Moments and Miracles: February 2007

Sunday, February 18, 2007

Thank You!

I was in such a rush to post my last entry that I realized I had forgotten to thank all of you for your prayers and sweet comments during Ava's first few weeks. I can't tell you all how much it means to Kurt and I that so many people were praying for our sweet baby. It's amazing that so many people we have never met in person were praying for all of us. I am printing all of the comments from this blog to put in Ava's baby book. I want her to know how many people were praying for her to get well. I feel like my words are very inadequate, but thank you again.

Update

Ava is now over 5 pounds! We went to the doctor on Tuesday and she weighed 5 lbs. 1 oz. She had gained 6 oz. in a week. She is doing great. We go back to the doctor two weeks from our last appointment. We are hoping Ava will be close to 6 lbs. by then. The doctor said that once we get to 6 lbs. we can reevaluate our feeding schedule. I really hope this means he will let me nurse her for full feedings. I can't wait to get to the point where I just have to pump occasionally!

We are starting to get a taste of what it is like to have a normal newborn. For the first three weeks or so, Ava slept almost all day and never cried. She is now starting to cry when she is hungry, gets her diaper changed, or is put down when she wants to be held. The last part is new. She wants to be held all the time. If you put her down, she will grunt until you pick her up again. I love to hold her, but when am I going to get things done??? The last two nights she has spent sleeping on either my chest or her grandmother's. I really hope this is just a phase. Again, I really can't complain too much. She really is a very good baby.

It's time to feed Ava again, but here are a few of her newest pictures.

Ava with Boompa (her great-grandfather)

Ava with Aunt Donna

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Ava is Home!

I have tried to post three times since Ava came home last Friday, but blogger has erased my post before it published all three times. I don't have as much time to post all of the details this time, but I want to give a quick update.

Ava is doing great. She came home on Friday, February 2. That is actually the day I was supposed to start my maternity leave. I thought I would have a couple of weeks to get everything ready before our little one arrived. Of course, Ava had different plans. She has definitely let us know that she runs the show. Anyway, we took Ava for her first appointment with the pediatrician last Tuesday. She had gained one ounce making her 4 lbs. 11 oz. We go back on Tuesday, so we are hoping she has gained this week.

The pediatrician didn't like the feeding plan we were on from the NICU, so he changed it once again. He said that her breastfeeding for full feedings is like her running a marathon at this point. He is now only letting me nurse her for 20 minutes and then we give her a bottle of breastmilk supplemented with neosure. We also have to feed her every three hours. That makes nights very long. I have to get up, change her diaper, breastfeed her for 20 minutes, warm up a bottle, give her the bottle which usually takes her 30-45 minutes to finish, put her back in bed, and pump for 20 minutes. That usually gives me an hour to an hour and a half of sleep before it is time to do it all over again.

I really shouldn't complain though. Ava is a great baby. The only time she cries is when she is hungry and that isn't very often. She definitely warns us that she is hungry before she begins to cry. She loves to get a bath which makes our job very easy.

Well, it's almost time for her to eat again, so I better finish up. I will try to post more often now that we are getting into a routine. I will definitely try to post again after her appointment on Tuesday.

Everyone has been asking me for pictures, so here are just a few. These pictures are a little over a week old, so I will try to post more current pictures soon. She is changing every day.