Today's the day!

Well, Cole had a great night for his last night in the NICU. He's ready and waiting to come home. I talked to our nurse this morning and she said he was all bright eyed and bushy tailed, ready to go!

As I sit here and wait for the oxygen man to arrive, I'm blubbering my eyes out just thinking about how long we've waited for this day. It's almost surreal that after today, we don't have to go to the hospital any more. We can pick up and hug our kids anytime we want since they will be under our roof. We'll be like a normal family now!

The emotions running around in my head are all over the place. I'm so thankful for this day. Walking out of NICU and the hospital is going to be bittersweet. I'll miss my new friends there. They were our support system. And some of the babies and their parents who we are leaving behind will be missed so much. Jack and his parents are hopefully close behind and will be home soon too. But it's so hard to leave them there. We're having such a special day and it breaks my heart that they will be there watching us leave and they have to stay...

The daily trips to the hospital are the only thing I have known since June, when I was admitted. Now I get to be home and actually be a Mom. It's time. It's been far too long - but it's funny, when you're doing it, you don't look at it that way. You just rally and do what you have to do. So many families are in our same shoes and they do the same. You take it one day at a time. Until your stay is over and the day you've waited for finally arrives. It's a surreal feeling. As much as you think about the day that you'll have your baby(ies) home finally, you never get your heart set on it. Because it can be taken away so quick. I'll believe it when Cole is sitting in his car seat in the back of my truck. Then I'll accept that he's really coming home.

I'll never ever be able to explain how thankful we are for the NICU staff. Each and every one of the people that work in NICU are amazing. The care was exceptional, support never ending and friendships so comforting. Nurses are nurses because they want to care for others - but they, like teachers, are so under appreciated. We owe the lives of our beautiful children to the nurses. They got us all where we are today. And I'm not sure that nurses look at it like that. All of them need to know that we will feel forever indebted to them for their gift to our family. It's hard to put into words.

Better get going and pack up Cole's bag with his coming home outfit and stuff. We're really bringing this baby home. I'm still reeling that it's finally here. More later...