Official First Day Out and Meet Nathan Party

Last Sunday,
we all went out to eat as a family for the first time.
We went to Texas Roadhouse.
Nathan slept through most of the time, as usual.
He was popular with the waitstaff.
They couldn't believe how small he was.
To us, he's already big.
Here's the picture for that day:


And another random picture of him napping:


And finally, for all you Austinites,
Nathan will be meeting some of you tomorrow
for his "Meet Little Nathan" Party.
This is an open invitation to anyone.

For those, who won't make it tomorrow,
you will meet him soon.

Nicknames

We have different nicknames for Little Nathan.
Sometimes we call him Nathaners.
Sometimes we call him Naters or Nater Tots or Tater.
Sometimes we call him Buddy.
Sometimes we call him Blue (as in "Blue, You're My Boy").
Now, he has another nickname:
Ladies and Gentlemen, we bring you,
"The Grunting Machine."

Nathan's Home (Early & At Last)

Last week when they told us that Nathan will be
ready in 10 days or so, we didn't think
it was going to be 7 days.
Last Friday, they said that he'll be ready in a few days.
On Sunday night, we roomed in with him at the hospital.
That was our official first night with Nathan alone.
The hospital gave us this room for the night:


Here's Nathan and his hospital outfit:


The next day (February 15) around 6:15 p.m.
One of the nurses came in with paperwork
and a bag.
Within 10 minutes,
we were packed and ready to go.
We took some video on our way out.

When we got home, Nathan got settled in comfortably
in his crib.
That's when it hit us:
no exchanges and no refunds,
we're stuck with this little guy.

Here's the "Going Home" Video:


Nathan's current weight: 5 pounds and 6 oz.
We have a doctor's appointment for him
on Thursday.
More pics and videos to come in this new adventure.

The Hospital Days Are Almost Over

Update on Little Nathan
Nathan's been in an open crib since Thursday night.
Today, they'll start feeding him only through bottles.
As of yesterday, he weighs: 4lbs and 9oz.
He's blood level is low so he needs a lot of iron.
He passed his hearing test and he's awake more.
The nurse practitioner told us on Sunday that he'll be ready to
go home in about 10 days.
We found a pediatrician that works right next to
the hospital.
Now, we're on the prowl for a carseat that will
hold little guys like him.
His hospital days are numbered, and we're excited
and a little scared.
But, we are confident enough to know
that we'll do a good job taking care of him.
The adventures will begin soon.

Nathan's Pics

Nathan's regular NICU crib.


Closer Look


The typical Choo Choo Train outfit.

Week 3: Getting Stronger One Day At A Time

Yesterday, Nathan turned 3 weeks old.
They grow so fast, don't they?
It seems like he was born just the other day.
As of tonight, he weighs 4 pounds and 1.5 ounces.
He grew taller too. He's now 17 inches tall.
He's still learning how to drink through the bottle.
The doctor is going to put him on a regular crib starting tomorrow.
They'll have the isolette next to him just in case.
We'll see how he does.

Here's a picture of his isolette with a monster sheet over it.

And speaking of monsters, Mommy and Daddy are in
the first stage of painting him a couple of monster paintings
for his room.
Each day that passes by, is a day closer in having him home.
Mr. Peeps better be ready.

We'll finish this post with the following video.
It's a video of his 3rd week in the world.
We put together just a few shots so everyone
can see our little guy.