just the facts, ma’am

No pictures today (mainly because I was tired last night and didn’t feel like correcting them), so it’s a “just the facts, ma’am” post for today. So without further ado…

h4. Toby News

It’s been a very good week in Tobyland, if I do say so.

First off, he’s remained isolette-free all week. As I mentioned in the “last post”:https://marginalideas.com/article/25/spa-easter-and-lately, he moved out on Sunday (aha, I was right, it _was_ Sunday), and since then has remained comfortably in the upper 97 – middle 98 range, without the need for a ridiculous amount of covers or layers of clothes. Or hell, even a hat most of the time. He’s become quite proficient at removing the thing with just the slightest brow furling, so ten seconds after we put it back on him, we find it again barely resting at the peak of his head.

On the eating front, he’s advanced quite a ways. They’ve started bottle feeding him, at first twice a night, now three times a night, in addition to Mom’s breastfeeding during the day. He’s quite taken to the bottle feedings apparently, completely finishing one and partially finishing another on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning, followed up by two complete bottles Wednesday night/Thursday morning. He’s still working on getting the breastfeeding down, but he’s definately doing alot better with that as well, sometimes going just five minutes, sometimes ten, sometimes the full 15-20 required to count it as a ‘full’ feeding (meaning he gets no extra via a “gavage “:https://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=gavage feeding). And occassionally he decides he just wants to be lazy, and sleeps instead of eating on his own. But he’s certainly getting the idea, and before long he’ll go for all eight of his daily opportunities.

As to other Toby news, not a _whole_ lot to report, since those two items are his main priorities at this point. He’s in need of a good bath since they’ve had us forego giving him one this week so as not to cool him down, but Saturday he’ll be shiny clean again as they’ve given us the OK. On the milestone front, some time this week he broke through the five pound barrier, and (as of Thursday night) weighed 5 pounds 2 1/4 ounces and is rapidly outgrowing a few of his preemie outfits. We’ll keep a few of the outfits around to embarrass him in front of girlfriends when he’s a teenager, but most are likely going to be donated to the fine folks at Children’s Hospital so future residents and their parents won’t have to worry about tracking down clothes that fit. It was certainly a relief to have a few donated outfits available when he first needed them, and we’d like to pass on that favor!

h4. Thoughts from Dad’s Perspective

But, as you can see, all is advancing well for our little guy, and before long they’re going to scare the hell out of us and tell us he’s ready to go home.

It’s amazing how quickly you can fall into a routine, even one as bizarre as extended daily hospital visits. A nurse shocked me a couple days ago by offhandedly mentioning that if Toby continues the improvements in his eating, he’d probably be going home in a week and a half or two. I knew the day would be coming, and have been looking forward to it immensely, but still it made my heart skip a beat. Even though it’ll be a very happy day when he can leave the hospital, I have a feeling Toby will be the only one getting much sleep when we first get everyone home! I suppose all parents (especially us first-timers) feel the same way. Thankfully, we have more than our share of support (howdy Grandparents & Aunts/Uncles – expect a few frantic calls!), but it’s still going to be a huge adjustment!

A little life is soon to be fully in our hands, and here’s to us hoping we’re up to the task…