Friday, December 23, 2011

It's A BOY!

Clay James Janke arrived Monday, December 19th at 9:27 PM.  He weighed 7 pounds 3 ounces and was 19 inches long and is absolutely perfect.  His hair was fire red when we first laid eyes on him!!!  ...and has now turned to more of a strawberry blonde.

Clay had a very uneventful entrance into the world and was born less than 3 hours after we arrived at the hospital.  The NICU team was present during delivery and did a quick assessment of our sweet baby boy before proud mom and dad got to cuddle him.  He checked out great but the staff felt more comfortable having him in the NICU due to his heart condition and to be able to more closely monitor any other issues that babies with Down Syndrome are prone to having.

He has had a few hiccups along the way - low blood sugar, high white blood cell count, trouble maintaining body temperature, etc. but he is an excellent nurser which is making him stronger every day and he should get to go home soon!

Clay has his own little room at the NICU, complete with his name on the door and a handmade quilt from a local organization that makes them for all the NICU babies.  The staff here has been taking excellent care of Clay...and me, his nightly slumber party companion.  I am sure the goodies Luke brings the nurses everyday isn't hurting either!

Wyatt and Hazel came up to visit while I was still a patient and Wyatt was able to go see Clay in the NICU.  He loved touching him and said he likes his name but he still likes "Roar", his name choice, better.  Hazel thought the wood floors and curtain in my room were a perfect stage and spent her visit dancing and entertaining us.  "Bebe" (baby) has become one of her new favorite words.

Clay's AV septal defect (holes in his heart) is still present and looks the same as his early echocardiogram.  It is not causing any current health issues and we still expect his surgery to be in the next couple of months - whenever those issues do start to arise.

Luke and I are so grateful for the outpouring of support we have received from our friends and family.  Clay is so blessed to have all of you thinking about and praying for him.  He has absolutely stole our hearts and will yours, too!




*I will update with more pictures when I get my card reader from home!*

No comments: