SURPRISE!!

So, it seemed like a fun a idea to maybe just not tell people when Abby was coming home and surprise everyone.... Well, the hospital kind of did that for us....

Today John and I were walking from the car on the walkway bridge thing from the parking garage to the hospital doors when Abby's nurse called us. I figured she was calling to see how soon we would be there with the milk we said we were bringing - it was getting close to feeding time.... Instead she said that they were discharging Abigail today, and she wanted to know when we would be there.

Umm.... Can we say "Happy Shock" or "Jaw Drop"??? Seriously??!! What??!! Since when was this even talked about?? WOW!! Really??!!

The nurse said she did not even know about it until the social worker (or maybe she has a different title - can't remember, but she helps me with stuff for Abby) came in and said she was going home.... Later the doctor said that tomorrow morning was decided; so they decided why not this afternoon -- or something like that.

The process really did not take that long because of how much of the process I had completed the first time we thought she was coming home.... So we fed Abigail and gave her a bath - and off we went....

One chapter has closed and another one is beginning. Abby will have plenty of doctors' appointments.... This is just amazing, and we are EXCITED, but SCARED!! We are so thankful to have Abigail in our family and now home. So many miracles..... Thank you to so many for all of your love and support.... I can't wait for her to get bigger, stronger, and healthier so I can show her off in person, instead of pictures.... P.S. - When Abby was weighed last night, she weighed 6lbs 15.8oz. So, we basically brought home a seven pound baby.... We are so grateful to so many wonderful doctors, nurses, and other team members who did such a marvelous job!! I won't miss being at the hospital, but I will miss seeing them....


Eating one last bottle at the hospital



Warming up after one last hospital bath--bath time was planned for today earlier this week


Bye, Bye!!

Daddy taking stuff to the car

I came really close to crying as I put her in the car seat.

Someone from the hospital had to be the one carrying Abigail until she was in the car - hospital liability stuff. She was a great sport with my picture taking...





Can't seem to get this picture to flip the right way....

Home at last.... The bags next to her are our regular baggage - oxygen and monitor

Getting ready for her first bottle at home

Taking her first nap at home before it is time to eat again

Happy Valentine's Day

Feeding Tube Taken Out - Try #2

Abigail's feeding tube was taken out Friday evening - on purpose this time. They think she is ready this time--so I hope so. They actually waited for me to give the okay to do it, because they knew I was reluctant after last time. I was hestitant, but I let them do it. I just didn't want poor Abigail to have to go through the process of getting it put back in.... So far she seems to be doing pretty well, but we will see... I hope... She will also probably start receiving formula at times because she has pretty much passed me up with milk supply -- I am about 100cc a day behind her, but sometimes less... The idea was kind of depressing me at first, but I think I am doing better with it. Hopefully, after she comes home I can get more and catch back up to her. I feel blessed to have kept up this long - thought she would have run out awhile ago.

Abby is also free from one more wire. They say she no longer needs the monitor for her blood oxygenation(sp?). It was a thing kept on her foot -- so now her feet are free -- and maybe won't get so smelly between baths....

When we left last night, Abigail was just a couple ounces shy of seven pounds - WOW!!


Modeling a hat that my friend's mom made for her

"Mommy, what are you doing? Can you please stop?"

Modeling (probably one last) preemie outfit - Thanks Grandma Jones

She is so cute when she is sleeping - this picture kind of shows it.... She loves her tummy sleep! She also loves to have her hands out. We try and swaddle them, but she usually gets them back out!

Not a big fan of the scale, but mostly this time because she was left on a little longer so Mommy could snap a picture--other times she is okay on it

Three Months Old - Where does time go?

Here are Abigail's latest measurements:
Weight: 6lbs 7.7 oz Birth: 1lb 14.9oz
Length: 18.1 in Birth: 13.8 in
Head: 13.2 in Birth: 8.8 in
*She is still low from being preterm when compared to term babies, but she is doing well for size in comparison to other preterm babies.

