Grandma and Grandpa give lots of love

It is so important to me that my mom and dad are a huge part of Sebastian's life. They are the most loving, kind and supportive parents one can ask for. The daily visits have been awesome and I love seeing how comfortable Sebastian is with them. I know he is in good hands so I am able to run errands, sleep (between doctors appointments) and just relax when he is in their care. I have a new found respect for all women (particularly mothers) as I think it is the hardest yet most rewarding job in the world.

Thanks in particular to my mom who I could not love more especially the last few weeks. She is my rock.

Today (Sunday August 2nd)

Today is the second last day before Steinar goes back to work. I am taking the time when I can to update the blog and keep everyone in the loop. Things are getting a bit easier as the days go on although they all seem to blend one day into the next. Sebastian has been home 11 days already and I still can't believe I don't have to go to the hospital daily. Life is very surreal. I have not had a watch on my arm since I was admitted into the hospital on March 24th. It is so strange that my son will be four months old on August 10th (although we will also have to go by his corrected age of 16 days). I hope to find the balance soon to be able to blog more often or at least weekly.

Thanks everyone for thinking of us and keeping up to date.

Aunt Tiny and Andrea thanks for calling from Jamaica.

Nancy B -congratulations on your pregnancy. I know you are reading this blog and I want you to know I am thrilled for you and your DH. it is about time. :)

Friday July 31st - Passport photo day

Today we decided to get Sebastian his Canadian Passport so that we can get his Norwegian Passport and Citizenship next month. We were told to dress him in dark clothing as they have to lay him on a white board on the floor in order to get his shot. I was told that the Passport authorities are very picky about infants photos so Blacks told us if we were turned away they would do it again at no charge until they got it right.

Needless to say we tripped off to the mall on our first outing (other the his first doctors appointment) and we got his passport photos taken. After 349 shots were taken they managed to get one with his eyes open, looking straight ahead without our hands in the photo (from holding him straight). I was determined to get his passport done that day. So after filling out the application and dropping of "the boys" at home, I started the 20 minute journey to Whitby (a nearby town with a passport office). What I should have realized was that traveling away from Toronto (east) on a Friday of a long weekend was insane. Needless to say I made it to the office in about an hour and a half and had his passport application submitted within 15 minutes. Why so quick you ask? Nobody wants to be sitting in the passport office on a Friday of a long weekend. All in all it did not work out too badly and we should have our treasured documents in our hot little hands within two weeks. Yeah!
We are looking at traveling to Norway for Christmas so he can meet his Norwegian family.

Sebastian chills with Steinar at home

This is the day after we got home. It was one of the most tiring nights of my life. Sebastian is a sweet child and does not complain much. He does not cry but grunts alot which (from what I have been told) is not unusual for the prems to do. Although everyone from my mom to my Aunt Tiny and Steinar's mom would like to have the baby howling for better lung development. I understand that but at the moment I don't mind as much quiet as I can get.
Steinar has been a superstar in caring for his son and after I do the night feeds he is up in the morning so I can get a bit more sleep. They then have a bit of tummy time and quiet time together. For the most part Steinar sleeps through the night while I do not. I have Steinar on one side of me making sleeping noises and Sebastian on the other side of me and I am straining to hear his sleeping sounds. It makes for a very long loud and stressful night. I guess I have to get used to the noises and learn to sleep when he does. Easier said then done.

Sebastians last bath at the hospital (Daddy Time)

This was Sebastian's last bath at the hospital. Daddy gets to do all the bathing of Sebastian as it creates some male bonding time. Plus it gives mommy a break. It is also the time when VJ and Keoni (our friends and hospital mates) can hang out with the boys.

Car seat testing

Prior to Sebastian's being able to go home he has to be put in a car seat for an hour and a half to make sure he is able to make the trip. Monitors are put on him to check his breathing and stats. Sebastian was ok for the first hour and then was a bit ticked off at sitting and staring at the same thing for another half an hour. Needless to say we passed the test or we would not have made it out the door of the hospital.

Care by parent also to be known as night of no rest

This is from about two weeks ago. Prior to leaving the hospital you (the parent) is encouraged to stay the night in a "care by parent room". This means staying the night giving the full care to your child so that it mimics the "home environment". I was going to stay two nights but that changed rather quickly. I arrived at the hospital prior to 8pm and was ready to take on the job of caring for my child. We were checked in (given the key) and after pulling out the single chair into a bed and trying to get settled we were doing it alone for the night.
It was a nice evening and I was super positive. By the time I got Sebastian settled from his 9pm feed it was already 11 pm. So I closed my eyes for about 20 minutes (lights fully on of course) and settled in to listen to my sons breathing. Before too long the nurse was at the door saying "room service" as she handed me my bottle of milk for the midnight feed.

By the time that was done and I had put Sebastian down I was ready for my hour and a half of sleep when the sound of a baby crying was loud in my room. Even louder were the two parents trying to quiet their crying child in the care by parent room next door. It turned out that the child next door was on the opposite schedule then Sebastian so that night was no sleep. I got through the 3am feed and by the time "room service" came with 6am feed I was ready to check out of the "care by parent room" which in no way resembled our home as we don't have to deal with another crying baby on a different schedule then our son.
So that was my only night of stay at the hospital as I needed sleep and I was trying to figure out why the care by parent room had only a single bed. I thought parenting was a joint venture.