on holiday

so throughout the past few days we have noticed that ryder seems to have a far more relaxed approach to life than our other child. while isaac pretty much refutes the theory that there is no such thing as perpetual motion, thus far his brother has been much more mild mannered and laid back. it may be the recovery and it may be temprament, but during this morning's visit we found ryder basking in the blue glow of the bilirubin lights like the neon of some warm caribbean cantina.

the nurses have made him a nametag for his extended stay, which is likely to last at least through christmas day. while the timing is not what we would prefer, we are glad he is progressing at a pace that will ensure his long term health.

one of our favorite parts of the morning was the mask they put over his eyes. perhaps the mild mannered nature is a clever ruse for a super hero alter ego. he kind of looks like robin, and although being a sidekick is not nearly as sexy as being the main hero, you couldn't pick a better partner than batman.

annie got to hold him again and he did really well with his breathing and oxygen levels. mom's touch is apparently very soothing. go figure. she also got to breastfeed him for the first time and although he didn't really eat all that much, it is a meaningful step in his progress. they will start feeding him breast milk by tube today, which should help with the belly ruben and the general healing.

the wide angle lense isn't exactly true to life, but it is a sweet shot.

after about 20 minutes that went entirely too quickly, he was put back into the incubator for another round of rays. his comfort and stability are increasing, and everybody we talk to assure us all will be well, but it is going to be on his timeframe. we may have a hard time ripping him away from the tropical paradise he currently resides in, this afternoon is the mojito and nacho buffet.