Baby's First Bouncer

Ok, the picture is not that good but when we went to see Sarah this morning, she was spending time in her first bouncer- since the nurse couldn't hold her. The nurse had put the bouncer in the isolette and secured it so Sarah could check out her surroundings. And they turned on a CD player with music and Sarah went off to sleep. They even made her a sign which they placed above her head that read "QUEEN SARAH- approach only when summonsed"

Monday Morning Report

Sarah weighed in last night at 3 lbs 5 ounces.  The baby girl is growing so fast and we love it.  She got to restart her bottle feedings yesterday and ate 22 mL's then needed a long nap.  The staff is talking about possibly moving Sarah to an open crib.  She seems bored and unhappy in her isolette, after all she is over 11 weeks old and in need of new surroundings. The NICU staff suggested I make a mobile to keep her entertained also.  That should be fun to make. 

Oh, and it is so hard to tell but in the bottom pictures Sarah is smiling:)

Friday morning

Sarah gained another 15 grams last night, and is now up to 1445 grams. She was, again, a little fussy early on, but settled in around 1 or 2 a.m. and slept most of the night. She was sleeping peacefully when I came in (a little late) this morning, so I decided to let her continue resting, rather the disturbing her so we could snuggle.

And there's a possibility that Nurse Richelle may get reassigned back to Sarah. If you're reading this, Richelle, we'd love to have you back!

Sarah turned 11 weeks old yesterday (happy birthday!) and today she is 37 weeks gestation. That's full term, for those keeping score at home. If she had been born today, she wouldn't technically be considered premature, even though she wouldn't be much bigger than she is now (but would probably be a little bigger). Three more weeks until her due date!

Most of baby Sarah's furniture came yesterday, so dad will get to spend the day tomorrow putting everything together. It's good, too. I needed something to take my mind off the Patriots game, which doesn't air until Saturday night. This should be a good distraction; hopefully the day will fly by.

Thursday morning

I wanted to remind everyone that the birthmark on Sarah's little forehead will go away. People have been asking about it. Don't worry! The nurses tell us that these marks are common and always go away by the time the babies turn two, usually much sooner.

Sarah had a very rough day yesterday, poor little girl. She was doing fine all day until early afternoon, and she started having some minor troubles breathing. Dr. Banks ordered an x-ray, which showed that Sarah had a little cloudiness in one of her lungs. This is VERY COMMON among preemies, so please, stop worrying before you start. When her little tummy gets full, some of the milk comes back up and goes into the lungs. They have started an IV to continue to give her nutrition, and stopped feeding her through the tube. But, she still gained 20 grams last night, and is up to 1430 grams. They also stopped bottle-feeding her, but she may start nippling again today or tomorrow, if everything goes well.

Sarah has switched back from the nasal cannula to the vapotherm machine, but it should be very temporary. She should be off the vapotherm within a day or so. She is also on some antibiotics just to be safe.

After her rough day yesterday, Sarah had a great night, with no alarms, bradys, or apnias. She was a little fuzzy early on, but settled down and slept peacefully from about 1 a.m. on. Her feedings resumed through the feeding tube at 10 mL at 2 a.m., which Sarah was happy to accept.

Nurse Richelle (not Rochelle as I previously misspelled it) has been assigned as the primary nurse on another tiny baby, which means she won't get Sarah anymore. That makes Sarah sad, because Richelle took such good care of Sarah when she had her broken leg. But the other baby needs Richelle's expertise more than Sarah does, which, in the grand scheme, is a good thing!

Wednesday morning

Sarah maintained her weight last night at 1410 grams. I can only hope that I maintained my weight after last night's dinner!

Big news over the weekend, Sarah is now taking a full ounce over one hour at each feeding. It seems like so much milk, when she started at just one or two mL at a time. But it's just two tablespoons!

Sarah was wide awake this morning when I got in, and she stayed awake most of the time I was holding her. After about twenty minutes she started to get fussy, and she was in need of a diaper change. They keep saying that she's going to be so easy to potty train, but who do I complain to if she isn't?

Another inspiring story (just in time for Christmas!)

From Grandma, not from Castine:

Erika gave me permission to share this story. My dear friend, Danielle, wrote about her daughter, Erryn, and new granddaughter, in her Christmas letter. It is amazingly similar to Sarah's story. I have been trying to say how I feel since Sarah was born, but have never found the words. Danielle is so poetic and eloquent in her writing. I am sharing her story with everyone involved in Sarah's life in an effort to say how deeply moved I am, not just by Sarah, but especially by Roger and Erika, and everyone caring (and praying) for them.

