Hello to everyone.

Xavier met today with his official pediatrician, Dr. Nick Abbey. Dr. Abbey is a former UCH (University of Colorado Hospital) doctor who worked closely with the NICU. All those we spoke with while Xavier was in the hospital had nothing but glowing testimonies about Dr. Abbey.

We definitely like Dr. LaBlanc who saw Xavier his first two visits. We're not changing doctors, it's just that we have not met with Dr. Abbey before today because, apparently, he takes vacations and was on one these past two weeks. Dr. LeBlanc was filling in for Dr. Abbey.

Unfortunately, I did not get to meet Dr. Abbey today. I stayed home to assist in the replacement of the water tank which ruptured two weeks ago. Rebecca did say she liked him, so another good appraisal for him.

Xavier weighed in at 4 pounds, 14.8 ounces. (for those still wanting grams, that's 1841 grams). Xavier was brought into a different room today than his previous two visits. To weigh him, they took him (briefly) into the room he was in last time to use the scale in there. This way, they get consistent weights.

Dr. Abbey did take a look at a sample stool Xavier was happy to supply. He thinks it is a little lighter than it should be. Arg! I have not mentioned the results from Xavier's blood draw last week. The numbers came back unchanged from the previous three lab results. Xavier's direct bilirubin count is still in the 2.5 range (it should be less than 1). His hematocrit value still lower than it should be.

They took more blood from Xavier today, this time from a vein in his arm rather than a poke in the heel. They needed a little more blood for the labs they want to run.

Xavier has been gassy these last few days. Having read the ingredients in the formula, Rebecca says it's a recipe for anyone to be gassy. Whether that or some other reason, it has him off his feeding game quite a bit. He tries to eat, but the gas (not just in his stomach) greatly distresses him. It's taking longer to get him to take his bottles. He generally takes them, just over longer periods of time: an hour instead of :20 minutes.

One of the nurses at Saturday's Annual NICU Graduate Picnic suggested an over-the-counter drug called simethicone, which the NICU nurses use occasionally for gassy babies. Dr. Abbey suggested a particular pro-biotic which we started Xavier on this afternoon.

Praise be to God, Who always causes us to triumph in Christ Jesus! Thank you all for your prayers.

Greetings to everyone.

Rebecca and I took Xavier to his first UCH NICU Graduate Picnic. This is a picnic sponsored by the hospital and supported by the community. It was held at Generals Park, a park across the street from the hospital. This is a yearly picnic attended by NICU nurses, NICU parents, NICU children, NICU doctors, et al., and has been going on for more than 22 years.

We arrived a little late, not really expecting much. What a surprise. Rebecca turned to me and said "Next year we won't dally." Hundreds of people were there already and we were only thirty minutes late. Hotdogs, macaroni salad, fruit cups, chips, drinks, sno-cones galore in the food lines. All of it was free, paid for by donations.

Dinger from the Colorado Rockies was posing with kids and signing autographs. Miles from the Denver Broncos was doing the same thing about twenty feet away. Eventually, the two got together to pose with the kiddos.

They had bouncy-houses, basketball free-throw contests, hula-hoop contests, bubblegum bubble blowing contests. Oh, the list goes on!

There was a little train running around the park. It was driven by a man named Vern, the train's owner, and he has been bringing and driving the train over 22 years at this event.

I examined the train, but the little barrels were too small for me to fit into, and way too big for Xavier to sit alone. Sadly, we could not take a train ride. Rebecca would not let me take Xavier climbing on the rock wall they brought in. Plus, they did not have a safety harness small enough for Xavier.

We ran in to many of Xavier's NICU nurses. All were excited to see him, many asking "where's Xavier?" Rebecca filled them in and let them see and poke him. Two of the nurses were excited to find us there because they were on vacation when Xavier was discharged, so could not say their goodbyes. One nurse, Allison and the first of Xavier's nurses we ran into, returned to find three of her babies discharged. "Where are all my kids?" she told us were her thoughts.

We ate lunch with a couple whose twin boys were delivered at 24 weeks and each weighed less than Xavier did at his delivery. The twins will be eight in October, and you cannot tell they were preemies and so small.

We met many parents with preemies and all had the same story: their kids have grown well. What encouragement! Even though we feel Xavier is doing well, still it was nice to see and hear so many stories like this.