It seems kind of crazy that it has already been three months. She is only there because of eating instability. Today she is going to have a chest x-ray to make sure everything is okay and see if they can figure out why she continues to get so tired eating. With being so early and tiny, she does have lung issues - but she should out grow the problems with age.

It is a little discouraging right now because we want to have her home and some goal dates for home have come and gone. We don't really have a date at this point, except her due date -- February 19th, next week -- which parts of me think may also just come and go.... On the other hand I just feel so grateful that she is even alive with us today. Abby was born so early that her chances of so many things going wrong were VERY high. Countless miracles have been seen in her three months of life. It is very tearing emotions to be feeling so grateful but discouraged at the same time.

People ask what we need -- We have no idea. All that we know is being with her at the hospital. Your thoughts and prayers have been so helpful. Thank you for your support


Happy 13 Weeks little girl

This is a dress from one of my good high school/college friends. I am looking forward to taking pictures with a better camera and background.... You might also notice that her feeding tube is missing -- don't get too excited. It got pulled out on accident by her mommy (unknowingly) when moving her. I feel bad because of the pain it causes her to get put back in... I was sitting there holding her - hoping for her to go to sleep - when I noticed a chord I didn't recognize. Oops!! Sorry Abigail.





Modeling her Daddy's sunglasses

An outfit Daddy picked out back in November


Abby takes some great naps with her Daddy

We think we are getting closer to a date for home. One of Abby's doctors says she thinks we may be able to get her home for Valentine's Day. She still needs to improve with her eating strength, but she is eating more than before. Little Abigail was weighing 6lbs 6.6oz as of yesterday....




Modeling her Christmas gift from Great Grandma and Grandpa Jones.... Thanks!!.... I was going to have it be her "going home" outfit, but she is already out-growing it; so, I had to hurry and let her wear it at the hospital.

Twelve Weeks Already??

Abby is starting to build up more energy for eating. She is now able to eat whenever she gives cues. We decided today to let her non-nutritive nurse at 2:00 and save her energy for 5:00. It worked well, because she only latched onto me for about five minutes before basically going to sleep. At 5:00 she drank the whole bottle. YAY ABBY!! She is also about to weigh six pounds. Some of her outfits are starting to get snug. Crazy! I thought I was going to get more use out of some of them.


Abby wasn't too thrilled about taking pictures.

Isn't she just so cute??!!

Aunt Wendi got this princess hat for Abby. I hope to take better pictures later. Abby did not like having her nap interrupted.

Getting a back and head massage from Daddy after working hard at eating.



Enjoying some tummy time....



I remember when this outfit was too big at Christmas time.

Our little family growing bigger.... in more ways than one.... Momma needs to start exercising again.... Condo friends -- I may be very interested in joining your morning walks soon - if you are still going on them

A New Bottle

Shortly after writing the last post I called to check on little Abby. She is going to be fed alternately between bottle and tube to build up her strength. At 8:00 she nippled 50cc-which is her full feeding amount. (a little below 2 oz, which would be about 60cc) She did it in 15 minutes. That was pretty much the most she had ever eaten and in record time. Of course I just hung up crying and went and hugged John-- and had to reassure him I was now crying tears of joy. She did it trying out a new kind of bottle.... This morning she ate 32cc in her 20 minute limit (and was tube fed the rest), but that is still more than she was eating with the first bottle we thought was working. The tube will stay in for a little bit, but she is already making progress. I forgot got to ask how she did through the middle of the night....

Patience

Tonight I write with a sad heart. I have tried to keep my bad days from the blog because I didn't want to dwell on them, and I didn't want to search for sympathy. I have so much to be grateful for, and that is what I wanted to focus on. I have mentioned some of those days, and have clung to our baby, my husband, and many family and friends. (Thank you!)

