And Gummybear Makes Three: The trials and triumphs of raising a preemie

How sweet it is...

2011-03-26T12:22:00.000-07:00

Daddy and Abby (January 2010): Daddy and Cullen (March 2011):

2 months old!

2011-03-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

Cullen had his 2 month appointment this week! Everything looked great and he has caught up on gaining weight finally. Nursing is going well too, and I'm finding I'm actually enjoying it (as opposed to how much I dreaded every feeding the first month).

Here are his 2 month stats compared with Abby at 4 months (2 months adjusted):

Weight:
Cullen: 10lbs 1oz (15th percentile)
Abby: 10lbs 2.5oz (1st percentile)

Length:
Cullen: 21.5 inches (27th percentile)
Abby: 21.5 inches (1st percentile)

Head circ:
Cullen: 36cm
Abby: 37cm

New Beginnings

2011-02-04T11:17:00.000-08:00

Introducing Cullen Alexander Sandlin

(AKA "Monkey")

Born Monday, January 24th, 2011 at 9:04pm after 6 hours of induced unintentionally pain-med-free labor (Can you tell there's a story behind this? More to come.)

7lbs 140z and 21.25inches long

Love at first sight!
Holding Daddy's hand:
5lbs bigger than big sister Abby was:
Getting weighed and cleaned up:
Our family is complete:

Eulogy

2011-01-14T20:36:00.000-08:00

I have received many compliments and request for the speech I gave at my mother's funeral. So I took over the Blog to put it here.

Matt.

Remembering Mary Ann Sandlin:

Mary Ann, Wife, Mom, Mimi, sister, daughter, friend. All of these we use to describe a country girl from Thomaston, GA. Who was a strong willed, caring, tell it like it is type of woman. To know Mom was to be included in every part of her life, she was somewhat of an over-sharer. That was just how she reeled you in, stories of us and her grandchildren were the bait so that you too would share in her joy.

How do you say goodbye to someone who has been there your entire life? Someone you love, respect and want to make proud. By taking comfort in the fact that she is now in a better place and just maybe try to over-share a little yourself.

As I was thinking about what to include today the first answer came to me. A quote. A quote allows someone less eloquent to use the words of another to share what is in their heart. I wanted something that would express not only what I felt for her but what she felt for us. So instead of just a quote I found something in Isaiah Chapter 54 verse 10.

Though the mountains leave their place and the hills be shaken, My love shall never leave you.

Mom loved to interact with people both personal and professional which made her activities great. Whether it was work, family, the Lady Knights, the bowling league, being a Deacon's wife. Mom was there to support you in what you did. There have been a few truly humbling moments in my life, ones that come out of tragedy. One was when Mom was fighting cancer, and another has been now. The amount of love and support that came from every community she was apart if has been amazing. Thank you.

The second thing that came to mind is a story. The bible is full of parables and stories of joy and sadness. Jesus used parables to tell us things in a way that anybody could understand. Stories also help describe situations that are meant to reach out to our hearts and minds and sometimes can be just a bit funny. I know there are many stories that we all can share about Mom and here is one I would like to share about an early date my parents had.

At the time my dad was traveling and my mother was working two jobs, one of which was as a waitress. Near the of the week they had gone out dancing to a few different places. At the end of the night they wind up at a Waffle House and have dinner. Now because this was the end of the week dad was almost out of his expense money. He was digging in his pockets for change just to leave a tip. So mom basically calls him the cheapest SO... well you get the point....

It just showed how Mom wouldn't hold back what she thought and also showed her empathy to someone she really didn't know by wanting the waitress to have a proper tip. To be honest I am not sure which one was the glutton for punishment because they both came back for more. I am certainly glad that they did. As are many of you here today. My mother touched many lives in a profound way and she will be missed but never forgotten. To paraphrase from Jeremiah Chapter 29 “God knows the plans he has for each of us”.

Finally I would like to leave you with a poem, that Susan has shared with me, to celebrate my mother. I hope that through this you have been uplifted.

“I'm Free”
Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free,
I’m following the path God laid for me.
I took His hand when I heard him call,
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day,
to laugh, to love, to work or play;
Tasks left undone must stay that way.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss,
Ah yes, these things too I will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life’s been full, I’ve savored much.
Good friends, good times, a loved ones touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,
Don’t lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your hearts and share with me,
I’m with God now, I’ve been set free.

He is With You

2011-01-04T19:25:00.000-08:00

Fall Fun

2010-11-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

The Pumpkin Patch

2010-11-02T09:52:00.000-07:00

The Pumpkin Patch:

A post by Abigail

A few weeks ago, Mommy, Daddy, Gigi, and I went to the Pumpkin Patch in Moreland. I wasn't so sure about it at first - there were all of these HUGE orange things everywhere! Then Mommy walked me around and introduced me to my first pumpkins! I think I like them. Apparently taking pictures at the Pumpkin Patch is a big deal for her, so I played along. Here are some pictures from our trip!

