How time flies...

Time has a funny way of creeping past you here. One minute, one day has passed. You look again, and nearly 10 are gone.

On Sunday - Mia turned 1 month old. It's hard to believe that a month ago Sunday at 5:10 I was laying on an operating table having an emergency c section. So much has happened in a month. It literally seems to have just flown right by us.

Mia has come such a long way since those first few days of life. She came out fighting and she's fighting still.

She now weighs in at 3lbs 6oz. and is now taking bottles! Yeah! We started this the other day and while her first attempt was a no go, every bottle since then has been a success. She takes them like a champ. Her Dr. has put no limit on the ounces in her bottle, curious as to just how much she'll drink. Well, today at her noon feeding I fed her and we put 55mls of breast milk in it, just to see how much she'd take. Well, she fooled us all when she drank the whole thing! (fyi - 55mls is ONE ml shy of 2 ounces!) Such a champ, as her Dr. calls her!

Starting today - she's on 3 bottles a day and the rest are her ng ( feeding tube ) feeds. Judging by how well she does with those, they'll eventually do away with the feeding tube. Woo hoo!

They also wanna try and wean her off her O2. She's on the last possible setting on the machine ( 1/32 of a liter) and they really can't figure out why she wants to hold on to it so desperately. She'll be having an echo tomorrow to make sure her valves in her heart are all closed. One could possibly still be open due to her being born so early. They don't think so - but they say it could be the reason why she destats everytime they try and turn off her oxygen.

She's still in her isolette ( or her incubator as I call it ) but even that should be changing in the next couple of days. She should slowly be making the move to being able to be dressed and bundled and then after that she should be able to be moved to a crib.


Everyday we get better and better news and everyday we are one step closer to home! This journey has been a crazy one but one we couldn't of done without every ones support and their prayers. God's definitely had His hand in all this and that's been evident from day 1.


Prayer Requests:

- Mia's bottle feeds to continue and for her feeding tube to be taken out
- Continued weight gain
- A good report from her echo
- Weaned off O2
- Mommy and Daddy to begin mentally and physically preparing to take Mia home

Long overdue update! :)

We have had a crazy past couple of days! I apologize for my lack in blogging these past few days. The days start running together and before you realize it, 4 days have passed or more! We've had grandparents visiting and friends, etc.

Mia has been making great progress! She has moved to a smaller isolette now that she's 'gotten bigger'. She is completely off her nutrition through her veins because she got her picc line out yesterday!! She was one happy girl. She kept raising her arm up and bending it back and forth. One less thing tying her down! :)

They are trying to wean her off her oxygen as well. She is on the lowest setting, 1/32 but everytime they try to stop in she destats. Her Dr. says he's not all that concerned because she's still only 33 weeks and by all intended purposes, she'd still be swimming. He says there's plenty of time to wean her from it.

Our little girl is also eating like a CHAMP! She is now getting 30mls (1oz!) of breast milk / formula every 3 hours! We've come such a long way from the days of 6 and 7oz every 3 hours! She also now knows hen it's time to eat, the closer it gets to her time to eat, she starts getting fidgity, starts sucking her lips, sticking her tongue out, etc.

This coming week we are going to try and see how she does with nursing / taking a bottle. The past few days I've been kangarooing her, I've been laying in the middle of my chest. Normally, she lays still and sleeps but the past few times she's started to sniff really hard, stick her tongue out, smack her lips, etc. Her nurses say it's a good sign it means she can smell the breast milk and she's getting a tad frustrated she can't get to it.

Speaking of breast milk, please be in prayer about that. Now that she's eating so much, I can't meet the demand and they are having to either give her formula when I tag team and do breast milk one feeding and formula the other. I'm slightly discouraged by this but her Dr. says once we let her start nursing, my supply should go back up.

After 3 days of suppositories and a week on erythromyicin, Mia is now pooping on her own, and pooping alot! We are SO excited about this! It's funny - as a parent, what excites us now! :) Her nurse made the comment today that every diaper she'd changed on her she had pooped. Guess that's what you get when you text everyone asking them to pray for poop! :)

Mia's also gained on the scales! It fluctuates from day to day but as of last night, she weighs 3lbs 4oz! She has to be a little bit bigger before we can dress and bundle her but she's gaining weight amazingly!

