Double!

Our big little girl gained another 40 grams tonight. She's doubled her birth weight! From 1 pound 5 ounces to 2 pounds 10 ounces. The nurses that aren't regularly assigned to her like to take a peek about once a week to see how she's growing and they are always amazed. She's growing like crazy!

Myla also has another big move coming up - to the back room. That's where they typically put the babies that don't need to be so closely watched. The growers. The stable kids. The big kids. Our tiny baby girl now considered a big kid - yeah!

Baby boogers! Yuck!

As of late Myla had been kinda fussy, more-so than from being disturbed from sleep, and tonight we found out why. Poor kid had a nostril plugged, who knows how far back, with dried mucus. I watched Nurse Dennis blow it out with saline and an aspirator but man, even small babies can have big snots. Sorry this update probly isn't going well with breakfast for those of you who check in the mornings, I just write it like it is.

She gained another 20g last night so still just truckin'. I got quite a few smiles from her tonight though after she could breathe better. There's something so wonderful about the way a baby smells, she makes our hearts so much warmer and seeing her little eyes peer out at us would melt any heart. We love her so much!

Leaps and bounds

Myla had a very exciting evening tonight. She got all the stuff that was stuck to her taken off and got a bath. And then the photographers came out in force! The nurse she had tonight was having a lot of fun taking pictures of her in the bath - you know, the good naked pictures you can show to her dates. After all that, she got everything stuck back on and slept really heavily in mom's arms. So deep and heavy, she was drooling and snoring! If you can believe a five week old baby snores. It was very quiet and cute - not at all like her dad.

To celebrate her five weeks, she also got an official weigh-in for her growth chart. Tonight she tipped the scales at 2 pounds and 8 ounces. That's a two ounce gain just from last night! One thing the doctor said yesterday was that she would start to gain weight in leaps and bounds and the scale tonight confirmed that. Before you know it, she'll be three!

Forward from here

Myla continues to do what she needs to do - sleep and grow. She does great when being held and has no problems making herself comfortable. Tonight, she didn't even alarm once!

As promised, we did have our care conference today. The doctor told us that everything - and he means everything - is going great. Other than the fact that she is small, she is doing wonderfully. He doesn't foresee her going home on oxygen or any other monitor. She will probably be moved to an open crib around 1600-1800 grams (roughly 3 1/2 to 4 pounds), and should begin learning to eat from a bottle in about two weeks or so. Tonight she weighed 2 pounds and 6 ounces. In all, she is just doing great. Honestly, I had convinced myself that he would say that something wasn't up to speed, but he didn't. He just kept saying that she's on the right path.

The thing I thought was most interesting was the neurological development of a preemie has a lot to do with the family structure and how involved the parents are. The developmental specialist praised us for trying to do her cares and for reading to her and for holding her as much as we do. She said that some babies don't get that and it really does affect them in the long run. Can you imagine not being involved with your own child? It makes me sad to think about. We love her so much and it is so good for us to help and just to do what we can for our little girl. After all, shouldn't parents want what's best for their child? So, if reading to her and changing diapers and plain ol' loving her helps, then we will keep doing it!

Little Myla certainly has a bigger head now than she did almost 5 weeks ago. It's still small but I can see it. Her head measures at 10 1/2" and she is 12 3/4" long. She always seems to have her eyes open anymore when we go to change and hold her, they roam around and sometimes they look beyond mom or dad to see who's behind us. I love her alertness and all the tiny sounds she makes for us, almost mousy-like, so cute!

Tomorrow morning we have a care conference with her doctor in which they said to have questions for them.....oh, so many questions..... Mostly about what to expect for the second half of Myla's stay in the NICU. I would love to ask if she can come home for Christmas, but I'm sure it's all a matter of time and whether or not she's ready by then, wait and see and stuff. We're just ready to have her home to take care of her all the time.

Alas, whatever's best for our baby! And we know she'll have plenty of holidays at home in the near future too. So, I guess the main thing is that she's doing great and we really can't ask for much more than that.

