home at last.

Well, the day finally came.

On Thursday, September 8, after 106 days in the N.I.C.U. Pepper came home.  Weighing in at 5 lbs 10 oz, with a healthy heartbeat and sporadically enthusiastic appetite for bottle feeding, Jason and I retrieved our daughter from the hospital around noon.  It was a good lunch date. (Yes this is Megan posting under Jason's name--too tired to sign in correctly. Good tired). 
The two prior nights Jason and I spent at the hospital with Pepper in a room down the hall from the units, referred to as "rooming in."  This happened per our request and with the support of our nurses.  Basically stay with the baby in a room, take care of all the feedings and meds, and hope for discharge but expect to leave empty-handed, just in case she still isn't ready to go home.  The nights were long and definitely took some adjustment. I was back in a hospital bed and Jason was sleeping on the love seat that doubled as a "pull-out couch".  We were told to bring snacks and necessities--we looked like we had moved out of our house and were ready to set up permanent residence with our new found family.  Oh well, why do things halfway? When all was said and done, they told us to go home Wednesday night to get some sleep and she would be discharged on Thursday.  And alas...there was no unforeseen setback, and we took her home.  Just like that.

5 days later, Pepper C. had her first pediatrician visit--accompanied by her Nonna and no tubes or wires, and has gained 4 oz and 1/2 an inch--putting her at 5 lbs 14 oz and 18 inch long.  Jason currently has possession of the camera--which means no pics now but they are forthcoming.
 
The days seem to have so much time in them, considering there are no trips to the hospital, but I must say, we miss our Lauren nurse and all of our NICU family.  Who would have thought? This whole process would not have been the same without the love, prayer, and confidence in her homecoming from all our friends and fam.