problems and they were able to turn off his oxygen.

We made it to the NICU in time for his bottle at noon and I got to feed him. For that feeding they upped his bottle to 30 ml (1 ounce) He sucked that bottle down and was looking for more.

Mommy feeding him his bottle

Content after getting a full belly

At his 4 pm care time we decided to take Drew into the NICU to see Ryan. He had been begging to see him everytime we left the house. Drew was so well behaved that he got to stay past the normal 15 mintues that siblings are allowed once a day. He got to talk to Ryan, watch us change Ryan's diaper, and watch him get a bottle.


Ryan was also started on phototherapy that afternoon since his bilirubin level was getting high. Drew thought it was really funny that Ryan was wearing sunglasses and wanted to take lots of pictures of him.

Drew took this picture of Ryan

At his 8 pm care time Ryan was awake and waiting for us when we got there. We got to hear him cry for the first time since the delivery room. That night we got to hold Ryan while he took his bottle. It was so nice to get to cuddle my baby again. I held him and gave him his bottle and then let Eric take a turn holding him. It was the first time since the delivery room that Eric got to hold Ryan.

No more tubes or stickers on my face!