The Justice Family: The Penthouse Suite

Last night around 10:15pm, Campbell got upgraded to the Penthouse Suite! We were able to move her from the NICU to the NPCN, Neonatal Progressive Care Nursery.

The NICU

The NPCN - the Ritz Carlton of baby accomodations at the hospital!

What a huge milestone! We loved our nurses in the NICU and the care she received, but we were so happy to say goodbye to that chapter of our lives, hopefully forever. Progressive care is in the new Levine Children's Hospital, where the NICU was in an older wing of the hospital. In the NPCN, we have almost like our own little room. We have three walls, and the fourth is open, but has a curtain we can close completely. This is ideal for feeding Campbell and having some quiet family time. We have a cozy chair and a little table...room to spread out our things...and the flexibility to really be more in charge of her care. In the NICU, the babies are on strict feeding schedules. That was really nice because we always knew if we arrived at a certain time, we wouldn't miss a feeding. Plus, I've never had a newborn, but I know that "schedule" and "newborn" typically aren't used in the same sentence. But in the NPCN, we are getting more of a taste of what it will be like when she comes home. She can feed on demand and eat as much as she likes. The nurses are giving us the reigns (when we're there visiting) to decide when she needs to eat and what she needs. It's very quiet - there isn't a constant alarm going off, the buzz of all the scary NICU activity, people coming and going. We can really take more time to just enjoy Campbell and try to figure out how in the world we take care of this tiny little life. It's so funny - we arrived for one visit and they'd already changed her diaper, and we were honestly disappointed and a little irritated. Like, hey, that's our job!! I have a feeling that will change soon and we'd do anything to change one less diaper. We talked to Campbell's nurse practitioner this morning. There is literally nothing to tell us anymore. She is just healthy and happy and they are doing nothing but giving her a nice place to stay while they finish her meds and count down the days until she goes home. They are still saying Sunday or Monday. That is so soon - although sometimes it feels like lightyears away. We are tired of going back and forth and of the hassle of all the scrubbing in, wearing the paper gowns, etc. Patience is NOT my strong point, but I'm trying very hard not to get fed up with it. At least the end is in sight! She makes faces at us and has this hilarious little smile. I know it's not a real smile yet, just some sort of reflex or gas. But it is so funny - usually comes after she eats and is like a drunken smile. She is definitely not fussy and seems to be able to soothe herself to some extent, which I totally feel is something positive she's taken away from this experience. I'm sure all this will go flying out the window when she comes home, but for now, she seems to be a perfectly well adjusted 6-day old baby. And she is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo ridiculously cute. We are so proud. Enjoy a few pictures below!

Campbell's jaundice is better, so she's off the blue light special. This was taken on Sunday - although we weren't happy she was jaundiced, isn't she adorable in her spa mask?