Tuesday, July 2, 2013

Big girl steps

The past week has been a tough one. I started back to work so that I would have more time off when Amelia is able to come home.  It helps that I work at the same hospital, so I am able to stop in and see her throughout the day,but it makes for some very long days/nights. Luckily, being the little sweet heart that Amelia already is, she has been trying to make it easier on Mommy by taking some big steps this week. On my first day of work (after working 13 hours) I came up to her crib to finally get to hold her for the day and she had this note on her crib from the day nurse:


Now it may seem like, what is the big deal? But because she was born so early, babies at her age don't know how to coordinate swallowing and breathing so the doctors don't allow bottle feedings until they are around 33 weeks. That day they decided to just see if she would be interested and on her first try she drank her whole bottle ( even if it is a tiny bottle).  They are still only allowing her to do two bottles a day because they dont want her to use too much energy sucking those bottles down (it is hard work). :) Daddy got to be the first one to feed her a bottle next (ironic I know, because I am spending hours a day pumping the milk), but I already know she is going to be a daddy's girl. ;)


The next day they let us know that she was doing well enough that we could start bringing in clothes for her to wear. Lucky for us Curt and Lindsey brought up all the gifts from our TN shower on the Jenkins side so she now has lots of new preemie and newborn clothes. That was another thing that made my first week back better too. Curt & Lindsey got to meet Amelia for the first time, and each night when I came home from the hospital I got to open a few gifts and see all the thoughtful things people had gotten her and read little messages from all the people praying for us.

Another big step this week was Amelia getting to lose an "accessory" this week. As a girl, I am sure one day she will like lots of accessories, but right now her oxygen nasal cannula was an accessory we were glad to see go. We know there is a chance she may need it again, but we are praying she breathes well enough to keep it off. We love seeing her little face without it in the way.

Finally, she turned one month old yesterday! We can't believe how time flies! And on her one month birthday she weighed in last night at 4 lbs!


We are so thankful for the way God is working in her little life already.  We know that we could not have made it through this first month without his loving arms around her (and us). Thank you to each of you for your prayers, cards, calls, and support.  We are so in love with this little angel and we haven't even gotten to take her home yet! When she comes home, we may not be able to put her down!


2 comments:

  1. We will all be standing in line to get our turn to hold her!:)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I have seniority! She is so cute and those eyes are taking everything in.

    ReplyDelete