Last post...

Please go to http://www.ourbabyfeet.blogspot/ for our family blog. This is where I'll be giving any updates on Jaycie or the rest of my chicklets.
Thank you so much for all of your guys support and words of encouragement while Jaycie was in the NICU. It means alot!

Chest X-Ray

Was normal!

4th Synagis Shot

Jaycie went in today to get her 4th and final shot of Synagis for the season. All the kids have been sick all week so she was also being seen for her cough. Jaycie had to get swabbed for Flu and RSV. She tested positive for Flu. Jaycie's oxygen was 87% when we first got there but after a breathing treatment she was at 99%. So we will be doing breathing treatments every 4 hours for a bit. We had to get a chest x-ray and are awaiting those results. We will have them today since it was STAT.

Jaycie was 10lbs 9oz. And I leave you with a picture of Jaycie at the Dr's Office today.

Who doesnt like a bow?

Jaycie is doing well. She is smiling regularly. She can turn from tummy to back and occasionally can go from back to tummy, however her little arm likes to stay in her way. She is sleeping great at night. Just last night she went to bed at 8pm and didnt wake up until 4am for a feeding then straight back to bed. She is doing great! She has her last synagis (RSV protection) the begining of April for the season. All her siblings have had coughs and fevers and runny noses... Not Jaycie! So Id say the synagis and mama milk are doing what its supposed too! I wont get a weight on her until April 2nd but she is around 11lbs.
Thanks for checking in

4 months old!

Tate at 4 months was 16lbs 2oz. Do I look most like Tate?

Alexis at 4 months was 15lbs 1oz. How about Alexis, do I look most like her?

Hunter at 4 months was 13lbs 9oz. I know what about Hunter, look like him?

Jaycie is 4 months old. She is becoming a big girl. I cant believe she is 1/3 of a year old! :)

Jaycie is 10lbs some odd ounces (less than 10 1/2 lbs.) Shes getting up there.

3rd Synagis Shot

Jaycie had to go in and get her 3rd Synagis shot today. She was 9lbs 11oz. She will already be 4 months old this month. OMG how time flys. Here are some pictures!

Over 9lbs.

12 Days Old in this picture! (Note the Pacifier)

Today! (Note the SAME pacifier)

Last week Jaycie had to go into the peds office and we got a weight. 9lbs even! I wanted you guys to see how big she is getting! The binki/pacifier use to be the size of her face basically! :)

Today is a special day...

In my heart. You see Today is Feburary 17th. So what is today? Jaycie turns 3 months you say? Well of course that is special to me also BUT, its even more special.



Today Jaycie has been home for 47 days. She spent 47 days in the NICU. She has officially been home as long as she was in the NICU. After today she has been Mine longer than she was the Nurses. And for that reason, Today holds a special day in my heart!

First Smile!

Jaycie gave us her FIRST smile this week. Jaycie shared her first smile with AUNT DAWN!

I havent been able to get a very good picture of her smiling yet. I always shoot... to soon or not quick enough! BUT here is what I got!

Picture Post

Been home for One month!

Jaycie has been one month now! Today she had appointments with the Cardiologist and Pulmenologist.

Cardio- They did an ultrasound and we are still waiting to hear the results from that.

Pulmenologist- They looked at her monitor alarms since being home. They looked at her history from the Nicu. They listened to her and determined.... NO MORE MONITOR! The monitor has been discontinued! OH YAY!

Jaycie also had to get her blood tested again today for her anemia. Im hoping this is the last time we have to do that!

Synagis Round TWO!

Being Jaycie was under weight, preemie, has siblings, had lung issues, ect she gets a med called Synagis for the RSV season. This medication is an antibody given every 28-30 days. After 30 days it is out of there system and they are more septible to getting RSV. Jaycie recieved her first dose in the hospital before discharge on January 1st. Her second dose was due on January 30th. We almost missed it due to some certain circumstances. BUT her ped's office made sure we got it in time! Next dose... Feb 28th!

1st Home Health Visit

Jaycie had her first home health visit. She was 8lbs EVEN!
We went over Jaycies history and and current development and where she is at. We went over exercises she should do to help her along.
Her nurse K is really nice and was very interested in Jaycies Cloth diapers. She was all about ANY way to save money! K will be Jaycies HHN (home health nurse) for the next 3 years!

Update! Update!

We got Jaycies new monitor (yet again) . It fills up in about a weeks time and the company tells me it should take about a month to fill up. Not sure whats going on there... We have her appointment with the Dr on Monday. I'm hoping the monitor gets discountinued. Jaycie has been eating pretty well. She is having less and less episodes during eating. She is eating about 2 1/2oz every 3 hours. She is such a well behaved baby. When she is at her fussiest, its really NOT fussy, just for her it is. She loves baths and showers. Maybe showers more. She likes sleeping smack dab between daddy and I. She still sleeps about 80% of the day. She fits in well to our family.