More moving

Myla has moved on back! Well, to the back of the NICU anyway. They have moved her to the back in a corner for a little more privacy. She's doing great on the low flow oxygen and was down to 25% tonight. As adults, the room air we breathe is 21%, so I'd say 25 is pretty good. The nurses keep telling us that being on low flow is a huge step, and that makes us feel pretty good. We know that she is growing and getting stronger.

Myla is also up to 24 milliliters on her feedings and they are giving it to her over 45 minutes instead of an hour. Our handy=dandy packet says that a 4 1/2 pound baby needs 12-15 ounces a day, and 31 milliliters is an ounce. So she's getting there! Just another sign that she's growing!

One Kilo!

Today Myla is 1020 grams! Roughly 2 lbs 4oz. And tonight she will be put on a low flow oxygen, this is a test run and she could go back again but that's what they said about the high flow 2 weeks ago. That means her lungs will do all the work (high flow just gives a boost)and without the annoying side affect of getting air in her tummy. She had her eyes open for us again tonight and even gave out lots of smiles before falling asleep in mom's arms.

It seems like she has a long road ahead still but she has come a long way already. My wedding ring won't fit over her hand anymore so that's an interesting visual. Tonight we read Christmas books to Myla while a radio played carols in the background,in between random beeps and dings from other baby monitors around the room. This little, tiny wonder has been such an inspiration to us, help us rethink what is possible and how to love more deeply than ever.

Little games

Myla has a great time playing with the nurses. Her temperature goes up for one round of cares and goes down for the next. She loves to make them jump up when her monitors ding because of her oxygen level and then as they get two steps away, she takes a deep breath and makes them stop. Sometimes when we are holding her, I swear I see her smirk.

Yesterday, she got her first eye exam. Because she was so early, her blood vessels to her retinas didn't get a chance to develop. They checked her out yesterday and deemed those blood vessels still immature, which - believe it or not - is a good thing. It means that her eyes are developing normally. She will have another exam in two weeks to see how things are going.

Today the developmental nurse gave us a few pointers to interact with her more as we see her more alert. Little tricks to keep her calm and to stimulate her. Like putting a drop of milk on her hand and then putting her hand up to her mouth. The idea being that she learns to be awake means food. These things will help as we start to bottle feed her in a few weeks.

She's doing great and we are so glad! She is really starting to fill out and become a little person. And for all the playing she does, I think all the nurses really think she's pretty special.

Giving thanks

In honor of the holiday, we decided to do ten things we are thankful for, because we have a lot to be thankful for this year. These are in no particular order, just a few thoughts.

10. Modern medicine!
9. Living in a country of plenty.
8. Nurses who know what to do with tiny, little babies (and help us to not freak out).
7. Technology so we can share with you!
6. Little smiles, hands, feet, ears and belly buttons.
5. Tests that come back perfectly.
4. Snuggle time.
3. Each other (aww, how mushy!)
2. Family to support us and love us.
1. Thank heaven for little girls!

Bath time!

Mom and dad had a big day with Myla tonight, we gave her a bath! She is so mellow, no fussing, she seemed to enjoy it so much in fact that afterwards she slept fast and deep the rest of the time we held her. This morning while holding Myla I just about fell asleep in the E-Z chair myself, she makes us feel so good and relaxed, holding our little girl is theraputic for all three of us.

We've relished all the wonderful comments left to us and we'll try not to disapoint with current updates, often. It's hard watching other babies going home while Myla's still in the NICU, especially around the holidays but we know that she will come home when she can be her best on her own and after we have learned more from the nurses about caring for her too.

There is another baby there that weighed almost as little as Myla when he was born early too and it gives us hope for her to see how big and strong he is now after more than 2 months. Enough sob stories, we love our daughter very much and we are so proud of her progress! Building memories early, that's what we're doing. ;o)

Our little star

She did it! Two pounds! And a very healthy little two pounds it is. Myla is impressing even the nurse practitioner with how she is developing. Her bones and muscles are good and she seems to be very alert and calm when her "cares" are being done. She even cries when she is hungry, which for a girl of her age is pretty remarkable. She may even get moved into an isolette (glass condo) without humidity next week since her skin is now more tough and developed. Another big move.

