10:45pm: A fairly quiet and uneventful day for the Elley's. I made it to the NICU around 11:30 this morning and met up with our friend Alison who was paying Reid a little visit. Kristen came about 1pm and brought lunch and then we went outside for an afternoon stroll around the hospital gardens. We stayed outside for about an hour and Reid did quite well - he didn't cry when we put him in his stroller or even on the way out of his room (like he sometime does). Maybe he is getting used to it, or maybe it was just a good day?!? The weather was beautiful - low 70s and clear blue skies. He managed to stay awake for a good bit before he decided to crash like he typically does when he is in the stroller.

Kristen and I (more Kristen than me) are taking over which seems to be more and more responsibility in the hospital. Breathing treatments, feedings, medicine, etc. I think we are fairly comfortable with what we are doing, but know it will be much more interesting when he comes home. We will be the ones that are measuring out the medicine, knowing which medicines we need to mix with milk, fortifying the milk, etc.

We are supposed to find out a little more this week with some recommendations for Reid's pediatrician. We have talked to a few people and seems like there is a group that is no more than 2 miles down the road that has a great reputation and sees quite a few premature kids. We will also need to scope out a few pharmacies that are capable of compounding some of Reid's medications. I don't think it will be hard to find some that do it, just that we need to find a few in our area that we can rely on. He has two medicines that need compounding - one of them being the Viagra -- somehow I feel it is going to be a little hard for him to swallow that little blue pill. :) Instead, they crush it up with a mortar & pestle and then mix it into a liquid that will be given via g-tube. The other medicine is Prevacid. Not sure if I mentioned the other day, but Reid will be coming home with about 14 medicines.

Tomorrow is supposed to be the big day for the weaning of his flow. He will be moved to 3 liter flow at 100% oxygen assuming that his night goes well. We aren't overly concerned with him being able to handle it as this is what he goes on when we take him outside to the garden, but this is usually for short periods. The big thing to look for after they make the wean is his CO2 gasses... Time will tell, I guess.

Reid handled his treatments and bath well tonight and fell fast asleep. He usually has a cranky evening, so we are off to a good start. He was weighed and came in at an even 6.5kg or 14.33 lbs.

Anyway, time to sign off and get ready for another week of work. Please continue your prayers for baby Joesph as he underwent a rather large bowel surgery today after some of the side effects of the infection took their toll.