6 months...

Nico is 6 months old. SIX MONTHS! When Brooklyn was 6 months, she had 4 or 6 teeth, she had a passport, she had been to NZ and the Gold Coast and was about to go to Europe. She'd been out for coffees and dinners, to beaches and parks. She'd stroked cats, rabbits and dogs and tasted pumpkin, apple and no doubt grass and dirt. She'd stayed in a hotel, at friends with us, at her grandparents. Nico has been to Bay 8, Bay 5, Bay 4, Bay 3 and now: BAY ONE : all within the 150 square metres that make up NICU. He has been in an isolette and 3 open cots. He has ingested milk, pentivite, ferrous, sodium, calcium, hydro, spiro, erythromycin, at least 4 different antibiotics. He's had one operation and is being booked in for a second to repair his hernia this week. He has been on 4 different forms of respiratory support and had IV lines in his arms, hands, legs, feet and scalp. He's been looked after by 30 people at a minimum. I can't really say whether it has felt like 6 months. It feels like forever. I don't remember a time before this crazy life of scheduling in babysitters for my daughter and driving hundered of kilometres a week to see my son. Crazy has become the norm. In saying that, when I write "it's been 6 months" and "Nico is 6 months old" it sounds ridiculous that it could possibly have been so long. Reminders are right in front of my nose though. Outside the NICU window is the 6 storey car park; a crevasse when we first arrived and we were assured we would not see finished. We put clocks forward in spring and we've put them back in autumn : visits after 7pm are done in the dark again. His weight flashes on the scales :4.6kg ... there never used to a number in front of that decimal point. A rubbish sized bag of clothes overflows on the nursing chair in his room, full of clothes he no longer fits. Brooklyn could barely copy us saying his name and had about 10 words in her vocab when he was born, now she says "Sit here. See Kiko photos" and "Kiko cuddles,happy now" I'm now the one recieving those "WIsh we were well enough to be in that Bay with you" glances as parents from further down the bays walk past, instead of giving them So in terms of happenings this week, the biggest is that he moved up to the top bay, Bay One and is certainly on the home stretch. Could still be 6 to 8 weeks away as his oxygen increased after a few days, he is likely getting a bit tired. It's great to be in Special Care instead of NICU but the level of care feels ... less caring. I guess they are more used to the sort term patients. I got REALLY annoyed TWICE tat Nico was given formula in a bottle against my wishes AND on top of this: there was EBM expired in the fridge. If they really had to give him bottles, even though he was only meant to have 4 per day, they could have at least used the EBM. I have supply issues as it is and the idea of tipping half a days worth was enough to send me into a fuming rage followed by tears. Thankfully we saved it by putting it in the freezer since it was only a few hours over their 2 day limit. Nothing else of any major significance. Just growing and feeding and the odd smile thrown in for good measure