Technical Difficulties

Sarah and Lillie Marie are having some technical difficulties so Aunt Gum is here posting a quick update to let you know they will be back online soon. Lillie is doing great and just passed the 5lb mark - yay!

Computer is in the shop -- should be up and posting next week!

WHY IS EVERYTHING SO BIG?

This swing was a hand me down from Aunt Jenn. We have discovered that she loves her swing if she has been fed. Everything is better with a full tummy.
Thanks Aunt Jenn!

Lillie tried out her vibrating chair today. Actually, we tried it last night but she was too small. Or... Was it too big?

We tried again today. This time we used pillows. She is snug as a bug and loving it! This is one of the many hand me downs from our friend Jin.

Thanks Jin!

LILLIE'S FIRST DOCTORS APPOINTMENT...

We took Lillie to the doctor today. Of course her appointment had to be on a day when it was freezing outside and there was a thin coat of ice on everything. Luckily I had Chris with me to help out. Everything went so well. The doctor said she is very healthy. No problems, no concerns. She weighed 4 pounds 4 ounces. The doctor thought that was very impressive. We asked about her eating schedule and the doctor said that we can let her wake us up and tell us when she is ready to eat and how much she wants to eat. No more setting the alarm clock every three hours. I didn't bother sitting the clock last night, Lillie was up all night! Durning the day we are to keep her three our schedule unless she is really hungry, but she can eat as much as she likes. Then at night, she tells us. Chris was worried about her eating too much. Doctor said that whatever she can't handle, she will throw up.
Lillie has an eye appointment on the 26th then a checkup with the Ped. on March 10th. Looks like we have a healthy baby! Yay!
Draven went to the doctor today. He had missed two days of school and has been staying at his Nanny's house for the past week. He went to school today but Nanny wanted the doctor to check him out before he came home. Good thing. His tonsils were infected. He got started on an antibiotic. After 24 hours on his prescriptions he should be fine to come home. I miss my boy!

VALENTINES DAY, BABY!

lillie in her big crib for the first time.




Lillie was due on Valentine's day. Of course babies aren't usually born on their due date, but here it is and she is almost 1 month old! WOW!!!
Chris and I celebrated Valentine's day on Saturday along with celebrating our anniversary and the birth of our new baby. Draven is still sick at Nanny's house. I made him brownies last night and sent Chris over with the brownies and his chocolates and teddy bear. Lillie is celebrating by trying on some of her Valentine's outfits. The "Be Mine" shirt was from her Aunt Gum (AKA Aunt Jenn.) It says 0-3 months. I think it is mismarked. She still looks good in it. The other outfit is Premie and fits pretty well. She is going to wear it today.

AT HOME WITH LILLIE MARIE...

THIS IS THE OUTFIT THAT I BOUGHT FOR HER TO WEAR HOME. I BOUGHT IT BECAUSE IT WAS FOR BABIES UNDER 7 POUNDS AND I HAD A FEELING SHE WOULD BE LITTLE.
JUST NOT THIS LITTLE....

HANGING OUT ON HER MOMMIES LAP.

LILLIE IN HER JAMMIES.

READ MY HAT.

WAHHHHH!!!!

HANGING OUT IN HER CRIB.

I SWEAR SHE IS HAPPY TO BE HOME.

So far so good. She seems to be adjusting well to her new environment. We have been adjusting to having a baby in our house. She sleeps and eats just as a baby should. I am just happy to have her home. Tomorrow is her first doctors appointment. We are anxious to see how much she weighs. I just got a call from babies r us and her furniture is in! Now we can finish her room. Should be a perfect project considering we are going to (maybe) have nasty weather this weekend.

Lillie's Home!

I would say that we are exhausted. We should be, but instead I think we are too excited to even notice that we are tired. Last night was rough. They put us in the worst room. We felt like we were sleeping in the storage room. Of course, there was very little sleeping. Lillie seemed lost. She didn't know what to do in the quiet dark. She is used to the bright noisy NICU. I think that now we are all home (minus Draven who is at Nanny's house sick) will all sleep better. Lillie seems to really like being home. It is like she knows that this is where she belongs. She has slept most of the day, so I am sure she will be up all night. We had a very positive experience with mercy's NICU, we just home we never have to go back. So glad to be home with my little girl!!!!

The big weigh in that brought her home. On Sunday night at the 8:30 feeding she weighed 1805 grams. Just enough for us to room in Monday night and for her to come home with us Tuesday.

ROOMING IN.



In her car seat ready to go home!

DISCLAIMER!!!
Yes, we know. You shouldn't sleep with your baby. I was in the room the whole time while Lillie and Poppy rested. Once Poppy began to snore we put Lillie in her own bed.

