Rhys' first bath

I think this is why newborns shouldn't sleep on their stomach. :o) So, I had my first REAL bath today.
I wasn't really sure what I thought at first. What IS this?!?
But then I start thinking maybe this isn't so bad...
And ya know... so what if I actually liked it?

Not sure what this thing is either!

I think I'm wanting one of those every night!

Rhys had his first real bath tonight, in standing water instead of a wipe down with a wet cloth. He wasn't liking it too much at first but then he calmed down and I think he really enjoyed it. I can image it was quite a new sensation since he's never been completely naked and submerged into water. Warm water at that. He was super calm afterwards and fell asleep after only a bit of fussing. He even let me put him back to bed without waking up! I am not afraid to say he is completely rotten. For the longest time he couldn't really be left upset because it would be bad for his breathing/oxygen requirements. Now he handles that aspect better and doesn't drastically drop his O2 saturation, so he can handle us leaving him to soothe himself. Problem is the damage is already done. He knows everyone will give him attention if he cries (especially us and his primary nurses). It's kind of funny, but it won't be when we get him home and he only falls asleep when someone holds him!!

Rhys weighs 7 pounds 9 ounces. He has officially surpassed the weight that I can comfortably hold him out in front of me to "bounce" him to calm him down. My arm starts burning after only a few seconds. He is very nosey (he gets that honest from me) and likes to sit up and see what is going on around him. He is taking 4 bottles now - at every other feed and he is having 2 ounces! Tomorrow the doctor is thinking to take him to 5 bottles and then keep increasing by one more every other day. Way to go little man!! He is doing much better with his sucking and doesn't need as much chin support, though he still can't do it completely on his own just yet. He is also very good at pacing himself and stopping to breathe and swallow. He is sort of hard to burp, but at least he isn't spitting up all over the place!

Preliminary MRI results are supposed to be back tomorrow, but Cody and I have decided we don't want to know what they say. The doctors can have it - now for the study research and later if any of Rhys' doctors need it for anything, but it will not change our approach to what we will do for him. He will have every therapy available to him regardless of what they find so I don't see the point in speculation and forming preconceived notions. Dr. Gloom is conducting the study and we've never left a serious conversation with him feeling anything but defeated. I don't want Rhys to be pigeon-holed and have any one person's opinion on what his limitations will be. It is what it is and the truth is they don't know what he will be capable of. He had a brain bleed, we know everything he's gone through, but we also know what he's overcome. His chance of survival was pegged at less than 15% when he was born. An amazing lady once told us that God is the great statistics blower. Rhys has defied all odds thus far and I feel like he will continue to do so. I just don't want to know right now what one certain doctor thinks those statistics are.

As to when we are going home... right now it looks like it MAY be before Christmas. I am not a superstitious person, and I don't believe in jinxing things, but it was hard for me to type that - I don't want to blow it!