Day 54. 5/23/14.

Weight: 7lbs. 7.4oz.

Plan for the day: Eat, rest, and grow.

When Mommy came to see you bright and early this morning, you had wiggled yourself all the way to the bottom of your big boy bed.

And here you are after we nursed, like, "Yeahhhhh, Ma!"

We cuddled all day and as I held you in my arms and rocked you back and forth, I couldn't help but reflect on the past almost eight weeks here.

Sometimes, I still think it's a foggy dream we're living.  Like, has it been that long?  Reality sets in because I have forgotten what it feels like to lay my head down on my pillow at home.  I've forgotten the state of how I left our bedroom.  I don't know what's in our fridge anymore.  I've forgotten what our freshly washed laundry smells like.  I miss the sound of Graham's feet pattering back and forth as he runs around upstairs from one room to the other.  I miss Lola's cooking.  I miss Home.

And sometimes it feels like I blinked and it all happened so quickly and I replay the highlights in my head as they flash by.

You've been taking your feedings well.  You still have minor episodes here and there, but they're becoming fewer and far between.  Dr. B. said we'll see where you are after the weekend.  We're getting close, Maverick!  We're almost there...

Day 53. 5/22/2014.

Weight: 7lbs. 7.1oz.

Plan for the day: Eat (BF like a champ), Rest (between hanging out with Mommy), and Grow.

You certainly are Just Like Daddy, son!  Look at that little smirk!  You sure know how to make Mommy's heart explode into a million pieces! God, I love you!

Your magic number today was 47!  You took exactly that while nursing at your morning and afternoon feedings!  It's like you know just when to flip the off switch lol!

Visitors today: Your Aunty Romi (Mommy's best friend) came to visit you on her lunch break!  And she brought Mommy some delicious take-out lunch!

We spent another wonderful day together and later, Mommy met Aunty Al for dinner at Maguro-Ya in Kaimuki.

This world has so many delicious things to offer, and I can't wait to turn you into a Foodie too.  But, we gotta split this taco stand first LOL.

Sweet Sushi Dreams, My Love!  XOXO!

Day 52. 5/21/2014.

Weight: 7lbs. 6.3oz.

Plan for the day: Nurse, Rest, and Grow! (and hang out with Mommy!)

Well, Good Morning My Love!!!  Baby yawns are the jam! 

Today would have been your scheduled birth date - if Mommy carried you to term, we would have had a scheduled cesarean section on the Wednesday after 39 weeks (today).  But, lucky for us, you arrived eight weeks early and I got to hold you in my arms and love on you that much sooner.

This morning, you were going to show them how it's done and you took your whole feeding at the breast.  The. Whole. Thing!!!!  You are definitely a big boy now and make Mommy so so proud!  Nurse Aunty Laura and I cried and cheered you on again because she beat your last record of 51mLs with 61!  And Nurse Aunty Robyn came by because good news spreads fast around here and she hugged Mommy and cheered for you too!  I told you - we celebrate every day!

It was a long and exhausting day, but another good day down in the books!  Get some rest so we can do this all over again tomorrow!  I can't wait!  XOXO!

Oh, What Fun!

Oh, Maverick!  You are one lucky little boy!  When we go home and get settled and Mommy goes back to work, youll get to go to Aunty Helene's house, just like your Big Brother Graham!

Aunty Cami sends us the best pictures of your Big Brother Graham back home in Maui!  Here's Aunty Cami, Baby Janie, Graham and Connor taking a selfie LOL!

Graham has the best time at Aunty Helene's house and we know you will too!

And look at Aunty Cami with the cutest baby bump ever!  She's pregnant with a baby boy and you two will get to play together and are destined to be besties!

We know you'll have lots of fun adventures here and we are so excited for you!  XOXO!

Day 51. 5/20/2014.

Weight: 7lbs. 5.25oz

Plan for the day: Eat, Rest, Grow, Music Therapy! 

Today was Music Therapy Tuesday!  Ginai came today and I told her your name is Maverick.  She especially picked Sweet Thing by Chaka Kahn and it was the perfect song for you and it had Mommy in shambles again.

Then, Chaplain Stephen came again and checked in on us.  He said he continues to pray for us and hopefully our journey here at the hospital ends soon so we can be reunited at home.  I swear he speaks to our souls and knows exactly what we need to hear.