These are parts of Danielle's note:
On September 11th, at 28 weeks, 2 days, Erryn had a beautiful baby girl.. very small (19 ounces, 11 3/4 inch). There have been few moments of elation quite like hers. And a new journey began. Miss Winnifred Mae was named for her two grandmothers, and nicknamed Mini Winnie. For 87 days, my darling girl sat with her, reading to her, taking notes, reading and tabbing her huge book on Preemies. I would sit, knit and watch, all the time wondering about the outcome. Winnie is a fighter. Never has so large a persona been asked to inhabit such a small suit. But she did. Through pneumonia, and having a fragile leg broken, heart rate drops, apnea and transfusions, Winnie perservered. She was the darling of the NICU with nurses battling to care for her, and equally loving her ever-vigilant mother. This story is one of the tireless mother who stands bedside with a sick child and wills them to live. During the roughest of times I would watch Erryn stroke the tiny head of her daughter and say, "Be strong, Winnie, it's not forever, it's just for now." .... Miracles do happen.

"A child was born; a child lived and will thrive, a simple story. But, for all of us, it was filled with angels and heroic gestures so small as to nearly be missed except with the vision of a waiting heart. There is no love greater than that of a mother; a hero quite as grand as a doctor and a nurse; a father whose love builds a support. And I think it sounds like the first Christmas... at least for me." Danielle

And may I say, my feelings exactly! Thank you for taking a moment to allow me to say how deeply moved I am by Erika and Roger's courage and strength, for the flawless symphony of care performed by the NICU staff, and for the unending prayers of family and friends.

Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and Happy New Year to all!

Grandma Carol

Monday Morning Report

Well, Sarah had a very busy weekend. She weighed in last night at 1380 grams, nearly 3 lbs 1 ounce! Whatever it is they they are putting in her milk to add calories, it's working! I finally felt well enough (and comfortable that I wouldn't give my cold to anyone else) on Saturday. It had been 5 days since I had seen my sweet baby girl and she was a completely different baby. She was so big, I hardly recognized her! I couldn't put her down all weekend. And she is getting so big that we are much more comfortable handling her alone, which is a good thing cuz I think she is gonna be home in no time. Sarah is up to taking 2 bottles a day and while not yet eating the entire amount in the bottle, she is still gaining good suck/swallow/breathe skills.

We want to wish everyone out there who isn't Jewish, (which is many) a Merry Christmas.

Friday morning

Here's our little baby sleeping in her first onesie! Sure, she is figuratively swimming in it, but still...

Sarah gained a whopping 75 grams last night! Erika said, "that can't be right, that's too much!" Sure enough, Sarah had a big 40 gram poop shortly after being weighed. Nurse Shelly weighed Sarah again, and Sarah had lost 30 grams or so. She now weighs 2 pounds, 12 ounces. Big girl!

Happy 36 weeks gestation, too! You're doing so well!

Happy 10 Week Birthday!

Sarah really has filled out and she looks almost normal-sized next to Nurse Rochelle, who is one of Sarah's regular night nurses.

Sarah lost a little weight last night, but it was another big day yesterday. She was having a little poop trouble, so Nurse Heidi gave her something to help, and Sarah had some explosions over night for Nurse Shelly. Good fun!

Sarah's feedings have increased to 28 mL, and the time of each feeding has decreased to an hour and a half. So, she taking more food over less time, which means she has a greater opportunity to digest and rest between feedings. And that's a good thing.

And happy birthday, girl! You're ten weeks old today!

Wednesday morning

Well, despite all the goings-on yesterday, Sarah still managed to put on a little weight. Only 5 grams, but we'll take it.

This morning Sarah was all bundled up for me just as I walked in the NICU and Nurse Rochelle handed her right to me. She slept the entire time I held her (Sarah, not Rochelle), and didn't make a peep.

And apparently someone forgot to tell Nurse Rochelle and Nurse Arlene about Sarah's website, and the two of them couldn't get enough of it. Even though they get to see Sarah every day. It's funny how everyone reading the blog wants to visit Sarah, and the nurses that get to see her regularly want even more of her from the blog!

Momma is still sick, unfortunately. Hopefully she'll get better in time to visit Sarah this weekend. Daddy is doing his best to fight off the germs.

