We chose the middle name Orion for several reasons. We love stars. We liked how it sounded. Like Oscar and Olivia, it starts with O. Little did we know, though, how fitting it would be.
Orion often is depicted as a hunter and warrior. James was very much a warrior in the NICU. Daily he surprised the nurses and doctors by eating much more than his minimum at almost every feeding. Once Owen was sent home, I swear I sensed greater determination from James when giving him a bottle of breast milk. He sucked and sucked and sucked, taking in much more than I thought his tiny stomach could handle, so seemingly eager to be back with his brother, to be home.
And home he was sent, much earlier than anyone had predicted.
“Orion may seem very peaceful on a cold winter night, but in reality it holds very massive, luminous stars that are destroying the dusty gas cloud from which they formed.” —Tom Megeath
