Rumor has it...

Sydney may be coming home soon...very soon. At the beginning of last week (I think it was the 9th) the (nurses and Dr. Davis) removed Sydney's feeding tube. This is a huge deal in the preemie world as it is one of the last steps before going home.

Sydney's challenge now is to try and remain calm during her refluxing and actually want to eat. After several challenging days they have finally put her on a four hour\at lib schedule which means she is fed every four hours or when she cues she is hungry, whichever comes first.

This weekend her homecoming was discussed at length during my visits to see her and for a time she was even going to come home on Monday the 17th!

After much consideration we decided to add a medicine to proactively help her with her refluxing thus putting off her discharge for a few days. She also got thrush in her mouth which has made drinking a bottle painful for her and breastfeeding is not an option as it is contagious. So we continue to patiently wait and the days are suddenly getting longer again.

I am in a state at the moment where every day is too long and each drive becomes more difficult but I know we are within days of her coming home and it is something worth every dreaded mile.

Her homecoming is filled with quite a few conditions such as multiple visits to the pediatrician and a buffet of mild medications which she will need such as caffeine and fermotodine (pepcid) still I cannot wait for the day to come when I am awake in the middle of the night by my sweet baby's cry rather than waking to wonder what she is doing and if she is okay. I will then think of my friends April, Clare, Katherine, Laurie, Emi, Joann and Carrie and wonder if they too are feeding and changing their newborns.

In the meantime I will continue to care for, read to, dress, feed and taxi Shelby and Savannah as they finish their last week of school before the Christmas holiday break. Savannah also finishing golf, drawing lessons two dress rehearsals and a winter sing program all in one week! Perhaps its not such a bad thing Sydney has to wait a few more days....yikes....!

In a sense all three girls will be arriving home together for two weeks of togetherness. Bring on the arts and crafts, walks to the park and the ever reliable Disney movies :)

PS Did I mention that Sydney's new crib has not yet arrived nor have I taken the car seat out of the box yet... and there are those gifts that still need to be wrapped.....