Bringing Home Everett

Homeward Bound // Released from the NICU // July 31, 2019

Bye, bye, NICU!

First time in the sunlight

Being a big sister is exhausting

Better look at Everett's going-home outfit

First at-home gavage (tube) feeding

July 26

Happy Due Date, little buddy! I can’t believe it’s been 20 days since you arrived. What a whirlwind, roller coaster of a journey it’s been. You’re 40 weeks, weigh 7 lbs 3 oz, and are becoming more alert every day as you “wake up” to the world around you. You’re not a fan of diaper changes but enjoy keeping it interesting for mama by going multiple times mid-change (current record is four diapers at one changing!). You’re also not fond of that feeding tube taped to your face and you much prefer to have your hands free (swaddle breaker! NG puller!) but you rarely cry. You love to practice breastfeeding and are making slow-but-steady progress with the bottle. Everett, you are still just the sweetest and snuggliest baby boy, hopefully that won’t ever change. Goal for next week: coming home.

Extra Special Arrival

I N T R O D U C I N G ...

Everett Jeremy Thilgen

Born July 6 at 1:22 p.m.

6 lbs 9 oz • 18.5”

The past 10 days have been some of the hardest, but also filled with so much love. Not unlike his big sister, baby boy made an early and unexpected entrance via an unscheduled/ emergency c-section on Saturday, July 6. Our little lion came roaring into the world crying with ferocity and peeing wildly! Everett made his presence known.

While he didn’t come when or how we had hoped, Greg and I are just ever so grateful that he arrived earthside safely. Thankfully mama was able to have much more bonding time post-op than expected, but Everett was still whisked away to the NICU for monitoring about an hour and a half after birth, where he has remained even after mom was discharged this past Wednesday.

Our strong boy has already overcome many issues: low blood sugar, high blood count, low platelets, jaundice. He underwent phototherapy for two days to get his bilirubin levels down. Everett had far too many heel pokes and blood draws in his first few days of life, but he’s still as sweet as can be. The best news is that his complete AV canal (heart defect) turned out to be a partial, so he is not symptomatic at this point. (We expected breathing troubles.) One less thing for him to worry about in this already tough newborn stage.

What’s keeping him in the NICU are complicated feeding issues, and he’s had a feeding tube since day 3. Everett and mama are working with speech therapists every day (as well as lactation consultants) to get him where he needs to be. Mommy and Daddy desperately want to bring Baby Brother home so he can finally meet Big Sis but we still have a ways to go. Prayers and positive vibes are welcome and so appreciated as our family navigates this time.

Our hearts are tender but our love for our son overflows and mends up our brokenness. We’ve known all along that he’d be a fighter, and we will get him home. We didn’t want to wait any longer and are thrilled to finally share our precious Everett Jeremy with all of you!