Without her picc line in, she's started on vitamins today too. She'll get those through her feeding tube for now and it's a good thing because judging by the other babies in her room, those vitamins don't taste so good :)

Prayers for Mia for the upcoming week:

- continued weight gain
- to be able to be weaned off oxygen
- to do well with nursing / trying a bottle and to keep tolerating feeds
- Overall continued improvment with her health - growth
- keep on pooping!
- less apnea spells ( she seems to have 1 a day and they seem to be really early in the morning. from like 2am - 6am. she never stops breathing completely but her heart rate drops into the 30s. she does however , bring her self right out of it )

September 17-19th

It's been a busy, busy past 3 days!

Saturday - My parents, Beth, Matt, Meghann, Garrett and Dylan came up to see us and Mia! They were all very happy to see how well she's growing and progressing! We all had a nice lunch out and just enjoyed the time of talking and catching up.

Sunday - Our friends from Martinsburg, Phil and Sarah and their 2yr old daughter Amelia, came to visit us. They came to see Mia, took us to lunch and hung out with us for the day.

Mia's had a pretty good past couple of days. Yesterday - her Dr's told us she was having some issues pooping. She didn't poop at all Saturday and didn't poop at all yesterday morning. Her Dr. told us that with her being a preemie, sometimes their bowels aren't up to what they should be and they need that little push. He said sometimes they can hit a plateau but once she's over it, she should have smooth sailing. It just takes patience on our part. Her erthromycin is helping some but the other things we have started doing is giving her a suppository at her 11am feedings as well as upping her feeds.

Yesterday she pooped 3x and today she pooped at least twice by the time we left at 7pm. Tomorrow morning we're hoping to hear she pooped more! Wednesday is her last day of the suppository so please be in prayer that her bowels "kick" in so to speak and start working full time on their own.

Other then that, she is great. Tonight she was up to 10mls every 3 hours and every other feed they plan on upping it a ml. Her short term goal is 13mls and to tolerate it.

Looking at her now - it's so easy to see how much she's progressing. She's almost a month old and she's come such a long way!

September 14, 15 & 16th

I think I'm going to start stretching my posts out over a few days. On the days when there's nothing big to report, it's hard to come up with a post so it's just easier to wait every few days.

We've had a very good 3 days! We have had some visitors and we love when people make the drive up to see us ( ok, Mia :) )

Over the last few days, Mia's been doing well. She's reacting very well to the erythromyicin thankfully! She's had a lot of good bowel movements and we're thankful for that. She's also been tolerating her feeds well. Her nurse this afternoon said she's been taking her 5mls every 2hrs 'great'. Tomorrow they bump that up to 6.

Yesterday she was having a little issue with her breathing. She was working really hard to breathe. One look up her nose had the answer. She had quite a lot of buildup, or boogers, up her nose. Respiratory came in and used a sucker and cleared her nose out. After that, she seemed to be doing better. Last night she had a little trouble again so they upped her 02 levels some from 1 liter to 1.5 liters. When they came in to do rounds, they noted that she looked much more comfortable and she was breathing so much better.

We've been told that it's now time to pick a pediatrician for her as well. This was something we totally weren't prepared for because yet again, we thought we had time. Thankfully, one of the residents happens to be a doctor in Harpers Ferry, WV which is only about 20 minutes from where we live. He gave us the names of some great pediatricians in the area that specialize in preemies. Plus, he's told us he's become quite attached to Mia (umm, who hasn't? :) ) and that when he finishes his residency and goes back to Harpers Ferry, it means he can still see her.

You'd also be glad to know, her medicine is MORE then working. She had 2 big bowel movements yesterday and this afternoon when we came back, her nurse informed us that she had pooped through 2 diapers in a matter of minutes and that she was unaware someone so small could produce poop like that.

