Home Sweet Home

Since we have been home (we were discharged officially last Friday) we have spent our days trying to get into a groove as a family of three.  We definitely aren't getting a lot of rest, but Quinn will figure out her sleep cycles eventually.  Last night she was a champ and slept soundly between each feeding--made me a happy mama!

Having Quinn home with us has been the best, and we have seen changes in her demeanor since.  She seems to sleep more soundly, and just seems to be a happier  baby.  We are still working really hard on getting her to gain weight.  As we shared, she is missing 50% of her small intestine so the worry is always, is she absorbing the nutrients she needs to grow, not just pooping everything out.  Her habits haven't seemed to change as far as eating and pooping, so we feel confident that she is just trying to figure it all out still.  Say a prayer for her little body to hit a growth spurt--it will make mom and dad worry a lot less, and help our girl to get stronger!

Since she's been home, Quinn spends a lot of her time snuggling.  We may have created a monster by holding her pretty much 24/7 in the NICU, but that's okay by us-we love a good snuggle.  She had her first official bath (which she still isn't so sure about), made her first visits to Graeter's and Whole foods, and has gone for many a walk! This week she had her first official play date with her boyfriends Evan & Rhys, but no worries, it was heavily chaperoned ;)  This weekend we look forward to doing real life, labor day weekend things as a family of three! Matt and I have committed to "getting out and doing normal things" each day despite our nerves as first time parents and out worries about Quinn in general.  With Matt being back to work, Quinn and I are super excited to have him home with us for four days in a row!  If only we could just keep him home with us for the duration :)


                                  

Update!

I have been bad about updating over the past few days.  Matt is back at work, and I am trying to get the hang of this NICU parenting thing on my own.  Yes, we have nurses eager to help, but I like to try to do it all--it's good practice for when we get out of here (or in nurse code, "going to the zoo"--they say that instead of h.o.m.e. because babies tend to hear that word and then throw a wrench in the plan).   We still aren't really sure where that is on the horizon for us, it just depends on how Quinn continues to progress.

As of today, we have been cleared to "ad-lib" her feeds.  This means that because she had successfully taken 60 ml from a bottle, we could let her eat to her hearts desire every three hours.  This also included me being able to attempt breast feeding.  She's figuring it all out, and getting in between 60-80 ml a feed between bottle & mama.  What a big girl! We are really focused ultimately on Quinn's ability to pack on the pounds.  She had a steady increase but went down a bit as of recently.  Last night she seemed to level out and remained exactly the same.  We are hoping that is a sign she is going to go up tonight! If she can continue to eat, have semi normal bowel habits, and gain, we will officially label her as the cutest, biggest, badass peanut that ever lived (no bias there ;)  But really...we are so so proud of her and so impressed by her each and every day.

So for now, we continue to let Quinn tell us what she needs and let her little body figure things out.  When she is ready to "go to the zoo", her body will let us know.  For now, we will keep snuggling & spoiling her rotten.

Quinn Loves:

• Eating & Snoozing
• Having her hands up by her face (or attempting to claw her eyes out--mittens have come in handy, although I find them to be hideous and annoying)
• Her nurses who always stop by to check in, even when they don't have her: Lindsay, Rachael, Kat, Melanie, & Brooke.
• Her new book from Emme & Jack "Wherever you are, my love will find you" (try reading it without sobbing--I dare you)

Quinn is not a fan of:

• Her "care" every four hours (vitals, measurements, temperature probes & diaper changes)
• Having to wait to eat...you think her mama gets hangry--she takes it to a whole new level
• Being in the NICU...everyone here has been wonderful, but she wants out!

    

25 ML

Let me tell you what I don't like...doctors and nurses who feel the need to rain on your parade or take away every ounce of positivity you are hanging onto.

The goods news, Quinn has continued to up her feeds by 5 ml a day (today she is at 25 ml -- whoop whoop). She hasn't thrown up or shown any signs of discomfort, other than that the girl is starving and about 30 mins before each feed she gets hangry (who could blame her-like mother like daughter). Our girl has also consistently gained weight over the past 5 or so feeds, weighing in at 5 lbs 11 oz!

What are we watching? Her poop--as usual. I have always been particular about my bowel movements, but never did I think my days would revolve around my sweet girls bowels. If things get too "watery" or too frequent, we will have to pull back on feeds and give her belly a chance to adjust. We need to be sure she is absorbing nutrients to grow.

Here is where the "what I don't like" comes in. Yes, I get that doctors and nurse practitioners have to be cautionary, they want to keep us informed of all possible issues, but for once, how about a "wow, Quinn is so strong and doing so well" without following up with "let's talk about 3 possible things that could by chance happen".

