Week 10 with Ellie

NICU

Week 10

*July 6, 2016   Weight 2.77 Kg  ( 6 lbs 1.5 oz)

You are 9 weeks old!  38 weeks your gestational age. My goodness! AND over 6 lbs! Look at you, my big girl!  You are only a few ounces away from how much your big brother weighed when he was born ( 6 lbs 9 oz)!  Your growth is outstanding! You have been in the hospital 63 days, your whole life!  Hopefully it won't be much longer!  I need to start a guessing chart, like pregnant women do.  What day you will come home? What time of day?  How much will you weigh?  Will you have more hair?  Etc! Ha!

They told me you had a self limiting spell today.  The nurse wasn't sure or not if you were on your count down to come home, I am not sure either, this might be a good thing to know!  But she didn't think that this spell would count against you if it was.  You were able to recover on your own.  That still makes me nervous though!  I won't have all the technology at home to see if you are coming back on your own or not!  Though I did buy a monitor to watch you as you sleep, when you are awake, it doesn't really work because of all the movement you'll make.  I'll be ok, you'll be ok, and I'll keep telling myself that!

   You looked precious today.  I came in right after they cleaned up a huge blow out! Whew! Glad I missed that. haha!  Half your clothes I bring home to wash are blow out clothes!  I will get my fair share of blowout clean ups, I'm sure of it!  So I will let the nurses have the pleasure for now!  I got there and Daddy was waiting for me in the hall!  You had two happy visitors today!  The nurse was feeding you when we came in, and I took over.  They are giving you more formula in your bottle now, so you can eat as much as you like!  You ate 85 mL for me, you usually eat 60-65! You are a great eater!

I think you could come home on the low flow, but I really think that you don't need it. You did without it for a while and did great.  Daddy had a good idea, to keep the cannulas on your face and turn off the oxygen, to see how you do, maybe trick your body into thinking oxygen is there?!  I am not sure that would work, but it is worth a try.  I trust the hospital to do what is best.  I love you my sweet!

*July 7, 2016     Weight 2.870 Kg ( 6 lbs 5.4 oz)

   Girl, these 100+ gram weight gains! wow!  They took you off rice cereal, they like to see the gain, but seems like you aren't having any trouble with growing!

3 cheers for Ellie!

No spells to report.  I am not sure if we are on the countdown yet. It was really busy in the NICU, but I didn't get to talk to a NP or Dr, to check and see where we are at when it comes to you and your discharge from the hospital.  I will plan to talk to someone later this evening or in the morning about it.

Strike a pose

You ate well.  They forgot to change the nipple on the Dr Brown's bottle, from the level 3 back to a level 1 or preemie.  The level 3 was for the rice cereal, so the hole was much bigger.  Milk was dribbling everywhere.  I told the nurse, and we got you changed to a level 1.  You still were dribbling a little, but I figured after a few feedings you would get the hang of it.  You drank most the bottle, minus all the milk that leaked out your cheeks in the beginning.  And then you were out.  One of the nurses noticed a little red in your poop.  They are going to watch it.  It may be anal fissures. You are constantly straining and pooting, it may have caused a little fissure.  But they didn't seem too worried about it.

Your little head is growing and hardly any of your headbands you can wear without them leaving a little mark!  You are doing well my dear! What if you come home next week?!?!?!  That would be AWESOME!



















*July 8, 2016   Weight 2.870 Kg ( exactly the same as yesterday, impressive)

No change, like even a little, in your weight.  So your body must be adjusting to this no rice cereal business.  The doctor was making rounds and was liking all your great progress.  She mentioned moving you up to a room where I could stay with you overnight.  I would love that, but I also need to take care of your siblings.  If you were our only one, I would be there.  But, with things like they are, I am here and there and sometimes neither here nor there. I feel scattered a lot. I just want you home and out of the hospital.  She also mentioned they would try you off oxygen on Monday, to see how you do.  So that is all exciting talk.  That is countdown talk!

  Your nurse was all scattered throughout the unit with different babies.  So I decided to get you changed. Your outfit was the same as yesterday and had dried milk on it.  I took your temperature, 98.6, changed your clothes and saved your diaper for last. For some reason you only had size 1 diapers, which are ginormous on you!  Not sure where your preemie sized diapers went, or even a newborn size.  So I was trying to stall until your nurse came over, but she never did.  So, I just decided to use one.  I reasoned they had you in the bigger size to catch you blowouts! Maybe?  Well as I changed you, I noticed some more blood in your poop.  Your poop was a little thicker than usual, and had the streaks of blood throughout it.  More than what I saw yesterday.  I knew they were supposedly monitoring that.  I left it to the side for your nurse to inspect. I picked you up and held you.  You are getting so big!
 

Getting your Xray

No silly girl,
they wanted to do an Xray, not
an eye test! ;)

 Eventually your nurse came over, so we got the bottle ready to feed you and I mentioned it to her, to take a peek at your poop.  She looked and was a little concerned and decided to have the doctor come take a look.  The doctor had just been here, and checked her belly, but hadn't said anything.  The NP, Wendy, came over.  She peeked at your bum, to look for anal fissures.  She noticed several.  But they wanted to do an Xray to be safe.  So, I wasn't able to continue your feeding until that Xray was complete and looked at.  They brought the Xray machine over, it is amazing how many portable machines they have.  I laid you down, they Xrayed your tummy and the image was instantly in place.  I held you, hoping that it was just anal fissures, and nothing else.  The NP had me come look.  She said you had a bowel loop, a large bowel loop.  She said it could be an obstruction, although that didn't seem likely, you are extremely regular in your poop.  Or that could, in fact, be poop.   There were also little speckles throughout, that could be pneumatosis (intestinalis) (don't google it, that never helps), or simply, again, poop.  Anyways, whatever it may be, they take it very serious.  Disease or infection in the bowels can be fatal to premature babies.  So, they are treating it as an infection. They ordered blood work.  And an IV, no feedings for 24-48 hours ( poor baby!! I know your love your bottle!).  They want to give the bowels some rest. And antibiotics.  My heart sank and ached for you!  All this talk of you coming home, and then a curve ball!  And I hate to think of you not being able to eat, without any understanding why! :(  I  am glad you won't remember any of this.  But I will. And it hurts me for you.

I called Daddy and told him.  I asked him to go with Double (Granddaddy) to give you a blessing.  I had wanted you to have one Sunday, but poor Daddy and his back couldn't do it.  Maybe the timing was better, that you needed it today.  I wasn't there, I was with the kids.  He said they had a tube in your mouth, to let up any back up. :(  That you didn't like it and were trying to pull it out.  But he said the blessing went really well.  I promise you, it will help!  Daddy mentioned you had a loud and giant poop while they were there! Maybe that was your obstruction coming out.

They did another Xray tonight at 9:00pm.  I called to see how it looked.  The nurse said it looked much better than the first one.  They plan to do another Xray in the morning.  She also mentioned that your bloodwork came back and it was all totally within the normal range, no sign of infection.  You temperature this afternoon was fine.  So you don't really have any other signs of infection.  Just blood in your stools, and a weird Xray....but those are scary enough for me.  The nurse said you are pretty sad, and sucking furiously on your pacifier.  Poor thing!  You just want to eat.  What torture for you.  But it is to be on the safe side.  It just makes me sad, and weakens me.  I had a good cry over it, now I am trying to buck up and be strong for you!  I'll drink an extra glass of milk tonight for you!  Hopefully it amounts to nothing severe or dangerous.  Just a little reaction from straining all the time from your continuous gas, or weaning you off of the rice cereal.

I love you sweet heart and will be praying for you all night!








*July 9, 2016   Weight 2.900 Kg ( 6lbs 6.08 oz)

  6lbs 6 oz and 66 days in the NICU, you planned that, didn't you!? You sneaky girl!  We had the City Swim Meet for Porter.  He got 7th over all in the 9-10 year old back stroke. 7th in the whole Jackson Metro area, that is pretty great!

As for you little miss.  Your X-ray looked much better this morning.  I got there when the doctor was doing rounds.  They decided to start feeds tomorrow, after the 48 hours of no feeds and bowel rest.  Honestly, I feel like all this was unnecessary.  Had you taken a poop before the Xray, I think all this wouldn't have happened.  But, maybe it was the beginning of something.  Either way, I just want you to be able to eat your bottle!  I was allowed to hold you, but I worried you would get excited that you were about to get fed.  But, I knew a little love and cuddles would help you too!  You got super wide eyed, like you were about to eat.  I am sorry I couldn't though! :(  But I held you for a long while, until your drifted off.  Your heart rate kept dipping, but would come back on your own.

I began to think about your blessing last night.  Daddy said you were pretty upset.  The blessing was good and afterwards you did poop a pretty loud poop!  And maybe that is exactly what you needed, a poop.  It reminded me of my Grandma Hiller. Years ago, she was feeling pretty terrible.  I had recently come home from my mission.  She had requested a blessing.  My Dad was either out of town, or just unable to come at the moment.  But she was feeling mighty bad. Your Uncle Jake had just barely got the Priesthood and was preparing for his mission.  Well, Uncle Jake and Grandpa Chipper and I went over to Grandma Hiller's home, so they could give her a priesthood blessing.  Uncle Jake was very nervous, after all, it was his first time giving a blessing.  But it was the most humble and sweet blessing I may have ever heard.  Heartfelt and led by the Spirit.  After the blessing, Grandma Hiller was extremely grateful.  And after a little conversation, she excused herself to go to the bathroom.  When she came back, she had felt a whole lot better. And what was it that needed to happen, just a poop!  It may seem a little silly to say, but the Lord knows and cares about each one of us!

You fell into a deep sleep and looked peaceful.  After I left you had a A & B spell, but it was self limiting.  You are exhausted and hungry, I feel like your are owed a few if you need them!  I took a little video of you, how in the world do you get the hiccups when you are starving :(  But you are so precious.  It is just hard to see you back with a tube down your throat, an IV and no clothes on. A little step back to take a step forward

*July 10, 2016   Weight 2.890 Kg (6lbs 5.7 lbs)

    It's Sunday, so I called to check to see what the Doctors decided in rounds. They wanted to do one more X-ray to decide to continue with the antibiotics or stop them and begin feeds again.  They decided that all your X-rays looked progressively good and that we could begin feeds again!  Hallelujah!  However, the bad news, they have to start really small.  So only 7 mL each feed.  That is like a sip of milk to me.  Maybe a few gulps to you :(  BUT! It is something!  You have been offered 120mL, taking usually 80-90mL, so 7mL is quite the drop.  They want to slowly bring you back up.

Remember that song, Hungry Eyes, well you got them!

  I came and held you. You were awake when I came, looked much more alive and alert than yesterday.  Yesterday they said you slept a lot.  Hopefully not losing the will to live, since they took one of your only forms of pleasure away.  I was also able to feed you your tiny tease of milk.  I had you suck on your pacifier for a little before, to maybe trick you to think you were getting more.  I gave you the 7 mL, you gulped it up so quick, didn't even take a breath! Awww, made me sad that you are still so hungry and can only have so little.  But, they have a method to their madness ;)  I gave you the pacifier after, to also make you think you were having more milk.  Maybe I was only tricking myself to believe that it will make a difference.  I held you for a while, humming to you.

Hopefully this is the last part of our marathon in the hospital, the end. The end is probably the hardest and longest feeling part of it.  I hope the finish line appears soon, and you will be home and in our arms!

so snug

*July 11, 2016    Weight 2.880kg (6 lbs 5.376 oz)

My parking pass expires tomorrow! It is my second 30 day pass! It's my second one!We have been at the hospital entirely too long Miss Ellie, let's go home soon!

You have dropped a little weight the past few days, but that is to be expected. They upped your feeding by 4 mL to 11 mL total. Ugh, still not near enough!

 You had your eye exam today too.  Things are the same, ROP Stage 2 in Zone 2 of both your eyes.  It hasn't gotten worse, so that's good.  You will have another eye exam in 2 weeks, hopefully you will be home by then!

You were very touchy today, I think you are tired of all this poking and prodding.  And I think you are pretty darn "hangry" at this point.  I don't blame you.  You fuss at the nurses.  When I changed you, you weren't too mad at me.  We got you back into some clothes, and that should help you feel human again! ;)

No more Oxygen!!

I tried to make you feel like you got more milk than you actually did, by giving you your binky for a little while before and after the bottle.  I hoped it helped.  You gulped that bottle down desperately. Makes me so sad!  I wish I could give you more!  At least it is Mama's milk! Hopefully that will give you an extra burst of power and strength.  You slept really well after your teeny tiny bottle.  They plan to increase your feedings tomorrow, hopefully more than just 4 mL!!!

Oh, and the biggest news of all!  You are on room air! No more oxygen.  When i got there you had gone about 4 hours and you were doing well!  Hopefully we are done with that stinking oxygen!  So, it is nice to see your whole beautiful face!  And I hope they will take out your IV tomorrow.  The less wires on you, the better!!!

Love you girl! Only about a week until your due date, and hopefully not long until you are home!

Always a sweet heart.

Here's a little "hangry" girl. You can see how little
you get to eat in your bottle in the corner there.

Aww, my sweet girl. Sleep away these little feeds. Soon enough those sticky marks
from the oxygen will go away!

*July 12, 2016    Weight 2.815 Kg ( 6 lb 4.2 oz)

   Well your weight keeps dropping little by little, but hopefully once they get you back on full feeds, weight loss with be a thing of the past.

Your poor little arm

Today when I got there, they mentioned that your IV had infiltrated, I wasn't sure what that meant, so I asked.  The IV had gone through the vein, and the fluids were leaking into your arm.  Now it is all fat and swollen, and it looks like Popeye's arm.  
It is super sensitive to touch and you keep it drawn up because it is so tender.  That made me sad and a little mad.  It seems that should be something noticed a little quicker.  I was hoping they would say, we are done with your IV and go back to full feeds.  But no, they wanted to keep the feeds slow and steady.  The Dr. had noticed another bowel loop in a different spot, so wanted to take things easy until they took another Xray tomorrow.  I am pretty sure it is just your poop!  Can't a girl poop, without people poking her with needles and starving her!?!  Geez!

I got to give you a bath, after I fed you your bottle.  They went up to 18mL, from 11mL.  You of course chugged it down!  You enjoy your baths, get all bright eyed and curious.

Before your bath

Then the dreaded, awful, terribly cruel and unusual nurse came over to give you your IV, and her little Igor assisting her.  Your infiltrated arm, of course was a no go.  So they went to your other arm, although you had bruising on your hand, where an attempt was made, and a bruise on your forearm.  So they went to the middle of your arm, where they normally draw blood from.  They laid you tall on some blankets and tied that rubber band around you arm.  They had a doppler to look inside your arm to find the vein.  You think that would help.  They kept the tourniquet on forever, as they were setting up, your poor little arm kept getting darker and darker purple.  That was ticking me off.  Get prepared before hand, and have all your stuff in place. They thought they found one, and started poking the needle in, and moving it and twisting it.  I was holding in your binky and dripping sugar water in your mouth, to try to distract and comfort you. I try to empathize with people and those trying to do your job, but they were laughing and making jokes to each other.  If you are doing good at you job, by all means, kick back and cut some jokes, but when you aren't.....be quiet and focus!!!  They looked at the doppler and was talking back and forth, like maybe it was a good vein, or maybe it was blown, but they were going to try it anyway.  They thought they had it, taped it up and then tried to flush it, and you cried out.  That meant it wasn't in.  They checked with the doppler, and sure enough, they didn't get it.  So they pulled it out.  Where else were they going to do it?!  I was worried they were going to stick that same arm. So I asked if they ever did an IV in the leg, and they said that is where they were trying next. Gulp.  So, they put on the tourniquet, entirely too long again, and a heating pad to help warm up and get it ready.  They again didn't find a good vein, but decide to try anyway. What the heck?!  They poked it in and dug it all around, and once again, failed!  I was gritting my teeth at this point  and tried to burn them with my stare, because it was seriously making me mad!  If you don't think you can't get it, don't do it!!!    They said they would look at the last leg.  I was trying to be empathetic, but I was also getting angry.  I said, "You are making a pin cushion out of her".  So, same story, they looked, couldn't find anything, yet still stuck you. There has only been one other time in my life that I wanted to punch someone in the face, that changed today.  I wanted to throat punch her, both of them.  Third time IS NOT always the charm.  Now get the heck away from my baby!  If they had even entertained the idea of poking you again, there may have been an altercation.  The Mama bear was about to boil over.  They told the NP that they couldn't get the vein. That your veins were too dry.  Uh, maybe it is because you need to eat more!!!  The NP came out and said she talked to the doctor and they decided to just increase your feeds.  That is what I was insinuating to her earlier, that we didn't need another IV, but just more food!  I understand them being cautious, but let's also be considerate of this little one.  Let's be cautious of poking her and making her bleed precious drops of blood she doesn't have to spare.  So, they decided to bump your feeds up to 30mL, which is about 1 oz total.....it's not much, but it is more.

Not sure what happened to your little head. :(

    So, that was a bad day.  I picked you up and cuddled you and tried to keep you as comfortable and still has possible.  Bless your sweet little heart.  It was hard to be there to watch all of this, but I was glad to be able to support you.  I dripped a bunch of sugar water into your mouth.  Your cheeks were sticky from it.  Oh my angel, soon you will be home, and NO one will poked you and prod you. And you can eat as much as your little heart desires.  They did mention that they may increase your feeds tonight after midnight. So I will hope for that.

This is the look you gave that nurse. "Don't you dare mess with me today!"

Your outfit was super cute!

The good thing about today, if we can see the silver lining, you are doing awesome off of oxygen! Like a champ! No spells!  AND, with as little as you are eating, you were able to have ALL breastmilk for all your feeds! So there is a little part of me I can give!  So, we are doing ok girl!   It seems like they place you in places I need to be, to understand that we are doing ok.  So what that we have been in the NICU for almost 10 weeks, and that you are almost 39 weeks (tomorrow), and I thought you would for sure be home by now. But your neighbors in your pod are twins, a boy and a girl.  I had noticed Sunday, she was having little seizures, and she was intubated.  Both twins were born at 25 weeks, I think maybe a week before you were born.  Yesterday the doctors and nurses were talking to the parents.  The little boy was doing well, and they were holding him.  It was the little girl they were talking about.  I am guessing she was doing bad in the beginning, and maybe shouldn't have survived this long.  They were talking about her seizures and maybe doing a spinal tap, and run more tests....or not.  The doctor said through it all her intestines had completely necrotized and were gone.  A transplant wasn't an option, because intestines that small weren't readily available. It was heart breaking news.  The family had boys at home, this was their little girl, and she simply was not going to go home with them.  She is being kept alive, but will not live.  It is so heartbreaking and humbling.  It could be worse, it could be way worse.  And I need to remember that.  You will come home. You will.  And I am so grateful for you.  I pray you won't remember this time in the NICU, and all the love we have to give will take away all the needle pokes, all the struggle, all troubles of it.  I can't wait for you to be home.

All tuckered out from all those sticks! Sweet dreams I hope, of overflowing bottles!

Week 9 with Ellie

NICU

Week 9

*June 29, 2016     Weight 2.445 Kg  ( 5 lbs 6.06 oz)

   Aww, it is good to see some weight gain!  Today you are 8 weeks old! It's crazy! It reminds me of a saying that we used to say on the mission "the days go by like weeks and the weeks go by like days". It feels like forever that you have been in the hospital, but I also can't believe it has been only 8 weeks!  Maybe that means I am a little patient, after all?!?!? Maybe not!

   You are still as gassy as ever, pretty sure that runs in your spiritual genes, just ask your Uncle Jake!  All this busyness and running around had me sleepy today when I was holding you, I kept wantin to nod off!  I need to go to bed earlier!  Your nurse today told me they tried to take you off of the oxygen, but it wasn't good.  I guess you had a few too many spells and they put you back on.  Girl, we seriously don't want to be on oxygen forever, you got to give it up some time!  I promise, when we visit Utah for Christmas, you will know what it really feels like to breathe!  Mmmm, that fresh mountain air!

  You have been eating like a champ.  You drank the whole bottle for me.  It is 60 mL of formula, plus the TBSP of pulverized rice cereal, which makes it 75 mL.  Very impressive.  You do have eating going for you, and that is a huge deal! 

We were hoping you would be home before Porter's birthday. Well, that is tomorrow, so it doesn't look like it is going to happen.  We will need a new goal! Maybe before you due date of July 19!  I sure love you, sweet baby of mine!  I'll see your pretty self tomorrow!

You are so sweet. Love the little bubbles in your mouth! 

You have the prettiest profile!

*June 30, 2016   Weight 2.575 Kg (5 lbs 10.6 oz!  You gained 130 grams)

Porter's 11th Birthday!!!! Happy Birthday P-Diddy!  He had a big day! Got a new bike for his birthday. An awesome hammock tent from Grandma Sally!  He had a party with his friends, they went bowling and to the Jump Zone, had a little fight, made up... boy stuff.  Tomorrow we will go out to eat with the family, he pick Mama Hamil's.  He is a great boy, and will be a great big brother to you Ellie!!

Gotta love his swim hairstyle!

Strike!!!

Addie would love to have had you there to hang out with,
she was the only girl there!

These were taken on Daddy's phone, they didn't transfer well.

I was able to cut out a few hours to come see you.  Porter and Addie went over to the babysitter's house and had a big time.  They even made him a cake, that was super sweet of them!

You were super gassy, like you have a mini machine gun firing in your pants.  You were tooting so hard that you dropped your SATs.  Maybe if they would treat your gas you would be a new girl?!!

You looked very very adorable today, your shirt even agreed.  I can't believe how much you gained overnight!?


That rice cereal must be kicking in and helping you gain.  Soon enough you won't fit any of your preemie clothes, and you haven't even worn them all yet!!  The nurse said you had done really good, didn't really have any spells.  She mentioned they might attempt to take you off oxygen tomorrow.  When I got there, your cannula was in only one nostril and you were SATing fine.  It was all crooked, so it didn't want to stay in when I tried to adjust it.  I held you with it for quite a while, watching your SATs, they didn't seem to drop.  I don't really think you need it, but when you have your spells, they like it to be there.  And they don't want to wear you out again.  Which I am glad about, allow you to get your rest and pace it at your speed.  The nurse adjusted your cannula and had to take off the old tape on your face.  You let out such a sad protest cry, your little lip just puckered out.  That hurt!  It was cute and precious and sad, all at the same time to hear you cry.  You aren't a big cryer, you only cry when they hurt you with tape, or a heel stick.  They say your cry when you are hungry, but I haven't heard that yet.  Mostly I hear your little grunts and moaning hums when you are tooting and your hiccups!  You ate your whole bottle, 75 mL.  You are great at eating and pooping! And that, my girl, is a victory. Not all babies are doing that much!

As I held you today, I felt you inhaling and exhaling.  That is a victory too.  It is so good to feel life inside of you. To hear your noises, whatever end they come out of! It is good to know that you are here, that you are alive!  We have come so far!  You were very alert today. And very patient when I changed you out of your clothes, it is very tricky you know!  All in all, today was a good day.  And we both needed one of those!

It's the only bow that fits you just right and it is adorable, so it may be repeated again!

And!  I finished painting and distressing your changing table today!  This is a big deal, since I am pretty much the anti-craft!  Your crib is almost done and it will match! Your room is almost done!

Before

After

*July 1, 2016   Weight  2.545 Kg  ( 5lbs  9.5 oz)

A little drop in your weight, but not much, they did say you had a huge poop last night that could have accounted for that.

You looked great today!  Growing so big.  You look fuller and fuller every day, you have come a long way!

Today I was able to give you a bath.  This, I believe, is your second bath.  One bath a month, not bad! :)  The nurse assisted, bathing in a small bassinet is kind of tricky!  Afterwards, I fed you.  The NP came over to discuss another blood transfusion.  They said your hematocrit levels are low, they gave me a number, maybe 22 or 24?  Anyway, that is low.  They are thinking that maybe this boost of blood, won't necessarily make the a & b spells stop, but to help you have more energy, and maybe ultimately that will help your spells.  So they ordered a blood transfusion. I hate the name blood transfusion, sounds so serious.  I like to say, "they are giving you a little blood", sounds less serious to me! Ha.
I decided to stay with you while they gave you the IV.  I figured you would want some moral support, I know I would!  They used a doppler to find your vein.  They had your arm pulled out straight and your head was turned.  I put your binky in your mouth and would squirt some sugar water into your mouth as a distraction.  It reminded me of the time I did that for your big brother, when he was 2 weeks old and had his circumcision.
That, was sad.  I continued to drip the sugar water, and you only let out one little yelp, and just sucked a little furiously on the binky.  What a warrior.  They are giving you a total of 50 cc of blood, super hero blood of course O-, they will give you 25 cc over a 2 hour period, and then rest 2 hours, and give you the rest over another 2 hours.  To make sure you tolerate it well.  They were going to give your nutrition through the IV, instead of the bottle.  But I worried you would feel like you were being starved, since you do like that milk!  Then they realized you were over 34 weeks, uh c'mon now, and that you could feed through on the bottle. What kind of side show are they running?!?!?  Jk! I am sure they would have caught that. But good thing your Mama was there to fight for that bottle for you!

You                                     Addie

So far you have tolerated the blood well.  You are currently, as I type, finishing up your second round of blood.  Maybe it will do the trick.  The nurse on the phone mentioned you hadn't had any spells.  So maybe this is the start of your journey to home! I better hurry on that crib!!!  I sent pictures to the family, and they think you look like Addie so much, this is what Aunty Cait sent:  You are on the left and Addie on the right.   You are so familiar!

As soon as I knew you were ok, I had to leave.  You are still as gassy as ever, but that must be spiritually genetic!  You are so sweet and such a good baby.  Of course I know that could change.  But you do your best to be content.  You love to eat, but when I take the bottle away to burp you, you don't fuss, you seem grateful for whatever you get!  I have noticed something too, Miss Ellie! I think you may have a very tiny pin point dimple!!  I haven't been able to capture it in a picture.  But I will try to describe where it is.  It is to the right of your lower lip, not too far past.  It is teeny, and cute!! Miss Addie was born with her dimple by her right eye.  They must have branded you two in heaven!!  I have the most precious girls around!  And one awesome 11 year old boy!  Love you El!

  *July 2, 2016     Weight 2.640 Kg ( 5lbs 12.9 oz)

Today is Saturday, it always makes it tricky to come to the hospital.  Daddy's back has been giving him trouble and decided to seize up today, so he was out for the day.  I finally finished your crib, well, at least the painting, distressing and finishing!  Just need to let it dry for 24 hours and then put it together! That is really the last thing that needs to be done for the nursery, well, maybe a few decorations left to hang.  But, it's ready for your girl!  So you can come on home!

  You are still holding onto that high flow oxygen. Although today, your cannulas were out of your nose and you were doing just fine!  That blood must have helped perk you up! Maybe it will be the boost you need, I am hoping so!  I called this morning to check on you and they said you had a good night and a good morning.  They are getting ready to give you your 2 month old immunizations, so they will probably leave the oxygen until then and maybe try to wean you off it.

You looked much more pink today when I saw you, your coloring was good.  They had changed your feeds to 8 instead of 9, I was glad I made it right in time to feed you.  You are doing very well. It is nice to get to hold you whenever I like, and however long I like!  You make the cutest and funniest noises, I took some videos! One let's you here all the funny moany grunts you make. And I caught a little gas on the other. Sorry, my phone was acting up and filmed one upside down! Ha!  Love you angel, you will be home soon, I just know it!

  Just a working on that binky!


*July 3, 2016    Weight  2.655 Kg (5 lbs 13.4 oz)

It is Sunday, and so many people were fasting in your behalf!  It is so humbling and wonderful that so many people care about you and our family.  I feel like it will help.  Daddy hurt his back, so he wasn't able to give you a blessing, but maybe tomorrow he will be back to feeling better!

Meme & Double came to visit you and fed you a bottle.  Double (Granddaddy) was impressed by how much you have grown!  You are such a cute little chunk!

I called the nurse to check on you, and she mentioned that you would get your immunizations today, your 2 month immunizations! Tomorrow you will be 2 months old!  I was hoping you would be able to spend your first 4th of July out of the hospital at home, but no worries!  They plan to keep you on your oxygen for a little bit after your immunizations, because it can cause a little more spells.  So, we need to be patient the next few days, and understanding that it could be because of the shots, not digression.  So I will be patient!  I made it to the hospital just after you got your shots, and got to cuddle you.  You made a sad face a few times after the shots, but you were tough. You like that sugar water, and it helps to distract you!  I fed you and dressed you in one of your fourth of July outfits!  It was a little snug! I think you might be graduating into Newborn clothes! Wahoo!  You are doing well! I am so excited... This month you better be coming home!  I am thinking maybe 2 more weeks!?  Feels like that seems to be always what I say! Ha! But here's hoping!

Isn't it adorable??!

You are so cute!

I love the booty on your pants!

*July 4, 2016    Weight 2.670 Kg  ( 5lbs 13.9 oz)

You are 2 months old!! Can you believe it??! My big girl!

Not only are you two months old, it is also the 4th of July! So we made sure to deck you out in some darling clothes, brought to you by Aunt Kim!  "My First  4th of July!"  I was hoping your first 4th of July you would be home already, but not quite!  I was happy you fit into it, it is a NB outfit. You preemie stuff is getting kind of snug on you!  Miss "Almost 6 lbs"!!! You are getting big so fast!

Another exciting thing...... I finished your crib today!!    It was a long time coming... but now you have a bed, all ready for you, so start breathing room air girl, and come home!

I came in to see you today and got you all dressed up.  You ate like your usual awesome self.  And they decided to change you over to low flow oxygen.  The nurse attempted just room air, but you didn't quite go for it.  So, they took a baby step down into the low flow oxygen.  I called and checked several hours later, and you were still doing pretty well on the low flow.  We will see how your night goes.  I just hope they didn't jump the gun, putting you on low flow. At least they could have waited a full day or two after your immunizations to do it.  They just like to push and push you!  They are ready to kick you out of the nest, time to fly sister!  Daddy's back is still hurting him, so we went to a movie as a family, it was something we could do together! Come to think of it, movie days might be a thing of the past for a while, until you get to be a bigger girl!  I better see all the ones I want to while I can ;)  Ha! That's what red box is for!  We are waaay ok with sacrificing  things for you, for sure!!  

We ate some fried chicken at Meme & Double's house.  Porter wanted to stay and play with his cousins and Daddy.  Addie and I went to the fire works at Traceway park with friends.

Star Braids

Cute face painting by Brit

 We will just plan for sure you will be home for Halloween, that's the next big holiday!  Hopefully not far from today!  2 months girl, and eternity left!

Look how cute you look!

Love your stink eye!

*July 5, 2016  Weight  2.720 Kg ( 5 lbs 15.7 oz)

Just look how close you are to 6 lbs!  You wanted to wait until you were nine weeks old to be 6 lbs, right?! Haha!

I was glad to see that you were still on the low flow oxygen! That is a success.  The NP talked to me and mentioned that they do send babies home on low flow oxygen if they need to.  So, that is one step closer to discharge.  You did have an apnea spell yesterday, when they switched you to the low flow, which isn't totally unexpected. But you haven't had one since.  So, maybe your count down begins? The countdown for 7 days spell free?  We shall see!

You ate very well and were very alert when I came.  I notice one eye appears a touch lazy, but they is common in newborns, I might just be too sensitive of any possible problem.  They are constantly testing you for different things with your eyes, your heart, with whatever. So I think it makes me a little worrisome for things.  You are looking more and more like a newborn!  You officially weigh more than one of your cousins did when she was born, Lindsay was 5 lbs 14 oz! And she is thriving at 19 years old! Ha!  So your chances are awesome!

Today was a good day! I felt positive.  I feel like you will be coming home soon! I have your room ready now, you can come home my dear. I will leave a light in the window for you....

Love these little digits!

<3