Home Sweet Home

It's been a wonderful couple of days at home! We are definitely understanding the meaning of "Home Sweet Home". It feels good to just relax and take it easy and take care of Nathan. He's doing excellent! We're finding out what a sweet, good-natured baby he really is in spite of all the tubes, wires, poking and prodding he experienced in the hospital. And we're enjoying taking naps whenever Nathan is sleeping . . . we're finally feeling somewhat rested and relaxed!

Nathan has done well with staying pretty much on the same schedule that he had at the hospital - eating about every three hours and sleeping in between feedings . . . so we can't complain as the time between feedings give us a chance to catch up on sleep, meals, household duties and get his formula ready for the next feeding.

We're still doing feedings with breast milk and formula, which seems to be working out well. It is nice because it gives Santi an opportunity to help with feedings as he's great about getting Nathan's bottles ready while I'm breast feeding and from time to time Santi even feeds Nathan his bottle. So it's been a good experience for us both to be involved in Nathan's feedings.

Nathan is still connected to oxygen - mostly when he's sleeping. The doctor told us that we could take him off of the oxygen while feeding, bathing or just holding him. So we have been doing that and so far, Nathan seems fine. It will be so nice when the tube finally comes out of his nose though.

And of course, everyone asks how Nathan is sleeping at night. Basically, he gets up at 12, 3 and 6 to eat and get his diaper changed. Otherwise, he sleeps. . . . well, "like a baby!"

The only "strange" things we have noticed is that he gets hiccups A LOT! We think it's from the surgery on his diaphragm. . . . definitely a question for the doctor on Tuesday. And that Nathan's stomach gurgles a lot while he's eating. We're not sure if these are normal things for a newborn or unique to Nathan's situation and his surgery. But we'll certainly ask the doctor on Tuesday.

Otherwise, we are so grateful to say that all has gone well since coming home. Santi has been an incredible help to me! It's awesome to have his help here at home and I really can't say enough wonderful things about him.

And for those of you who prayed for Santi's exam on Sat morning, he thinks he did well. However, we won't know the results until next week. THANK YOU FOR PRAYING!

And another THANKS to a number of ladies from the missionary community here in Quito who are providing a meal-a-day for us this coming week. What a blessing! THANK YOU so much, ladies! And we're grateful for many of our friends and fellow-workers here in Quito who have called and checked on us and have offered to help in any way! You guys are all awesome!

And we're looking forward to the doctor's appt on Tuesday morning at 11:00!

We hope you all had a great weekend as well! Until next time . . .

Ruth & Santi & Nathan