Two weeks

Griffin is two weeks old. Well, technically he is 33 weeks tomorrow. The doctors have started to explain how for the foreseeable future, we will always reference two ages- birth and gestational. It's confusing, but it also makes me feel like I am not missing as much. When he comes home, he will be technically a newborn baby, even if he is two months old. I sometimes wish I could fast forward to that moment. This gets hard and I can't imagine making it through another week, but then I hold that sweet boy on my chest and I don't want to breath, move or blink. I want to soak up every single second.
Griffin continued to do well yesterday with his feedings. They are slowly going to bump him up, as tolerated. He is now at 7mls every 4 hours. Slow and steady will win this race. We are hoping his little bowels move today. Yep, back to praying for a little healthy poopy, that is free from blood. The plan is to stop the antibiotics today. His weight is progressing great. Thursday, his weight went from 4.36 to 4.6. They weighed him twice, just to make sure. Last night he gained another ounce. He now weights 4.7 lbs. We are so proud of this strong guy. He is such a fighter. We stand in amazement at the handiwork of our great God. Griffin is a miracle and we are so, so grateful.
I can't believe it has already been two weeks. It has all been such a blur. I get up each day, pump, spend two or so hours with Grant, run to the hospital, pump, hold Griffin in kangeroo care for 2-3 hours (hoping the nurses forget about us and let me hold him closer to the 3 hour mark), pump, eat lunch as quickly as possible, spend a bit more time with little man, run home, pump, spend some more time with Grant, eat dinner as a family, pump and head back to the hospital for some more time with Griffin. Back home to pump yet again and then set the clock to continue to do it through the night, every three hours. As the sun comes up, we start it all again. This is a marathon. Trying to keep up this pace is a big job. So grateful we have an "all hands on deck" support team ready to do whatever, whenever we need. This ships would have sank sometime during this last two weeks without all the prayer and help we have received.
Please pray for my Grant Kenneth too. He asked me to only go see Griffin every other day, since I love them each the same, he deduced that I should split my time more equally. This was after he and I had had a good heart to heart talk and he sobbed in my arms for 5 minutes as I urged him to let it all out. I wanted to sob right along with him, but God held me up. I tried to explain that if he was in the hospital would he ever want me to leave his side and he agreed no. So, we can't not go visit Griffin everyday either. This is more difficult than I imagined it would be. I miss both my boys no matter where I am.
I pray that each day Griffin grows stronger and more healthy. That Grant continues to adjust and holds his own and that as a family, we make it out on the other side of this, stronger, closer to one another and closer to God.
I pray that Mr. Griffin continues to tolerate his feedings well and that his little body will do everything it needs to do to process his food, that he remains strong and infection free after the antibiotics stop and that he continues to gain weight and thrive. I pray that the IVs will l ast as long as possible and that he will not be uncomfortable with them. We pray for wisdom and skill for the nurses, nurse practitioners and doctors caring for him. That they will know just what to do to help him. I pray that God would put a hedge of protection around his little isolate and that He would hold our family throughout this big journey.
Thank you all for your love and support. We still stand in awe of how God is surrounding us with his people. We feel loved, supported and covered in prayer. I cannot think of a greater comfort to me than to know, all over the east coast, God's children are stopping to speak my sweet Griffin's name, praying for him, loving him and lifting us up. What a gift.
Thank you.

Love,
Stefanie