100 Days and Finally Home!

That's right...Reed is finally home!! He actually got released on his 100th day at Vanderbilt Children's Hospital. I was not going to post about the possibility of him getting to come home because every other time that I have done that, he has done something to mess it up:-)

We left the hospital around 3:30 on Friday afternoon and this is what the boys came home in. I did have their pretty day gowns ironed for them but we decided this coming home was going to be a little bit more layed back! Reed was the bigger baby at birth but Braden has definitely passed him. After lying in a bed for 100 days, it is hard to stay caught up to his brother. Reed is only about 9 pounds right now and his muscle tone is pretty weak. He will catch up but it is going to take some time. I am sure that Braden will not let him get too far behind.This was one of Reed's doctors at VU. Dr. Langley has to do rotations and she was with us when Reed was in the NICU and ended with him in on the 6th floor. Our complete family ready to go home!
Reed's first carseat experience. He went right to sleep when we got in the car. I hope that Reed is rubbing off on Braden for how to behave in his carseat. Braden likes to cry for a few minutes then tires himself out but he went right to sleep with no fight that afternoon. Our sweet boys home at last together. They better get used to hanging out with one another since they will be confined to home for February and March:-) Reed has to stay away from big crowds at first but can have visitors as long as they remember to wash their hands. However, we need to keep him away from little kids since they are little carriers of all kinds of sicknesses. How in the world am I going to balance both of these boys as the same time???? I am super excited to have Reed home, but I am a little stressed about giving the care and attention they both need. I am going to have to suck it up and just be able to ask for help. Those cute green and white striped polos on the back of the chair were the boys' coming home gifts from the Crawfords!
I will need to take some pictures of the boys in their Sunday clothes since they will not be able to wear those for a while. I will save that for a day that I have too much time on my hands....so don't be expecting those pictures any time soon. Reed taking his little bottle. He is practicing this along with getting milk through the tube. Please pray that he will continue to improve in taking a bottle and not need his tube much longer. We need this little guys to put on some pounds! Reed chillin' in the boppy. Doesn't he look happy to be home?! Braden chilin' on the couch catching up on some Baby Einstein that he has missed going back and forth to Vandy every day! Braden was carrying on a little conversation with Reed trying to tell him what all that he has missed out on at home. I am so excited to watch them grow and watch their bond as brothers grow strong! This was us hanging out on Saturday. The boys once again in Polo!
So I had this bright idea to take the boys out for a stroller ride since I bought a double jogging stroller. It was a little cool outside, but Ryan and I bundled them up to go out. As you can tell below, the trip did not go so well! Ryan and I got them in the stroller, Reed starting crying, Braden then started to cry, but I thought they might quit when we started strolling. Wrong!! We made it maybe to our next door neighbors driveway and turned around! So here were our Two Angry Bears that both went to sleep five minutes after we got in the door. That's not a bad trade-off if they would both go to sleep each time:-)

Reed's first bath went well. He cried at first but then really seemed to like it. His scars are all healed up so they can be in water. I love this picture of my dad with Reed. Don't you just love his mohawk hair cut thanks to his IV line that was in his head. Most parents worry about their sons going to camp coming home with some crazy hair cut but I have already experienced that with a 3 month old! Braden is not for sure what to think about his brother coming home. Thankfully he loves to play by himself for a good part of the day but don't get me wrong, he loves to be walked around too!
Today, Reed had his first check-up with Dr. Dodd. He will go every Monday and Thursday for 3 weeks, then just every Monday for 6 weeks, then every other week and so on and so on! He did very well while getting his echo done and his EKG. He threw a fit when he was getting his temperature taken..go figure! Hisheart still looks great. We still need prayers for this little guy because he is never in the clear with his new heart! We are so very very thankful to have him home with us!