Dum da dum dum DUM!

Took little Zoe into the Lactation Consultant today....she got weighed. Ready for this??


6 pounds 12 ounces!!

This means she's gaining weight. So take THAT, Doctor!

Stay tuned for pictures of "Mummy's Little Pumpkin....."

Scary Moments

Zoe had trouble breathing last night. As you know, newborns have not yet discovered that they can (willingly) breathe through their mouths. They think they can only breath through their noses. Well, her little nose is stopped up and she was making these horrible snorting sounds followed by little squeals and then big cries. She was also turning purple around the mouth! So, we got her into her DR first thing when they opened. They did a chest x-ray (perfect...her whole body was actually in the x-ray so they got an added bonus of seeing her sinus cavities!), O2 saturation levels...all the way at 99% (even better than when she left Cook's!) The DR listened, he poked, he prodded. He pronounced her healthy. Said to continue using the bulb syringe (which doesn't fit inside her nostrils) and saline drops.

They weighed her. She weighed the same as she did two days ago (according to their charts) -- 6lbs 9oz. Silly me, I thought she'd gained an ounce but apparently the nurse used the faulty weight from Tuesday as the "official" weight. And they are, of course, concerned about her lack of weight gain. I didn't think it was a big deal at all, but apparently she should be gaining an ounce/day. They want her back next Friday for a weight check. She has to be 7 lbs exactly, or I don't know what they'll do. Of course, this makes me panicky. She's a breastfed infant, and I don't make her stop eating...she stops when she wants to stop. Granted, she's a really lazy eater....she takes her sweet time and sometimes we eat for 45 minutes or longer! But she poops, pees, and gets hungry at regular intervals. But now, I'm panicked.

Two weeks and growing....

We had our 2 week check up today! Zoe weighed 6 lbs 8 oz....she's gained 7 oz since leaving Cooks!! YAY!! Way to go little Zoe! She has a little bit of a cold that she got from her brother, but hopefully it will go away soon. The DR said she's perfect! And she sure seems like she is!

We did find out that the pulmonologists won't recommend her for the Synagis vaccine, to reduce her RSV risk. Even though she was recommended for it by two different Doctors. I have to call our insurance carrier and see if they'll pay for it....it's like a thousand dollars a month and she has to have a shot a month from now until March....and if the DRs won't recommend her for it (the pulmonologists, that is), then the insurance company most likely won't pay for it. That means she can't get the vaccine, which scares me. But all I can do is try!

We go back to the DR on the 11th of November for our 1 month check up!

Zoe Elizabeth....her first INCREDIBLE week of life

Zoe was born October 11, 2005 at 7:32 in the morning via c-section. She was born at 37 weeks, 1 day. We discovered shortly after she was born (despite APGAR scores of 8/9 and loud cries) that her lungs were not fully matured. She was having difficulty breathing, and couldn't get enough oxygen. They took her to the nursery, where a neo-natologist from Cook Children's came to look at her about 3 hours after birth. He made the decision to keep her in the NICU room at the hospital for 24 hours on oxygen, for observation. The next morning we learned that she had clinically improved, but her need for oxygen was increasing. In the words of the DR, it was "mystifying." He made the decision that she needed to be transferred to Cook Children's immediately. She made the journey in a scary isolette (plastic box through which oxygen flows continuously) in the Teddy Bear Care Ambulance. Her Daddy went to be with her, and my DR said she would (against all caution) release me so I could be with her, too. Michael and I made the decision that I was still in too much pain, and I would wait until the following day (which would be 2 days early release from the hospital). The next 24 hours were the hardest I've endured. I had only seen my baby briefly, and I had not held her.

One of the great comforts during this time, was being wheeled into the nursery at the hospital less than 12 hours after surgery, and seeing a beautiful prayer taped to her bed. We wondered where the prayer came from, and upon closer examination we noticed a label on the back "Threads of Love Altamesa Church of Christ." We were given a lovey and a blanket for our baby girl, and were indirectly ministered to by our own Church. What an amazing feeling.

When Michael arrived at my hospital the night after Zoe was moved, he brought pictures. She had been intubated (put on a ventillator) upon arrival at Cook Children's. They gave her two doses of an artificial surfactant, which is a substance our lungs produce on their own to help keep the air sacs in the lungs inflated. Zoe was not producing enough on her own, and that was causing her to be in respiratory distress.

