29 weeks!

Sorry for the lack of posting lately.  We got in late last night and were very tired.  We got to see her last night and do her bath.  It was great and our nurse told us what a great job we did.  Love the affirmation!  It had only been three days since we had seen her but I promise I could look at her and tell she was growing.  Yesterday she had gained 30 grams making her 1 lb. 10 oz.  However, this morning, she lost 10 grams but still making her 1 lb. 10 oz.  The grams may sound minimal but they are so big to a baby her size.

Today we timed it right to catch the doctor as he rounded.  We are blessed with the most wonderful doctors we could ever dream of.  This is a different doctor than we started out with but he has told me twice that he and our first doctor will be the ones rotating in Baptist NICU so we should usually have one of them.  They work in a big practice that service multiple hospitals.  I am glad we got the two we have although I have never met any of the other ones.  He told us that she is doing great.  He is goal oriented and likes to tell us what we need to be concerned about and a time frame when it could appear.  Also a time frame when we should not have to worry about it any more.  For example, there is a condition called NEC- what I can tell you about it...it affects her gastrointestinal tract.  She is not showing symptoms of it right now, but there is still a peaked window around day 30-35 where it is prevalent.  He says he has never seen it past day 60.  Today she is 23 days old.  NEC is "bubbles" in the intestines that could cause holes in the tract requiring surgery.  It is common in premmies.  We are thankful she is not showing signs as of now and pray she will continue.  She will also have another head ultrasound around day 30.  This is looking for neurological abnormalities.  She did well on her first scan and we likewise pray the next one will be clear!

Her blood count was low again this morning.  They had to do another transfusion this morning.  Her blood count the first time only went up to 33.  They want it to go up to more like 40.  In the morning if it hasn't come back close to 40, they will do another smaller transfusion.  We did a bath with her last night and I really thought her color looked great.  We got there today and I could really tell that she was a little pale.  After we saw her tonight, she had pinked up again.

Tonight we had a little photo session with her.  Very informal but needed.  I have been nervous to take "formal" pictures of her but tonight was fun and I think we will be doing again soon.  I would like to get a photographer to take some newborn pictures of her.  I will share some of the pictures from tonight and her bath last night.

I feel like I might redeem myself with you sweet, avid blog readers with all of these pictures :)  Love you guys!!  Praise the LORD for this sweet, sweet child of ours!!

This was our first time to hold her like a baby--cradle her

Please ignore me and look at that sweet baby!

Another family picture

Photo session
{Think she has enough hands around her}

It was quite a process
{Mom and dad please stop this non-sense}

{I melt}

We kept covering up the IV in her leg but she really wanted it in the picture
and kept kicking it out
{Mind of her own}

Again...
{I melt}

Awesome basket our wonderful nurse found

This is how we left her
{Snug as a bug}