She is also almost 16inches long and she weighs in as of last night at 2lbs 13oz :)

Her Dr. told us yesterday that as long as she keeps progressing like she is - he sees no reason why she can't be discharged mid October! So keep those prayers coming!

Speaking of prayers - people have been asking if we need anything specifically and really all we're asking for is prayer. Some of the things you can be in prayer about us with are:

Mia's continued progression and over all health.

Wisdom in the decisions her Dr's make concerning her care.

For Drew and I to lean on each other and to not stress out over the little things, or the big things for that matter. To realize that through this whole ordeal, God's in complete control.

Financially we struggle, as does anyone who takes a job hiatus and live 3 hrs away to be with their child 24/7. God has provided so graciously this past month with finances. We're truly blessed and we know He'll provide for us again until we bring Mia home and I return to work.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Today has been a better day all around. Thanks to everyone's prayers - they were felt and very much appreciated.

Today, Mia was started on her erythromycin. They also started her feeds back up slowly. She's starting off at 2mls every 4hrs to see how well she tolerates and how her stomach looks. So please be in prayer that the medicine does what it's supposed to so she can get back to gaining on her feeds.

I walked in this morning and the nurses were all laughing at her. Apparently, every morning around 5am, she starts waking up and doing these crazy leg kicks. Sometimes they're straight out, sometimes she kicks 'em straight up in the air and leaves em there for awhile. Her nurse commented this morning she's just getting her morning calisthenics in.

I've been having trouble sleeping with getting up to pump every few hours so this morning I let myself "sleep in" till 830. I missed rounds but it's ok. We knew this morning at rounds the most they would do was give the ok to start the drug and that was actually about it.

Tonight - Daddy got to hold is girl all bundled up. She's right on the border with her weight with being held strictly kangaroo or kangaroo and bundled. Her nurse tonight let Drew hold her bundled and she did great maintaining her own temp all by herself!

We noticed today, she's starting to get her eyebrows and her eyelashes and she's stating to lose the hair all over her body. It's so funny - a baby at full term has, well, everything and someone born at 29 weeks like Mia, wasn't done fully developing yet so it's been very neat to watch certain things come into play over the last almost 3 weeks.

Monday, September 12, 2011

I apologize in advance for no pictures today. This morning it slipped our minds and tonight she was snoozing hard and nothing was waking her up. Perhaps we finally got our days and nights straightened out :)

This morning, we got up early enough to make rounds at the hospital. They start at 830 though sometimes they're not always punctual; like today. It was more around 9. I had trouble sleeping last night and then getting up every few hours to pump and then Drew had stayed up watching hulu so we were both very sleepy this morning. Nevertheless, we made it on time.

As usual - her team of doctors came strolling in - all 8 of them. She is still off her feeds but she's still getting nutrition streamed right in through her veins. They x rayed again and her Doctor said her bowels looked a lot better. Despite that though, they still want to start her on erythromycin tomorrow morning. Apparently, in a lot of preeclampsia babies, they can get stressed out because they sense their mother's sick and the first sign of stress for them is in their bowels. They can develop air in their bowels which is what Mia has. She is still pooping and quite a lot and they said that's great it means things are still going through, just a little slower. Giving her the erythromycin will help fix the air issue and keep things moving.

I am having quite a time with this whole post traumatic stress disorder some day and today was one of those days. Upon hearing that she has this bowel issue because I had preeclampsia instantly made me blame myself. If I hadn't had preeclampsia, I'd still be pregnant, we wouldn't be sitting in the NICU right now in Morgantown and she wouldn't be having this issue with her bowels. I really, really, really dislike feeling like that. Some days I'm perfectly fine, other days, I just can't take it. I held back on my tears at that moment. After they left, I kangarooed her for almost 2 hours. I just wanted to sit and snuggle with her after that. We both kind of dozed off a little during that time too.

As we walked out of the hospital, I was quiet and for anyone who knows me, well, I'm never quiet. :) Drew picked up on it pretty quickly but I kept telling him I was fine that I was just tired. We went to Arby's to grab some lunch and as soon as we pulled into the parking lot, he asked me one more time what was wrong and I just lost it. I told him it was my fault she was having bowel issues. It was my fault because of the preeclampsia. It was just all my fault.

