I like to pride myself on my 10-second attention span (easily 5 seconds longer than most of my buddies), but spending hours upon hours at the NICU is a true test. So, game on!

Surviving the hospital takes precision and skill. And manipulation. Once my parents started to pity me for having to exchange my weekends for NICU visits, I took advantage of the situation by suggesting an alternate route to the hospital (via toy stores) so we could purchase new cars that would pass the time and ensure good behavior.

Hospital: 0 | Jaeger: 1

The nurses decided to play along too by making me a car garage!

But the cars only went so far. Literally. I was restricted to driving them within the confines of Genesee’s very small NICU cubicle. Eventually (10 seconds later), I grew tired of my too-small race track and decided to outsmart the hospital and keep myself entertained in the following ways:

I utilized mom’s breast pump to increase the milk supply.

I jumped off every empty couch I could find in an effort to perfect my dismount.

I documented Genesee’s silly faces so she can thank me later.

I taught Genesee how to be a bed hog like me.

I snapped selfies with my ladies.

I taste-tested the hospital bakery items.

I convinced my parents to take me to a playground to break up the day.

And to Riverside Park.

And to the Children’s Museum.

In the end, however, the hospital was stiff competition, wearing me down and attempting to defeat me.

…But my shirt reminds me why we’re there, what I have to look forward to, and who the real winner is.

Winning!