Mommy and I looking at the pumpkins:

Pumpkins are ORANGE! Did you know???!

I wonder if Mommy accidentally swallowed a pumpkin...

This is a BIG pumpkin!

I see you!

Please, no more photos!

An Abby-sized pumpkin!

Exploring the Pumpkin Patch:

Pretty smile:

And now, one with attitude!

Nom nom nom....

2010-10-25T17:28:00.001-07:00

Baby Monkey is eating my brain. I was certain he was already eating us out of house and home ( I can't stop eating!), but now he has moved on to my common sense.

Case in point: I showed up at Gordon college 20 minutes early tonight with an awesome WWI lesson in hand. The first thing I notice as I walk into my classroom is that the class before me put a few posters on the wall. Interesting. As I begin to set up my powerpoint, I notice that the college has switched out computers over the weekend. Hmmm...but this is great because with this new computer I don't have to kneel on the floor to plug in my flashdrive. WIN! I then glance around for my rolly-chair and notice that it is missing. Some other professor must have "borrowed" it, and that makes this pregnant lady a little miffed. I'll have to go hunt it down later.

At 6pm, I start to wonder where my students are. All 14 of them decided not to show up tonight. I silently curse them all as I reconsider the intelligence of posting their powerpoint lectures online. Then I start to wonder if maybe they're all in cahoots and agreed not to come to class as some sort of practical joke on me. Then I log into facebook as I wait and plan a really tough quiz for next week's class.

After waiting for 45 minutes to see if any students show up (they didn't), I pack up my things and head to the elevator. As I'm waiting there, I notice that the level 2 evacuation plan is posted on the wall. Whaaaaa? Now why on EARTH would they post the level 2 floor plan on LEVEL 3???

And then I realize what I should have realized 45 minutes ago. I am on level 2. I have been sitting directly underneath my classroom for almost an hour, and wondering why no one showed up.

I slap myself on the forehead and dart up to the 3rd floor, only to find that it's 6:45 and my students have long since left.

True story.

All about Abby

2010-10-25T00:34:00.000-07:00

Life has been pretty crazy the past few months - as you can surmise from the fact that until yesterday I hadn't written any posts since early August. That just so happened to coincide with the start of the school year. Coincidence? I think not.

Right now it is 3:30am and I'm sitting up listening to a coughing baby and feeling pretty helpless. Every few weeks or so Abby develops what I like to call "Daycare Kennel Cough". She'll cough and cough all week (worse at night), but not spike a fever. I think it has something to do with the weather changing and her drainage. So, while she coughs, this mama sits up all night and plies her with cough syrup and cuddles. I think the worst feeling in the world is when your baby is sick - even when it's minor - and you can't do anything about it. *Reminding myself that she would either build up her immune system NOW or later in preschool. Daycare Kennel Cough does not make me a bad mommy. Rinse. Repeat.*

We've fallen into a pretty good routine with me going back to work this year. I am teaching half-days at EC - 3rd and 4th block AP European History. I really couldn't have asked for a better schedule. Abby and I get up around 7am each morning, breakfast together and play for 2 hours or so. Then she toddles around the master bathroom with me while I shower, dress, and get ready for the day. If I'm lucky, she naps from about 10-11 (if daycare is lucky, she doesn't and she naps there instead!) We are dressed and headed out the door by 11am, so that I can drop her off with her teacher Mrs. Cindy and be at school by 11:42 for class change. I start off the week arriving at school about 20-30 minutes early to get some housekeeping done - but by the time Thursday rolls around, we are usually pushing it just to arrive on time!

Abby's daycare is about 2 minutes from my school, which I think has really helped me with the transition. I know that at any moment I can drop what I'm doing and be at her side in no time flat. It makes it easier for me to concentrate at work and not worry about what she's doing and when I'll see her next. It also helps that Abby ADORES her teacher, Mrs. Cindy. She didn't feel like this the first 2 weeks, and we had a rough time saying goodbye in the morning - but then one day everything changed and now she actually grins and reaches out to Mrs. Cindy when we arrive. I have to admit, the first time I saw her reach for another woman, I just about lost it. It does make me feel good to know that she's staying with someone who will love on her and play with her almost as much as I would.

There are usually 2 or 3 other infants in Abby's room on any given day. Right now Abby is the oldest since she is over 1 and not yet walking. They will not move her into the 1 Year Old room until she's walking well - which is just fine with me! That one year old room is crazy! Babies walking around everywhere and getting into everything. No, I much prefer her to explore in her cozy little infant room where she can be Queen of the Cribs! She has some boy friends that are a little younger than her that she likes to chase around and play with. There are also tiny twins who just started a few weeks ago. Abby is learning to get used to hearing newborns cry and learning not to crawl over them or poke their eyes out: two skills I'm sure Monkey appreciates her learning NOW. She's a very empathetic baby (she can always tell when I'm not feeling good or having a bad day) and she has been known to bring piles of toys over to any baby who is crying at school to make them feel better.

I teach until 3:30, then am usually at her school for pick-up around 4:15. 99% of the time she's happily sitting on the floor reading a book or crawling around on the baby slide with her friends. Her entire face lights up when I walk in and it makes my whole day. It's like we had never been apart for those 4 hours! Every now and then I'll show up and she's had a bad day - which leaves me feeling sad and guilty the rest of the night, wondering if going back to work is really worth it. Of course, it IS worth it - seeing as how I had no financial choice this year. In addition, those bad days are few and far between - I just love seeing her grow and learn in ways I couldn't teach her by keeping her cloistered at home. She's really opened up to people in the poast few months and is learning to socialize with other children. She came home blowing kisses this week - talk about melting a mama's heart! - and she is really pushing to learn to walk since she sees the boys doing it at school.

When we get home around 5 each day, we play in the living room while we wait for Daddy to get home. Right now Abby's favorite thing to do is push things from the living room to the kitchen and back again...over and over! Although she has a baby doll stroller, little car, and scooter we specifically bought for this purpose, she would rather push chairs, boxes, and Ginger instead. Matt usually arrives home around 6pm - you should SEE her face light up when she sees her Daddy! - and we all have dinner. Abby gets into the big tub in our master bath around 7, where she splashes around for a good 15 minutes or so while I try to wash her slippery self, then we do pajamas. Matt alternately reads her Pajama Time or Goodnight Moon every night while we sit in the rocker and have our "Nigh-Nigh" bottle. Then down she goes until (hopefully) 7am...when we will start it all over again!

Is it routine? Yes. But I love it, and so does Abby, I think. We could continue this routine indefinitely, but something tells me that everything is about to change in 2-3 months' time. And it will be rough for a while - I'm completely expecting a mommy-meltdown for the first few months of having 2 under 2. But I think we'll fall into a new routine soon enough. And it will probably be even better.

Monkey's Big Ultrasound

2010-10-24T08:47:00.000-07:00

Matt couldn't be at the big ultrasound in August, so I asked the tech to keep the gender a secret and write it down on a piece of paper. That night, Matt, Abby, and I went to Olive Garden and opened the envelope. Then we got to tell Abby she is going to have a baby BROTHER! We are so excited about getting ready for a Sandlin boy - he will be the perfect addition to our little family!

Here are some shots from the big reveal. I tried to get Matt to let me post the money-shot, but he argues that the longer we can keep Monkey from exposing himself to the masses, the better!

(These are from 19 weeks:)

Grow, Monkey, Grow!

2010-10-24T08:26:00.000-07:00

23 Weeks pregnant:

Me and my Boo-Bear (23 Weeks):

27 Weeks pregnant:

After realizing I am entering 3rd Trimester...already....

Happy Birthday, Gummybear!

2010-10-02T13:42:00.000-07:00

Abby turned one at the end of August and we had a Ladybug party for her at the local park. It was so much fun and turned into an all-day event! She had such a great time eating her first bites of cake, playing with her cousins and friends, and opening her presents. Here are some pictures from the big day:

Cousins!!

Thinking about eating the cake off my daddy's fingers...

Cheesing it up for the camera:

4 Generations!

I love my Granny!

My first taste of cake!

Hey...What's going on??

Abby's 1st birthday cake - made by her Aunt Cheryl!

Abby and Kat:

Becca looking pretty as always:

Raine and Jake playing at the park:

Rebecca and Baby Ian - our Babytime friends!

Abby and her Mimi:

Gigi and Grandy soaking in the day:

The two lovebirds:

Caroline - Pretty in Pink:

Me and my grandparents!

Mary June and Brittany:

What do you mean Birthdays only come once a year??!

Mother of the Year

2010-08-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

So I'm usually very attentive and all, but since Abby has started crawling, she's been getting into a bit more mischief than usual. Take today for example:

While I was getting ready in the master bathroom this morning, Abby was sitting on the floor and playing with my hair brush. She likes to watch me dry my hair every morning before we head out to our "schools". I suddenly realized I had not heard from her in a minute or two (she's always holding conversations with inanimate objects. It's really quite darling) and looked around to find her standing up, gripping the toilet seat, and trying to peer inside the bowl. Eww. BUT it did lead to a "teachable moment" - that's teacher-speak for a chance to dazzle her with information she never asked for. Our teachable moment consisted of "what a potty is for" (with full demonstration of the flush feature) and how we "wash, wash, wash our hands" after touching the potty.