Charge Nurse Laura came in to check on us while your other Nurse Aunty Laura was tending to another baby.  She had you once before during your first or second week here and noticed how big you had gotten and said you were doing so well.  She said that the babies whose Mommy's can come every day do better and she noticed that I come every day and stay with you all day long and she said that's the reason why you're doing so well.  That made my heart swell with tears and so very happy.  It's reassuring to hear from professionals that we're doing all we possibly can to get you well!  Sigh.  Then she weighed you and whaddaya know!  You took half your feeding!  You make Mommy so so proud.

Ohhhh, Maverick, my sweet thing.  Don't you know you're my everything?  XOXO.

Day 50. 5/19/2014.

Weight: 7lbs. 6.9oz.

Plan for the day: Eat, Rest, and Grow!

Good Morning, Maverick!

Aunty Al cooked us a deluxe breakfast before we all headed to the hospital to see you!

And every morning, we take an Elevator Selfie at Aunty Al's... this one is one of my faves:

When we came to see you, you were sleeping peacefully in your swing:

One last pic of Team Garcia before big brother Graham heads back home:

Your Papa and Lola love you and your brother so very very much!  It makes my heart want to explode seeing them with BOTH of their boys!

Then, we went to lunch before Papa, Lola and Graham flew back to Maui.  We went back to The Alley Restaurant at Aiea Bowl because it is that good!  We wanted to go with Papa and Lola since they had never been before!

And here's their famous and the yummiest lemon crunch cake dessert!

We met Mr. And Mrs. Lum there for lunch!

Mrs. Lum was Mommy's Business Technology Program Coordinator at UHMC - she ran the program and taught many of my favorite courses!  She's the reason Mommy was nominated and selected as co-valedictorian in college and the reason I am in an Information Technology (IT) field today.  She's the reason I got my internship at Akimeka where I've been working now for 12+ years.  She's also the reason I met your Daddy while working at the computer lab at the college and then became college sweethearts.  So it was so wonderful to see her again and catch up on life.

After lunch, we didn't say goodbyes but rather said our "See you laters" as Papa, Lola and Graham headed back to the airport with Aunty Al.  I still get that lump in my throat feeling just typing about it here.  But I just keep telling myself we are one day closer to going home for good and so we press on.

Daddy and I headed back to the hospital to be with you, our littlest love.  We had our lactation appointment in the afternoon and here's a pic of your post weight at 3578!  Your pre weight was 3527 which means you took 51 at the breast, our most to date and almost your full feeding!!!!!!  Nurse Aunty Mariko jumped and cheered and we all celebrated!  She said it made her day and she could go home on a happy note!

We celebrate everything, Maverick!  Every milestone, big and small, and every single day with you, my love!

 

Go Mav Go!  XOXO!

Day 49. 5/18/2014.

Weight: 7lbs. 4.9oz.

Plan for the day: Eat, rest, grow (and celebrate Graham's 2nd Birthday!)

Happy Seven Weeks, Maverick!!! And Happy Birthday Graham!!!

We celebrated Graham's 2nd Birthday at Chuck E. Cheese with our HNL family and friends!  We had such a wonderful time and your brother loved every single minute at his birthday bash!  He danced and sang and rode the rides and ate delicious pizza!  A fun time was surely had by all!

We can't believe your brother is two years old!  Look at our big boy with his Rock Star guitar and birthday medallion!  Aunty Alison took photos all day long so we can cherish these special moments forever!  She's our family photographer and we are so lucky!

And as soon as his party was done, we came straight to the hospital to see you, my love!

Aunty Mel brought you Holy Water so we added it to your collection of friends:

Mama Josie and Papa Flo came to visit for a bit too:

Here's Mommy with your Papa and Lola:

This is the first time your Papa held you and it was the sweetest thing to see you reunited.  The first time he saw you, he was on duty at the Fire Station and helped load you in the Air Ambulance.

Later, Papa and Lola brought us to Sorabol Korean Restaurant for Graham's 2nd Birthday Adventure Dinner!  It surely was a feast!  Graham's (ok and Mommy's too) fave is Korean so the table was pretty quiet as we were all busy eating!  Lol!

And after that, we had dessert at Bubbies!!!

Then we went home and opened all of Graham's birthday presents!  We also opened some for you too - since Mommy gave birth so early, Lola couldn't throw us a baby shower for you like she had planned, but our loving friends and family have been showering you with their love anyway!  Both of you boys are so very loved!

Your big brother Graham had so much fun today and we all did too!  Life is so very precious and there's so much to celebrate!  We are so blessed to have such amazing family - Papa and Lola made sure we had the best day ever and did everything they could to make Graham's birthday a memorable one!  

And we will all do the same for you too, Maverick!  XOXO!