Monday, January 31, 2011

Home sweet home

Auggie is 2230g or 4lb 14.5oz. He is 1.5oz from 5lb, and just 3.5oz from being double his birthweight! He honestly looks bigger and bigger by the minute.

Amy just got the official word that our son is coming home today. I'm finishing up some things at work before beginning my paternity leave, so we will be heading home sometime in the early evening. Say prayers for us!

As we transition from the hospital to home, we will discontinue our caring bridge website and if you found this Webpage you know that we will continue updates on the Rode family here. The name for our new Website was Amy's idea (www.rodehaus.com - haus is german for house). Get it? Rode Haus / Road House. Finally, we want to share with you a poem that was read at Emmy's memorial service:

These are my footprints,
so perfect and so small.
These tiny footprints
never touched the ground at all.
Not one tiny footprint,
for now I have wings.
These tiny footprints were meant
for other things.
You will hear my tiny footprints,
in the patter of the rain.
Gentle drops like angel's tears,
of joy and not from pain.
You will see my tiny footprints,
in each butterflies' lazy dance.
I'll let you know I'm with you,
if you just give me the chance.
You will see my tiny footprints,
in the rustle of the leaves.
I will whisper names into the wind,
and call each one that grieves.
Most of all, these tiny footprints,
are found on Mommy and Daddy's hearts.
'Cause even though I'm gone now,
We'll never truly part.

Once again, we want to thank everyone for their love, prayers & support. We couldn't have made it this far without our friends and family to help us.

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Just another day


Augie is 2200 g today and keeps finishing his bottle. Nurse D is putting together his home coming kit and it really feels like it's going to happen I'm the next few days. Amy and I are really excited and can't wait. Augie put together a birthday card for dad (maybe with a little help from his nurses). We are spending some time to get nice photos with all of Augies wonderful primary nurses so we can show him some day, soon it is going to be time to say goodbye to all the great people that we were so fortunate to have at Evanston hospital.

Saturday, January 29, 2011

Last days in the Hospital

Auggie is 2155g or 4lb 12oz. He gained almost 2oz last night! He has taken his last 12 bottles without a problem and they are taking out his NG tube again. He is supposed to be able to take at least 35mL by bottle every 3-4hours. He hasn't taken less than 50mL in a while and for his 9am bottle, he ate 70mL and was asking for more! We think our little boy is growing and hungry!

This morning his doctor changed his orders - his breast milk is now fortified with the formula we will use at home and he no longer has to eat a minimum amount, but instead is allowed to consume what he wants. Nurse D told us this morning that she can't think of anything that would keep him in the ISCU past Monday.

Nurse J shared a story with us from a couple mornings ago: At 6am, he just popped his eyes open like he might just jump right out of bed and go make a bowl of cheerios. And of course, she said good morning to him and he grinned his "lady-catching" smile and back to dream land he went! See today's photo for Auggie's "lady-catching" smile. OK, Auggie! You have had enough time flirting with the nurses - now it is time to come home!

I can not tell you how excited we are for our little boy to come home. We are truly looking forward to spending all 24h a day with him. On the other hand, I can not even begin to express how much pain we experience as we think about bringing Auggie home - and how we should be bringing two babies home from the hospital. The next few weeks will be quite an adjustment for us and for many reasons. We have been missing Emmy more and more as Auggie's discharge gets closer. Having him home will be a giant blessing and comfort, and yet a huge reminder of what we have lost.