In order for me to survive this roller coaster, I've surrendered to positivity only. So far Quinn has surpassed any and all expectations of her as she heals. I don't have room in my life these days to play over in my head all of the "what ifs". Today, she continues to kick butt and I believe in her and her strength to get better more than I've ever believed in anything. She wants to be home where she belongs just as much as Matt & I want that and I know it will happen. She is going to do things in her own time and while she does, the two of us will remain her biggest cheerleaders. We continue to spend as much time snuggling her as possible!

In other news, we finally started to put big girl clothes on her. Poor thing lived swaddled up in a diaper for way too long.  She has also become quite famous around here with lots of her favorite nurses popping in every day to check in on her, or just to visit.

Thanks for buying me clothes that are small enough to fit Grammy, Aunt Julie Alloway & Shari Bland! New polka dot blanky compliments of Grandma Ullmer.  


         

    

I'm Eating!

This weekend our girl continues to amaze us! Yesterday Quinn started bottle feeding, receiving just 5ml's of mama's milk every three hours.  It took a little practice to start, but by the end of the day she was a pro.  She also had her biggest poop yet...and you know how we feel about poop around here! I took pictures and got teary eyed and was way more enthused than the nurses.  After her successful day yesterday, they have slowly increased her milk by another 5ml's.  She drank round #1 (of her 10 ml's) like a champ this morning--so far so good.  As her milk intake continues to increase they start to back off on her IV nutrition.  It's a balance so ensure she is getting what she needs and starting to grow.   She is back to her birth weight essentially, maybe a touch bigger, and we eagerly await her "weigh in" every evening.  We continue to cross our fingers for regular poo's and continued tolerance of her feedings.  I don't know where this girl gets it from, but she is such a badass (is it bad to say that about your 18 day old daughter?!?!).  She has been faced with more in her first few weeks of life than most people ever endure and she just keeps hurdling over each milestone.  We are the most proud parents and have so much confidence in her strength to keep moving forward.

Since she started her feeds, she has become quite the smiler--everyone's always happier when they're well fed, right?!?!

Friday Progress!!

What do you notice about me today (other than that I am really stinking cute)?!?!?!?

Today we took another step forward.  Quinn got her OG tube removed early this morning.  Surgeons noted that Quinn's x-rays are showing more normal gas patterns within her intestines, and they are hearing "bowel sounds"when they listen to that little belly.  Her OG output was also significantly lower and light in color, therefore, they pulled that annoying tube out today.  We are crossing our fingers that her body tolerates it, hoping for no throwing up and no belly distention.  So far, so good.  

Doctors keep prepping Matt & I with the fact that there are almost always set backs, and that it is not smooth sailing with procedures like this-so we are cautiously optimistic.  With how hungry this little nugget acts, she is ready to start eating, and we just know it.  She tries to eat her hands, her PIIC line, her blankets, and whenever Mama holds her she is fiercely searching for milk.  We continue to be blown away with how strong and tenacious our little peanut is, she makes Matt & I stronger as parents just because of who she is.  We have a feeling that she will give us a run for our money as she grows up--but we wouldn't take her any other way.

As always, thanks to all of you who continue to show your unwavering support of our little family of 3.  As we open up gifts, and cards and eat the meals people drop off, we are consistently teary eyed and so blown away by how many people out there are thinking of our girl.  No words will ever be enough to thank you.

PS- thanks for the cute swaddle blanket aunt Kate & Maddie! It was perfect for our tube free photo shoot!

XOXO

Hats on Hats

Today has proven pretty uneventful as far as milestones go.  Quinn's OG tube stayed in today, and it's looking like tomorrow may be the day to remove it--barring any issues tonight.  The girl can't wait for that tube to be out, she tries to pull it out herself any chance she gets.  The surgeons took off her steri strips today from her incision, and it looks really good (I joke with her that we are twins in that department, but her precious little belly has healed way faster than mine).

In the meantime, we have been sporting a wide variety of new headwear compliments of our many friends and visitors.  Since we can't dress her up yet, hats and headbands are our go to, and we enjoy staring at the little peanut in all of her cuteness as she models them. Thanks to her babe aunties, aunt Sara, and to Mary for keeping keeping our girl stylish :)



   

Happy Two Weeks

Here are a few of our favorite pictures of our sweet girl on her two week birthday.  It was hard to narrow it down from the 348 pictures of her in our phones.  Clearly she is a fan of having her hands by her face (unless we are holding those sweet little hands - aka our favorite thing to do).

               





G.I. Update: The suction tube was turned off today to help with Quinn's digestive recovery.  If all goes well, the tube should come out tomorrow or the following day.  We are excited for every little step of progress she makes.  Keep those prayers and positive thoughts coming.  They are certainly helping.