Well, the tears are gone for a little bit.... but we thought Abby was going to be coming home today. Wow!! the emotions. She will probably be there another week. She needs more eating strength, and they ended up putting the feeding tube back in her. She just wouldn't eat today - after her 9:00 feeding. She just slept and slept - I couldn't really wake her. We had started discharge paper work and made doctors' appointments. The oxygen was delivered to our house. I had been trained in a few things like the monitor and fortifying milk....

A part of me is worried, but the doctor thinks everything is fine, but that we just need to build up her endurance.... Needless to say, we are very sad.... However, I am glad we discovered the problem before leaving, because we would just be bringing Abby back to the hospital - which I really don't want to do....

In the long scheme of things these extra days will seem like nothing, but right now they are long -- We have already made it twelve weeks. (counting when we first went to the hospital).... I just get more anxious.... We are so blessed that Abigail has had almost no real setbacks in all of this - just kind of sailing through.... I just want to bring her home and love her. I can't wait to hold her with nothing attached to her. I feel blessed that we were able to have Abby live, but I really want her home with John and I.

Staying at the hospital the last four days has been tiring, but wonderful. The first night was the roughest, but we were starting to get used to each other. It has been so great to hold her and put her to sleep and sing to her -- just be her mom and not leave her each night.... I cried as I held her at the end of today, told her how much I love her, and told her to sleep and get energy. I told her I was sorry that I had to leave her again....

I talked to a couple of friends today as I tried to keep myself together- one who has also ridden this roller coaster.... I love that the Lord has blessed me with some wonderful friends. Thank you! Thank you!.... Thank you to everyone for your love and prayers through all of this. We look forward even more to the day we get to bring our Little Abby home with us.


Happy 11 Weeks my Angel

Abigail with the feeding tube taken out the first time -- the tape kind of irritated her cheek, poor girl

Spending time with Daddy

No More Feeding Tube - Hopefully for Good!

Abby got a nice surprise yesterday -- the doctor had her feeding tube taken out. She has been kind of doing so-so without it. She still just lacks stamina. I spent the night there last night, and will probably be doing so most of the time for now-- John is trying to keep up with work, school, and hospital visits. It takes a lot of time to feed her - and it looks like she does better when John or I are doing it.... Needless to say, I am exhausted. Between feeding Abby and pumping more milk, there was not much time left for sleep. I will also probably not post pictures very much for a little bit. I am home for a few minutes today, and just don't want to be blogging at the hospital computer (unlike when I was in the hospital and got my laptop set-up there.) Plus, now that Abby is older - I have more opportunities to take care of her. I can almost do all of it now.

So, we may get Abby to come home in just a matter of days. She is currently weighing 5 lbs 11.5 oz, but may lose some weight as we make her work for her food more.... Mommy and Daddy need patience and Abigail needs stamina.... Here is hoping for a good week.... We hope all of you are doing well!

Five Pound Baby - Happy 10 Weeks

Little Miss Abby just keeps growing. Here are her current measurements that I know:
Weight: 5 lbs. 3.2 oz
Length: 17.4 in
OFC: 12.2 in (I think that is meaning her head.)

She is on oxygen, using a feeding tube, and receiving iron supplements. She only needs to be rid of the feeding tube to come home. She could possibly be okay without oxygen, but we are trying to give her good chances of keeping her lungs from being distressed and not getting RSV. She does a great job eating, but she just gets tired.

We are getting very excited, anxious, nervous, overwhelmed - to name a few. We continue to feel so blessed to be surrounded by so many wonderful people.... Thank you! Thank you!

Someone asked me what I thought I was learning from this experience -- a list can be made: The first thing that came to my mind was patience; I have also learned what a greater miracle-than I thought before-life is; It is a miracle that we can breath and eat (and the list goes on).... Abigail is a beautiful miracle, and we are so grateful that she is a part of our little forever family.


Look how much she is filling out and starting to chunk up....

Getting a back rub from Daddy--It helps her with her gas.

Enjoying her pacifier


Modeling some of her cute outfits....