Dylan Dreyer's third son is a NICU graduate!
The TODAY meteorologist shared a pair of photos of her youngest child after he arrived home. Russell James was born six weeks early and spent several days in the neonatal intensive care unit at New York-Presbyterian Hospital.
In one photo, Dylan beams alongside a sleeping Rusty, who's wearing a bright-blue graduation cap. The second image just features the newborn, comfortably asleep under a blue blanket bearing his name.
Dylan and her husband Brian Fichera announced Thursday that Rusty — who also goes by RJ — had left the hospital and joined brothers Calvin, 4, and Oliver, 21 months, at the family's New York City home.
Dylan celebrated Russell's homecoming with a sweet family photo.
"Man it feels real good to be home together!!!" she wrote. "#partyoffive #sohappytogether."
On Oct. 2, Dylan shared a post about Rusty's time in the NICU. In a call to TODAY on Sept. 30, she mentioned that he was "breathing on his own" and "gaining weight," but still, he stayed in the NICU for almost a week after Dylan left the hospital.
"The NICU nurses and doctors are indescribable…through all this we never felt scared or worried. My heart aches having to leave here without Rusty but I also feel better knowing he’ll continue to be monitored and remain in the best hands," Dylan wrote on Instagram. "He’s THRIVING! Growing, getting stronger, eating and breathing on his own. Buddy, you have no idea what’s in store for you at home so keep on rushing and get home as soon as you can! We love you more than words could ever say!"
Dylan told TODAY that while her water broke six weeks early, she and Fichera were able to get to New York-Presbyterian Hospital, where both Calvin and Oliver were also born, quickly.
"I’m glad I got here when I did because they were able to give me two rounds of steroids, and that was enough to kind of boost his lungs," Dylan said. "When he was first born he just had a little bit of oxygen, but ever since he’s been really breathing on his own. ... The fact that he started off 5 pounds, 5 ounces six weeks early is not a bad thing."
While having Russell in the NICU was stressful, Dylan said that it actually gave her some time to recover after giving birth.
"I’m actually sleeping because the baby's being taken care of," she said. "I'm not, 'Is he hungry? Does he need a diaper? Is he cold? Is he hot?' He’s so well taken care of that I actually slept last night. This is the best I've felt."
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