NICU - Day 25

Home Sweet Home!
Today was interesting to say the least! Just when I thought we were getting off this roller coaster, we were re-directed to a mini detour before we could get on the long awaited road home! I was not emotionally prepared for the way this day would play out...but like every other day, through many prayers and trusting our Lord, we were able to bring Kyndall home safe and sound! Praise the Lord!
We woke up so ready to get to the hospital, take our CPR class, and load up Miss Kyndall and head home! Before we could leave the house, a nurse from NICU called and said Kyndall failed the car seat study again last night so they would need to do it again. They check her oxygen levels during this test and hers kept dropping while she was sitting in the seat...I'm so thankful they check this...I had no idea what this 90 minute test was for. So needless to say we would not be going home in the morning like we thought. After her next feeding it was time to try the test again...once again...we failed! ;(
Best explanation...our tiny Kyndall is just to small for this seat...even though it is the best car seat available (made for 4lbs and up) she is still to small for it and can't support herself enough so basically she hunches into a little ball while sitting in the seat and it interrupts her breathing and causes her stress. We were given three options. (1) We leave her in the NICU a few more days and try the test again to see if she gets bigger/stronger and passes. (2) We buy what is called a "car bed" which is used in this case where a preemie baby is to small for a car seat. Carter thinks it looks like a bread basket! Ha! (3) We borrow a "car bed" from the hospital to get home and have to wait until she is big enough to fit into our car seat which could be a couple weeks to a month?
Because there were no health reasons why Kyndall needed to stay in NICU, we did not consider option 1...we wanted to get her home, but needed to figure out the safest way possible. After Carter made some phone calls, we learned that no one keeps these "car beds" in stock so we would have to order one. They are not cheap and could take a few days to get here. So we opted to borrow the hospital car bed and we will order our own in case she needs it for a month or so.
So poor sweet Kyndall had to do her fourth car seat study...only this time in the "car bed"...she did great! At about 7:00pm, we finally loaded her up and went to the waiting room where Lily would finally meet her baby sister and we could go home as a family! We were all exhausted from being up there all day Friday and Saturday...but all that mattered was we were healthy and going home. The End! The nurses were sweet as can be, some even cried as we left...they became our family these past 25 days! We could never thank them enough for all the love and care they showed Kyndall and our family...absolute angels.

Kyndall had a big weight gain today! She weighs 4 lbs, 9.7 oz!

Holding Daddy's finger

4th car seat study in the hospital "car bed", another 90 minutes of torture for us! ;)

Daddy carrying Kyndall in her "car bed" (aka "bread basket") leaving our NICU pod!

Lily's first glimpse of her baby sister! She did SO great! We were thrilled she didn't run the other way!

Big sister just plopped down on the floor right beside her baby sister to get a better look! She loves watching her and always asks to see "baby"! She hasn't even tried to touch her...she just gets real close and stares at her! Melts our hearts!

Lily waving "bye" to the fish in the fish tanks!

We're out of here!!!

Mommy sitting next to Kyndall, ready to go home!

Kyndalls' first feeding at home!

So happy to all be home together!

Thank you to our precious friends and family for taking care of us during this crazy unexpected ride...for lifting us faithfully in your prayers, for the stories of your kids that have been praying for "Lily's baby", for feeding us, for helping us get to and from the hospital every day, taking care of Lily, sending us sweet notes and gifts, visiting us at the hospital, stopping by the hospital just to pray for Kyndall, keeping up with our story, encouraging us, and for loving us with a God size love! We love you so much!