David's Prayer Angel Bear

Since we left so suddenly for the hospital, we didn't have a chance to grab a bear for David. When Grandma Robbins went to the store to get some snacks for us (and a few cute preemie outfits for our little guy!), she came back with a bear for David. When we pushed the bear's tummy, he said this prayer:

Now I lay me down the sleep,

I pray the Lord my soul to keep.

May Angels watch me through the night,

And keep me in their blessed sight. AMEN.

When Bill and I first heard this, we had uncontrollable tears falling down our cheeks. At that time, our little David was in the isollete where we couldn't hold him except for feeding times. We felt so helpless and knew we could only turn to our God for strength and peace. Before we left David each night, we let him listen to the bear's prayer and then prayed as a family for David's little body to get stronger and for mom and dad to continue to rely on Jesus to heal him and give us peace; with the understanding that God loves him more than we do. We have continued this since we brought David home. We put him in his craddle, listen to the bear and then pray over our David and for our new family. Although we understand that the bear doesn't keep him safe, it is a reminder to us to fully rely on God to watch over the son He has entrused to us.

Just two nights ago, David was awake when we put him in his bed. He listened to the bear, then closed his eyes and fell asleep!

Here are some pictures of his bear in all the different 'beds' he has been in, including our arms!

Bath Time!

David's first bath was the day he was born while he was in the NICU. Daddy got to help out and learn how to wash him carefully. I was still not feeling great, so I sat and watched! He didn't like being washed, but LOVED having the water pour over his head and belly! He's definately his daddy's (and DanDad's) boy!

After visiting with Chuck and Nicole, we gave him his first bath at home! I didn't want to make the water too hot, but I think I didn't make it hot enough. It got cold too fast and he wasn't as pleased this time with the water on him!


Here he is in daddy's arms after his bath!


Sweet little boy!


Daddy drying David off!


Playing with our little guy after his bath!


After that tough work, it was time for a nap!

Uncle Chuck and Aunt Nicole came to visit with a friend!

Our friends Chuck and Nicole came to visit on Saturday with the latest member of their family: A Siberian Huskey named Keena. She is so cute and David woke up briefly to look at her!

Our first day at HOME with David!

It is a JOY to have our little man home with us! When people ask how we are doing, Bill puts it perfectly:

"We are wonderfully exhausted!"

David's bed for the time is a beautiful craddle made by Great Granddad (Donna's mom's dad). We have our room set up with the craddle and changing table. David will be in our room for a little while as we all adjust to our new, amazing life!


Thank you again for all of your prayers and words of encouragement through this. Little David is doing great! He's eating just fine and all the other bodily functions are doing their job!

DAVID CONRAD ROBBINS COMES HOME!

David came home with us on Friday, May 23 - His one week birthday!

Wednesday and Thursday

A lot has happened since we last posted. David progressed very well Wednesday and Thursday. He is eating completely on his own and is enjoying life in his own crib, unassisted by heat or light therapy! He's getting ready to come home!

Here are some of our favorite pictures of the end of the week!

The picture above in Wednesday night and the one below is Thursday night. Although he lost an ounce, the nurses have said that he should still be able to go home Friday!

Pictures of David, Mom and Dad

Thank you so much for your emails and comments about our little bear! We are so thankful for your prayers as David is doing better and better every hour. The latest as of Tuesday evening:

*David is off the IV for glucose and is maintaining his own blood sugar levels. He is only tested every other feeding (every 6 hours) now instead of every feeding. If he keeps his levels up through midnight tonight, he will only be tested once a day as he has shown that he has passed this hurdle.

*David's temperature has remained consistent even though he is receiving less heat from his isolette. Another hurdle jumped!

*David has been eating every other feeding through the tube and the other ones from a bottle. If he continues to keep his blood sugar up eating this way through tonight and tomorrow, the nurses have said that we can start feeding with a bottle every time and see how he does.

*Right now David has a photo light shining on him (this is why he is wearing the cool sun glasses!) to help with jaudice. He will be finished with the light tonight at 8!

*As of Sunday night, he had lost weight and was back to his birth weight (although it is normal for newborns to loose weight, premies can't afford to). Monday night, he had gained 4 ounces. He'll be weighed again tonight.

Keep puttin' on the ounces!

Here are some more pictures of our bear cub!

About 12 hours old.


I'm 24 hours old!

