Tuesday, January 15, 2012

HOMECOMING!!!!

As most of you have read on Facebook, Charlie is finally home!  I still cannot believe it!

On Thursday of last week we were told Charlie would be discharged over the weekend.  We could not believe the news!  Chuck and I were overwhelmed with excited and a little fear :) that Charlie was finally coming home.  A quick trip to Target prepared us with some of the essentials that we did not have yet  - diapers, wipes, more diapers.  Just the most important items a new baby needs at home:)

On Friday I had an impromptu transition meeting at work and Chuck wrapped up a few things he needed to prepare for the arrival of Charlie.  We also had one last "date night" downtown before becoming 24/7 parents!

It was bittersweet saying goodbye to our favorite nurses and friends we had made over the past 2 1/2 months, but you can imagine our excitement of finally having our little guy home.  And we beat his due date by 5 days - GO CHARLIE!!!!

 On Monday, before our discharge, my Mom, nieces and sister-in-law came for one last visit!

 Charlie's favorite cousins!  Don't tell Sidney, but Charlie already can't stand One Direction:)

Just hanging out with Em!

Mom and Lisa with the baby!

 I'm sure Charlie won't be spoiled at all with all these girls!

Our last night in room 1064D:(  

Linda (below), Christina and Kelly were our primary nurses during our stay.  We cannot thank them enough for helping us through this long and sometimes difficult journey.  I will miss seeing them everyday, but am excited to keep in touch and update them on Charlie's progress.  

I'm sure they will find new Charlie's to help make healthy - but none as cute as ours...and that come with a Chuck and Sarah!!!

Our friend Mary came by to say goodbye.  

We will miss Sam, Mary and Meara but cannot wait for their homecoming as well.  Meara is a rockstar and closely following Charlie to discharge.  

Meara and Charlie cannot wait for their playmates!  They also have no choice;)

One last hurrah before becoming full time Mom & Dad.  We celebrated with dinner at Mastros...and over serving ourselves.  Or maybe that was just me.  Oops!

I have glared at the little "Anticipated Discharge Date" magnet since we arrived on 10/28/2012.  

Now I am ecstatic to see it finally in use!  WE WIN!!!!

Our Last Day! 

Daddy posing with Charlie while I should be packing up his room, but I insist on taking pictures of things that i already have 100 pictures of:)

 Wave goodbye to your roommates Charlie!

Charlie is overwhelmed with excitement about leaving.  Or he has no idea what is going on!

More of Chucky and Charlie:)

One last view from Charlies bed - Goodbye neighbors!!!

I had LOTS of personal belongings to pack up!

 One our wall I kept all his weekly ties.  I vowed not to go to 4 sheets (which would be over 12 weeks).  And we did it!  One day shy of 11 weeks.  GO CHARLIE GO!

Charlie getting his professional pics taken by Bella Baby.  

He was not as excited for his photoshoot as I was!

Our nurse Christina!  I think Charlie secretly flirted with Christina while we weren't looking:)

Carseat Baby!

Springing for the expensive carseat came in extra handy when we had a little guy to put in it.  

Thanks Aunt Abby and Aunt Colleen!!!

As prepared adults and parents, Chuck and I waited until we left the hospital to have the valet show us how to install the carseat.  I'm glad Charlie's parents are responsible. 

See ya later Prentice!

 I thought it was necessary to take a picture of Charlie in front of the hospital.  Instead it looks like we forgot him on the sidewalk.

This is the back of our car AFTER we had already taken one load of belongings home.

Ready for his first car ride to his new house!

It's a good thing Chuck drives like an old lady sometimes...we were in safe hands!

Charlie's favorite radio station;)  Oh wait, it's mine!

Bring home Charlie!

One big happy family!

Happy 11 Weeks Charlie!  

Why do you hate Sophie so much!

Charlie getting ready for his doctor's appointment. 

Charlie doesn't know this yet, but he loves giraffes and cardigans.

My mom came up to take care of me, I mean help take care of Charlie:)

Chuck and I wanted to thank everyone again for their support while we waited to bring home our baby. We are beyond excited to have Charlie home and cannot wait to watch him grow.  I will continue to update the blog with Charlie's progression and humor you with my hilariousness!  

Stay tuned for more updates and THANK YOU AGAIN!  

XOXO,

Chuck, Sarah and Baby Charlie

Sunday, January 6, 2012

A few moments after I posted the NYE post, the hospital called us to talk about Charlie.  Earlier in the day there was a small amount of blood in his stool.  The doctors noticed a few smalls cuts (the medical term is called fishers) on his little baby butt:(  To try and determine what was going on, they held his feedings and placed him on antibiotics and an IV for fluids.  This was quite a scare for Chuck and I to receive a call at midnight after we had left a happy, seemingly healthy baby earlier in the day.  Charlie showed no other symptoms and seemed to stump the doctors with what was going on. To be safe and give his bowels a rest, the doctors decided to hold his feeds for the next 48 hours.  On Friday, I met with the doctors during their normal rounds and they felt Charlie was able to resume feeding again. They cannot be 100% certain, but felt the blood in his stool was most likely caused by his fishers and not something more concerning.

Today was Charlie's 10 week birthday and we were so happy to nurse him and give him a full feed with his bottle!  Charlie was doing great but his temperature was a little low this evening.  The nurses are taking his temp every 15 minutes to make sure it stays within a normal range for preemies. Always something to worry about in the NICU:)  Keep your positive thoughts coming for Charlie as we hope to near the home stretch!

When our nieces were really young, they came to visit Uncle Chuck and Aunt Sarah.  We of course had to visit the Disney Store and buy something:)  Emily decided on Chick Little (or Chuck Little) and Piglet (which of course was me!)  

Now Chuck Little is able to stay with Charlie and watch over  him - Piglet is not in the photo, but she is there too:)

The ups and downs get so frustrating, but how can you be upset with this face:)  

Charlie was such a trooper taking his pacifier this week instead of his bottles.

I'm pretty positive I did notice a few eye rolls at the nurse and I as we gave it to him - he knew it wasn't food;)

Happy 10 Weeks!!!

So photogenic!  

He gets this from Daddy since I have a face for radio!!!  

(joke courtesy of Angela:))

Happy New Year!

Happy 2013!

This week we had a lot to celebrate - the start of a new year, Aunt Abby coming to visit, Charlie's 9 week birthday and the temporary removal of Charlie's feeding tube! YAY!

Abby came to help the Terhune's ring in 2013!  

She could not believe how big Charlie had gotten from her last visit.  

Abby has been my best friend since junior high, Charlie is so lucky to have her in his life:)

Sunday was Charlie's 9 week birthday.  

I cannot believe how small the ties look on him compared to the 1st week! 

He now weighs 4 lbs, 5 oz. and is 17 inches long.

New Years Baby!

Already dressed to impress:)  You can find just about anything on the internet.

So happy to have a party hat!
Charlie's resolution is to eat more, exercise less and be cord-less.

Charlie has been doing great over the last 24 hours with his bottle feeds and nursing.  We have been able to keep his feeding tube out and hope it continues to stay out.  

It seems like this journey has taken forever, but we are so blessed to have such a strong fighter.  We have been on "Charlie" time waiting for him to grow and develop at his own pace.  The end is in sight and we cannot wait to bring him home!