April 29, 2007

“I lift up my eyes to the hills- where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip- he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord watches over you- the Lord is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all harm- he will watch over your life; the Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.” Psalms 121

I have had a great day watching Kyle. I have enjoyed every minute of it. Watching him gives me such joy. Kyle has changed so much in the week I was in Ohio!!! First, the most obvious change is that he is on CPAP. Besides just being able to take all of his breaths on his own, the CPAP brought about many unexpected changes. First, it allows us to be able to see his whole face....no more white tape covering part of it! Also, the ventilator separated Kyle's vocal cords so that he was not able to make sound. With CPAP this is no longer an issue, so, for the first time since Kyle was born 9 weeks ago, I have HEARD my baby cry! Little things I never realized I was missing, such as him sneezing, I can now see and hear. With the large tube of the vent out of his mouth, Kyle is also able to take a pacifier now, and he loves it. I spent a good part of yesterday and today holding his pacifier in his mouth...he's not quite coordinated enough to keep there himself, but the minute it pops out he gets so mad.

Another milestone Kyle hit while I was gone was reaching 1500 grams (3 pounds 5 oz.). This is some sort of a milestone in the NICU, as now Kyle does not have to wear the probe that regulates the temperature of his isolette. When a baby reaches 1500 grams, they are considered able to maintain their body temperature for the most part. Since Kyle does not have to wear the skin probe, he is now allowed to wear a hospital gown. Another first for me, seeing him in clothes! However, the best part of Kyle being able to maintain his temp better is that I was able to hold him, wrapped in a blanket, like you would hold a full-term newborn! This is the first time I have been allowed to do so. While kangarooing with Kyle has many advantages, the biggest downside was that I could not see Kyle's face when I held him. I spent five glorious hours this afternoon watching him while I held him.

At the end of today I thought about God watching me, his daughter, and wondering if he had as much fun watching me as I did Kyle. Did my actions make him proud the way I was so proud of Kyle? I am so thankful for the unconditional love God has for me. “Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.” Psalms 145:3. Don’t forget God is watching over you too!

In Christ,

Jennifer, Joe, Madison and Kyle