I LOVE holding my dad's big fingers

Uncle Casey, Auntie Bess, and cousin Bailey came to visit on Sunday morning. Casey got to hold David because they visited when Bill was feeding him.

Bailey brought some very special presents for baby David: A soft blanket just like hers, a baseball outfit with a baseball on the butt!!, and an outfit with frogs on it!! THANKS COUSIN BAILEY!

On Sunday evening, David was placed back into his isolette. While it was getting warmed up for him, he needed to increase his body temperature. So Daddy HAPPILY cuddled with David chest to chest. Check out the video...Daddy just soaked it all in.


Bill decided to go back to work on Tuesday, so his mom brought me over to the hospital to be with David during the day (thank you, grandma!). This is Bill holding him after being at work all day and REALLY missing his little boy!


Thank you again for your prayers and words of encouragement! Keep checking back for more pictures and updates. We are hopeful that David will be coming home with us in a week or so. We are anxious to have him home, but only when he is ready. As hard as it is to wait, we know that he is right where he needs to be now.

An Update on our Little Bear Cub

Thank you to Auntie Laura for getting the word out and posting pictures of the most precious little guy on the planet! We've had a whirlwind of a weekend. I'm so sorry I don't have anymore pictures to post right now, but I wanted to get some more details out there and keep asking for prayers. We will get some more pictures tomorrow...I promise!

Friday - May 16


1:40 AM-My water broke at home after no warning. Looking back I may have had a few contractions, but nothing that kept me up!

2:00 AM -We left for the hospital. Bill was timing my contractions and they were about 3-5 minutes apart.

2:30 AM - Checked into our Labor and Delivery room. We found out that I may not be able to have an epidural if the heparin is still in my system from the night before.

2:45 AM - The nurse checked me to find I was 4 cm dialated and was going to have a baby today!

3:00 AM - The nurses become worried about the baby's heart rate and called my doctor. The baby's heart rate dropped significantly or completely during every contraction. Found out I might need to have a c-section to get the baby out ASAP.

3:30 AM - My doctor came in and began monitoring the baby's heart rate from inside me, on top of his head. He was indeed under stress because his heart rate was still dropping during my contractions.

3:50 AM - My doctor checked me again and discovered I was 8 cm dialated and was told to get ready to start pushing soon.

4:00 AM - Started pushing (although I didn't know what to do-we didn't do child birth classes and since I was only 35 weeks along, we hadn't gotten to the labor and delivery part in our pregnancy books!). I sort of pushed through the first contraction and then was told what to do!

After the second contraction, the doctor decided to use the suction on the baby's head to get him out from the stress.

4:17 AM - David Conrad Robbins came into this world with a very tiny, but perfect cry! He got cleaned up, wieghed, measured and wrapped up so daddy could hold him for the next hour or so while mom finished up her 'duties'! By the way...although I couldn't get an epidural, I was given something for pain after the birth for some small procedures, which I why I look drugged in the pictures right after David was born!

DAVID CONRAD ROBBINS
4 pounds 3.6 ounces
17 3/4 inches long
May 16, 2008 at 4:17 AM

David's blood sugar was low (VERY common in early babies). After being test 4 times over the next hour or so, David's just couldn't quite keep his blood sugar up, so he was put into the Intensive Care Nursery to get an IV of glucose into his body. He was on a little bed with a warming light above him. We were able to see him that afternoon and got to change his diaper, take his temperature and feed him. He did really good and we were so excited to be able to hold him a bit and kiss on him!!

At this point we were able to go in every 3 hours around the clock to feed him and love on him.

Saturday May 17

David continues to progress and is moved to his own isolette bed. This is a clear plasic box that can regulate the heat used to keep his body temperature up. There are little windows that we can open to be able to touch him, but they need to stay closed most of the time to keep the heat in.

When our little guy was first placed in his new home, he was on his side looking at us. We felt helpless as he just watched us. We had our hands on him as he fell asleep peacefully reassured that mom and dad would be there when he woke up. We learned this night that although we thought he wasn't getting better, he had graduated! It is best for him to be in his own isolette so his body temperature can be better regulated. As he kept his temperature up, the heat put out by the isolette was lowered.

Sunday May 18

A GREAT day for little David! He is eating more and more (even waking up between feedings to eat!), keeping his own body warm and regulating his own blood sugar. Early this morning, he was moved out of the isolette into his own, open crib! Another graduation!

I was discharged Sunday, but the hospital has a great 'boarding' program. If there are open rooms, parents of NICU babies can stay in the rooms free of charge! So we stayed in our room Sunday night in the hopes of taking David home Monday or Tuesday.

