Due Date

September 23rd was my 'official' due date.

My mom should be visiting this weekend but she has come and gone.
We should be just leaving the hospital but our stay there has come and gone.

I had a very interesting lunch today with the Preemies Today group that I stumbled upon during one of my many trips to Fairfax Hospital. We went around the table introducing ourselves and our preemies, how many weeks they were born at and how old they were now. If they had any complications. How long their NICU stay was. Did they have a good experience with the nurses and doctors.

I found myself between two women that had given birth to twins but unfortunately, lost one of their babies. One about two years ago and the other on Faris' birth date.

It made me realize just how blessed and fortunate we are to have him still with us. I know that compared to most babies, we had it pretty easy in there. He did as well as expected, if not better. We didn't have any major set backs. He came out breathing on his own, even crying right away. Our nurses and doctors were all amazing. (I heard some awful stories from these women today and some of them were in the same hospital we were in.) He gained weight very well and he came home almost a month before his due date. Most importantly and again, we still have him with us.

Weight checks. Eye exams. Blood work. An ultrasound. Pulmonary specialists and who knows what other kind of specialist we will be sent to in the coming months and years. I will wake up and do it all every single day, if needed, because it means he is here with us.  I felt terribly for those two moms as we talked about what a joy it was to have our babies home. I wanted to hug them both. And although both women explained that it was therapeutic to talk about their experience, I couldn't help but feel the way I did.

I love that baby boy so much. I am so thankful that we have him home with us and that he is continuing to do well. I am so thankful that our experience in both NICU's went as well as they did.
I am especially thankful to my family and friends that were and are still so supportive.

I know that we are just as lucky and blessed to have you all as we are to have Faris with us.