My poor husband. I feel like he has to pick me up and dust me off and get me moving again more times then not these days. He let me cry it out, we talked and I slowly calmed down. He's great at calming me down and putting things into perspective for me. I've been better since then but I won't lie, the thought does still linger in the back of my mind. I don't normally ask for prayer for me specifically but this disorder can work a number on you so yeah, if you think about it, I would appreciate a prayer or two. It gets better everyday though, so I count that as a plus :)


In Mia news - she was weighed last night. Despite only getting the nutrition through her veins, our little champ has yet again, gained weight! :) She did weigh 2lbs 7.2oz and as of yesterday she now weighs 2lbs 9.6oz! She has almost doubled her weight which is awesome! :)

September 9 - 11

The internet here at the Ronald McDonald House has been down for the last 2 days so I haven't been able to blog so here comes 3 days worth of blogging. I'll try to keep it short and sweet but we'll see. :)

Friday:

Friday Mia's Uncle Jameson and Auntie Katie came to visit her! It was Jamesons first time seeing Mia and Katie's third. We enjoy having visitors. Jameson took Drew to a movie and Katie and I went to the mall and walked around and just talked. It's so nice to feel normal and get away as long as Mia's doing well.

Speaking of Mia - she had a good day Friday. They stopped her feeds because on Thursday evening they noticed her belly looking a little distended. It wasn't hard, just a little distended. She had an 'enormous' poop according to her nurse. We're glad we missed that one! The x ray showed her bowels still a little 'loopy' so they decided to hold off on her feeds for awhile. She had 4 poops on Friday despite holding on the feeds so that was good.

On Friday evening when we went back to visit before we turned in for the night, we found out they had moved Mia again. A tiny baby had been born and since she was the healthiest and biggest in her old room she was the candidate. She moved to a 'bigger' baby room. There's only 3 babies and she IS the smallest but the move was for the best they tell us. We like the room and it's kind of nice to see other parents visit their babies. In her old room - we were the only parents ever in the room and it was a little sad. While we don't know the other parents situations, it was hard visiting our baby and watching these other babies with no one to visit them.

Saturday:

On Friday evening when we went to see Mia, on our way back, someone at the Ronald McDonald House was giving everyone tickets to the game. We took them - I mean why not? We left the game at halftime so I could come back and pump. After a quick nap, we headed back over to see Mia. They had done another xray that morning of her bowels and they were still looking 'loopy' so they held off on feeds again. She was doing well last night and Daddy got to change his first poopy diaper! I helped him out some so next time he's on his own. In Mia's new room they're letting us 'do' more. It's really nice, we actually get to feel like parents. We both got to kangaroo her last night as well. That was nice. It had been a few days since we've had so many visitors, Drew's been sick, etc. It's nice to just sit and snuggle with her.

Mia's found her voice this weekend too. What was once a kittens meow cry is now almost a full fledged cry. She's exercised that the past few days and it's just been humorous to watch. Drew gets a bit ansy every time she starts to cry. He hasn't seen anything yet! :)

She also got weighed and measured last night. She's now 2lbs 8.6 oz and 15 3/4 inches long. She's almost doubled her weight and she's grown 2 inches since birth. Way to go, Mia!
Sunday:

This morning we slept in a little then headed over. They were admitting a new baby in Mia's room so we couldn't go back to see her till around 1130. When we went back she was snoozing away as usual. We had just missed rounds but her nurse was nice enough to fill us in. They kept her feeds on hold today as well. They want to talk to a gastro specialist about starting her on a medicine to help her bowels. They're eager to get her feeds started up again and so are we so pray that either the problem gets fixed or the medicine will help.

Auntie Jeanette came to visit today as well! She met Mia then took us for a nice lunch at Cracker Barrel. We sat and talked for a few hours and kind of lost track of time. We are back at the room now, waiting till 9 when we can go back and say goodnight to Mia.