Monday May 19
Unfortunately, Sunday night into Monday morning David has a few MINOR set backs. His body temp and blood sugar were both too low. Not really bad, but enough to put him back in the isolette. He needs to use so much energy to keep his own body warm, that his blood sugar just couldn't quite keep up. In addition, he started having trouble taking the bottle.

Right now, our little guy has a feeding tube. He eats from the bottle about half what he needs, and then gets the rest through the feeding tube. The nurses decided to have him eat only through the tube every other time to save his energy and not wear him out on the bottle.

We went in for his 6 AM feeding to do the bottle (knowing the next time he would stay in his home and eat through the tube) and he ate his whole amount from the bottle!! He's wonderful! A small step, but in the right direction! He'll still have just the tube feeding at 9 this morning.
9:00 AM - We just got back from seeing our little bear cub, and his blood sugar is looking good, so he will be weaned off the glucose over the next 24 hours.

All of these things are normal for a baby born 5 weeks early. He just didn't have enough time to fully develop and needs a little more help to be ready to come home.

PRAYERS PLEASE

First for David:
*His lungs are strong and he hasn't needed oxygen - HUGE PRAISES!
*Pray for his body to continue to grow strong and that he will eat from the bottle and not need the tube anymore.
*For him to get enough food from the bottle to be able to keep his blood sugar up AND maintain his own body temperature.

For Dad and Mom:
*To rest when we can so we can be there when David needs us. (per a wise nurse's suggestion, I didn't go to David's 3 AM feeding this morning so I could sleep and be healthy to begin feeding David on my own)
*We are going to go home today so Bill can work tomorrow and so we can rest and eat better. Bill only has this week and next week to work and then is OFF FOR THE SUMMER!!

Now that you have all the stats...here's and attempt from the overjoyed mom and dad to put into words this incredible miracle!

From Mom:
Our little bear is just precious! He loves being swaddled tight and held close. David's tiny little body is so soft and kissable! He's a cuddler! I love his perfect lips and the soft noises he makes when he's waking up and falling asleep. I am loving being a mom and can't wait to take our David home.

From Dad:
You'll have to wait a bit to hear from the new daddy! He's now sleeping and dreaming about his beautiful son!

*Disclaimer: All spelling and grammar mistakes can only be blammed on lack of sleep and not on the proud parents!

Introducing...... David Conrad Robbins!!!!

(Written by a very proud "Auntie Yo Yo/Laura)

Currently, Baby David is maintaining his body temperature and blood sugar all on his own!
He has had no infections and is eating very well.

At this point, Donna will plan to go check out of the hospital Monday and they are very hopeful that Baby David will be able to go home early next week also.

Daddy and Mommy are LOVING parenthood!

Baby Update!

We had an ultrasound yesterday to check amniotic fluid and heart rate and everything was GREAT! There is plenty of fluid (even more if we would have waited because the baby's bladder was full!) and the heart rate was great. As it turned out, we didn't need to do the non-stress test because the ultrasound showed the baby taking good breaths (once he/she finally woke up!)

Next up: Friday morning we have an appointment for a regular check-up and a non-stress test. Please pray that they baby is up and moving so we can get the test done quickly as both Bill and I will need to go to work!

Thanks for your prayers!

The Belly Points the Way!

No matter where I go, my belly leads the way (actually, it's more my belly button these days!)It's getting harder and harder to stand up after sitting, sit down after standing, and walking has become quite the chore! I can't believe I still have five weeks to go!


Due to swelling, I can no longer where any other shoes except my tennis shoes (thankfully, I have understanding bosses) and since my rings don't fit anymore, I've been wearing them on a necklace!


Medical update:
We had the first non-stress test on Friday. Our stubborn little one was sleepy and wouldn't move around, so weren't able to catch a shift in heart rate. We were told to get dinner and come back to the hospital through labor and delivery and have the test done again. So we met up with friends Casey, Bethany, and their little lady Bailey for dinner. We came back to the hospital around 7 and didn't leave until 10. So much for a 30 minute NON-stress test! There were a few other tests that the doctor wanted done. But in the end, all was fine and our baby was 'reactive', meaning his/her heart is doing just fine! We have another non-stress test tomorrow (Tuesday) and ultrasound to test amniotic fluid around the baby!

Thank you for your prayers!

Bill, Donna, and lil B-Rob