Day 10 and 11

Pheww...  I'm sorry for not blogging yesterday.  I got home and all I wanted to do was go to sleep.  I bet people were wondering what was going on.  I hope I didn't scare anyone.
I'll try to recap yesterday...
He had his chest tubes removed (I think that was yesterday anyways.)  He also had the arterial line removed from his groin.  We also were able to hold him.  The doctor is fabulous, she said "I'm writing orders to hold the ba-bee."  ( She has a traditional spanish accent.)  I was thrilled.  We held him for about 3 hours.  I was quite jealous because while Bryan was holding him, he looked around at everything.  I hate having to leave him every 2.5 hours to go pump.  I'm hopeful that he will take to breastfeeding so that I can spend that time with him instead of a pump machine!  The doctor is very impressed with Holden so far.
Today...
We got to hold him again today for about 1.5 hours.  He slept the whole time.  But he really seems to enjoy being held.  Today they took out his Tickhoff line (the line draining the abdominal cavity) and the blue wires attached to his heart.  So our little boy is looking more and more like a boy!  And less like a machine.  
So to give you an idea of what's he's looking like these days- he's got a line into his tummy that allows all his medicines to go in.  Two tubes into his nostril to allow for feedings.  A nasal canula for oxygen.  A PIC line inserted into his left calf.  And then several bandages covering the holes left from all the removed things.
Tomorrow...
We will move to the step down wing of the CVICU.  I will be staying with him 24 hours a day!  I'm guessing the room will have a bed in there for me beside a bed for him.  Bryan and I will likely take shifts so that I can go back to the Alessi's house to shower.  They have a shower there that I can use, but I think I will feel more comfortable getting cleaned up everyday at their house.  They have been so kind and tell us everyday how glad they are that we are here.  I do worry about over extending my stay, so their constant pleasure of having us, eases that.
I'm off to go see my baby again.  sorry, for keeping these blogs short.  I literally have no time for phone calls and updating, I'm trying my best.  I feel like I wake up, eat, pump, shower, pump, visit my baby, pump, eat, pump, visit my baby, eat, pump, visit my baby, then sleep.  It's exhausting.  I'm hopeful that I will be able to tell the pump room "see ya" soon.

ashley