And this was just too precious not to share. Our little star! We are just so proud that she is doing so well. We love her so much!

Oh the suspense!

Our little Myla measured in at - drum roll please! - 1 pound 15.7 ounces! And the crowd goes wild! OK, so she didn't hit the 2 pound mark tonight like we were hoping. We are blaming that on the dirty diaper she made dad change right before the weigh-in. I guess we can't expect her to gain 20 grams EVERY night. But every ounce - or fraction thereof - is a good thing. She was having a little problem with water in her oxygen tubes tonight, but they were working on getting that solved. In all, she had a good day and the doctor said that she is doing well. She was working on her neck muscles tonight while mom was holding her, moving her head back and forth and trying to sleep on her arm. She was pretty cute!

Almost there

Myla mesaured in at 1 pound 15 oz! By tomorrow evening she ought to be a full 2 pounds! It's so wonderful to see her making progress with her size, it gives us so much hope that soon maybe we'll be able to take her home. It hasn't been easy leaving Myla at the hospital, having to see her only a couple times a day, our home routine is kind of in limbo. It's thanks to everyone's support, help and encouragement that keeps us in the right frame of mind too. Not to mention the little light in our lives that gives us so much just by being herself.

We're looking forward to sharing her in the times to come with all of you , our family, friends and loyal bloggers. ;o) Thank you all so much!

John and Kara

90 grams in 4 days

How does that measure up? Let's see, I think 25.4g is 1oz, so divide 90g by 4 days and that's about 22.5g a day so nearly 3 ounces in 4 days! That's amazing for a 1# 9oz baby! Myla got her second real bath today with mom helping out and just after when I arrived at the NICU she was all swaddled up and happy as a clam with her little eyes moving all over the place to see everything she could.

We are so happy that her biggest problem is being tiny! She can breathe well on her own and do just about everything else needed and she even likes a pacifier, which is almost too big for her. It's hard to think of all the things that happen in our days to post but it's really pretty basic, Kara does mom things, we see Myla, she sleeps almost the whole time, I work and then we do it all over again.

Movin' on up!

Myla had a very exciting day. After mom came to visit her in the morning, the nurses packed her up and moved her on down the nursery. Instead of being right in front of the nurses station now, she is towards the back, where it is a little more quiet. But, this is a great location and a sign that she is growing and stabilizing a little bit to where they feel comfortable putting her further away. Her oxygen flow was also turned down to 2 from 3, which means that its not coming as fast up her little nose. As the nurse explained to us, an adult would get oxygen coming at them at about 6-10, so turning her down is a huge deal. And she got really comfortable on dad tonight and practically drooled on his chest. He liked it too.

Mom got to talk to another mom in the NICU tonight. Her baby was born at 27 weeks as well, and he is now up to almost 5 pounds. It was good to talk to her, and learn some things that might be coming up. Of course, all babies are different, but to talk to her and see her perspective was good. Things you never thought about, you know? She will be taking her baby home in a few weeks, and I am sure that she will be a great mom.

Week 3 update (updated 11/17)

Three weeks and one day old and Myla is putting on weight now. Granted, it's and ounce or so in a day but it's a great start. She was 620g at birth and tonight was 810g which comes out to 1# 12.5oz so she'll be hitting that two pound mark here soon. Overall Myla looks good and is more aware and awake when we come see her, so everything is going her way right now.

Strange turn of fate, my brother Andy and I are going to be managers working at the same mall come Sunday. He works at one anchor store and I at another which are the only stores to the mall right now but it's being re-built into an outdoor type. I still think it's pretty crazy, we'll get to take lunches together all the time, right?.....

Life comes to us in very mysterious circumstances and we are often taken aback by how life goes from us in much the same way. Our hearts and deep felt emotions go out to the Murray family who has experienced this act of life recently when their father and husband Dick is suddenly in danger of losing his. Many prayers for a positive outcome.

Going strong

Our little mighty mouse is going along strong. She is in the "feeding and growing" category now, although we don't know exactly how much she is growing. That's just what the doctor says. She is still doing well on the high flow oxygen machine and is getting a steady diet of love from her mom and dad. Tonight, dad read her a collection of nursery rhymes while mom held her. Her numbers stayed good and, more importantly, she looked good. That's what they tell us - look at your baby, not the numbers. She really is chugging along. Yeah Myla!

And.... its official! John will start at his new position on Sunday. He is very excited about all the opportunities at this new store and new job and even has his first interview for a new agent on Friday. Yeah Johnny!

Lots of love

Myla got lots of love from her doting parents today. Mom held her this morning and Dad held her tonight. The nurse that is taking care of her tonight said that they just love to be held after spending all that time in an isolette. They get "curious" to see the world - after all, they are on the outside now. We even saw her little peepers a few times. And look - he does do diapers! Even tiny little ones!

The nurses are also taking a new strategy for helping Myla gain some weight. They are combining her milk with a higher calorie formula every three hours. This way, she gets 50 calories a feeding instead of 24. (This is probably the only time a girl will want more calories in her diet.) The hope is that by giving her calories instead of just fluid she will start to gain weight at a more steady rate.

At our visit tonight, we were able to have Myla model this strawberry hat that her Gramma Kathi's cousin Elaine made for her. And this was the small version! She's still got some room to grow into it, but hopefully with the new feedings, it won't be long! We are very proud of our little girl. All the nurses and doctors say she is doing great, and when we hold her and look at her, we see a healthy, pink, pretty little girl.

Footlong sub - and two bites

Myla continues to do well on the high flow oxygen machine. And as long as she does, they will keep her on it. The nurses new focus is on her weight. She went back down to one pound nine ounces at her weigh-in tonight. So, in an effort to get her to gain some good weight, they have upped her feedings to every three hours instead of every four. She is still getting the same amount - 20 milliliters - but she's getting two more feedings a day. Hopefully that will put some meat on her little bones. Speaking of her bones... Myla measured 12 inches and a half this week. That's a quarter inch over her birth length and officially puts her at a footlong sub and two bites. So we know the milk is going somewhere!

Pretty in pink

While we were all sleeping, Myla spent the night gaining weight. That's right, she's tolerating her milk very well and this morning weighed in at one pound eleven ounces! And, just to be sure, when the nurses weighed her again tonight, she had maintained it. That's 50 grams overnight. A huge jump for our little girl. Here she is looking stylish in a onsie the nurses had. It is still huge on her, but she looked so darn cute with the ruffles on her bum. (That's her daddy's hand in there for a little perspective.)

Tonight, the nurses decided to give her a test run on a different oxygen machine. Its called a high flow machine and its just the little prongs up her nose, like any adult would get if they went to the hospital. We were able to get our first real look at her little face. Pretty cute huh? Mom was holding her tonight before and after the change and she did beautifully. If she does well overnight, they might just keep her on it. Its possible that she might go back to the CPAP if she doesn't. But, you never know until you try it, right?

Daddy's little girl

Myla had a pretty big day for such a little girl. It started out with the yanking of her IV and central line - yeah! She is totally on mama's milk now - okay, so its specially fortified milk with extra calories, but its milk! She should be up to 20 milliliters at her early morning feeding on Sunday. Then (finally, he would say) Myla was held close by her daddy for a whole hour. She did just as great with dad as she does with mom.

Tonight, Myla got her first bath since her birthday. Mom would have gotten pictures, but she was trusted with holding the oxygen mask to her face while her little head was washed. Then she was bundled up and sat with mom for another hour. And while there, she started sucking on a pacifier. Actually sucking! Its so tiny and so cute. She's the nurses favorite, I think. They all want her to do well and she is having no problems impressing them. Tonight, she is going to sleep in a clean and new glass condo and rest up so tomorrow she can do more impressive things.

Holding steady

Myla had another good and stable day. She has become very opinionated according to the nurses and has no problem letting them know that her diaper is wet or that she does not like her position. Her cries sound like little mouse noises, but to me (for now), they are so sweet and perfect sounding. They continue to increase her feedings and are now adding extra calories to her milk. If she tolerates that milk well and they reach 20 milliliters, then they might just pull out the last IV she has. Right now, that IV is giving her the extra lipids, calories and sugars that she needs to grow. But if she is doing well on her milk alone, they won't need that anymore. Her weight is up to one pound, nine ounces today. Like the nurse said, every day she grows and matures and gets stronger and bigger. So, keep growing little girl!

A good day all around

Today was a good day all around. Myla continues to do well and they have tweaked her oxygen down to the 40s - most of the time. (She still doesn't like being moved a lot, so it goes up when they do that.) Her feedings have gone up to where they are giving her 10 milliliters every 4 hours. And its coming out the other end, which may not sound very pleasant but its a VERY good thing. Tonight, mom got to hold her for two whole hours! She was doing so well that the nurse just let her stay.

Mom went to the doctor today and everything is healing up nicely. In fact, they are now letting her drive - not all the time, mind you, she still has to get her rest. But she can go to the hospital at care times and any other time she wants! And tonight, she got to hold Myla for two whole hours! (Did I already mention that?)

Dad got a very exciting phone call today too. Seems that they have so much confidence in him, that after a few other interviews, some crossed fingers and a little bit of fairy dust, he will be named loss prevention MANAGER at the new store. His very own store. Manager John. It should be official by next week.

Part of us is constantly bracing for the inevitable "bump" in the road, but we are also very thankful for days like today. Here's hoping for a great tomorrow!

Love and thanks.

Just wanted to say again how very thankful we are to all our family, friends and perfect strangers met along the way. It's amazing the impact of just cheerful words when you needed them the most especially without knowing it.

Myla has done so well since being held by her mom, all through the night even. She enjoyed being held again tonight and I got a little video clip of the nurse putting Myla back in her isolet. The perspective will be amazing many years down the road when Myla sees how small she once was against her mom and in the nurses hands. I'm still vying for my turn to hold Myla tomorrow, it may come down to a thumb-wrestling contest with Kara, which I may lose, but in the end I'm sure she'll let me hold her.

Teddy bear hugs are good!

Of course we didn't bring our camera this morning when we visited Myla since we didn't have a lot of time before I had to go to work and I didn't catch probably the best moment between mom and daughter.... Kara was able to hold Myla for the first time, with Myla's head over Kara's heart and wouldn't you know it, Myla did wonderfully!

They both enjoyed being close to each other again so much that Myla's nurse suggested Kara hold her everyday, it will do so much good for our baby. I hope to get some good pictures tomorrow or Wednesday, everyday we see our little girl if possible. It was a very heartwarming way to start the day.

I can't wait to hold Myla too! Hope she likes fuzzy bears, 'cause that's what it will feel like. ;o)

Another milestone hit!

Myla had a very big day. She finally got rid of the ventilator and is now on what they call a CPAP - which is basically the oxygen prongs up her very tiny nose. They have to keep it on with a helmet type thing, which you can kind of see. (Mom's hand is in the way of the full effect.) This machine still keeps pressure going into her lungs, but she is responsible for the breathing on her own. She is doing very well with her new accessory. Myla is also eating well and they are probably going to go up on the amount that she gets every three-to-four hours. Of course, any amount up from a 1/2 teaspoon is huge. We are so proud that our girl has reached this milestone!

Little by little.

Myla is very feisty. When she wants something done she does it herself, like pulling out her breathing tube. Not to worry, the nurses say it happens all the time but they did have to put it back in. Unfortunately, she hasn't been cooperating when we plan on holding her and it's a big enough chore just getting her out of her "glass condo" but maybe sometime this week.

She's doing good still, but needs to get stronger so that means lots of rest and feedings and hopefully she'll be ready for us soon. I plan to get video the first time Kara holds Myla, it will be something else.....

Glass Condo

Here is our baby girl in her new digs. She's doing very well and always looks so comfy when we visit. All of her tests have come back good over the past day and if everything goes right, we should be able to hold her soon. Crossing our fingers, they might even pull out her breathing tube on Monday.