Allow me to introduce myself...

     My name is Zion Elijah Nellist.

I was born December 30th, 2009 at 4:28 am.

 I weighed 7lbs 2 oz and was 20 inches long.

     Although my mom literally laughed me into this world (she'll share her birth story later) the first few days after I arrived here were not such "a walk in the park." I spent my first New Years Eve partying in the Neonatal ICU while my mom and dad toasted the New Year without me in Mommy's hospital room.  A sad night for all of us:( For the next few days I spent most of my time in a tanning bed with this lame mask on and I couldn't see a thing.  My mom and dad came to visit all the time but could only hold me to feed me and then had to put me back so I could loose the yellow hue to my skin.  I met some really nice people and they treated me great, except when they had to poke my poor little heals, hands and arms (at least 40 times) to find out if I was getting better. We ended up leaving on good terms and I actually began to like them.  In the picture below you will see the nice nurses who did such a great job caring for me.  Please excuse the lame outfit my mom put on me to go home in.  One of my nurses said I kinda looked like "Ralphie" from "The Christmas Story."  Anyhow, it was warm and served the purpose for the short ride home.

     On Sunday evening January 3rd my parents got the news I was doing well enough to be released.  I couldn't wait to meet my sister cuz the new hospital visiting policy wouldn't let her come see me after I was born.  We surprised her and rang the doorbell, there she stood as beautiful as I imagined!  I fit in her arms just perfectly.  She was a natural.  It was as if she had this "big sister" stuff all figured out already.

     Over the course of the next few days I adjusted my days and nights, while keeping my mommy and daddy up the majority of the time I figured it out.  So although it was a rough first few days of life it seems to be "the way I roll" and I'm adjusting.  I'm just happy to be home with my family.