One of Sarah's busiest days, lunch report

So, baby Sarah has no shortage of news today:

• She graduated from an oral feeding tube to a nasal feeding tube. This makes it easier to nipple feed her with the bottle because the oral tube always got in the way. Also, she finally has nothing in her mouth and can freely explore it with her little fingers!

• She graduated to big(ger) diapers. I noticed this morning that her diaper was a little tight, and apparently the nurse noticed it, too.
  


• She is no longer on the vapotherm breathing apparatus. She's just using the nasal canula (sp?) with low-flo support. This is HUGE! It is the last, least support that she'll need for breathing. If she has to, she could come home with this. (But we hope she won't need any support, right girl?)

• Her feedings are now up to 26 mL. At lunch today she took 14 mL in the bottle and the rest was fed through her nasal tube. I think she's still only taking the bottle once a day, but that will steadily increase as she gets more used to the whole suck, swallow, breathe exercise.

• Daddy got to hold Sarah at lunch today. I don't usually do that due to time constraints, but the physical therapist (Astri) already had Sarah out, and basically did a nice little hand-off, which I couldn't say no to.

• And, because momma can't see Sarah, we'll post a bunch of pictures tonight, for her benefit and for everyone else out there supporting little Sarah.

Tuesday morning

Sarah was so fussy this morning! She was crying when I came in and just wouldn't stop. So I held her, and she calmed down a little, but started crying again after 15-20 minutes. Poor baby! We checked the diaper and no poo-poo, so it's a mystery. (She had just had a change-the-bedding-sized poop at 0500.)

Sarah gained 35 grams last night, and is now 1215 grams. Over 1200, way to go! Almost 2 lbs. 11 oz.!

And Sarah wants to wish a happy birthday to Grandma Rees, who turns ____ today. Happy ____ Birthday, grandma!

Monday morning report

Sarah weekend was a little nicer that her last two weekends. Having the cast on held her back, and now that it is off, she needs much less support. She stays happy with much less oxygen, and hopefully soon she will be able to breathe all by herself.

After several days of good weight gains, Sarah lost ten grams last night. Her weight is now 1180 grams, or 2 pounds 9.5 ounces. She's so big!

A little bad news - momma is sick and can't go see baby Sarah! We don't want to risk bringing anything into the NICU to get Sarah, or any of the other littles ones, sick. I'm still feeling fine and will be making my usual trips to see Sarah, and I'll be taking over Mom's evening holding duties. Fine with me! Get well soon, honey, and don't get me sick, too!

Weekend Update

Sarah had her first bottle feeding on Friday! She ate 16 of 24 cc's of milk on her very first try.
Then today Roger and I went to watch her bottle feeding for the second time. She did almost as well eating 12 of 24, but we attribute it to her being tired. Sarah was wide awake from 7-9am, and fell asleep right when it was time to come out to be fed. Here are some pictures of the physical therapist feeding her today. For now she will be getting one bottle a day to be fed by the medical staff since preemies are a little difficult to feed. The look on her face when she actually tastes the milk is priceless! Thanks for the new hat Grandma!

Oh and Sarah weighed in at 1190 grams or 2 lbs 10 ounces last night. Way to go Sarah!

Friday Morning Weigh In

Sarah had her first official post cast weigh in and...she amazed us once again.
2 POUNDS 8 OUNCES! 1140 grams for those of you watching the grams side.
She is triple her lowest weight and almost triple her birth weight! Her skin looks amazing and her legs seems to have healed well, Thank God. And today is another big day for the big girl. She is supposed to have another eye exam AND she will be given a bottle for the first time today to try it out. Good luck Sarah! Suck, swallow and breathe all together in harmony! And happy 35 weeks!

The Ultimate Comparison Post

Sarah next to daddy's pen, shortly after birth.

The same pen, today.

See that tiny little thing in the top left? Yeah, same pen!

Daddy's wedding ring, around Sarah's arm

The same ring, today. It barely fits over three fingers!

Auntie Castine's comparison post was great, too, but daddy's is way better!

Happy 9 weeks today, baby girl!

Happy Cast Off Day!

Well, Nurse Sharon and I had a plan for today. Find out what time the Orthopedist was coming so I could plan to be there and give Sarah a nice warm bath after she got her cast off. Our plan didn't work. I just called in to see what time the Dr. was coming and to my surprise Sharon gave me the good news. Everything healed and her cast was off! Sharon had to give her a bath immediately since the cast left dust all over Miss Sarah's legs. I really wanted to give her a bath, but I am so glad that gross thing is off. Sharon reported that Sarah is doing great and super happy. I am off to see the baby girl and so excited to weigh her and take lots of yummy pictures. I will update ya'll when I return, don't wait up, I might be there all day snuggling her!

