Today, we laid to rest our son Cristian. I do not write this so much for public consumption, I write this story because I choose to celebrate our son's brief but most impactful life and it is important for our living son to someday understand the special circumstance for which he came into this world.

Yay - it's Mateo's one week birthday and for his birthday he received a new bassinet :) Well it wasn't his birthday present exactly but he has graduated to an open bassinet and out of the incubator as another major milestone.

Things are getting better and better for our special little boy. Yesterday and today Mateo progressed passed a few more major milestones. He was weaned off of all oxygen and is doing well with room air with his breathing rate now more relaxed and consistent.

What a difference a day makes. We went in this morning to see our little son and how he was progressing. The breathing tube was removed from his throat around 1am since he seemed to respond quite well to the Surfactant. The put him on the breathing mask (like the one on the day 1 picture) and that was weaned off of him by 9am. So now he's on room oxygen with just a little bit of supplemental air.

Ok... keep in mind there are 2 in there... this is my belly at 33 weeks.  Jay and I were just comparing my belly when I first started to show and can't believe how much its grown.  Huge is the word that best describes it.  Nothing really fits, as far as clothes, but I refuse to go out and buy additional prego clothes.  I've gained 50 lbs, which really isn't too bad since my Dr. said I should plan on gaining 60-70 lbs!  Although, that sounds a bit excessive.

I had 2 NST (Non-Stress tests) last week and everything seemed to be ok.  It sounds like I will be monitored twice a week now until delivery, which will more than likely be by c-section.

I'll be 34 weeks tomorrow (another great milestone) and the Dr. said the boys can come out anywhere from one to 3 weeks!  Basically, if the boys aren't growing at the appropriate rate in my belly, they will deliver them so that they can grow outside, by breast or bottle feedings.

 

You know - we used to laugh when Norma's belly was 16-18weeks and it was just a little bump. Now it's not soo funny. Those little chunky monkeys are starting to kick ribs, pelvis, bladder, anything else their little feet can reach in there.

My brother Rene and his wife Rose came over from NY and spent a week with us vacationing in Sea-Town.  It was a great time and we were throwing down some serious Dominican food with the industrial-size luggage of Salchichon, Platanos, Yuca, Batata, Sofrito, and Queso Frito that he brought over. I'm amazed Homeland Security let him through the airline gate with all that stuff!

Yay - what fun today for celebrating Norma's baby shower. Kelly was kind enough to host the event at her house with lot's of friends from work that came to have in on the fun. I was there in my role as official chauffeur and photographer (my usual duties) and as an unwilling guinea pig to act like the 'donkey' during the pin-the-tail on the donkey game.