She responded immediately to the surfactant! She progressed very quickly, and was taken off the ventillator Friday morning at 10. She was put on a nasal canula with just a "whiff" of oxygen. 1/16 of a litre! She was doing MUCH better than expected. She began eating from a bottle on Saturday, had her first attempt at nursing on Sunday. She gets moved to Progressive Care on Sunday afternoon. We get the phone call yesterday morning that we are rooming in that night, and that she's going home today!

It all happened too quickly for our heads and hearts to digest. It seemed like a month went by, when really it was just a week.

She is beginning to stir and get hungry so I will write more later.

Peace and Blessings

You are coming tomorrow....

And, my little one, Mommy is scared. Mommy is excited to meet you, to hold you, to snuggle with you. But there is a small chance that your lungs might not be fully developed. There is a small chance that you will be whisked away to be monitored and that we will not be able to hold you right away. But a lot of people are praying that this will not be the case. We are praying that you will be healthy, and strong when you arrive tomorrow. We are praying to hear that beautiful healthy cry when you make your appearance. We are praying that you will be as strong OUTSIDE Mommy as you are INSIDE Mommy. We are praying that Jesus Himself will hold your hand as you come into this world, and that He will breathe life right into your body and you will take lungfulls of oxygen in, because you are healthy.

I cannot wait to meet you, precious one. I cannot wait to see how perfect those little fingers and toes are! I can't wait to see how much you weigh (today the sonogram predicted 6 lbs 5 oz), how long you are, and what color your hair and eyes are! That's perhaps what I am most excited about....what you will look like. Will you look like me? Will you look like Daddy? Or will you come out as your own little mix, just like your big brother did? One thing is certain : we are ready to meet you. We are ready to snuggle you and care for you. Our home is full of love, ready for your arrival. We can't wait, little one, and the time has never been nearer.

Until tomorrow, sweet girl....

Zoe's Room

It's pretty much complete. The glider needs assembling, which will happen tomorrow. But it's not going in there right away, it's going to be spending some time in the Living Room for those late night rocking needs. Her bassinet will be purchased on Monday, after the amnio. I'll be assembling that Monday during Daniel's nap....either that, or I'll be napping with him in our big bed. Probably the latter, and he can help me assemble the bassinet after we wake up. Tomorrow night I'm planning on assembling some casseroles to freeze, for easy fixing of dinner after Zoe arrives.

I'll probably be in the hospital for 4 days....meaning I'll be home on Friday at the earliest. I'm anticipating a good, uneventful stay. I'm praying for a speedy recovery, and I'm praying for a great hospital experience, since this will most likely be my last child birthing experience. At the very least, it's my last child birthing experience for the forseeable next few years....

It's the weekend....almost

Which means I have 4 days until Zoe is going to arrive......and I have so much to do! I wanted to make sure everything was perfect before she got here. I suppose, instead of panicking, I should go unpack some boxes in the kitchen. Yes, that is what I will do today....my goal will be the kitchen.

Gotta run!

One Week....

Seven days from right now I will have a brand new baby girl to snuggle with. It's exciting, but it's also daunting. The thought that I am going to be a mommy again, well, it's exciting.....scary but exciting.

The surgery will be at seven in the morning.....only minutes after seven our baby Zoe will be born. I'm beginning to get excited...

9 Days.....

Only 9 days until we get to meet our little girl. I am excited, nervous, and a little scared : all at the same time. What a strange experience it is, knowing the exact moment I'm going to give birth. Knowing how it will happen, knowing that I don't have to go through the labor pains. It's weird, but I suppose one could say I went through labor twice (and then some) with Daniel. This will certainly be an interesting experience, to say the least. I just hope the Insurance company doesn't make me stay in the hospital the full 4 days they require of c-section patients. I hope it's smooth, and my recovery is quick and relatively painless. I truly hope that the majority of my pain last time came from having gone through such a prolonged labor, only to be followed by an emergency c-section. I guess we'll see.

I can't help but be a little disappointed because I really wanted a VBAC this time. I wanted to experience labor again (as strange as that may seem) but this time I wanted it to be fruitful....I wanted to experience childbirth the "real" way. I am having to tell myself that any way which produces a healthy child IS the "real" way, but it's hard. I'm just attempting to focus solely on the fact that I will get to hold my baby girl, and I'll get to do it sooner rather than later.

Ah....pink dresses. And bows. And shiny black patent leather shoes. I can't wait.