Our Breast Feeding Journey

Jaycie was born at 31 weeks gestation. She spent 7 weeks in the NICU. During that time she was able to nurse once a day. Her other feeds included a NG tube up her nose and into her stomach and a bottle. When I would visit her at the NICU sometimes she would be to sleepy to nurse at the time I was able to visit. So we werent even able to do it every day. I pumped every 2-3 hours AROUND THE CLOCK while she was in the NICU.
When we got home from the NICU Jaycie had to still have fortified breastmilk (which is EBM with a high calorie formula mixed in). She was still only able to nurse 1-2 times a day. After getting her home I started getting lax about pumpiing ever 3 hours. I would go over night... I would go every 4... 5 hours. Until My milk went from 4oz every pumping session to 1oz. She would eventually get use to the bottle and fight with and get fussy when at the breast.
I then made the desision that I WOULD breastfeed her. I took supplements to help boost milk supply, I drank 1500ccs water a day, I pumped every 1 1/2 hours during the day and once in the middle of the night. My milk was BACK in action. Now it was time to work on Jaycie After 4 days of really... "PUSHING" to get her to nurse because (she started getting so use to the bottle she would cry... push breast away, scream, at the breast each time.) She finally got it. I am happy to report she now nurses about 75% of the day. We are still supposed to use fortified breast milk whenever possible so I make sure she gets a couple bottles of double the calories. Im hoping the trend continues.

Eye Appointment

Jaycie had her eye appointment. We waited in the waiting room for 45 min., then got called back to dialate and numb her eyes. We had to then go back to a waiting room for 20 min for it to take effect. Then went to an examination room where the doctor did the eye exam for uhhhhhh 30 seconds. It all came out GREAT! So we dont have to see him for 2 more years! YAY!

9 weeks old/ 2 month well visit

Jaycie had her 2 month well visit today. She is 7lbs 8oz. She gained 8oz in the last week! GO GIRL! She is 19 1/2 inches long.

Jaycie has to go to an eye doctor. They want to make sure she doesnt have retinopathy of prematurity. Im hoping this appointment goes well and nothing comes from it but good!

Jaycie has to get her blood levels for her anemia checked again next Monday... Im hoping those goes up HIGh enough to... NOT have to worry about them. When she got blood work done in the NICU... she was with INFANT experts. When she goes to the lab... we sit in a overcrowded waiting room and then go back to the phlebotomist who "DIG" at her vein to get it to bleed. Im NOT looking forward to watching it again!

Im a bit overwhelmed by all the doctors and appointments I have to keep track of for Jaycie. I cant wait until we can just CHECK off these doctors and stick with her PCP. (I gotta remember my dance of patience... the music didnt end with the NICU)

Jaycie is such a good baby. She sleeps well at night (wakes up to eat and goes back ni night). She has no colic-y-ness at all. She is just an all around GREAT BABY!

2 weeks home

Jaycie has been home for 2 weeks now. We are all doing great.

She was supposed to have a Drs appointment yesterday but.... Dr was sick so it was rescheduled to Monday! FINE with me... I have been a little under the weather lately.

Jaycie hits her due date tomorr0w... Funny thing about that due date. I say my due date is 1-18-09 because it IS by LMP on a reg 28 day cycle... however.... Dr's say its 1-20-09 by ultrasound.

I know why you are really here... Well wait no longer... BEBE girl!

With eyes closed... looks like Alexis

With eyes open....... Looks like HUNTER!!

With the big CHUNKY CHEEKS... looks like Tate

39 weeks!

I cant believe Jaycie is almost 8 weeks old and we still have not hit her due date. It amazes me!

Jaycie is doing better on her eating. When I brought her home 9 days ago she ate every 4 hours and only 20-45 cc's. The next few days she started eating every 4 hours 70cc's. Then she moved to 60cc's every 3 1/2 hours. Towards day 5 she started eating 60'ccs every 3 hours and today? She has been a little hungry hungry hippo eating every 2- 2 1/2 hours. OINK OINK!
When she came home 9 days ago it took 40 min to finish her food. She has been getting better through the week. She eats her 2oz in about 10 min now. YAY JAYCIE! When eating she still needs to be in a certain position (laying on her side ) and the bottle to be positioned just right (so it only feels the bottom half of the nipple rather than the whole thing) She does really well eating most times... but there are times that its still difficult for her.

Until tomorrow.......
Kristy

Poem

WELCOME TO HOLLAND

byEmily Perl Kingsley.
c1987 by Emily Perl Kingsley. All rights reserved
I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to try to help people who have not shared that unique experience to understand it, to imagine how it would feel. It's like this......
When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation trip - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guide books and make your wonderful plans. The Coliseum. The Michelangelo David. The gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.
After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland."
"Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."
But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay.
The important thing is that they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.
So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met.
It's just a different place. It's slower-paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around.... and you begin to notice that Holland has windmills....and Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.
But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy... and they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there. And for the rest of your life, you will say "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."
And the pain of that will never, ever, ever, ever go away... because the loss of that dream is a very very significant loss.
But... if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things .. about Holland.


