Let Us Sleep On It (February 29th, 2008)

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 5 pounds 5.9 ounces

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

~ This is Emma's official last picture in the level II NICU at Clear Lake Regional Hospital.

~ Before Darren and I could bring Emma home, we had to "Room-In" at the NICU. There is a room at the hospital in the NICU area that is set up like a hotel room. Here are pictures.

That's Emma in the pink open crib in the pictures.

We have to be there at 8pm Friday evening to stay with Emma with her monitor to be sure we understand how it works. We will be discharged from the hospital directly from the "Rooming In" room and no longer in the NICU.

The hospital is "kind" enough to bring our meals. There's everything we would need to simulate a home experience including a lost remote to the TV.

One of our favorite nurses describes the experience this way, "After we (NICU) have had Emma for this long, we (the nurses) want to be sure we trust you enough to take our precious one home." Basically, they want to "sleep on it" just to be sure.

Checkered Flag in View (Thursday, February 28th, 2008)

It's becoming official. Miss Emma is coming home. Today, we got word that the expected/anticipated "Bring Home" date is Saturday! I have been absent and hesitating writing this all week because the dates have kept changing. But, as we move closer to Saturday, the date has stabilized.




I can't describe how this feels right now. I am anxious, nervous, scared, proud, humbled, excited, ecstatic, terrified, happy, sad, joyous, selfish, beaming, and emotional to say the least.

Emma, I can't wait to have you home!!!!!!!

Field Trips (Wednesday, February 27th, 2008)

It was a long, but good, day at the hospital today. Emma completed more of the tests needed before she comes home.

1) Emma had a barium swallow test. Basically this involved Emma being fed some nasty liquid and x-rays and more x-rays. The x-rays showed the barium liquid going down and then coming partially back up the esophagus. This is commonly known as Acid Reflux. Therefore, Miss Emma will be coming home with Acid Reflux medication.

2) Emma also had an MRI of her brain. Results are back and all looks normal. YEAH!

3) The results are back from the OCGVR (???, I don't know if I have the right acronym). Emma has periodic breathing. This means at times she breathes normal for 4-5 breathes then takes a really shallow breath. As a precaution, she will be coming home with monitors. Dr. Bedhi indicated she will grow out of this. We just need to be patient. (Haha, you all know how patient Emma and I are. We both will have to rely on Darren's patience.)

Wide Open Space (Tuesday, February 26th, 2008)

Okay...Darren is not a fan of the Dixie Chicks but I happen to like some of their songs. So I couldn't resist.

Yes, Miss Emma has moved into an open crib and out of her isolette. She's movin' up.

The apparatus you seen in her nose is not oxygen. She was having her OCGVR (???) test done. (Please don't ask what the acronym references. At work, I am known as the acronym queen, but alas I have been dethroned!) Basically, this 12 hour tests monitors breathing, heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation levels, acid reflux, etc. It's a 12 hour test.

I find it rather semi-ironic that Emma is finally out of an isolette but is now hooked up to more wires.

Needless to say, this is another step closer to home.

Aunt MiMi's Day

Aunt MiMi got to hold me today!

All I Can Eat...Really?????

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 2257 or 4 pounds 15.6 ounces
• Feedings: All She Can Eat in 30 minutes

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

There is just one picture today. It shows it all. This is one of her smiles/grins after she finishes her bottle. Today, she took 15 minutes "direct from the source" and additional 20 cc's from a bottle.

This marks another milestone or "check" on the checklist of things to do before she can come home. In addition, she was taken off her Reglan (for acid reflux). Before she can come home, they will perform a sleep and acid reflux test to determine if she needs monitors and meds when she gets home. We are definitely getting closer.

Tiny Bubbles (February 23rd, 2008)

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 2270 grams or FIVE pounds
• Feedings: 44cc's over eight bottle feedings with one direct from the source

Accomplishments/Happenings/Milestones:

~ There is a nurse in the NICU that loves giving baths. We know so, because she sings a modified version the song Tiny Bubbles in the sweetest, bubbly (pun-intended) voice while bathing other babies. It took everything in me today, not to sing T iny Bubbles while bathing Emma. Darren and I gave her a bath this morning. This marks another CHECK on the checklist of things to do before we go home!!!

~ After her bath, to warm her up and keep her warmer, Mommy (me) decided to try one of Emma's other outfits with feet. Daddy didn't think this would be a good idea. Well...

Here you see Miss Emma in her lavender onesie before her bath.

And here you see Miss Emma in the outfit she chose after her bath and tantrum, a pink onesie. As soon as we placed Miss Emma's feet in the feet portion of the footsie, she began to cry, well not really cry, more like scream. Nothing would console her. Finally, Daddy grabbed a onesie and with a big smile at Mommy said, "I told you so."

~ Great Grandma and Grandpa, Aunt KK and Uncle Jimmy came for a visit.

Moo Juice Direct from the Source

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 2170 grams or 4 pounds 12.5 ounces


• Feedings: 38 cc's over eight bottle feedings including one feeding direct from the source

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

~ Along with all her feedings being by bottle, Emma gets to attempt obtaining milk directly from the source once a day. She took the news and attempted this like a pro. Keep your fingers crossed!!!!

The nurse actually called this pose/look, Breastmilk Drunk.

~ Pictures of the day!

Now You See It...Now You Don't

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 2146 grams or 4 pounds 11.7 ounces
• Feedings: 38 cc's during 8 bottle feedings

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

~ We feel like doing a little cheer. Oh what the heck...

Two, Four, Six, Eight, what do we appreciate???? Eight Bottles a Day...That's right eight bottles a day!!!!!

~ Picture Time...What's different about these two pictures?

Closer and closer...

The burning question: When is Emma coming home?

Well ... I don't have an answer for the moment. But consider these things...

Some have stated she will come home when she is 5 pounds. She's close.

Some have stated she will come home after all eight of her feeds are by bottles. She's close.

Another has said that she will come home after she's reached 36 weeks. She's close.

All in all, we must remember that each day brings us closer and closer to bringing her home.

And what well she come home to????

Well, in my spare time (haha), I've made Darren help redecorate the nursery.

The nursery before...

The nursery after...

Yes, it's been invaded by ladybugs. The walls have been painted a pretty green (3rd time's the charm). The official bedding collection is the Kidsline Ladybug collection.

It's too cute!

Now if only Darren can prevent me from buying more of the matching accessories...haha...

Two...Three..Four...SIX Bottle Feedings Per Day

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 2098 grams or 4 pounds 10 ounces
• Feedings: 38 cc's and the title says it all, SIX bottle feedings per day

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

~ Today, Emma started out with Four bottle feedings per day and jumped to SIX bottle feedings day!!!

~ Picture of the Day

Two..Three...FOUR Bottle Feedings Per Day (February 19th, 2008)

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 2055 grams or 4 pounds 8.5 ounces
• Feedings: 38 cc's per feeding with FOUR bottle feedings per day

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

~ Yes, you read correctly. Every other feeding for Miss Emma is a bottle feeding. She is taking them in stride as well. At her 11am feeding, she downed (maybe inhaled is a better word) her milk in 8 minutes. At 5pm, she took her complete bottle including burps in 9 minutes. She is also all smiles after her bottle. Like look at me, I'm a big girl now!!!!

~ The caption below should read...Daddy, I refuse to take pictures under these circumstances.

Pardon Me, Do You Have any Grey Poupon?

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 2020 grams or 4 pounds 7.3 ounces
• Feedings: 38 cc's with THREE (possibly FOUR) bottle feedings

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

~ Look at the little angel in white!!! Just remember looks can be very deceiving.

~ During Emma' 5pm feeding, her refined pallette or taste buds made an appearance. Emma absolutely refused to take her bottle today at 5pm. She was definitely looking for her bottle and would start sucking on it immediately. But then she would shudder and spit whatever she had taken out. We tried for 20 minutes. Darren and I smelled the milk and it smelled different than previous bottles. We asked the nurse if there was a new additive. She replied no, but said this was the last of the batch mixed from earlier. The nurse then took a freshly squeezed/pumped milk, mixed and re-bottled. Emma took it rapidly in 9 minutes with a really big burp. So, apparently Miss Emma prefers fresh milk over milk that has sat in the fridge awhile. So either we can describe her as really really picky or a baby with refined tastebuds...hehe... I can just see Emma requesting Grey Poupon, certainly not just any plain mustard.

~ More pictures from today...

Overachiever (February 17th, 2008)

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 1950 grams or 4 pounds 5 ounces
• Feedings: 34 cc's with TWO bottle feedings possibly THREE per day!!!

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

~ Miss Emma the overachiever took her 5pm bottle in all of SIX minutes!!!

~NaNa and PaPa got to hold Emma today!

Moving On Up...Two Bottle Feedings a Day

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 1910 grams or 4 pounds 3.4 ounces
• Feedings: 34 cc's with one bottle feeding per day

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

~ Today, Miss Emma was our little pink princess.



~ The bottle feeding went extremely well and she is being bumped up to 2 bottle feedings a day, one at 5pm and one at 5am.

~ Please also note there is a rare occurence in the pictures. Can anyone spot it?

~ Today, the kind and gracious ladies from work hosted a baby shower for the two of us. I will post pictures when I can. Thank you thank you thank you to all the ladies who hosted, those who attended, and a big thank you for the fabulous gifts Emma and I received.

Revolt Against Fuzzy Socks

Emma Estimates:

• Weight: 1870 grams or 4 pounds 2 ounces
• Feedings: 35 cc's over 30 minutes or 12 minutes during her on bottle feeding

Accomplishments/Milestones/Happenings:

~ The nurses really like her in green.

~ By now you have seen pictures of Emma in her cute bobby or cuff socks. She really likes those and keeps them on her feet. However, she either does not like the fuzzy socks or she has a whole lot of fun pulling them off and having the nurses replace them. A few days ago, one of her nurses put fuzzy socks on her 5 different times. Each time the nurse says, Emma would use her feet and toes to push them off her feet. The nurse finally gave up. Well, today was the same thing. A different nurse put fuzzy socks on and Emma was quick to take them off. So no fuzzy socks for Emma for the time being. I'll keep you posted on the fuzzy sock watch!!!!

~ Snug as a bug in Daddy's arms.

Happy Valentine's Day

Pictures of Emma in her Valentine's Day outfit (a red floral print onesie, red jumper with pink bow and flowers, and white socks with pink bow to match)!!!!