A Comparison...

Bassinet @ 8 weeks

Bassinet @ 14.5 weeks

Yes, that is the same baby! I thought it would be fun

to show the difference 6.5 weeks has made! I know

that in the top picture, she's swaddled and the bottom one

she's not, but, I hope you can see how she has grown.

The top picture was taken her first week home at 5lbs, 14 oz and 

the bottom picture was just taken on Friday (4/23) at 8lbs, 12oz.

Keep growing, baby! We love to watch you get big and strong!

Three Months...

Rachael turned three months old (calendar age)
( 5 weeks, adjusted age)
while getting a visit in with "Pops" - my Dad.
She enjoyed sleeping on Pops' chest
and listening and he sung her lullabies.

Fast facts about Rachael @ 3 months:
weight: 8lbs, 5 ounces
eating 450-500 ml's each day
lifting head when on belly
smiling once and a while
loves her playmat and looking
at the baby in the mirror
discovered her hands

A picture or two:

Visitors

We have been blessed with friends coming to visit in the month
since Rachael has been home! (Has it only been a month? I feel
like she's always been here!)
I can't describe the feeling of being able to introduce
Rachael to our friends and family...I do it with pride,
excitement and anticipation for the years to come.
These are moments we have waited for
for such a long time!
In addition to those pictured, Laura, Leslie, Jen, Caroline & Olivia
have come by to see us.

Come back again soon, everyone!

Ryan & Nate meet Rachael

Evan and Rachael meet

Shannon & Samantha
Sara & Rachael

Shannon & Sam
Phil & Rachael

Mary Catherine, Chad
& the boys came by
to meet Rachael

Happy Birthday, Nana!

Happy Birthday, Nana!

Thank you for coming to stay with us and for taking care of me. 

I can't wait to cuddle with you again. 

love and kisses,

Rachael

He Is Risen, Indeed!

Happy Easter! (Better late, than never, right?)
He is risen, indeed! We missed being able to celebrate
this joyous occasion at church, but, we took the time
to be thankful for our sins that have been washed away
by His sacrifice.
We enjoyed a nice Easter weekend with Mimi and Papa who came
to love on Rachael and Lacey (oh, and us, too!)
We also celebrated Mimi's birthday- - Happy Birthday, Mimi!

Hip Sway...

Have you ever noticed the way your hips sway
when you hold a baby?
I think this is one of the coolest, instinctual movements
that the body makes. Usually, this motion calms
the little one. And if it doesn't calm the baby,
it at least keeps the hip joints soft!

As I was standing near my Mom last week
when she was holding Rachael (hips swaying),
I realized that I was doing it too, without a baby
in my arms or even thinking about it. Through
her example, my Mom has taught me to be
(I hope) a good mother...not perfect, but,
at least loving and working hard for my little one.

Calming Rachael...cuddling her...rubbing her back....
brushing her soft cheek with my finger....holding
her while my hips sway...there's nothing better.

And...what's a post without pictures?

4 Generations...

The picture above explains where I've been for the past
10 days...marveling as my mom and my grandmother held,
cuddled, loved and soothed my baby girl.
It's amazing to see Rachael with my Mom (Nana) and
my Grandmother (Gammy). Rachael is Gammy's fifth great-grandchild
and, of course, Nana's first grandchild.
Many, many thanks to Mom and Gammy for loving on Mike,
Rachael and me...we very much enjoyed your visit!
Come back soon!
A few notes about the kiddo:
~ weight as of 3/26/10: 7lbs! More than double her lowest
weight in the hospital (2lbs, 10oz).
~ turns her head from side-to-side when laying on her tummy
~ follows the sound of a rattle or of mommy & daddy's voices
~ continues to battle acid reflux...it all sits in her nasal passages and makes her a noisy breather

And, some photos from the week with Nana and Gammy:

The first week home in pictures...

I give the details later, here's a picture story of Rachael's first week home!
(If you're wondering, we ARE getting SOME sleep... :)

What's this torture?
Oh, it's my first bath at home!

First doctor's appointment!
My weight: 5lbs, 14.5oz

4th generation to sleep
in daddy's family bassinet

A nap on Daddy
....simply the best!

Lacey is
checking on me!

Look at how
many chairs
 I "need": 2 bouncers,
one car seat
and a swing!






Overall, it's been a great first week!
We're so relieved and thrilled to have
Rachael at home...where she belongs.
Thanks be to God!

Welcome Home, Rachael!

What a great couple of days it has been! On Saturday, in addition to fantastic spring-like weather, I was lucky enough to celebrate Rachael's arrival with some fabulous ladies! Many thanks to Shannon, Olivia and Ryan for such a wonderful party!
And....on Monday, March 8th, we were blessed to bring Rachael home! NO MORE NICU!
Yay! We were given extensive discharge training, which actually happened over the course of her stay and then was finished by the discharge nurse during the day of departure. They go over just about everything from diapering to home safety and teach parents how to take care of their little one(s). And, I thought they didn't come with instruction manuals? :)
We got to "room in" with Rachael before taking her home...what an experience. Mike and I got about 90 minutes of sleep....ahhhh, welcome to parenthood. Even in the middle of the 4:00AM feeding, I was still thanking God for Rachael and the blessing she is to us. Now, we're home....and it's up to us to figure it out.
All I can say is thank God for Mike....he's a wonderful Dad and fantastic husband and I wouldn't want to share this experience with anyone else.
Here are some pictures:

Free...at last!

NO....we are not brining Rachael home, but, the 2nd best thing is that she is no longer in isolation!
She had her 4th negative MRSA swab on Tuesday and they promptly moved her to the Transitional
Care Nursery (TCN) which is a place for babies who are bigger and stronger and closer to going home.
We spent yesterday's visit touching her all over with our BARE hands. It was such a luxury and a pure joy.
I will never take for granted the ability to touch my baby's soft skin.
Over the last few days, I've really been soaking in just how "lucky" we are with Rachael's progress...there are so many babies in the NICU who are smaller and face many more dangerous situations.....several have already had one or more surgeries, several are so tiny that they're fighting for their lives, several were born to drug addicted mothers. Each day, I give thanks for Rachael and for her strength and feisty perseverance.
In medial news....she is improving greatly on the Prilosec....we've seen fewer brady attacks in the last couple of days....goodness knows we're praying that it stays this way!
Happy 7 weeks, Rachael!