Camer's Entry into this World

Well, we now have time to sit down and share details about Cameron's entry into this crazy world.
Thursday morning we met the birthmother at the hospial, got checked in, went with her to labor and delivery, and then when they took her to the operating room, we went to the waiting room. An hour or so later, the doctor came in to get us to show us to where our baby boy had been taken, the NICU (Neo Natal Intensive Care Unit). As she takes us there, she explains to us that during the delivery, he chose to take a gulp of amniotic fluid and had fluid in his lungs, so they took him to the NICU as a precaution, thinking he might get out by the end of the day. Well, Thursday night rolled around and he was having some problems eating. He wasn't keeping enough formula down and digesting it well, so they decided to keep him overnight.
Friday rolled around and I was up at 6am wondering how he was doing. Since we did not get a hospital room at the hospital, we were at the hotel, so I called the NICU to check on him. That night they had decided to put in a feeding tube so they could get the formula to his stomach to make sure he was getting the nutrition he needed. They also had started an IV on him to make sure he didn't get dehydrated. We were in tears that morning! It's so hard to see your baby hooked up to all those machines and have a feeding tube going in through his nose. They were having to pull the mucos out of his stomach by inserting a tube down his throat and pulling it out with a syringe. Not an easy thing to watch!
As Friday afternoon/evening rolled around, he started to eat better with the bottle, but was not able to finish his bottles, so they would give him the rest with the feeding tube. Which leads us to Saturday (today).
Today he is taking more by bottle, but they are rotating his feedings by bottle and by tube, every other time. We are here each time for the bottle feedings, but not for the tube feedings since we have to let him lie in his bassenett for those feedings. He's able to keep all of his feedings down now and not spit up as much, if at all. they are slowly increasing his feeding amount as he's able to digest and not spit up. Needless to say, this has been rough on us, but it's good to see him making the progress that he is. We're hoping to be out of the hospital later this week.
The birthmother left the hospital today, so now it's just Jeff and I sharing time with our son. It was bittersweet to see her leave, but she left with a smile on her face. She is very comfortable with her decision.
We are now headed in to tell our sweet boy good night until morning time. Please keep your fingers crossed for a good night and continued growth for our little man. He's doing very well and is very healthy...he just needs to eat more! :) He will continue to stay in the NICU until he is discharged from the hosptial, so this is where we have to visit each time we come.
Thank you all for all your support during our adoption! We'll keep you updated as we have time and continue to post pictures for you to see.

Things I've learned about L.A. so far...

Thought I'd post a nice, light-hearted entry today...nothing related to the adoption or little Cameron. Simply some observations about our time in L.A. so far (which has been a blast):

1. Traffic -- it's not that people really drive any different here, than say, Kansas City or some other metro. It's simply that there's a TON more of them on the road. Dang, there's a lot of people here! And they are all of course in a hurry...at all times. And having about three to four more cars turn left after the arrow has changed to red, is not uncommon. Hey, who has time to wait? Gotta get to the beach!

2. Matt Damon has HUGE feet. -- No, we didn't bump into him at the local Del Taco. We saw his foot print on the Hollywood walk of fame. Those are some huge kicks, Matt.

3. How can a beach in CA be ugly? -- Even though I was blown away by the beach in Santa Monica, no locals seem to think that was the best place for me to see my first ocean. "Ooohh, you went there?" (With a disgusted look on their face) What, I didn't see any floating garage or anything. But I guess those waters aren't the cleanest. We'll take in Malibu next week I guess, so I can see what a real beach looks like.

4. Fast food -- OK, fast food options here are WAY better. In-and-Out Burger, Del Taco, California Pizza Kitchen, all kinds of cool asian and hawaiian joints, etc. Heck, even their Taco Bells have special menu items not available in Kansas! I'm talking a corn tortilla, with shredded pork, fresh cilantro, onions and a lime wedge; 2 for $2.79! Had 'em already, and I'm sold.

5. A clean car is a happy car, right? -- If people aren't at work, they seem to be washing their cars. Everywhere you turn, someone is washing a car. I've never seen so many people with shiny clean cars. But, I guess you have to look good out here at all times. Afterall, it is L.A.

Well, that's all for now. I'll keep posting my L.A. observations as they come.

See ya, folks...gotta go wash the Altima!

Jeff

Doing well

Cameron is doing well. We're kind of in a hurry to get to the hospital since we told the birthmother we'd be there at 8:00am this morning, but we wanted to get some pictures to all of you. We will have more time later this evening to give you full details of his entry into this world, which wasn't the smoothest, but we're all doing much better now. He does have a feeding tube because he didn't have the best sucking reflex when he was born, but that's what we're working on. Nothing serious! We'll hopefully be released from t he hospital Sunday or Monday, but we'll see how he eats.
Enjoy the pictures of our new bundle of joy!

Cameron's arrival

Cameron Nicholas was born this morning at 9:40 AM. He can into the world at 6 lbs, 15 oz. and 20 inches long. We're all doing well.

More to come tomorrow after all paperwork is done and adoption is official.

Jeff and Jill

Almost time to meet our son!

The excitement and anticiptaion is building!
By the time many of you read this, it will be Thursday morning and Jeff and I will be at the hospital anxiously awaiting the birth of our newborn son. We had dinner this evening with the birthmother and her son, and we had a great time. She was very excited about the upcoming adoption as were we.
We then went to the beach again and just sat and enjoyed our time before we become parents for the second time. We enjoyed a glass of wine on the beach and just enjoyed the fresh air and sound of the waves crashing into the shore with just the two of us. It will be the last time we can go to the beach for a few days.
We will be meeting the birthmother at the hospital at 6:30am West Coast Time. We will post information about the birth as soon as we get settled into our hospital room and get our computer up and running (assuming the hospital has WIFI). We can't wait to share everything with all of you! Please keep us in mind and wish for a healthy delivery!
Good Night for now! Off for some much needed rest.

Day in Hollywood

Well, today was spent in Hollywood. Jeff and I drove down to Hollywood Blvd. to experience it. And quite an experience it was! There are so many people here in California! We had fun walking along the star walk and seeing the Chinese Theater area with all the stars hand and foot prints. We then had lunch at Pink's Hot Dog Stand, but failed to see any celebrities there today. After lunch, we headed back to Hollywood Blvd. to get a private tour of the Jimmy Kimmel Live set. Jeff met a K-State alum who works on the set and she got us on the list to get in. We got to see the set of the show, as well as the green room, production room, etc. We couldn't take any pictures inside the studio, but we did get one of the outside.

We are now back in our hotel room getting ready for dinner with Jayna and her son before meeting her at the hospital at 6:30 in the morning! We're very excited to meet our new addition in the morning. We wont' be posting any pictures of our new arrival until papers are signed, which should be some time on Friday morning, but we will update to let you know that he has been born and is doing well.

Thanks for all your support! We've had a great time so far here in California, and plan to have more fun once we're out of the hospital on Saturday or Sunday!

Jeff's first walk in the ocean was amazing. It was so fun to watch him! He was absolutely mesmerized. All he kept saying was, "Wow. This is amazing." I'm so glad I was there to witness his first look and steps in the ocean!