Hospital Stay & Pics

I still can't believe the experience that we had in the hospital. If we didn't know anything about Zavier's condition, it would have been the easiest birth/hospital experience in the world I think.  

As soon as he came out, everyone was seriously just in some sort of shock. The nurses and doctors kept saying over and over, just how miraculous it was.

And because we were truly soaking in every second of wonder with him, we didn't get too many pictures. Jimmy and I just stared at him for the longest time.

But finally they took him to clean him up and Jimmy called my parents and told them to come and bring the kids.

It was pretty touching to watch Lexi and Izaac meet their new brother. Both of them were a little bit nervous, especially Lexi, but you could tell that they instantly fell in love with him. It was amazing.

Unfortunately though, right after my parents came with the kids, the nurse informed us that the baby's blood sugar level was super low, a 23, and told us he had to go to the NICU. Ughh.
It was scary and terrible timing. So it didn't take long before my parents and the kids left. Luckily for me, Tevia had come too and it was super nice because since Jimmy had gone with the baby, she was able to help move our stuff into our new room. It also helped to keep me calm having her there.

It seemed like it took forever, but eventually the nurse wheeled me to the NICU.
However, Jimmy and baby weren't there!

This kind of terrified me for a second, but we soon found out that they actually never made it to the NICU and that they had gone to what is called, "The Stork's Nest" instead. This is a place where babies might be struggling with something but not bad enough to get put in the NICU. So I met Jimmy there and was so glad to be reunited with our son.

Who, happened to be doing really well! His blood sugar was already way up. They said they thought that it was probably so low at first, simply because he was so small.

I also learned that while I was still in the delivery room without him, that he had already gotten an ultra sound. I'm so glad that Jimmy was able to be with him.

Anyways, about two hours later, we were able to leave the Stork's Nest and we all got settled into our new room. We were hoping to hear the results from his ultrasound that night but they told us that we wouldn't be able to and that we had to wait until we met with the pediatrician the next day.

Here are the pictures from that first day!

The next day I felt fantastic. Seriously, it was the coolest thing. I feel like it was 10 times better than with either of our other kids. I mean, I was a little sore, but that was basically it. 

And so as soon as we felt like we were ready, we called my parents that morning and told them to come with the kids. We also told Tevia to come back and get some pictures of all of us, which she was kind enough to do. 

Her and Bret got there first and then my parents showed up a little bit later. 

 Unfortunately though, the pediatrician came in shortly after. (Again, not the best timing)

This was hard for both Jimmy and I. 

I think it would have been a lot easier if it had just been us and the doctor. It was hard to concentrate on what he was saying with our kids and everyone else there. And it was also hard because we were told that nothing had changed and that his ultrasound indicated that he did in-fact have ACC and most likely Dandy Walker. And because of this, the doctor wanted us to stay another night.

Then, right when everyone was finally getting ready to leave, Jake and Cari surprised us and came in. I honestly was so glad that they came but at the same time I was also kind of done with visitors. I was also starving and sad. So I wasn't as bubbly and inviting anymore. 

I actually broke down into sobs after everyone had left. I think that all the emotions that I had been feeling for the last 24 hours had finally caught up with me. 

Not to mention I was of course, exhausted. 

A little bit later, Jimmy went out and got us a late lunch. And while he was out, I was told that the doctor had changed his mind from earlier that morning, and wanted to have an MRI of baby's brain done that evening.

So when Jimmy got back, my appetite wasn't too great. I was pretty nervous. 

And about two hours later, it was time.

They told us it would probably be better if we stayed in our room for the procedure too. We would just have to wait in the waiting room down there anyways. And because I was pretty emotional, Jimmy and I decided that was probably best. 

So we kissed him goodbye. But it was only after about 30 minutes later, he was back with us. And the nurse said that he did absolutely amazing! They had given him a sugar binky ( a pacifier dipped in sugar water) and had wrapped him up super tight so that he wouldn't wiggle and they said that it did the trick. They said he wasn't asleep either. Even though he was super still, he was wide eyed the whole time.

So at one day old, this baby boy had already had an ultrasound and an MRI done. 

Pretty crazy. 

Anyways, the day didn't get much easier. That night was actually by far the hardest.

 Because at 930 we got a call from his Pediatrician. 

And honestly because he was calling so late, we actually thought, "Oh my goodness!, maybe it's really good news!"

Unfortunately, this wasn't the case. The pediatrician, Dr. Vargas, (who we adore) told us that he had been on the phone with the neurosurgeon for an hour or two going over the results and figured that as parents we would want to know the results as soon as possible. 

He then told us that it was 100 % sure now that our son had ACC and Dandy-Walker Malformation. He said that he was missing the entire Corpus Callosum and most of his Cerebellum, as well as the Vermis around the Cerebellum. 

This was hard to hear.

For some reason, even after all the fetal tests that had been done, and even after the ultrasound that he had gotten the day before, I truly hoped and believed, that nothing was wrong. 

I mean he was perfect.

How could something be wrong? I know it's dumb, but I really thought this!

So for some reason, this time, hearing it, hit like a thousand knives. 

It was so hard to put that phone down and look over at our son and know that something was still not right and that he would for sure have challenges that we couldn't help fix.

We must have laid in that hospital bed together, holding him, for hours after that.

It's truly impossible to express that love that I have for Jimmy. After going through the last two days, I love him in even more ways than I thought existed.

Anyways, here are the pictures from that second day and of our beautiful baby boy.

The next morning was super easy again. Physically I was feeling amazing and emotionally I was doing so much better. That night had been very humbling. Nothing really mattered anymore. We had the most amazing baby boy and we didn't want him to be any other way. It's just so crazy how much love we can feel. I can't even or ever explain the love I have for our son. It was hard to ever put him down! Neither of us could get enough. 

And we also finally decided on a name that morning! We kept thinking and tossing over a few different ones but the whole time in the hospital none of them ever felt right. Well that morning, the name Zavier came up and oh my goodness! Seriously, both of us looked at each other and we just knew. That was it. 

Zavier Daniel Cox.

I just love it. And I love him! 

Here are some more pictures before we got to take him home that morning!

We asked if the kids could come and visit one more time. 

We still can't get enough of them either =)

And soon after the kids left with my parents, we got to leave too!

Here is us getting ready to take this bundle of joy home!

Could not feel more blessed. Wouldn't change a thing.

Let's take you home Zavier <3 p="">