...3...4...5!

At birth, he was a teeny tiny 2 pounds, 15 ounces, but soon lost weight and was even smaller.  So we were thrilled when he started gaining and made it back up to 3 pounds.  Then, we were ecstatic when he reached 4 pounds.  And now, at almost six weeks old, my little man is a whopping 5 pounds!

I can't believe how big he is getting!  But I know what you're thinking.  "Oh, five pounds, he must be ready to go home now!"  Well, I wish that was how it worked.  But, alas, he is still pretty far from being ready to leave the hospital. 

 He is definitely making progress, though.  After another looooooooong week of weaning him off of the CPAP, he is completely off it again.  So far, he is doing great.  I'm trying to remember that things can change in a second (and have a hundred times so far), but this time he is off the CPAP for good.  He is big enough and old enough now that if he has any more spells of apnea, and needs oxygen, they will give him a high flow nasal cannula.  This is much smaller (so it won't be as hard on his poor nose), and simply provides oxygen.

 

I'm so proud of how well he's doing, and how strong he is.  Some days are very hard, and I hate to leave him after visiting and cuddling, but I know he will be home before we know it.  If he does well, and no longer needs oxygen, the doctors will try to get him back on a regular feeding schedule, and then I can start teaching him how to eat without the feeding tube.

And then, we'll be closer to bringing him home.