What restores our faith in God?

What a perfect song on this mighty, awesome, wonderful day. Praises have continuously been going up for God's plan for Hayden Owen Hoskins and the blessings continue to fall. Yesterday, his weight jumped up to 3130 grams. That equates to 6 lbs and 14.5 oz. His weight is still low, but he is rapidly putting it back on! One potential issue babies with Omphaloceles deal with are feeding and low weights. However, I think Hayden is going to surprise everybody, once again, and have no issues with his weight.

Even better than the weight gain is the news we found out about his bottle feeding last night. He still has his feeding tube in and in order for that to come out and for us to head home, Hayden needs to be able to fully rely on the bottle/nursing for his feeds. His goal is to PO Ad lib, which basically means feeding by mouth, at will....or having his cycles of sleep and then waking up and wanting a bottle every 3-4 hours. In the beginning, he was taking 20 ml per bottle of his 60 ml. After 2 days, he seemed like he always wanted more, so we upped it to 40 ml per bottle. The first few, he took down
the full amount, but then backed off and the next couple took about half. However yesterday, he struggled. Surgery wanted to go ahead and take him off the NG feed and do the Ad lib, but I was hesitant because he was barely taking half of his bottle feed and didn't want to have a setback. So, we stuck with giving him as much as he would take and then feeding the rest through his feeding tube. However, he seemed more fussy yesterday and just wasn't a happy camper. He took down about 30 for me in the morning, but then went down hill. He only took 15 at his 11 o'clock feeding and then roughly 30 at his 2 o'clock, and then about 24 at his 5 o'clock feeding.

Thankfully, our miracle worker nurse came in last night and he did so well. His first bottle under her watch, at 8:00 pm, was demolished! She said there was no stopping him. She said about an hour after his bottle, Hayden went ballistic. Screaming, crying, not taking his pacifier and even spit up a little food. She said there was no calming him and this is VERY out of the ordinary. He never cries/screams. He grunts a little and fusses every now and then, but is never a problem. Then came the explosion that rocked the NICU. She said he let out a monstrous fart! Then he had several monstrous poops. Some of the worst he has ever had! She just told the next nurse that it was like Mount Vesuvius! Several diapers were needed, but that is normal! He has never been a one-diaper guy! She said he was fussy and upset before, but after, he was good to go. His 11 o'clock feeding was done through the feeding tube because he was so worn out, but his next two, at 2:00 and 5:00 a.m. went smoothly. He did what I asked of him. We keep telling him that the quicker he can reach his goals, the quicker he can get home and see his pets!

Well, we are going to hold off on his ad lib feeding today because he is getting circumcised this morning. Our nurse said they usually have a bad day when they are circumcised, so we are going to take it easy, not force anything, and possibly try again tonight. I know we will be good because even though I know this was all a part of God's plan from the beginning, our mighty, awesome, wonderful nurse is back again!

Even Hayden knows who is responsible for his miracles!