Day 54: Home Sweet Home...Take Two!

Scott and Susanne could hardly wait to get to the hospital this morning. They knew that the day they had been waiting for had finally arrived and it was the most amazing feeling ever. Throughout this entire time, it had continued to feel like time was standing still, but oddly enough, it also felt like time had flown by. The first part of Paxton's big adventure was coming to a close.

The entire morning was uneventful. It was so much so that Scott and Susanne thought the doctors might have forgotten that Paxton was supposed to go home today. To pass the time, Paxton got a bath in preparation for his homecoming. He seemed to enjoy baths more and more each time he had one. Some people may not realize that babies can actually get smelly and in Paxton's case, he certainly was well overdue for a good scrubbing. Paxton took a long nap, as did his father. Finally, the doctor stopped by around 2:00 pm to discuss the final plan and tie up any loose ends. Shortly thereafter, the nurse came in to go over the discharge information and told them they were able to go home now. They were free at last.

Scott and Susanne soaked up every minute of the departure from the hospital and the ride home. They wanted to make sure to never forget this awesome feeling for the rest of their lives. Paxton did very well in the car. He held Susanne's hand pretty much the entire way. This warmed Susanne's heart.

When they arrived home, it felt surreal. This had to be one of the happiest days of their lives. Upon entering their house, they were greeted by balloons and a huge sign that read, "Welcome Home Paxton Eli". Moppy made sure to make Paxton's homecoming a special one. Thanks Moppy.

It was so neat to see how each of the different pets responded to Paxton's arrival. Maverick was very sweet and gentle, but who would have expected any different from the old man. Figaro was curious, but not quite sure how he felt about the new addition. He would rub his body along the car seat edges to show signs of affection, but he was still very guarded. Chloe, of course, came downstairs when they arrived home, but it was only to see if dinner was being served. She was definitely more interested in food than her new brother. She is for sure a mama's girl. And then there was James. No one can forget poor little James...the one who has more energy than the Energizer bunny. Upon meeting Paxton, he jumped up to greet him and went straight in for the kiss. He did not need any formal introduction. They soon realized that Paxton received a second bath for today. James was super excited about his new buddy. He was so excited that he could not contain himself. He had a hard time figuring out how to make his tail wag any faster. James was ready to play tug of war with Paxton and chew on bones together. Scott and Susanne didn't have the heart to tell him that Paxton was not a dog.

Scott and Susanne had not even been home for more than two hours before two nurses arrived at the house. They were there to assist the new parents with Paxton's first NG feeding and give him a once over to make sure he was stable since being home. Scott and Susanne were very grateful that the nurses took the time to make sure that they were comfortable with all of the equipment and with the preparation of Paxton's formula. Paxton appeared to be fitting into his new environment quite well. He had not kept his eyes open for more than a second since being home. He was one tired little snuggle bug.

Scott and Susanne were looking forward to moving on to the next phase of this adventure. As one chapter closes, another one begins...and they can't wait! Welcome home Paxton Eli Padilla.