Wednesday morning

Happy 8th day of Hannukah, baby Sarah!

I told you to worry about Sarah losing weight yesterday. She gained it back last night!

She had some x-rays taken this morning, and the orthopedic surgeon will be by today to take a look at them. Hopefully he will clear the cast to be removed tomorrow!

HAPPY TWO MONTHS!!!!

Happy two month birthday, girl. We love you so much! Can't wait to get that cast off on Thursday. I wish we could do it today and give you a nice warm bath for your birthday, but it'll have to wait a few more days. We're so amazed by all your progress in the past two months, and the next to months are going to be so exciting. You're almost home, baby!

Sarah did have a slight setback last night. She lost 20 grams. But its nothing to be worried about. She's been going up so much, we aren't used to the ups and downs anymore, but they still can happen.

This morning she was awake for the entire half-hour I was holding her. She kept moving her arms, crying for a few seconds, looking around the room, repeat, repeat, repeat. She is so alert. I love watching her explore her surrounding with her eyes, even if everything looks like a blurry mess to her.

Last night mommy and daddy went to an infant safety and CPR class, or, as it's also known, the Britney Spears happy hour. Except it was three hours long. Daddy was tired and grumpy. But we learned a lot and mommy made a big list of things daddy gets to do to make the house ready for Sarah.

Sent from my iPhone

What a difference two months makes!

Hi all,

I just wanted to post a few pictures to show Baby Sarah's amazing growth! The first picture is from when she was just a few hours old. Her whole hand is barely the size of my pinky nail. The second picture is from Saturday, almost two months after she was born. Look at how big her adorable little hand has become (and yes, it's just as tasty as it looks)!

She's my little angel!

Auntie Castine

Monday morning

Sarah continued to gain weight over the weekend. Last night, she gained 40 grams. The night before, 20. Friday night, 40. Hopefully the cast will come off this week and we can see her total weight.

Sarah had a good weekend; she slept a lot yesterday. We were there for three hours yesterday afternoon and she didn't wake up for more than a few minutes. After all that sleeping, Sarah was wide awake this morning when I was holding her. But, after about ten minutes, she went from wide awake and alert to sleeping soundly in daddy's arms.

Grandma Mimi came to visit Sarah, and got to see first hand how good Sarah is at making a mess. I think Sarah went through three or four diapers in one changing. She just kept going!

1,000 words

Friday morning

Sarah, you are so cute this morning! Happy third day of Hannukah! Happy 9 week birthday (yesterday)! And happy 34 weeks if you were still inside the momma!

I held her again this morning, and I know I said it before, but it's such a great way to start my day. Almost better than Starbucks. I kid! It's way better than Starbucks! (Almost....)

Anyway, I was so excited to hold her, I forgot to ask about her weight. But she is doing great. She had another explosive, four diaper, change-the-bed episode this morning. What a big girl, but not very ladylike......

Yesterday was Erika's father's yarzeit, and I miss him very much (Erika does too!). I know he'd be so proud of little Sarah, and that he is watching over her now. Mark was a great dad, and I hope I can do as well with Sarah as he did with Erika. And Michael and Joe, too.

Quick Thursday Report

I am happy to report that Sarah gained full 1 ounce last night. Her weight is approximately 960 grams (2lbs 2 ounces). The countdown is on to that 1000 gram milestone! Keep up the good work young lady. We are so proud of you.

Humpday lunch report

Here is Sarah's first Hannukah gift, an electric menorah. It's pretty, just like you, little princess.

Sarah's halfway through the time in her cast (I think). She's scheduled to have it removed on December 10, which can't come fast enough! You go, girl.

Last night, the doctor removed a portion of Sarah's cast, which was covering her belly. She's already reaping the benefits, as she's getting tummy time again. She loves it so much, and it makes me so happy when she's comfortable.

Wednesday morning snuggle report

So we decided that Sarah needed to be held a little more often now that she's getting bigger. More human contact is good for her, and good for us.

I'm the lucky one that now gets to get up even earlier (at 5 a.m. on the dot, no more snoozing until 5:15), leave the house by 5:30, arrive at the hospital at 5:45, and hold baby Sarah from 5:50 until 6:30.

I LOVE IT!

She's so cute and so sweet and so snuggly. I just love holding her, and would do it all day (or until my arms fell off), if I didn't have to leave. I think we're going to have to get Sarah a sibling real quick because I don't think I want to share her with mom anymore. I even stole mommy's snuggle time yesterday evening, too!

