Finally home!!

Sorry I didn't update sooner but Nick was released from Children's Mercy on August 26th and things have been somewhat hectic since then. He finally got to come home and sleep in his own bed for the first time. His big sister Brianna and big brother Benjamin got to hold him for the first time too! Ben just loves him and wants to kiss and hug him all the time! Brianna wants to help change his diaper and give baths too! We are finally a family again! No more running back and forth from the hospital to home and trying to balance being with Nick and being with our other two children!

Since we've been home, Nick has been doing really well. Still eating like a champ and just loves his swing! He sleeps a lot, sometimes too much I think, he really doesn't cry too much either. Only when he's hungry or trying to poop! He also really likes his pacifier and we found one that he can pretty much keep in by himself which is a huge difference from sitting there holding it in all the time!

Home health came to visit him on Saturday and he weighed 7 lbs 6 oz, so he was almost up to his birth weight. He had his pediatrician visit on Monday and he was at his birth weight! 7 lbs 7 oz! Yay Nick! They will continue to do weight checks to make sure he is gaining the proper weight. He will have his first cleft team appointment on September 14. And he will have a whole slew of other appointments in the next couple of months. He will have appointments with Hearing and Speech, Opthalmology, Orthopedic's, Urology, Genetics, Occupational Therapy and Nephrology.....yeah, we're going to be very busy.

We got amazing news the week after Nick was born that my sister and her husband had a baby to adopt! It happened so quickly and within one day they had their beautiful little boy! Mason Lee! He had a couple complications after he was born, mainly because the birth mother did not know she was pregnant and did not receive prenatal care. But he is very healthy and doing great! Plus, since God has blessed me with an abundant milk supply, we decided to provide Mason with breast milk as well! I've heard he really likes it too! I really feel that God sent little Mason at the perfect time and God gave me lots of milk for a reason and I feel blessed for being able to give Mason such a gift.

God has blessed our family so much and I continue to be joyful and thankful to Him everyday! Everyday that I get to spend with Nikolas and my family is a blessing from God and I can't imagine not being overjoyed by what He has given us.

As always, continued prayers are always very welcome and needed for our growing little boy!

From everyone who has been given much,

much will be demanded; and from the one who has

been entrusted with much, much more will be asked.

Luke 12:48