Sun-Shiny Day!

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

I think I can make it now, the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I’ve been prayin?for
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Look all around, there’s nothin?but blue skies
Look straight ahead, nothin?but blue skies

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It’s gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.

Aaaaaaaaaahhhhh....I think today was Joshua's best day yet!  If yesterday was a dreary day along with the dreary weather, today was a sun-shiny day, literally and figuratively!  This song popped in my head this morning when the nurse gave me report from overnight, and it has been in my head all day.  Joshua was feeling so happy, content and sun-shiny all day (so was Mama!).

Joshua turned a corner last night.  We had a nurse who had never had him before.  This frustrated me, that after 80 days of several different nurses, why can't we have one who at least has had him before.  BUT, this turned out to be a blessing.  This nurse brought in a new perspective and decided to change the nipple on his bottle from the preemie size to a faster flowing, big boy (newborn) size.  Oh boy, what a difference!  He had four full bottle feeds on her shift, each one above and beyond the minimum, and she removed his NG tube.  This awesome feeding continued all day.  I was there for four feeds, and three of them were completely nursing, no additional needed, and the last one was 80 mL from the bottle (waaaaaay more than he's ever had before).  He loves his new bottle, where the milk flows out easily rather than working so hard on a slow-flow nipple that collapses when he sucks and makes him all worn out.   

It's ironic how we have been staying so many extra days in the NICU (at $2600+ per day) with expensive diagnostic studies to figure out why he's not eating and meds for reflux and intestinal motility.  After all these expensive theories of why he's not eating, the solution is a $0.30 nipple.  Or maybe he heard the doctor say he'd need a G-tube to go home, and he kicked it into high gear.  Or maybe the other doctor was right when he said plan on waiting until 42 weeks (gestational age) for boys to be ready to go home.  Tomorrow is 42 weeks, and it just clicked.  All I know is I'm excited again, and that spring in my step is back.  I'm trying to be CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC since we've been down this road a couple of times before only to reach a dead end. 

The latest plan is for me to room in tomorrow (Monday) night, and if he continues to do well, go home Tuesday.  I'm feeling much more confident bringing him home now. He is so ready.  We all are so ready.  After failing our first two ad lib-demand trials, let's hope the third time's a charm! 

Last night, he had a huge 50 g weight gain to 2850 g (6 lbs 4.5 oz), and tonight he tipped the scales at 2910, a 60 g or 2 oz weight gain, 6 lbs 6.6 oz.  His length is 18.9 inches. 

THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT!