Bouncy chair

Kate was awake for a couple of hours this morning so we decided to try out the bouncy chair.  She is still too small to be in it without us right beside her but I think she is going to like it once she gets some head/neck control!  

This first picture is her reaction when I turned on the vibration!

Hmm, I can't decide whether or not I like this new sensation...

Yep, I like it :-)

She sleeps...

To the makers of Mylicon and to Aunt Sara for buying it for us.....THANK YOU!  It has helped baby Kate with her gas issues and let her sleep peacefully (for the moment!!).  We are still working on the acid reflux by trying out different things so hopefully soon mom dad and baby can all sleep at the same time!

1st outing

Today was Kate's first outing.  We took her to the pediatrician today and met her new doctor, Dr. Katz for the first time.  I think we are going to get along with him very nicely!  He is a lot more laid back than the strict rules and structure of the NICU that we were used to.  For example in the NICU Kate was fed an exact amount every 3 hours on the dot whether she was hungry or not, no exceptions....Dr. Katz says to feed her as much or little as she wants whenever she's hungry whether it be in an hour and a half or 4 hours after her last feeding. That's nice :-)  He also said she may have acid reflux which might be why she has been so fussy and suggested a couple of things for us to try and if they don't work he'll give her some antacids.  She is up to 5 lbs 13 oz and is growing nicely and looking good.  Based on my height and Jason's height, doc predicts Kate will be 5' 11" when she grows up which is what Jason and I guessed too.   It was a pretty quick appointment, we filled out paperwork, they weighed her, he examined her, updated her chart, answered all of my million questions and then said we need to come back in month.  Her next outings will be to the Synagis clinic for her first RSV shot, to the ophthalmologist for her follow-up eye exam to make sure her retinas are maturing, and then back to Katz.  That's more than enough outings for me, they stress me out!  Between the possibility of her catching something and getting sick, us getting in a wreck, tripping and dropping her, someone trying to steal her and all the other things my imagination cooks up, I am perfectly fine keeping her home!!

Welcome Home Little One!

After exactly 5 weeks in the NICU, Kate is HOME!!  :-)  We are adjusting to our new life with Kate and couldn't be happier.  Who knew 5 lbs could change our life so much!  

...Fun fact: 3 weeks ago Jason predicted Kate would come home on the 19th, and she did!

Here are a couple of pictures from her homecoming...

Last day in NICU!!  YEAH!

1st time taking a car ride!

Daddy bringing Kate home!!

1st time in her swing!  

(We'll have to wait until she grows a bit before we can use it!)

So tiny in her pack-n-play!

  

Rooming In

Prior to discharging a baby from the NICU one of the requirements is that the parents "room in" with the baby overnight.  Jason and I are thinking no problem, can't wait!  Well, last night we "roomed in", which was more like "torture inn".  At 8:00 p.m. last night they take Jason, Kate and I down the hall to the Parents Room.  We walk in and stumble on each other because this room is the size of a prison cell. In it is a love seat sofa bed, a mini fridge, a chair, a table, a t.v. on the ceiling (with no remote) and now Kate's crib and monitor!  The crib poses a problem because when you open the sofa bed you have to stand on the bed to get to the crib.....hmmm what were they thinking!!  Not only is it tiny but our room adjoins walls to the public restroom so you can hear each time the toilet flushes, another wall is along the hallway so you can hear everyone walking down the hall then hear the door slam shut at the end, we can't find the thermostat so it is freezing in the room and we only have a twin size sheets and a prison issue blankets! To top it all off they turned the cable off at 11:00 p.m.  WHAT THE WORLD!!?? Please refresh my memory, how is this quality bonding time with our child??  Not sure.  Anyway,  little did we know little babies make a lot of noise, all the time.  We hadn't gotten the privaledge of hearing them before last night because the NICU is so loud with all the of the people talking and monitors buzzing and alarms going off.  Last night we found out that Kate squeaks, grunts, moans, hiccups, wiggles, etc. and she does it continously throughout the night!  But the silver lining to the story is this....KATE IS COMING HOME TODAY!!!!  Hooray!!  We are leaving right now to go pick her up and bring her home!  Thank you all for each and every prayer, God is good!

Induction to Motherhood

Bath time in the NICU is stressful to say the least, and today was no different.  Normally bath time is a two person job but it just so happens that Jason is working today therefore it was up to me to bath Kate, alone.  So under the watchful eye of nurse Ana I get the bath tub ready and filled with water to the perfect temperature, get her soap, lotion, wash cloths, swaddle blanket, clean clothes, new diaper and clean towel all ready.  I get Kate undressed and swaddled in a blanket, I place her in the water and begin washing her face.  Nurse Ana approves what I am doing and feels comfortable leaving me to walk around the corner to get clean linens for Kate's bed.  And that's when it happened...I heard if first and then it registered.....Kate just took a huge POO!  Holy Moly what do I do now!  The nurse is nowhere to be found and my baby is swimming in poo water!!  I am a little frantic at this point and am thinking "two hands is not enough to handle this and where is Jason when I need him".  Of course these things only happen when Jason is at work and I am alone trying to figure out what the world to do (remember Hank's episode)!!  Anyway, to much relief I had called out enough times that Ana comes back to help me.  So she got some clean water and a new blanket, I held Kate up out of the poo water and Ana rinsed her off and wrapped her up and held her warm while I cleaned the sling and tub and started all over!  Whew!  Who knew one little bitty baby could make such a simple task so challenging.  Hello Motherhood!  :-)

1 month old!

It's hard to believe that Kate is already one month old.  Here are a couple of 'before and after' pictures of Kate.  What a difference one month can make!

(above) Kate in delivery room, Aug 15th, 3lbs 6 oz

(above) Kate tonight, Sept 15th, 5 lbs 2 oz

Mommy asked me what I wanted for my 1 month birthday....hmmm, I'm thinking that I would like to go home! :-)

My beautiful face!

Do you notice anything missing?!  I don't have a feeding tube in my nose!!  I pulled it out again...hehehe :)  The nurses decided that since I did soooo good with 6 bottles yesterday that they would leave the tube out and see if I can eat all 8 today!  I'm wide awake and ready for the challenge!
Whew...I just finished one of my bottles and I need a rest, it's hard work learning how to eat!!

4 Weeks Old Today

I am 4 weeks old today and I weigh 5 lbs now!!  The nurses said I was doing so good eating my 5 bottles that they added another one today so I am up to 6.  Last night I had a little fit and pulled the feeding tube out of my left nostril so they put it in the right one.....obviously they didn't get the hint that I am done with the tube!! That's ok, I'll play their game, I only have two more bottles to master before I eat all 8 in a day and can come home!!

Here I am with "Mini Hank", he sleeps in my crib with me at the hospital and protects me until I can get home to the real Hank!

Mom just wanted you to see how small "Mini Hank" is, these pictures make me look big but I'm still really little!  :-)

Dad just fed me and is getting ready to burp me....he feeds and burps me better than mom and the nurses combined!  Guess it is daddy's magic touch! 

Our sweet baby Kate...

Kate was not due until October 16 so it was quite a surprise when she decided to make herself known to the world on August 15 at 4:02 p.m.  Born at a mere 31 weeks, Kate was 2 months premature and only weighted 3 lbs 6 oz and was 16 1/2 inches long. 

This is how it all got started... at 3:30 a.m. Friday, August 15 my water broke.  After getting to the hospital my contractions began and became more intense and more frequent.  They gave me a shot of steroids to help mature the baby's lungs, some pain medicine for me and medicine to stop the contractions.  They were trying to postpone delivery for at least 24-48 hrs to allow the steroids time to help her lungs mature.   Unfortunately my contractions returned and a second dose of medicine did not stop them.  At 3:35 p.m. a nurse rushed in and said the baby's heart rate was dropping and when she checked my cervix she felt a tiny foot!  At that point the room filled with nurses and doctors and they rushed me to the operating room and performed and emergency c-section. At 4:02 p.m. Kate was delivered.  The sweetest sound in the whole world were the 3 baby screams I heard before they rushed her off to NICU.  Even though I didn't get to see her, I heard her and that was such a relief just knowing she was alive!!

Since Kate was only 31 weeks and her lungs were under developed she was rushed to NICU and put on life support.  For the first week of her life she was on a ventilator and had wires and tubes attached all over her body and spent much of her time under a bilirium light to help with her jaundice.  The first week was very hard to say the least.  Because she was on a ventilator and the tube was down her throat Kate could not make any noise...we could see her crying but not hear her, it was awful.  And because she was so critical we could not hold her, I didn't get to hold Kate until she was 5 days old and Jason got to hold her at 6 days old.  Since then it seems like each day Kate has made a vast improvement.  After the ventilator, she moved to CPAP then then next day she was on a nasal canula....her jaundice cleared up so she didn't need the lamp (or her diva shades!)....she began to take enough food so they removed the I.V......she no longer needed to be under a heat lamp so they moved her to an incubator, then an open air plastic bin crib, and now her "big girl" crib. Everyday seems like something improves which has helped make the time go by so quickly.

We are so blessed that Kate was born a healthy baby and not born with any major medical conditions (i.e. heart, intestines, brain, etc) and has not needed surgery, she was simply born very premature and needs some help as she grows.  We thank God that since the day she was born Kate has steadily grown and improved.  Tomorrow Kate will be 4 weeks old!!  And now she only has 2 things attached to her body...a feeding tube in her nose and three leads attached to her chest!  Kate is eating 5 bottles per day and only taking 3 from her feeding tube.  Once she is able to eat all 8 bottles our baby girl can come home!  Our battle is far from over but each day we are one day stronger!