Here's a map showing where everyone is

To use the map, click on it once, and then you can zoom in and pan around the map to identify where everyone is. Let's continue to populate the map people. If you want to be included, please click on the link at the right "Where in the World Are You???" and we will update the map. Thanks for all the support!!!

Tuesday morning

So Sarah was a little fussy last night, and Nurse Rochelle couldn't figure out was wrong. There wasn't a dirty diaper (Rochelle knows to check there first). After a little while, she realize that Sarah just wanted to be held. So, from 2-4 a.m., Sarah got some tummy time in Nurse Rochelle's arms. It calmed her down immediately, and she slept peacefully the entire two hours!

Sarah gained 5 grams last night, which is good. We were expecting a possible decrease because on Sunday night she gained 80 grams, and when the gain is so big, sometimes all the weight doesn't stick. So a 5 gram increase is great. But really, with the cast on, and all the molestick protecting Sarah's skin, it's really hard to judge her weight at all. One piece of padding under the cast could weigh a few grams, and one piece taken away could cause a weight loss. So, what I'm saying is, I can't weight to get the darned cast off!

Have a great Tuesday.

Speaking of Miracles...

On this, the eve of Sarah Chaya's first Chanukah, we are so grateful for the miracle that baby Sarah is, so I felt it befitting to share the story of the great miracle of Chanukah...

The story of Chanukkah begins in the reign of Alexander the Great. Alexander conquered Syria, Egypt and Palestine, but allowed the lands under his control to continue observing their own religions and retain a certain degree of autonomy. Under this relatively benevolent rule, many Jews assimilated much of Hellenistic culture, adopting the language, the customs and the dress of the Greeks, in much the same way that Jews in America today blend into the secular American society.

More than a century later, a successor of Alexander, Antiochus IV was in control of the region. He began to oppress the Jews severely, placing a Hellenistic priest in the Temple, massacring Jews, prohibiting the practice of the Jewish religion, and desecrating the Temple by requiring the sacrifice of pigs (a non-kosher animal) on the altar. Two groups opposed Antiochus: a basically nationalistic group led by Mattathias the Hasmonean and his son Judah Maccabee, and a religious traditionalist group known as the Chasidim, the forerunners of the Pharisees (no direct connection to the modern movement known as Chasidism). They joined forces in a revolt against both the assimilation of the Hellenistic Jews and oppression by the Seleucid Greek government. The revolution succeeded and the Temple was rededicated.

According to tradition as recorded in the Talmud, at the time of the re-dedication, there was very little oil left that had not been defiled by the Greeks. Oil was needed for the menorah (candelabrum) in the Temple, which was supposed to burn throughout the night every night. There was only enough oil to burn for one day, yet miraculously, it burned for eight days, the time needed to prepare a fresh supply of oil for the menorah. An eight day festival was declared to commemorate this miracle. (from jewfaqs.org).

This should be the first of 120 years of Chanukah's that Sarah gets to celebrate! While she can not have candles in the ICU, we bought Sarah her first Chanukah gift, an electric menorah, that we will light with her every night.

Monday lunch

Here's Sarah sleeping, sucking on her pacifier, with my hand protecting her

Sarah showing what a big girl she is and how

she can hold her pacifier all by herself.

Sarah is now eating 22 mL each time. That's a lot of milk, little girl! Keep it up.

Monday morning report

Sarah continues to grow every day. She's over 1200 grams today, but you have to subtract about 260 grams for her cast. She's been gaining consistently.

She was very fussy this morning, and a poopie diaper was the culprit. A quick change made her happy again and she went right back to sleep.

Where in the World Are You???

In conversations I have had with many people lately, they mentioned that their mother, fathers, sisters, friends, etc. are always checking up on sweet Baby Sarah from all over the globe. They check in for updates, to see her amazing progress and support. I thought it would be interesting to know where Sarah is being watched, supported and prayed for.

There is no need to give your name if you don't feel comfortable doing so. We don't know many of the people that check on her, but we appreciate it, nonetheless. Please follow these simple instructions so we know where Sarah has touched so many lives:

To the right of this post click on comments. In the "Leave Your Comment" area enter in your city, state, country, etc. Select anonymous- AGAIN, you do not need to give us your name if you don't want to. We are just interested to show Sarah one day how many people all over G-d's beautiful green earth are praying for her.

