While I was digging through our files looking for Addison and Jackson's birth certificates to make copies for the flights, I came across Jackson's hospital records. I don't think I've actually ever seen them before, but as I took a moment from my harried searching to read through them, I started sobbing. Oh the struggles Jackson had his first few days of life on this earth. He had ten bradycardia episodes during his first two days in the NICU, episodes where his little heart rate slowed precipitously. I remember now that a nurse told me that my baby Jackson, only a couple of days old, hated having the CPAP stuck in his nose, and really hated it when water condensed in the tubing and went up his nose--and there it was in the notes, how the water in the tubes had aggravated an episode he had. Reading the notes instantly took me back to those first few weeks, and to what had been an intensely emotional experience they had been--it was so hard to see my baby hurting, and not be able to do anything about it except trust the doctors and nurses in the NICU--and now, what a miracle to see the vibrant, vivacious little boy that Jackson is, and to see how he and Addison have grown and keep us on our toes all of the time. We are so blessed this Easter!
Addison and Jackson loved finding their Easter baskets this year. My mom spoiled the babies, who got lots of treats, silly bunny masks (featured below), birdie water cups, bunny bubbles, Elmo and Cookie beach towels, and new outfits. We also hunted for eggs outside, which were filled with perfect little treats (the babies could have seriously hunted for eggs all day long and been totally happy and entertained). Let it also be noted that I ate more than my fair share of Cadbury mini-eggs--what's the deal with those little chocolate eggs?! They go down so easily (toooo easily). What a fun Easter we had in Arizona!
PS on Jackson in the NICU--Olivia stayed with the babies one Sunday morning while I was traveling, and as part of their morning together put the babies down for their nap. She mentioned to me when I got back that Jackson laid in his crib just like he had in the NICU bed, on his tummy with his legs tucked tightly into his body. I've seen Jackson sleep like that for months--in fact, he's been a stomach sleeper since it was safe for him to sleep on his tummy--and it hadn't crossed my mind that his tummy sleeping mirrored the way he slept in the NICU. She said it made her want to cry to see Jackson curled up on his stomach because it reminded her so much of seeing him in the NICU. What an amazing friend Olivia is to me and our family, having been through so much with us over the past year and a half--and with me for the past ten years! (Um, maybe the point of this story is that the two of us are easy criers in our old age--oh well, at least we can be boobs together!)
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