"Come On, Daddy!"

We had a great evening. After a delicious meal at my parents, we headed home for a few minutes before going over to see Kaela. I called ahead and asked the nurse if it was quiet enough to bring our son in for awhile...just thought I'd try one more time to get him in again. She said sure! Let me tell you, Christopher went wild when I asked him if he wanted to go see Baby Kaela. "Go see Kaea." I told him we needed to change his clothes and get shoes on. "Shirt. Change it. Shoes on." As soon as he was ready, he ran to the door and stood there yelling, "Come on, Daddy! See Kaea. Shoes on. Come on, Daddy!"

Yesterday, when Christopher was looking at the pictures of Kaela in her incuabtor and you could see her PICC line. He said "Kaea owie. Need papi." He was so concerned. Well, on the way to the hospital, he remembered those pictures and kept telling us "Kaea owie leg. Need papi. Owie foot." We tried to explain to him that it didn't hurt and that it helped her get the food she needed. It was so sweet and sad the way he was saying it, Andy and I had tears in our eyes.

When we arrived in the NICU, Christopher entertained all the nurses while we scrubbed in at the sink. Then we walked into the room where Kaela was. He saw her and the first thing he wanted to do was open the doors - good memory, Christopher! Of course, since she's in contact isolation, we didn't let him touch any of it...just looking tonight.

















When he realized we weren't going to open the doors, he started actually looking at Kaela. His observations were: "Naked. No clothes on. Diaper. See papi. Get it. (It was above her head.) Why no clothes?" I explained the doctors and nurses had to see her belly and legs to take care of her and help her get better so she could come home.

Then Andy donned gown and gloves to hold her for a little while. Christopher was intrigued and I think a little worried as Andy put them all on until we explained that Kaela had c-diff, a bacteria in her poop, and Daddy had to wear the gown so he didn't get poop on his clothes.






















Our sweet little girl, bundled in blankets and a hat. And FYI - it is HOT under those plastic gowns! =)






















Christopher remembered that her monitor beeped last time he was there, and he kept pointing to it and telling me "Beep. Beep. Beep." I explained to him everything on the monitor again, and what it was for...he listens so intently and really seems to take it all in.

The nurse was kind and took a family picture for us too!
Rachel, Christopher (23 months), Andy, and Kaela (4 weeks, 2 days).

















We had explained to Christopher before we went in the NICU that Daddy or Mommy had to hold him or he had to sit in a chair like a big boy and not get down. So after a few minutes, he remembered and asked "Sit chair. You do it (meaning I do it). Big boy." So he sat fairly still and quietly in the chair and watched Daddy hold Kaela. He told her he loved her, sang "Deep and Wide" to her and gave her two kisses on the top of her head. It was a precious moment. He's going to love having her at home...look out any boys that get near her - I can tell already he's going to be very protective and caring toward her.










































On the way home, Christopher kept telling us over and over "See Kaea. Naked. No clothes on. Naked. No clothes on. Get better. Get home. Get better."

When I put him to bed this evening, he just snuggled up against me, held my neck and then wanted to talk and talk and talk about the evening. Here is how our conversation went. Christopher's words are in italics, mine in bold:

(interrupting my singing): See Kaea. Yes. You went to see Kaea. Cute. Was she cute? Naked. No clothes on. Yep, she was naked. Get her out. Did Daddy get her out? Out crib. Daddy got her out of her crib and held her. Get out. Hold her. Poopy (I think he was referring to Andy wearing the gown to keep the poop off him.) Nurses. Yep, there were nurses taking care of Kaela. Sick. Get better. Get home. When she gets better, then she can come home. See Kaea. Yep, then you can see Kaela lots. Owie. Papi. Well, yes, she has an IV in her foot to help feed her. And she has a papi too. Naked. Hospital. See Kaea. Sit chair. Big boy. Yep, you sat in the chair and watched Kaela like a big boy. Mommy was very proud of you. Poud you. (Hehehehe - giggle.) Baby seeping. Yep. Kaela's sleeping. Now it's time for you to go to sleep." ... and then we went through that whole conversation at least 3 more times. His understanding of everything blows me out of the water - it's amazing. Several nurses that were there this evening also have two year olds, and they said theirs were barely even talking at all - his vocabulary and comprehension of so much amazed them too.

Anyway, it was a wonderful visit...hopefully we can keep sneaking him in a couple times a week at night when not many people are there.

Kaela is doing well...she is 3lb 8oz, so she has gained 1 oz short of half her birthweight! Now hopefully this week of antibiotics and not eating will help her gut rest enought to heal completely so we can work on feedings in the next few weeks. Thank you for your continued prayer and support.