I'm in Love!

I haven't posted the last couple of days because I've been back and forth from the NICU and picking and dropping off my girls from various family and friend's homes. In the last 3 days since we first got the call about Phoenix, I have gone to see him every chance I can get. The tricky part is that we cannot go and see him without the caseworker. She has to be there until we sign the papers, and we cannot sign the papers until Medicaid has signed off! GRRRRRrrrr.... Oh well, hopefully it will just take a few more days.

Phoenix Abel Jones, that's what we have decided to call him. We thought of Phoenix because it is such a strong name and has strong symbolism as well. Abel is his mother's last name, and we wanted him to have something from his heritage. We know very little (basically nothing) about the father, other than he is also from Sudan and now lives in Tennessee. The mother lived in Sudan until it got so bad there that her family moved to Egypt when she was 6 or 7. Then in 2001, she and her family moved to the U.S. as refugees. I saw a picture of her and she is absolutely beautiful. I also saw a picture of her 9 month old (that's right, 9 month old!) and he is adorable! He was born at 25 weeks, and looks very healthy, so I am very optimistic about Phoenix.

Yesterday, I got to change Phoenix's diaper! It was hard trying to get around his little bird legs and all his cords, but I did it. The nurses told us that you can tell how dark he will get if you look at his little male parts and the buds of his fingernails. He should be pretty dark! This doesn't surprise me because I knew that the Sudanese are very dark. I can't wait to see him once he gets all his color and fattens up! He is making so much progress that hopefully he will be able to come home in the next few weeks. One day at a time, until then.

His bilirubin(sp?) levels were up, so he needed to go under the lights. After he got his little sunglasses on, he just stretched out as if he were sunbathing, kicked back and relaxed! He was on the lights all day yesterday, so I'm anxious to see him today and see if he is still under them. I'm also anxious to see if he gained weight. Basically, in order for him to come home he needs to get to 5 pounds, regulate his own body temperature, and eat on his own. He is such a fighter that I have no doubt he will get there quicker than the nurses and doctor think he will. Already, he is the favorite in the NICU. He has been dubbed, Feisty Phoenix! He is known for pulling out his cords, and is so strong that it is hard for the nurses there to change his diapers and keep his monitors on. That's my boy!

Please continue to throw your thoughts and prayers our way, we know they are working! Hopefully, the next time I post we will have signed the papers, and Medicaid will have gone through.