** people have different views of this poem. I take it as... things dont always go as planned... and that doesnt mean its bad... Its just a different plan and you learn accordingly!**

A week since coming home!

Its been a week that Jaycie has been home. Its going well.

Monday she had her ped appointment and she was 6lbs 11oz. Im hoping she gains some good weight for her next appointment on this upcoming Monday.

Her monitor goes off at the worst times. Driving... sleeping... while rinsing out her 2 year old brothers eyes because he got hand sanitizer in them... you know... just to add the little bit more stress! :)
Apparently she has already filled up the memory in the monitor and they are coming to exchange it out today.

She is eating well. She eats about 70cc's every 3 hours. She nurses ONE GOOD time a day... and the other times are... not so good. BUT ONE DAY! One feeding she does so well and finished the bottle in 20-25 min with no episodes... other times (especially at night) it takes her 30-40 min and she gags on the whole bottle... :( I really want to push on the swallow study for her if by her due date her eating isnt better. The more she gags on it the more times her heart goes down and back up (thats not good) and the more she gags the more air and then we have gas trouble with her. The plus side to the NICU was... she had a NG tube in her nose and the would "SUCK" the tummy air out! I dont have that luxury for her.

She got a new chair/glider. Its a Fisher price soothing motions glider. She loves it! Uncle Ed and Aunt Theresa got her a gift card and this is one of the things we got for her! THANK YOU! It works wonders!!

The kids are great with her and come running by any alarm sounds... or crys... or grunts. They want to be sure mommys not hurting their baby! :)

38 weeks

Jaycie is 38 weeks gestation today. I am so glad she is home. I dont think I can express it enough.

She is doing better each day it seems. When she first came home, feeding her was a experience. With her having her episodes, monitors going off, siblings climbing all over asking to help, and Jaycie just being sleepy... I felt maybe she came home prematurely. The first night she didnt eat well at all. At about 2am I was worried. But that was the turn around. She started eating 60 -70cc's each feed. BUT she started to regress on nursing.

Yesterday before bed she started to eat more frequently and then last night (in the middle of the night) she only ate 24cc's for the 3am feed. And then when we woke up she was back to miss piggy. Its good tho... to get more calories during the day so eventually we can drop that 3am feed and SLEEP!

Today I wasnt as stressed about making sure she got lots of bottle and worked on nursing more (dont worry she also got enough cc's threw a bottle for doctors to be happy). Towards tonight she started nursing better again!

She did some tummy time today and didnt fuss at all. She just tried lifting her head and moving it from side to side. Her physical therapist did this with her everyday the last few weeks of her NICU stay.

Tomorrow on her 7 week birthday she has her pediatrician appointment. Im interested in her weight to make sure its on track.

Until tomorrow....

Welcome Home!!

We were packing up and waiting for the Dr's and NNP and Nurse to finish up the final paper work to let us head out the door!

All packed up getting ready to say goodbye to the NICU!

This is us getting home for the first time with her. The kids at this point still werent sure if we were coming home with her or not! Excuse the dark... toys strung everywhere house!

This is Tate and Hunter getting to hold BEBE girl. I havent gotten a picture of Alexis holding her yet... Alexis has been on the Gooooooooo since Jaycie got home. (Alexis has held her tho)

BANDS OFF!

Meaning... after 6 weeks 4days Matt and I FINALLY get to take our hospital bands claiming our daughter off. She came home with us last night. Her ultrasound showed a small bleed in the brain that has contained itself and is a cyst. We finally got results back from her ECHO and it showed one of her valves are thinned out (most likely due to anemia). We have a follow up in a month for another echo! Ill post more when I get time! Thank you for all your support!

Jaycie ate 24 hours in feeds. (through a bottle) Wait lets back up.

I go in yesterday morning and she ate a shifts worth. If she ate the rest of the shifts worth she could have her NG tube out. While the NNP and Nurse were talking about it, Jaycie of course took care of the tube herself. She's getting good at that!.

She ended up finishing ALL of them. PLUS we were moved onto tonight. GO BABY GIRL! What makes this ALL exciting? If she finishes the next 24 hours... SHES COMING HOME THIS WEEKEND!

She is going to recieve her RSV antibitotis, and she will have a blood draw on her retic and crit., she will get her car seat challenge, ect. All the nessasary stuff to get her out of the NICU!.

__________________________________________________________________

The other day when Matt and I gave her a bath we afterwards dressed her in this. This is an outfit that Grandma Great got her! (this was from her Christmas money)

** She is in the swing at the NICU**