So blessed!

I never remember to look at my last post to see what I have already told yall.  Bear with me if I repeat myself.  

Her weight has gotten up to 5 lb 8 oz.  However, since she is on the diuretics, she has lost a few ounces.  She is now at 5 lb 5.5 oz.  We are not as worried about her weight right now and she should level out as she adjust to being on this medication.  We will probably come home on this medication. 

As of 5:00 am this morning she has been off of oxygen.  I cannot begin to tell you all what a blessing this is.  Really, we are witnessing a true miracle, answered prayer!  I think the diuretics are working perfectly!  When she takes her bottles it takes more energy so her oxygen saturation drops some.  So this morning at 8:00 they put the oxygen back on for her to feed and then took it back away.  At the 11:00 and 2:00 feedings her O2 Sat was 97-100.  Can. not.believe. this.  The last time I talked to them was 3:45 so I am not sure of the 5:00 feeding.  She will have some blood work done tomorrow and some of it is blood gases so we can see how she is truly doing oxygen wise. 

Morgan's shower this weekend with great friends!

Wonderful family shower! Always a good time!

Special thanks to Cousin June for the mantle decor!!

We might have our Valentine baby afterall!!  We appreciate the continued prayers!!

We are getting close!

I have been a terrible blogger lately...feeling really guilty!  Sorry for the delay in posting such monumentous occasions in sweet Ann Martin's life!  We have loved having our own room in the NICU!  It is quaint, cozy and really makes us feel one step closer to being home.  Her room is the closest room to the nurses station so it is really loud.  I am hoping this prepares her to sleep through Molly and Copper's noisy behaviors.  Those of you who know our pups, know they won't stop their insane barking just because there is a new baby in the house.  I am really starting to make sure everything is washed, the room is just right, and making last runs to get baby essentials.  I can feel it in the air!

We were in Jackson on Friday and Saturday this past weekend.  On Friday afternoon between our visits, she decided she had had enough of the tube down her nose.  That's right, she pulled her feeding tube out!  They decided to try her on only PO feeds.  Since then she has done perfectly!  They do not anticipate having to put her back on tube feeds.
Oh, and she weighs 5 lb 3.5oz.!

She is on 10ML of oxygen as of this afternoon.  Her nurse had an order to trial her off of 20ML of oxygen to nothing but she didn't last long.  They should try her again tomorrow.  There is a possibility of coming home on oxygen.  That has always been an option but it really scares me.  She would be followed by home health and I really wonder what experience home health companies in Meridian have with preemie's...even if they do have experience, they are only at my house MAX 1 hour a day but more likely 3 times a weeks. I don't know...I have really been praying for God to provide wisdom for doctors and strength and bravery for me and Rob.  The oxygen is the ONLY thing keeping her there..so all of you prayer warriors out there, here is a specific prayer we would really appreciate.

Her eye doctor came to see her today and he said he would not need to see her again until she was 6 months.

So, we all know what to pray for and now we are truly in a waiting game.. Love you all!

Waiting game

Well, we continue to make progress but I have found that we are truly in a waiting game and we are not in charge!  She is weighing in at 4 lb 13 oz today.  She has been on a steady weight gain while gaining too much some days ( I will explain that).  She had gotten up to 40 ML a feeding but has been cut back to 38 ML a feeding recently.  She continues to take bottles when she is awake.  They were only giving her 2 in 24 hours but now she can try and take one every time she is awake for care times.  So today since 7am she has taken 3 bottles as of 5:30 this afternoon.  I am getting better at feeding them to her.

Some days recently she has gained 3-4 ounces in a day.  They did a chest xray Monday and she showed some fluid in her right lung.  They did 3 days of breathing treatments and repeated the chest xray on Wednesday and it looked much better.  The fluid makes it hard for her to breath limiting the bottle intake and requiring her to continue to need oxygen.  She still looks puffy so that is why they lowered her ML on feedings.  They were worried that she was getting fluid overload.