Thanks again for all of your outpouring of love and support for the sweet baby girl!

Friday morning

Sarah's spirits are high this morning. She's doing a lot better than I'd be doing if my legs were in a cast, that's for sure. She was a little fussy this morning when I got to the hospital, but a few seconds of hearing daddy's voice and squeezing my fingers calmed her down.

She weighed in over 1000 grams yesterday, most of which is her, but the rest is the cast. We won't be able to get an accurate reading of her weight over the next two weeks, but as long as it keeps going up, we're okay with that. Hopefully when the cast comes off, she really will weigh over a kilogram.

Momma's going to bring some colorful Sharpy markers today, and we're all going to sign Sarah's cast. If we can, we'll keep the cast so that Sarah can see how small she was, when she's old enough to appreciate it.

Have a nice weekend everyone, and keep her in your thoughts.

Late Evening Report

Today was a LONG day. I spent most of it talking to multiple doctors and worrying. The orthopedic surgeon was in and thought that Sarah was just the cutest little baby. He explained that unfortunetly many premature babies get fractures often (see Grandma and Grandpa's comment from lunch for more info). While all of the great staff at the NICU are very careful when handling her, fratures can happen, not by fault of anyone. The fracture Sarah has is just a hairline and shouldn't have any lasting effect in the long run. Nevertheless, I wish I could be there with her 24/7.

The doctors decided to put her legs in a cast to try to minimize her moving around too much and displacing the femur. They estimate she will have the cast on for two weeks. We can still hold her and snuggle her as usual, just instead of kangaroo-ing, we will have the swaddle her and hold her in our arms.

Sarah didn't seem phased by any of it, she is not in pain and it hasn't effected her movements much at all. She is still wiggling all her toes just fine. I think the worst part is, because of the cast, Sarah can not lay on her tummy. While she has the cast on, she won't be wearing any of her adorable clothing, so I am sure when the time comes to take off her cast she will have outgrown most of her Micro-clothes! That thought is so exciting. I can't wait to see how big she gets. Her weigh in's will be a little bit off until the cast comes off since they don't know exaclty how much the cast weighs...another reason to look forward to the cast coming off , an accurate weight after all this.

I have decided that we won't be posting pictures of Sarah in her cast because it looks worse than it really is. We will however, be putting up pictures of her in Daddy's arms today. Yay for Daddy snuggle time!

While we realize that this is serious, in the grand scheme of things, we are greatful that nothing that has happened so far is life threatening. We continue to pray for Sarah's growth and good health.

Happily snuggled in Daddy's arms sucking away on her pacifier

Sarah pulled the pacifier out for this picture

Nothing is better than a Daddy's loving arms

Lunch

Don't worry too much, but we need your prayers again. Sarah has a hairline fracture in her femur. They say its not uncommon in little girls. She's getting a cast put on now. Updates to follow.

Sent from my iPhone

Mid week morning report

So Sarah had several episodes of explosive poo poo yesterday, and one more last night. I still can't wait to get her home, even though Erika will have to get up in the middle of the night to clean up while I go to the other room and fall back asleep. I think that's how it works.

Sarah is still 810 grams, no gain, no loss, no problem. I think we know where all the weight went. Tomorrow is 7 weeks!

Tuesday morning

Sarah reached that 800 gram milestone last night. She is now 810 grams, or 1.78 pounds. She's over a pound and three quarters! Her feedings went up last night to 18 mL every three hours, and she is eating like a champ. Almost nothing left in her tummy at the next feeding.

Everyone in the NICU is so impressed with her, and really, how can you not be impressed with her? You BETTER be impressed, or we're gonna need to have a talk...

Monday Afternoon Update

Sarah is having a good day. Her feedings were bumped up to 16 mL every 3 hours and if all goes well she will be bumped up again to 18 mL tonight. She had a session with the developmental therapist today and that certainly tuckered her out. She is napping comfortably for the rest of the afternoon. That is until Mommy comes over later and swoops her up for a late afternoon kangaroo session.
Fun fact: Panda Bears are born weighing about 3.5 ounces. Sarah's birth weight was 14 ounces. Keep on growth little miss Sarah Bear. You are almost DOUBLE your birth weight! Just another 10 grams to go...Yipee

Monday morning

I hope everyone had a nice, long weekend. It was a chore getting up at 5:00 a.m. this morning after sleeping in for four days.

Sarah gained another 30 grams last night, bringing her weight up to 770 grams, which is about 1 pound, 11 ounces. She was also measured last night, and is longer and has a bigger head. All good news!

