The Journey Back to Seattle

After Hunter left the hospital, we spent three more weeks at my in-laws in Logan.  It was so great to have the majority of our family so close and able to help and see Hunter whenever they wanted. Vega was enjoying her vacation away from home as well.

Such a silly puppy!

Because we were in Logan for so long, we had many visits from my sister-in-law and her little girl, Anna. She was so cute to watch with Hunter! She is such a sweet little girl, with a great imagination, that as we did laundry one day, she took one of the preemie onesies and a burp cloth and that was basically her little doll. She called it "Pretend Batman" and would change his diaper and feed it a bottle and wrap it up with the burp cloth. It was so dang cute!

Anna and Hunter, such cute cousins! She loved his little hands.

Anna giving Hunter a kiss on the head. She was so good to be gentle with him.

My dad and Grandpa Z also came a few different times to see Hunter and me. Four generations of the Zollingers.

So, Hunter got many baths at my in-laws. The first bath we gave him after he came home from the hospital made me very nervous. I had given him a sponge bath while he was in the hospital, but I had lots of helpers and nurses to watch over me and give me instructions. Well, this first bath thankfully had my sister-in-law, Jami who is a pediatric nurse, there to help. I just needed that reassurance that I was doing everything right and that I didn't drop that baby. Well, it was a success!! :) One of his baths we needed to change his breathing tube stickers on his face, so for the first time since he was born, we finally saw his face without anything on it.

What a cute face!

I won't lie, he looked like a totally different baby, but a very cute little dude! 

Microsoft was very generous in letting Cody work from his computer in Logan the whole time we were there. It was very nice knowing he didn't have to use his paternity leave until it was needed, or all his vacation and sick time. We were both very glad that he was working there during this difficult time. :) Anyway, we decided to make the long drive back to Seattle on February 3. Because we had acquired so many things, such as a pack n' play, bouncer, play mat, carseat, tons of baby clothes, and oh yeah, a baby, we needed more space to get us and everything back to Seattle. So my mom and step-dad thankfully offered to drive up there with us. We loaded up our truck with stuff and Cody and Vega drove in that vehicle, and we loaded the rest of our things, my mom, step-dad, me and Hunter in their car, along with the monitor and oxygen. Hunter had actually been off the oxygen all that week, and was doing great, but we brought the oxygen as a back up incase his stats dropped and he couldn't bring them back up. He was actually in the 90's the entire drive up, and I could tell we were getting closer to Seattle because a few hours out he was stating 100. He was a trooper, and slept very soundly. The first day we did the long drive from Logan to Pendleton, Oregon, which is about 9ish hours. We only stopped three times, two of them were for Hunter to eat, and the third was an extra potty break for the adults. :) I actually felt Hunter was doing so well that we decided to stop at the AppleBee's in Twin Falls, Idaho to get some lunch. I was nervous as this was his first real outing besides going to the doctor, but he was great. Slept the entire meal! He's such a stud!

Proof that I took him out in public! :)

The next day was the shorter drive from Pendleton to Seattle, and that is about 5ish hours. Only one stop for Hunter to eat before we got to Seattle. He made the drive so very well, and I am just so very proud of him!

My little man on the long drive.

We were greeted to a house full of Christmas when we got in on Saturday afternoon. That was our first priority after getting settled in, was taking down the Christmas tree. :) My mom and step-dad stayed the whole week to help us out, which I am very glad that they did, because being with family and having help for six weeks is something you start getting use to. :)  We did take Hunter out on his first walk to get some gelato. 


Walking down the streets of Seattle.

Yum! Getting gelato at The Fainting Goat!

One of the first baths in our sink in Seattle. This sink is much smaller than my in-laws. We are thinking that he may be graduating to a tub bath here soon. :)

He is definitely learning to enjoy bath time. :) 

 Our first week back in Seattle has been a great one!