50 Days in the NICU

We've been in the NICU 50 days.  50 long days.  Days filled with tears of pain and tears of joy.  Days of good news and days of bad news.  50 nights with an empty crib.  100 trips to and from the hospital with an empty car seat.  10 days waiting to hold our baby and 40 wonderful days since holding him each and every day.  

50 days of life.  

I remember being admitted to the hospital that Monday afternoon at 26 weeks and 6 days, hours before delivering Wyatt, with tears in my eyes asking,"Will my baby make it?"  

And here we are, 50 days later.  50 days of incredible care, 'round the clock parenting, support, new friends, stories, meals, gifts, visitors, love, prayers, and a healthy baby boy - growing (3 pounds, 3 ounces today), breathing on his own, tolerating loving bottle feeds (took 23 of his 28 mLs today), smiling, turning his head, and tracking faces and voices, to name a few.

We couldn't have made it these 50 days without YOU.  There are over a thousand people who read this blog each day (that just astounds me!) And you all have been the support we've needed every step of the way providing meals, texting us, messaging us, visiting, checking in on us, calling us, sending us notes, letters, and gifts, letting us know we're loved, supported, prayed for and thought of so thank you.  We know that when we hurt, you hurt and when we celebrate, you celebrate with us.  Thank you for joining us on this journey.  We made it 50 days!

Everyone is fighting for you, Wyatt.  You need only to be still.  We love you.