She had another transfusion last night, her first in several weeks. She's doing really well and looks fantastic. I'm so proud of her and so is mommy!

Sunday Report

We hope you had a wonderful holiday weekend. Sarah is sure having one. She is up to 740 grams (1 pound 10 ounces) and eating 15 mL's every 3 hours, for a total of 4 ounces a day! She is eating 15% of her body weight daily. Imagine if we did that! Ugh.

Happy Thanksgiving!

We wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you for your continued support and prayers for little Sarah.  This year we have so much to be thankful for and every day that G-d gives us with Sarah is a miracle.  We want to wish you all a HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and your families all over the world.  We continue to pray for Sarah's health and growth every day and are so thankful she is doing so well.  G-d bless each and every one of you.

Lovingly,

Erika and Roger

Morning report

After a few days of weight loss, Sarah came back up to 700 grams again, a gain of 20 grams.

Sarah turns six weeks tomorrow, and she continues to amaze us and everyone around her. As you probably noticed, the blogs are getting less frequent now, which really isn't a bad thing. It's just boring to read the same "No change she's doing well" blog over and over again. So, if you don't see a post for a day, even two, don't worry. We just can't think of anything exciting to write.

Tuesday morning report

Well, the daily weight loss continued again last night, but again it was small. She lost another 10 grams and is now 680 grams. It may seem discouraging, but we aren't worried. The weekly weight is more important than the day-to-day, and Sarah has been steadily gaining about 80-100 grams every week. This week shouldn't be any different.

And, we know where the weight went. She had three big #2's last night, and that accounts for a lot of grams.

Sarah is still doing well on 1 liter of pressure. Despite her size, she is now one of the healthiest babies in the NICU. We're so happy! She's now on 2-1 care, meaning she shares her nurse with another baby. And that's great, because it means when she gets home, mom should be able to handle all the care by herself, right?

On a side note, one of the nurses asked me if I knew any Jewish boys for a nice lawyer in New York, for one of her son's friends. I asked her "She can't find a Jewish boy in New York?! Where is she looking?" And it was one of the Korean nurses that was asking! I was very confused...

Monday lunch report

Sarah's having a wonderful day. I went to see her at lunch and she looks so good. Her numbers were a little low, but nothing a changed diaper couldn't fix (the nurse handled it, not me!)....

Here she is sleeping away. Look at all that hair!

Blog format update

We updated the blog format so that only posts from the past seven days will be displayed on the main page. Posts older than seven days will be archived, and can be viewed from selecting the appropriate week on the right hand of the page.

Monday morning

Well, our girl lost a little weight again, but not as much this time. She went from 700 grams down to 690 grams. Hopefully she won't go down too much more and will start gaining steadily again.

She's doing well on 1.0 L of pressure in the nasal prongs, and her O2 is generally between 26-30%. If you know what that means. When she's having trouble, they put her up to the mid-40s and she comes back up.

Sunday morning

Mom and I went to visit Sarah last night at about 9:00 just to pick up some more bottles. Little did we know what we were in for..... Sarah's heart rate was a little low, and Erika recognized the signs of a dirty diaper. So, like any good mom, she took off Sarah's old diaper and had a new one ready. But, before the new one was in place, Sarah let out a little cry, and BAM!, poop everywhere. And I mean, EVERYWHERE. I had never seen projectile poop before last night. It is quite the sight. We were trying to figure out a nickname for Sarah, and I think "Old Faithful" is appropriate now.

Now, the important stuff. Sarah had a pretty good night. She's having a few episodes with her heart rate and breathing dropping a little, but that's just because they are trying to ween her off the oxygen. If it continues, they will have to put her pressure back up to 2.0 (it's down to 1.5).

She weighed in at 700 grams last night, which is a pretty big gain. Don't be surprised to see it go down a little again. She continues to digest all 14 mL they're feeding her. Such a champ!

First extended family photos

And first father-daughter snuggle!!

Sarah, mommy, and me!

Auntie Castine and Sarah and me...look at Sarah open her eyes for the pic!

Grandma Mimi came to see Sarah too!

Post-exam report

Sarah had her eyes checked, and guess what? Her eyes are a little immature. Just like she is. Nothing to worry about, they'll grow as she does.

Also, another little baby in the NICU is very sick. We don't know if it's a boy or a girl, but it needs prayers too. Think of him (or her)!

Morning!

Sarah has an eye exam scheduled for today. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope she checks out okay!

