Look How Far We've Come

I can't believe that 7 weeks and 1 day ago Gabriel was born. It doesn't seem possible that so much time has gone by. I was looking through all of his pictures so far, and it's absolutely amazing how much progress he has made. We were told in the beginning that he would be in the NICU for quite some time... so we prepared ourselves as much as we could for this. Now, with his homecoming in the very near future, I thought I should take the time to recognize how amazingly well my baby boy has done and how much progress he's made so far. 

(I can't believe I'm posting this...but this is about 2 hours before Gabe was born. After a diagnosis of severe pre-eclampsia, 2 weeks of bedrest, and another 2 weeks in the hospital... it was finally time to meet our baby boy!) 

When Gabe was first born he was put on a CPAP (oxygen). Though, he was only on the CPAP for about a day until they moved him over to the nasal canula. Our boy amazed us from day one. Turns out, he didn't need any extra oxygen at all...the oxygen level on the canula was set to the same rate that both you and I breath in regularly. In other words, it was basically just there...just in case. He was also under the bili lights for jaundice for about 3 days... I told him he was "working on his tan with his little sunglasses on." 

(Gabe in the NICU the day he was born with the CPAP) 

(Under the bili lights with the nasal canula and sunglasses on!) 

(Finally done with the bili lights...still got the nasal canula) 

When Gabe was 5 days old, the nasal canula came off and he did GREAT without it! MAJOR milestone for us! It's one thing at a time...and this was one of the things we celebrated. 

NO more oxygen!!

Gabe has had a feeding tube either in his mouth or through his nose since he started eating. Last week, he finally got it out (well, he pulled it out), they put it back in a few days later, and just yesterday he pulled it out again! So far, he is doing fabulous without it and eating all on his own!! Also, he was moved out of the isolette last week as well! He's been holding his own temperature ever since!! 

NO more tubes and no more isolette!! yayy!! 

As you all may know by now, we're in the last few days of Gabe being in the hospital. We're praying that everything keeps going well, so that he will be able to come home. Originally we were told by this weekend, but now they're saying by the beginning of next week. Either is fine with us...as long as he gets to come home! We're so proud of our baby boy! He's been doing so great and trying so hard ever since he was born! We take it step-by-step everyday. It's been a long journey for us all. But he's proven the doctor's wrong time and time again. They originally thought that he'd need help with a lot of things when he was born and that he'd be in the NICU well past his due date. Well, he was fine when he was born and did amazingly well for how early and small he was! Thank God for all of the prayers answered!! 

A few more pictures of our journey...

The first time we got to hold him (6.30.2011) and our first family picture!

The diapers on the left are "micro-preemie" sized diapers... Gabe wore these until the last week he was in Carbondale Hospital. The diaper on the left is a "preemie" sized diaper.

Tired of Mommy taking his picture already... Sorry son, you're gonna have to get used to this! :)