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I am beyond tired right now, so I am not sure if this post will even make sense, but here goes.

They did take John's chest tube out today, and I was able to breast feed. It went really, really well, all things considered. I am praising the Lord. He does have trouble latching on, but I can get him to latch on and eat with some work. Ada would never latch on, ever, until she was a month old, and then it was still a battle. Once John gets latched on, he is a great nurser. Praise. the. Lord. I will keep praying protection over him as he still has to take a bottle after each feeding. It's NICU protocol, I think. They weigh him before I feed him, and they weigh him afterwards, and based on his weight gain, they then give him the formula. Which he doesn't like, by the way.

There is a slight glitch in things at this point because he has an infection. They are not sure what the infection is until they send his blood in--or something like that--I can't get everything straight, so he most likely won't come home tomorrow. They may be able to send him home with antibiotics, so that is a huge prayer request right now. I can not tell you how I am dying to get him home. I feel so emotional because I haven't seen Ada because I need to be here to feed him, but at the same time I am having to leave the hospital without John. I feel like I can't get to either of my children. (Not to mention I am going on just about 3 hours of sleep and major hormonal changes). However, if it would be better for John to stay here, then I hope they make that decision. But, of course, I want to get him home.

The plan at this point is to leave the hospital after his 9:00 feeding--Scott is with me. I will go home, climb into bed, sleep until 4 am ish, and be back here for his 6 am feeding. I will only miss 2 feedings, I think--midnight and 3 am. I will be at the hospital all day tomorrow, and I just talked to my friend, Sarah, who lives very near the hospital, so I might be able to escape to her house for a bit in between feedings. If he has to stay another night, I will probably leave after his 6 pm feeding tomorrow, so that I can see Ada for a little while before she goes to bed. I don't think I can handle another day without seeing her in a somewhat normal setting.

The other slight complication is that John is a bit jaundiced (is that the correct terminology?), so they are also trying to take care of that. Luckily, he is getting that wonderful colostrum that should help with the infection and get that meconium moving (doesn't meconium have something to do with jaundice?). And, I am able to hold him now. That has to help. Babies need to cuddle with their mamas!!! He has had lots of dirty diapers today, so that is a good sign. Both that he is getting food when he nurses and that maybe the jaundice will go away?

So...this may be way more information than 99% of you are interested in, but that is what is going on. And if you find yourself praying--here is what I am praying for John--that John would not have nursing complications due to the bottle feedings, that John would be able to come home ASAP, and that this infection will continue to be no big deal. I am also asking the Lord to give me peace in the midst of these minor complications. I know that the situation could be so much worse. I see that as I look around the NICU and know there are babies who have been there for weeks and months. John is healthy and strong, and I am thankful for that. I am praying that the Lord would continue to fill me with those truths in the midst of my tired, emotional state:) I am also so thankful that my mother and sister are here taking such good care of Ada and me.

And, I hope to post more pictures soon. John has a bit of baby acne due to the heating lamps (I think that's what the nurse says), so he is going through that teenage awkward stage a bit early;) Of course he is just perfect looking to me.

So, that's today. And I am trying to take this thing one day at a time.

p.s. did I spell meconium correctly?