Beckett got a BOTTLE!

Big news for this boy! At his 8 am feeding today, he was awake and alert during his cares (diaper change and temp check), so the nurse tried a bottle, and he took 5 mls! This is part of the cue based feeding I was talking about yesterday! And then he was super tired!! Super bummed I wasn't there, but that kind of leads into my day...

Tired. Still exhausted. Now add overwhelmed in there too. I am so happy Beckett is making such great progress, but now it is REALLY setting in how hard it is not being able to be at the hospital all the time with Beckett. And exciting, but just hard because I am the one who needs to be there when breastfeeding, and I want so desperately to be there to see if he cues all day long...but I still have Ellie to care for. Just have to try my best, but this is hard.

It has been almost 2 months of trips to the hospital. It is wearing on me. Ellie is going thru a clingy, I need lots of attention phase too. B man is doing so well, yet...

This is hard.

After calling my poor husband at work bawling, and my sister too, I was able to take TWO naps today! I didn't go into the NICU until this evening.

Beckett's day recap
1. First Bottle - 5 mls!
2. Echo came back fine. His PDA is closed! Praise Jesus!
3. Still 35 mls, but added prolacta today to bump calorie count up to 26 calories. Clear liquids running in IV today, maybe PICC out tomorrow?
4. Did have one gentle stim episode earlier in day, and then one while I was holding him that earned him a spot back in bed. (Which actually they were trying to pop the top of his isolette again this evening.)
5. He pooped....TWICE today! At 11 am, and then tonight when I was there AGAIN ...and I may or may not have had to use a couple diapers because he totally had some more where that came from...and totally accompanied by a rather loud blow out toot. Im definately slow putting his diaper back on with all those wires, but my reflexes were stellar tonight in prevented what could have been the great toxic disaster of November 2011. Oh Beckett, what a boy!
6. We tried non nutrative breastfeeding again tonight (again, this is when he still gets his feeding through the feeding tube in his mouth over a pump, but gets to attempt breastfeeding as well) We could call this dessert! And he did REALLY well. He latched on again, and had a few good sucks. This is quite impressive especially with an OG tube! He lasted about 5-7 minutes, and that was all he wanted. He will sleep well tonight! He worked hard! So proud of my little guy! So amazing!
7. Thyroid testing came back normal! Wahoo!

Please pray for rest for both Ben and I. And for Riley's parents too...they learned hard news from her head ultrasound today.

OH! And guess what? How convenient that my preemie is in the NICU during March of Dimes Prematurity Awareness Month: November. And in addition, Thursday, Nov 17 is World Prematurity Day. An effort to educate and continue to research how to prevent preterm labor AND how best to care for our tiny babies. So, in an effort to support that cause, please join Team Gramkow in wearing purple on Thursday in honor of Ellie, Beckett and other preemies in your life, and consider changing your facebook status to also show your support! "I'm wearing purple today to honor the tiny babies of this world, especially Ellie (2 lbs. 7.5 oz at 28 weeks) and Beckett (2 lbs. 2.6 oz at 25 weeks)... Support March of Dimes research and education to care for these babies and prevent preterm labor."

Shouldn't be too difficult for you K-State and TCU fans! :)

Ok...need to go to bed now!