It’s hard to believe that it has been five days since Johnny’s birthday. If there is one word that best describes how we feel, it is blessed. Angie and I reflect on each day and we are amazed by the strength and well being of our little Johnny — and for that, we thank God.

We have each had the opportunity to hold our little boy twice now, and each time we reflect on how far he has come in this short time. Cuddle time with Mommy and Daddy is by far the one thing that he absolutely enjoys the most (a close second to food 🙂 ). It is remarkable to see how calm he is after thirty minutes of mommy/daddy time.

On Wednesday, Johnny started phototherapy sessions to bring down his biliruben counts. We suspect that he shouldn’t be under the lights too much longer, although it will be hard to see him have to give up his cool looking shades when the time comes :). Mommy was quite excited for Daddy to check out the new look. It is an understatement with how creative, thoughtful and generous the nurses are in the NICU with their ability to inspire a smile. As for the antibiotics that were administered earlier this week, they were able to stop those on Thursday, after three consecutive negative blood culture tests.

On Thursday, Johnny reached one of his first major milestones – breathing room air without assistance from the CPAP. It was great to see his nose free of medical equipment. Once he passed 24 hours of not needing additional oxygen, his nurse moved his feeding tube from his mouth to his nose. Finally, John is relaxed enough to close his mouth and breathe calmly via his nose.

The one test that had Angie and I a bit anxious was the ultrasound to determine whether or not there were any hemorrhages in his brain. On Friday, we were relieved to hear that the ultrasound came back clear and things are looking good.

After his birth, Johnny is hovering around 4lbs 1oz for the last couple of days. In that same period of time, the doctors and nurses have been adjusting his food accordingly. On Wednesday, he was at just 6 cc’s of food. Two day’s later, he’s up to 33cc’s! That is just over 1oz of food. We suspect that he will be all milk by the end of the weekend, as his IV for nutrition may be completed tomorrow. Go Johnny Go!

John was able to meet a few more family members – Uncle Tim and Uncle Mike 🙂 His grandparents were also able to see him again. Aunt Abbie is anxious to meet the little man, but she is fighting off a cold that she doesn’t want to expose it to the NICU.

Last, but certainly not least is an Angie update. Mommy has been inspiring through this whole experience. In less than 48 hours from when she started labor, she was discharged from the hospital and is hard at work providing for Johnny and Jimmy. Great job Mommy!

Thanks again everyone for your love and support. God Bless!

The Clarke’s

Johnny is officially 24+ hours old and the doctors are very pleased with how well he is doing. After our first time visiting our little boy, it was amazing to see Johnny open his eyes when he heard Angie’s voice for the first time.

So far, John’s blood work results have come back well, chest xrays are good, and he should be wrapping up his round of antibiotics tomorrow afternoon. Friday will be his first CAT scan. The first twenty four hours his primary nutrition was clear liquids through the IV. Today, they were able to start John off with two rounds of 3ccs of milk. As of this evening, Johnny has had two rounds of 6ccs of milk. Woohoo! You will notice in the pics that he is still hooked up to his CPAP. The good news is that he was administered a boost of oxygen for a limited time, and right now he is breathing the same levels as the rest of us. The CPAP is providing some extra pressure to assist him with his breathing. Oh yes, his weight is now at 4lbs, 2oz.

So, what’s life like for Johnny in his Giraffe Omnibed? Generally he is quite content…. when left alone. When his nurses start repositioning his equipment, or it is time for the temperature reading and diaper change, he is not a happy camper! Amazingly enough, Johnny enjoys his binky, especially when there is a little sugar water treat on the end. He even tried to suck his thumb, although that became difficult with his IVs getting in the way.

So, what beats binky time? MOMMY TIME:). Angie was able to hold Johnny for the first time today, and he (and she :)) absolutely loved every minute of it. Johnny was not thrilled with all the activity leading up to the cuddle time, but the second he got to give his mommy a hug, he was immediately comforted and became the most content we have ever seen him 🙂

The NICU Staff has been remarkable as they always were with John’s big brother. It is quite comforting returning to the environment in open arms… Many of the nurses were quick to come over and say hello and catch up on Jimmy. It was also neat seeing, and brought back many memories, the blanket covering Johnny’s giraffe is the same one used when his big brother was there.

Last but certainly not least, Johnny was introduced to his Grandparents and Aunt Meghan and Uncle Andrew, with more visits to come in the future.

Thanks to everyone for their continued prayers and support!

Angie and I are pleased to announce the birth of our son John Xavier on Monday March 4th at 2:40pm. John is 4lbs 5oz, 18″ long and born at 31 weeks. Mom and son are doing well. John will be following in his big brother’s footsteps and spending time in the NICU.

Thank you for your prayers and support 🙂