There were so many sets of twins there; most of the graduates in attendance seemed to be twins. We did meet a couple with quadruplets, and one pair of them were twins! It was amazing to watch the mother feed her four (all were nine months old). Put a bottle in their hand, then lay them on their back at one corner of the blanket (four kids, four corners). This mother had it down to a science. I think with four, that would be necessary and a matter of survival for one's sanity.

What a great celebration. They even had group pictures of all the graduates. Xavier and Rebecca appear in the 0-5 year old group. We are excited to attend next year!

Great is our God, Who surrounds us with clouds of witnesses to encourage us and connect us into families who have been through the land we are now passing through! Thank you for your prayers!

A collage of much of the activities. A climbing wall; a bouncy house; balloon animals, swords and hats; Dinger and Miles; a Hula-Hoop contest, won by last year's champion who is 8 and her performance made the Pink Bunny look like a slacker; an all-terain train.

This is Allison, one of Xavier's main nurses while in the NICU. She was the first we met at the picnic and was excited to find us. She was on vacation when Xavier was discharged, so she missed saying her farewells. Allison has been with the NICU 22 years. She wanted a picture of her, Xavier and Rebecca, which we were happy to supply.

This is Stacey, another of Xavier's main nurses. She is a lively nurse and a lot of fun. Like most of the nurses we met, she has been with the NICU a long time and very knowledgeable.

This is Kathy, Xavier's "older sister" and a wealth of information. We always enjoyed having her care for Xavier. She lives near the Southern Outpost, but even that close, I couldn't entice her to come home with us to continue caring for Xavier.

This is Jody, another long-time NICU veteran with four boys of her own. Xavier did not have Jody many times, and only near the end of his stay. She appears serious in this photo, but her excitement and enthusiasm are completely infectious.

Rebecca and Xavier at lunch. We sat next to a family who had twin boys delivered at 24 weeks, both weighing 1.5 pounds. The boys will be eight this October, and you would never guess they were preemies!

This is the group of NICU graduates from 0 to 5 years old. Rebecca and Xavier are in the center, back.

Hello to everyone.

How much difference a week makes! Xavier had another pediatrician visit on Monday. He weighed in a 4 pounds, 8.6 ounces. He looks so different from last week, notably bigger. His cranial sutures are coming together. The soft spot on the back of his head has nearly closed. The bones on top of his head are growing thicker and making the soft spot there very noticeable where once you felt it, but strained to see it.

He is eating more, but sleeping less after his meals. He likes to lay and look around, or "sit" resting his back against one's tummy and look around.

Speaking of sleeping, we are all doing better at it. We seem to improve every night just a little more. Xavier has twice slept through his (early morning) feeding times and we (meaning Rebecca) have had to wake him. Both Rebecca and I don't have an issue with his sleeping through his 4:00 AM feeding; he is still eating his full amount for the day.

Xavier has a physical therapist coming to meet with him. Since his delivery weight was under 1200 grams, he qualifies for a program that will help him develop physically and speech-wise should he need the help for the next three years. It's "free" to us and the therapist comes to the home.

Xavier has had several visitors this past week. The first made a "play date" with Xavier (through his parents) some weeks back. She wanted to come down and meet Xavier when we brought him home. We spent a few hours with her and Xavier got to meet one of the people who has prayed for him all these months.

Xavier also got to meet the woman who introduced Rebecca and me, Margaret. She and her two daughters (my "nieces" who have always known me as "Uncle Mike") came down Sunday to meet Xavier. They three were all recovering from some respiratory issue and had to wear masks, but that didn't daunt them! Near the end of their visit, Margaret looked at us and with a mimed plea, asked to hold little Xavier. It was a precious moment, at least to us. Margaret and the girls took some impressive photographs, including our newest family photo.

Yesterday, Xavier met two more people to stopped by to pay Rebecca a visit. We may need to get more chairs if this pace keeps up.

Our God reigns! Thank you for your prayers.

A wonderful Family photo. Taken in Xavier's nursery. I think this was taken by Xavier's "cousin" Emmelia, thus the towering and sturdy look of the family.

Xavier's "cousins" fawn over him.

"Aunt Margaret" holds Xavier. She was overcoming a sniffle, so she wore a mask to protect her "nephew."

Dad holds his son; unknown to him, he was ambushed by the paparazzi. Actually, Margaret has a wonderful eye and knows her camera; she took Rebecca and my engagement photos.

This is such a great picture of Rebecca, one almost misses seeing Xavier.

It appears Xavier is pondering something profound. "Should I have regular formula or chocolate formula?"

"What's up with all this attention?" Xavier may be thinking, or else he's working on a burp.