So close...

Today is one of those sad and dreaded days in which I'm unable to see my sweet Cooper until after Neil gets home from work. The hours always tick by slowly and the only thing keeping me sane inside the walls of our home is my lovely daughter Ellie. She is such a bright light in this dark time. She is the glue that holds me together. Most of the time when I'm finally at home I want to fall apart but she keeps me going. I'm so thankful for that sweet, spunky girl. This morning she said, "Coopie come home mommy!?" I'm still not quite sure if it was a statement or a question but either way it melted my heart. She know so much yet so little. I told her he'd come home someday and that we could call his nurse and check on him. She didn't love that answer but didn't put up much of a fight so I dialed the phone. I was met by a familiar voice and name and I breathed a sigh of relief. Helen had our boy today and she knew him. She is so kind and sweet to him and I'm thankful that on a day in which I have to be absent from his side that his nurse knows him and that I know her. She began the conversation by telling me that he's doing great, she then informed me that he had eaten all of his feedings from bottles since 9pm last night!!!!! AMAZING! She also told me that the doctor gave the go ahead for Coopie to eat a set amount through the day instead of at each feeding allowing him to have a little wiggle room during each feeding. That basically means that he will most likely not be in need of gavage feedings any longer! Granted he's young and may get too tired to eat at all in the next few hours so he may need to gavage but if he keeps this up we may get home in just a few days! If he can take all his feedings from bottles and not spell for 48 hours we're looking at discharge!!!!!! We're on hour 17 right now and he's due to eat at 3pm...keep your fingers crossed! I just can't believe this is so close. I can't explain the emotions just yet (I'm sure a longer blog post will be following this one up when I have time) but I will say that the Lord is good ...OH SO GOOD!