Week Three with Ellie

NICU
Week 3

*May 18, 2016 Weight 1.148 Kg

    2 weeks old today! And 31 weeks gestational age! Big things today! No more PIC line! You are receiving all your nutrients through the donor  breastmilk that you receive!  They have upped your feedings to 20cc every 3 hours! You only had one apnea spell where they had to stimulate you.  When I visited today, your sats (oxygen saturation) would drop, but you would recover on your own. Your little brain is figuring it out!  The nurse had you in a preemie diaper today… I think it was still a bit too big! So when I changed you, I put you back into those precious micro preemie diapers!  In honor of your 2 weeks of life out of the womb, we decorated your isolette! It looks precious!  We love you so!  

So alert today!

We decorated your isolette so pretty, and with lots of love!

Your big sister Addie graduated Pre-K today!

• May 19, 2016 Weight: 1.158 Kg

 Gaining a little more every day.  Not a lot of changes today.  They did up your feedings to 22 cc.  But you are tolerating feedings well, and that is your nourishment.  You are still having apnea spells from time to time.  I talked to a NPR today, and she said those spells would eventually go away.  You are scheduled for another head ultrasound June 3rd, and your eye exam will be June 13th.  So many things to worry about!  I might get a whole head of grey hair before you leave the hospital.  We are hoping to finalize the adoption soon.  Today I did kangaroo care, you were so precious, you woke up and just looked around with your little eyes.  I think you wanted to be awake some to enjoy time with Mama.  I know it is my favorite time of the day!  Keep growing little one!

You are so long and skinny!

Some instructions for us!

Raise your hand if you want to come home soon!

*May 20, 2016 Weight 1.145 Kg

You dropped a little in weight, but that is normal they say!  They are upping your feedings from 22cc to 24 cc.  Your spells of apnea are fewer and far between, which I like!!

You were super sleepy today.  Once I was holding you, you peeked a few times.  But when we put you back in your isolette, you like to wake up and look all around.  I think when I hold you, we both charge each other! It is pretty magical.  Day by day, I hold you to my heart to help you grow!  

sweet girl

I love all your hair! Just like all my babies, you have a full head of hair!

Last Day of school for Addie!

*May 21, 2016 Weight 1.187

  Great weight gain!  Today was the Dragon Boat Regatta, so I wasn’t able to come visit you until the night.  Daddy and I spent the “activity” part of our date hanging out with you.  You are doing really well.  Still  have apnea spells from time to time, but they assure me you will grow out of that.  You really looked like you were smiling today, so we are counting it! Maybe your were giggling about how big Daddy’s hand is compared to sweet little you!  

Dragon Boat Regatta 2016

Daddy's hand

You always like to peek
when I hold you

Looking pround, huh?!

You are so lovely Ellie!

   

*May 22, 2016   Weight 1.116 Kg

  Well you had a few more apnea spells, which made them lower your feedings some.  The took some blood to check your CBC and CRP.  They came back normal.  I wasn’t able to visit you until late.  When I help you your SATs kept dropping.  So we had to put you back early, which was sad.  I was a little worried, you dropped weight some and  you were struggling to breathe today.  They assure me that preemies often go through these types of spells. How you were sleeping when I arrived reminded me of the one ultrasound picture of you that I received, how your hand is positioned. You were peeking some too.  When I held you you stayed awake for a while. They dropped you feedings by 5cc, so you are at 19cc.

  

You are so precious! We are so smitten

This is the only ultrasound
picture we have of you.
You must like to have your arms
by your head

Because here you are doing a similar pose

*May 23, 2016 Weight  1.184 Kg

  I got a call last night at 2:12 am from the hospital.  I had left my ringer off, so I was really worried when I woke up to a missed call.  You continued to have apnea spells, and it got your nurse a little nervous.  So, the NPR called the Dr and they decided to put you on antibiotics and took  a blood culture.  The blood culture won’t be ready for 24 hours, so they will keep you on antibiotics until they get that back. If it is good, they will take you off, but if there seems to be a problem, they will keep you on.  Ugh. I don’t like to see you all back with an IV, and not doing super good.  At least you did gain weight, even though they did drop your feedings a little.  They are keeping you at 19 cc every three hours for now. Be strong little fighter!  I want you to grow so big and come home soon! Diaper perspective to my ipod.   

*May 24, 2016 Weight 1.222 Kg

You have gained some more weight! You are 2 lbs 11 oz. They upped your feedings to 21 cc. You still seem to have your spells of apnea, yet the blood culture they took shows no signs of infection.  We might just attribute it to your prematurity, because really technically you aren’t supposed to be breathing yet, we need to cut you a little slack!  Kangaroo care was stressful to me because the prongs to your oxygen kept falling out of your little nostrils, and it was all sticky and gummy and pulling to one side. More stressful to me than bonding.  I hope these apnea spells go away so we both can enjoy our time together. You were so alert today. Sweet girl. We got great news this afternoon!! Tomorrow, after much scrambling and string pulling, we will go before the judge and officially adopt you!!  I can’t wait for you to be completely ours! We love you so! 

Bright Eyes