SHE LOVES HER SWING!

Not yet...

Our jelly bean in her "Johnie Wrap."

Last night we had our date night. We went out to eat and enjoyed just being together. We toasted our anniversary, valentines day and the birth of our baby. The dinner was good, except the veal. Toughest piece of meat! After dinner we ended up at the hospital. Shocker. The night nurse had her bundled so tight. She loved it! We are going to try to duplicate it when she's home. We call it the Johnie Wrap after the nurse that invented it. Then home to watch a movie. She was weighed and was just under 4 pounds. She has 25 grams to go. No rooming in tonight. Hopefully tomorrow. If not then it will be Tuesday. She was doing really well today and looking more and more like a baby. She seems so happy. Tomorrow we are going to a baby cpr class at the hospital. After that we will run some last minute errands before she comes home. There are all these things I want to get to done before she comes home. She really doesn't need much, just warmth, food, and a clean diaper. Oh, and lots of love from her family!

ONE STEP CLOSER TO HOME...

I just called the NICU and they said that she is up to 1760 grams. She has 40 to gain tonight so that we can room in tomorrow. Then home on Monday! The only problem is they won't tell you when you are going to room in until that day. We have it all planned out, but it might change. Lillie had a great night last night. Chris didn't kangaroo because she has been so busy the past too days. We don't want her to get too much stimulation. We are going up there for the 11:30 feeding her in a few minutes. After that I am going to get ready for my last date night with my husband. Maybe not the last date, but it will be a while till we have another. I am going to get my pedi and mani with Lo after I see Lillie. Should be a busy day, but a great one! Draven is spending the night with his Aunt Nicole tonight and with Nanny tomorrow. That is if all works as planned.
I have been fighting a cold. Hopefully it is not a cold and just alergies. I have had a scratchy throat for 2 days. Still not officially sick, just nervous.

MAGGIE SIMPSON?

Lillie's big day...

I went to Lillie's 2:30 feeding after work. Draven got out of school early so we made it just in time. As you know, she has been starving! The day nurse told me she was going to try to get the doctor to let her eat more. When I showed up the doctor had her on 42 cc's plus she got a 20cc snack and... she can breastfeed as much as she wants!

Big day!!!

Then she informed me that even though she hasn't made it to her weight gain, she can move into a crib!!! She had maintained her temperature for the past few days so they let her move in to a big girl bed. I went up there at 5:30 to check on her and breast feed. She was doing so well. They kept her incubator hooked up just in case, but when I came in this morning they said they moved it because she doesn't need it.

Just keeps getting better!!!

This morning I got a phone call from the NICU. The nurse said bring her car seat up today because she will be going home any day. I also had to get her a doctor's appointment scheduled for next week. I ran up to the hospital and they said they couldn't wait for me to do the discharge class on Monday. I needed to do it today! She also said that when she makes her weight requirement (hopefully in the next day or two) they will schedule our room in. Right now, they plan on us rooming in with Lillie at the hospital on Sunday night. Chris and I will take care of her like if we were home, but the doctors and nurses check in on us. Monday morning we take her home! She lost a little weight last night, but we hope to see her gain over the next few days. The breast feeding burns calories. She has tonights weighing and tomorrows. They said she will be ready for the room in as early as Saturday night or no later than Sunday night. Better be Sunday. Chris and I planned a last date night before she comes home. We are going to Le Cep's in Edmond for dinner then to a movie. It will be the last time we go out together for a long time.

It is now Friday at 3pm. Draven and I are at home and will go back up to the hospital in about an hour. We want to see how she does on her carseat challenge. I will let everyone know what happens...

Slow going...

bath time...

She got Valentines bedding last night.  She looks so sweet in her new clothes.

They still haven't increased her food.  No calories, and no added fat after today.  My girl is starving!  She is still at 34 cc's of food.  Last night she only gained 20 grams (1740 grams 3 pounds 13 ounces.)  Hopefully, they will increase her today.  She got to wear her new outfit from Aunt Sis.  She looked so cute, we took tons of photos.  We also got to give her a full bath last night.  She did not love it.

SOME REAL UPDATES...

I took these pictures before I went to work this morning. She was a mess. They have not increased her food and took away the extra calories. She was starving! She tried to sleep but couldn't get passed her hunger. Finally a sweet nurse came by with an extra 5 cc's of milk. Don't tell the doctor.
Lillie yawing.
My fuzzy headed baby.

