No News is Good News!
No news is good news… and in Vance's case, that means he’s been busy growing like a weed! Over the past few weeks, his care team has really focused on optimizing his nutrition, and it’s clearly paying off—he’s now 9 lb 9 oz and truly starting to grow into himself. His cheeks are rounder, his legs are chunkier, and every inch of him feels more like the baby we once only dreamed of holding. He is, without a doubt, the most perfect little boy we've ever laid eyes on.
One of the biggest milestones lately has been weaning off his CPAP settings. They took things slow and steady, adjusting his support bit by bit, and as of this past Saturday—Vance is officially on high flow! He made the transition like a total champ, of course. This was a huge step because with high flow, he’s finally able to start trying oral feeds. Cue all the emotions!
Vance has already begun practicing both breastfeeding and bottle feeding—and to no one’s surprise, he’s been impressing everyone. After only two bottle attempts, he took his first full bottle feed just yesterday! We were in total awe watching him pace himself, breathe, suck, and swallow like he’d been doing it for weeks. When mom is at the bedside, he goes to the breast before his feedings and has been latching beautifully. Right now it’s all about building stamina—figuring out how to coordinate breathing with eating and slowly strengthening those little muscles.
When mom can’t be there, he’ll be offered his full feed by bottle. If he doesn’t finish, they’ll top him off with the remaining milk through his NG tube. When mom is there, we stick to nursing. It’s such a joy seeing him explore this new skill, and he seems to really love it—it’s like he knows this is one of the final bridges to cross before heading home.
And in true Vance fashion, he’s not just mastering feeding—he’s charming every nurse, doctor, and therapist in the building. He lives for social hour. If the nurses dare step away, he’s quick to remind them with a few dramatic cries until they’re back in his room giving him the scoop on the hospital gossip. He has a way of wrapping people around his finger without even trying, and we are 100% here for it.
Each day feels a little more hopeful. We still don’t know exactly when he’ll be ready to come home, but it’s starting to feel real. There’s a shift in the air—a sense that we’re inching closer to the day we finally walk through our front door as a family. It’s impossible not to daydream about what life will be like when he’s home in his nursery, on the couch with us, or taking his first walk outside.
We know that every ordinary moment will feel extraordinary simply because he’s with us. Until then, we’ll keep celebrating the wins, leaning into the journey, and soaking up every second with our boy.
Thank you for continuing to follow along with us, love us, and pray for our sweet Vance. Your support has meant the world, and we can’t wait to share the moment we finally get to say: He’s coming home. 💛
