Spencer Coming Home

Joey and I headed to the hospital NICU last Thursday night to spend the required night with Spencer before we could bring him home. We were excited to spend the night with Spencer, but not too excited to be put in the "family room" for the night to be watched by doctors and nurses. It seemed as if we did not do everything right that night they would not let us take him home. Okay, so it turns out it was sort of exactly like that.

This is the heart and respiratory monitor they hooked him up to in our room. It was so sensitive that it went off every time he moved, got his diaper changed, or cried and nurses would come in to see what was going on. Imagine a crying baby, nurses monitoring you from another room, and loud beeps going off over all of this. If the monitor readings were not regulated, they kept him. If his temperature was not exactly right, and you had to take it with every feeding, they kept him. If his weight changed at all, they kept him. If his diaper output was not where they wanted...you guessed it. We were a total nervous wreak. At one point he spit up in front of the nurse, and we both completely panicked that we had failed the parent feeding test!

He is in his car seat, so you can see that we passed. We spent from 4:00 pm Thursday until 12:30 pm Friday in that little room. Spencer had a big night: he was circumcised at 10:30 pm (really?), they gave him a bath at midnight (really?), and then around 2:00 am they decided to do his mandatory statewide bloodwork. The photographer was taking hospital photos while Mom was in the shower early the next morning. You can see why we were already exhausted when we came home.

Hospital photos are getting very professional. No more ugly photos in a hospital bassinet. This was a 30 minute event with poses and parent participation. We will have to post these later because they actually turned out pretty good. Don't you love how they take advantage of new parents.

Daddy's version of the professional photos.

Finally home! Alden was napping, so we had time to prepare for the introduction. We set up the video camera and got a little birthday cake set up with a candle to have a "birthday party" for Spencer. Spencer also got out the big brother gifts he got for Alden. We were SO nervous!

Alden was not sure what to do at first. Daddy showed him the baby who he luckily knew was baby Spencer (he was still in my tummy according to Alden as of Thursday morning). Alden was a little freaked out. He kept saying, "Mommy, hug," Daddy, hug." He just wanted to hug and hug and call out Mommy and Daddy. As we hoped, he was bribed with cake and gifts. He was very excited that Spencer appropriately gave him the engine "James" to go with his Thomas track. He has played with his new train for days!

A little curious... He kept coming to get us and saying, "Look." He was apprehensive until I sat Spencer up to burp him that night. I said, "Look, Alden, Baby Spencer is sitting up." He thought it was hilarious and then started pointing and naming all of Spencer's body parts and was especially excited about head and eyes. It was the first time that he really thought of him as a human, I think. It was our turning point.

Photos say a thousand words...First photo of the brothers.

That night...after it was discovered that Spencer had eyes, nose, mouth, ears, head, and "Mommy hair."

Big brother giving Little brother a hug. Alden also likes to bring the pacifier or bottle to Spencer and says, "Baby crying" when he is upset just in case we didn't hear it.

Alden checking on Baby Spencer in his pack and play.

It is hard to see your little brother under the blanket. Sometimes, we have to pull the blanket off to see if he is still there. Sometimes, even when Mommy is holding Spencer, Alden goes over to look in the pack n' play anyway. I think that, in his mind, there is always a baby in the pack n' play even if there is a baby in the living room for him to see.

Spencer's first sponge bath at home. The next night, we gave both boys a bath at the same time. Alden spent the entire time looking over the side of the tub at Spencer instead of playing in the tub. Although, we still had to splash. Spencer just lays there while water flies all over his face. He is quite tolerant.

No wonder Alden loves the baby. The baby comes with a lot of big brother presents. In fact, I am not sure that there have not been more big brother presents than baby presents! He has gotten his favorite things: Choo-choo's, a book, and a puzzle. Not to mention that Mommy guilt has him receiving special treats way more than he should these days. Baby Spencer is as good to have around as Santa Claus!