Despite the increased feedings of 14 mL, she dropped a little more weight last night. She's down to 610 grams. But, with the continued feedings going up and up, she should be packing it on in no time.

This morning I got a little play time with Sarah, which is unusual. She's normally sound asleep at 6:00 a.m.

Morning report - Daddy is back!

It's nice to be back home and able to be with Sarah again. I missed her so much, and so much happened while I was gone. She looks absolutely fantastic, and her progress has everyone, including her doctors and nurses and RTs, amazed!

We knew it would happen, and her weight did drop down again. She's 640 grams. But that's okay, because we know where the weight went. She took three (3!!!!) big poops overnight. Even I don't poo three times a night (most nights! j/k)...

I spoke with Dr. Banks for a few minutes this morning, and he said we are just going to continue to watch her feedings and increase them periodically. That's about all there is to do now, as she just needs food food food to grow grow grow.

Erika will hopefully Kangaroo again today and tomorrow, and then on Saturday I will get my first chance. I'm so excited!

First Family Photo's

Daddy came back from his business trip today and got to see Kangaroo for the first time.
A little more kosher this time.
That is the wave to grandpa for his birthday. Love you gramps! Hi every one else.

Thanks for all your support, love and prayers!

All this growing has me so exhausted! Time for my nap.

Wednesday-Happy Birthday Grandpa!

Sarah weighed in at a WHOPPING 700 grams last night (that is nearly 1 lb 9 ounces). Seems a bit high for an overnight gain, so don't get too excited, she might just need to poop, but we certainly will take it! Nothing else to report since the Doctor has not done rounds yet.

We want to wish Grandpa a very happy birthday today. It is the first of many birthday's as a Grandpa. We look forward to celebrating many more together. We love you Grandpa!

(Picture removed)

Tuesday Night Info

I spent another wonderful day with Sarah laying on me. She slept almost the entire time and this time left drool marks all over my chest:) Her feedings went up to 11 mL's and most importantly, her IV fluids were discontinued and her IV line was taken out. She is only eating milk now. The only things she is connected to are the oxygen hose and her heart rate machines.

Tuesday Update

Sorry for the late morning update, but with Roger out of town for a few days, you will have to bear with me. Sarah had a good night. She weighed in at 630 grams- that is just over 1 pound 6 ounces. She is eating 10 mL's every 3 hours and all is looking good, with nothing left over in the tummy at the next feeding. Not sure if they have plans to increase her eating today, either way, she is doing fantastic.

I am going to sign Roger and I up for the parenting classes that we were supposed to take before she was born. Since that didn't happen, now is the perfect time to learn about Baby Care, The Amazig Newborn, and Infant CPR. I wonder if we will be the only non-pregnant parents in the class. Oh well, circumstances beyond our control. Regardless, I am looking forward to taking the classes over the next few months.

In case anyone was wondering what the next few weeks will hold for Sarah, it seems her only job is to grow. Around week 35 they will start to introduce her to the bottle- so she has about 4 weeks 'til then. Until then she will be eating through her tummy tube. She will also have an eye exam in the next week or so.

Kangaroo, Kangaroo!

Ok, I know I said yesterday was awesome, but today was even more awesomer! It was so awesome that I had to make up the word awesomer! Don't get me wrong, the first time you get to hold your baby is a time you will never forget, but I was so nervous and tense, that I was not able to relax and enjoy it. I didn't know how to hold her and I didn't feel that she enjoyed it much either. But today, today was a totally different story entirely. Today I got to hold Sarah skin to skin. I got to feel her right up on my chest. Today I got to relax for 2 hours with her in my arms. All alone. Sarah was so happy that the nurse left us and as long as her heart rate and oxygen levels were stable, we were basically left alone to snuggle and bond. I got to sing to her and tell her how much Mommy and Daddy love her. She layed on me and slept the entire time. This process is called Kangaroo Care and it is supposed to simulate the womb. The baby hears your voice and heartbeat just like she did in the womb. It's has a calming effect on everyone, including me. I had to prevent myself from falling asleep! Kangaroo's sure do got the right idea. I proclaim every day a Kangaroo day!

Thanks to Grandma Rees for being there to take the pictures. These pictures were taken on a disposable camera, as I had forgotten my good camera at home. I learned my lesson and that won't happen again.

Fun fact: Sarah sneezes just like mom- at least 2-6 times. For all the HAL classmates out there reading this, Mr. Koff would so give her a detention for that, just like he gave mom in 8th grade for being disruptive in class.