I always assumed her weight would be the thing that kept us there.  No, no, no...getting her off oxygen and taking all of her bottles will be what keeps us there.  Yes, she can come home on oxygen but I get the feeling they expect her to not need that.  So we are attempting to be patient ;) and remember that it will all come together in God's perfect timing.  After all, he has gotten us this far and look how well we are doing!  We are so close and I find myself imagining what it will be like to sit at home at night, watching t.v., and holding her.  Kissing her forehead while I rock her to sleep...those moments I know I would have taken for granted had we not been through this.

I sometimes feel guilty being back at work while she is over there.  I have to keep telling myself this is so I can be home with her when she comes home...I must tell myself that 100 times a day.  She will open her eyes when I talk to her now and that makes me think she recognizes my voice...even though I am not there as often as I would like, maybe she still knows who I am.

Thank you all for continued prayers! We love each and every one of yall!

This is her new room

Another view of her room

They all have these boards to communicate what she has going on

Look at those chubby cheeks
{Don't know where she gets the chin dimple}

Cuddling

She likes her new bed

Snuggling this weekend

Pictures

Pictures as promised! And, we are up to 4 lb 4 oz today!!

Rob's mom, Zan, holding her for the first time.

Rob and his mom with AM

She loved her Zan time

My mom, Nana, getting some holding time in

So content...

Both of her grandmothers holding together for first time

Family picture

Can't wait to get this little baby home!

Getting closer!!

We have had a very big week in the NICU! Much to be thankful for and to report. We continue to be amazed at what God is capable and has done in the life of Ann Martin McKenzie. She is a true testament of Gods power and mercy.

Listen up y'all, this girl is officially weighing in at 4 lb 3 oz!! We have jumped another hurdle. I think she is saying she is ready to come home and we are too!

She has been regulating her temperature well with no problems. So...yesterday she was moved to a crib and her OWN room! So exciting for us! We feel this is one step closer to her being in her crib at home. I talked with her nurse this morning and she is loving her new room.

Robs mom got to come over this past Wednesday for the first time since she was born. She has changed quite a but since then. She really enjoyed seeing her and holding her for a bit. My mom came with her and also got to hold her. They loved spending time with her and are ready for her to be home to spoil rotten!

I have lots of pictures that I will post when I get to the computer! Love to all and thank you for continued prayers!

Quick update

I wanted to update y'all on her progress...

She is weighing in at 3 lb 11 oz! We are 5 ounces away from our own crib and our own room, hopefully 😁😲!

She gets her hematocrit checked in the morning so please say a prayer we have increased that! She continues to require the oxygen because hemo is too low.

Other than that we are pretty uneventful. Ill post soon with more updates!

Big things!

We are accomplishing big things these days.  We are proud parents of a beautiful, sweet baby girl!

Today she is 3 lb 8oz.  Her feedings have gone up to 30 ML/3 hours.  She still is fed over thirty minutes though.  We got to Jackson in time today to feed her a bottle.  Rob did most of the feeding and they were regular pros (after nurse P showed proper techniques)  Premmies have a 'reflex' you could call it to hold their tongue on the roof of their mouth.  They can't suck when this happens.  You have to time sticking the bottle in their mouths at the same time.  We are getting the hang of it...and she took her whole bottle.  Next to master is burping :).

She went for some of the day without oxygen.  When she is on oxygen, it is just 10 ML.  Nurse B says it's a 'whiff' of oxygen so we are ok with this.  Still this is caused by her hemotocrit being so low.  Once that comes up, we are told the oxygen will be a thing of the past.

We got to do her bath tonight.  We took a little longer than usual because the stickers on her face needed changing.  Boy did she let us know we were taking too long and messing with her TOO much!  So we quickly swaddled her, put paci in, and closed her up for the night.

She really is doing astounding things and amazing the staff!  God is so good, all the time!
We love yall and really appreciate your continued prayers!

Wednesday before I fed her

We were still getting the hang of things here

Tonight- quality snuggle time

Couldn't you just pinch those cheeks??
Many forehead kisses happened here :)

supper time!

After her bath tonight.  We think she is starting to follow sounds...
could be coincidental 

I'm going to call that a smile!  Love her new outfit Mrs. Shelley!

Family photo

Yum! Could just eat her with a spoon she's so sweet!