I have been so busy! I get up pump, take Draven to school, go to the hospital, go to work, then pick up Draven, go back to the hospital... you get the point. When I was up there this morning the nurses said to get ready for her to come home. The plan is as follows. She is now at 1720 grams. Needs to be at 1800 to go home. She gains an average of 25-30 grams a night. That would have her ready to move out of the incubator by Friday or Saturday. Once she is in a normal bed they will watch her for 24 hours to make sure she is keeping her temp up. If so, we start getting ready. She has been keeping her temp up for the past 3 days. The incubator is at it's lowest setting. She is doing all of the work already. Once she makes it through the first 24 hours we do a car seat check to make sure she can sit in the car seat a mininmum of 30 minutes without her airways becoming blocked. Little babies heads fall forward in regular infant carseats. Then I meet with a lacation consultant to try to breast feed. On Sunday, we will spend the night at the hospital with her in a room with us. That way we have all of the doctors and nurses at our finger tips if we have questions or concerns. Then Monday morning we will do a discharge and cpr class. They will teach us how to deal with such a tiny baby in our home. Man, I am tired just thinking about the next few days. It will be well worth it.

JUST GOT BACK FROM 8:30 VISIT. SHE IS UP TO 1740. THEY STILL HAVEN'T INCREASED HER FEEDINGS. 34 CC'S FOR THE 3RD DAY. SHE IS SO HUNGRY!

UPDATE...

SORRY, been so busy!!! Back at work, plus going to the hospital all the time. Lillie is great! She is up to 1720 grams, only 80 more grams to go and she comes out of the incubator. We have our discharge class on Monday, but she might be ready to come home before then. So much to do! I will give more of an update when I find time. To sum it up, she is growing fast, maybe too fast. Doctor has slowed down her calorie additive and is not increasing her milk. This weekend we hope to get her out of the incubator and in a crib. We will also do a car seat check and talk about rooming in at the hospital so she can go home. They have the parents spend the night at the hospital before they can take the baby home. I also have to met with the lactation consultant again. That is about it for now. Lillie is starving, hope the doctor increases her food and calories today.
Oh, 1720 grams = 3 pounds 12 1/2 ounces!!!
One more thing... after the scrawny baby post, she gained 100 grams that night!
Crazy baby.

My scrawny baby...

Chris has been referring to Lillie as a "Scrawny Baby." Don't take offense, we just tease around our house. It is our coping mechanism.
Speaking of scrawny babies...
I went to Lillie's 8:30 to get her weight update. The nurse said she didn't have time. That made me so mad! She wanted to weigh and give Lillie her full bath at 11:30 (when I wouldn't be there.) We always do bath and weight at 8:30. It is what we look forward to all day. So, I asked her to at least weigh her. We did it quickly, she had lost 25 grams. I couldn't believe it, so we did it again. Still... 25 grams. I was so upset. She just gained 25 grams the day before. To loose 25 in a day seemed like a big loss. It would be one thing if it was 10 grams or less, but.. 25!!! I am going up at the 11:30 to see if the doctor has any concerns. God, I hope not. I had a bad dream about her last night. I really need her home soon.

SATURDAY NIGHT...

We went to see Lillie at the 11:30 feeding and the nurse had already fed her. That is always frustrating. Lillie's Nanna and Don came to see her. They hadn't seen her since she was just a little girl. Ok, she is still a little girl.

After the visit, we went to babys r us and bought her some new bedding. We were going to use the cute ivory bunny stuff from Nicole, but then we found a bargain! We got a crib set with an extra sheet for $50 dollars off plus 10%. Chris and I love a deal and we loved the pattern. We needed some more color. We also ordered her dresser, but it won't be here for a week or two. She might beat her dresser home! Once we got home we worked on the house. Now all of us are nesting! I got closets cleaned and more laundry done! After that we went back up for the 5:30 feeding. She ate way too fast (as usual.) Then Chris kangarooed. After the hospital we took Draven to cotillion. He is such a good sport about that class. They worked on setting the table and learned the Cha-Cha. So far that is one of his favorite dances. Chris and I went to Belle Isle Brewery for dinner. That is one of my favorites. Last night was the worst service ever. We ate upstairs in the bar because the restaurant had a 20 minute wait. Big mistake. It was smokey (like dirty ashtrays) and loud. I think our waitress forgot about us. Chris left because he had a birthday present to buy at the book store. I stayed and waited on the check. After about 20 minutes, nothing. I finally had to find someone to get me the check. I guess that saved me $6 on a tip. So far a pretty good weekend. Going back to work on Tuesday, I am nervous I will cry talking about Lillie. Chris is having a superbowl party at our house with his bible study guys. I hope he can get the house ready in time. I plan on using today to catch up with some girlfriends I haven't seen in a while. I will update later. Oh, and since we weren't there for the 8:30 feeding last night, I should have two weight gain updates for today. Come on, big gain!!!!