Later, we were in the kitchen making our lunches when Abby crawled over to the cat food bowl. She looked up at me and said "uh uhh uh uh" (which is what I always say to her when she gets too close to the animal food). I smiled and nodded and said "That's RIGHT! Going near the cat food is a no-no!". I smiled at my genious child and she smiled back...right before putting a fistfull of cat kibble in her mouth.

Blessed...not stressed!

2010-08-12T05:07:00.000-07:00

We have had a great last few weeks of summer, and now we're heading into the final countdown before Abby turns ONE. Yes, I'm holding back tears as I write that. It seems like just last week we were bringing her home for the first time after all the weeks of back and forth to the nicu. She was so tiny she fit in the palm of Matt's hand and we just all laid on the bed when we got her home and looked over at each other like "now what??" And now here we are at 11 months old and 18 lbs. She may be a tiny thing, but she makes up for it with fiestiness! It seems like Abby learns how to do something new everyday - just yesterday she came home from "school" and she was pointing for the first time. Pointing at EVERYTHING - and babbling on and on to let me know what it was she was pointing at.

Abby had a great playdate with Corbin and Ian a few weeks ago. Ian was sleeping when I remembered I brought my camera, so here are some shots of Abby and her "best friend":

Here they are trying to start their own band "The Tiny Teethers". Abby has agreed to be lead singer if Corbin does all the dancing:

Corbin and Cathy - this was just too cute not to add:

Forever Friends:

We crashed Mimi and Papa's anniversary dinner - and Gigi and Grandy decided to join us too! Here we are at Frank's Italian Restaurant:

I got to spend some much needed girl-time celebrating with my friend Kristin at her baby shower. Here are Kristin, her sister Kelly, and their mother. Can you tell Mrs. Ross is excited to be getting two grandchildren this fall?

There are four people in this picture :)

Abigail learned to crawl last month and now she is a mobile machine! She spends her days moving from one room to another and chasing around the animals:

Here she is on her first day of "school"! She was so excited to go and play with the other babies...until she realized mommy was not going to be there the whole time.

Cutest face on earth:

Helloooo Baby Bump!

2010-07-20T19:47:00.001-07:00

And Hellooooo Second Trimester! Nice to see you again. Now lets talk about an end to this morning sickness...

Ch-ch-ch-changes

2010-07-15T07:05:00.000-07:00

There are so many changes going on in the Sandlin house right now. It seems like everytime I turn around Abby is doing something new! She has now outgrown all of her 6 and 9 month clothing and is officially in 12 month outfits. She has become so vocal and opinionated and a little more indepeendent in her play. AND...on top of it all... Abigail is starting to CRAWL! She's getting up on her little knees to pull up in her crib and making her way across the living room floor faster and faster each day. I anxiously awaited this day for the past several months, and now that it's here, I'm finding it a little nerve-wracking! Time to babyproof - quick!

Abby has been going through some other changes recently too. She's starting to stay with people other than mommy for short amounts of time - and it seems like she's gotten over most of her stranger anxiety (for now). This is great, since one of the BIG changes this fall will be me starting back to teaching high school European history part time, so she will be at a daycare nearby for about 4 hours a day. Honestly, I think she's going to love it. She adores going to Babytime at the library and seeing the other babies play, so I think it's going to be like one long Babytime for her! The good news is that my teaching schedule is from about noon to four, so we will still get to do fun things like Babytime in the morning.

Another change is that I will be teaching Western Civilization at Gordon College on Monday nights, so Abby will get some extra Daddy time in on those evenings. Matt has always been really involved in her bedtime routine and reading her book every night, but now he'll get to do the whole thing by himself one night a week.

In other news, Monkey has undergone a few changes too since we saw him/her last! Last Wednesday was my 12 week ob appointment and then my specialist appointment. I was a little concerned at the OB office when they couldn't find a hearbeat with the doppler, but when we went in for the ultrasound, there Monkey was - dancing away! This baby seems to be a lot more active in-utero than Abigail was - but maybe it just wanted to make sure we knew it was still there! Everything looked great. The legs were crossed, so the tech couldn't give us any early gender guesses, but I have the anatomy ultrasound scheduled for August 18th, so hopefully we'll know whether to start thinking pink or blue! The heartrate was 178, which still has me thinking girl, but I had a dream a few weeks ago that Monkey is a boy - so we'll just patiently wait until August.

And here's Monkey's latest close-up. S/he is looking much more baby-like these days! Sorry for the horrible quality of a picture of a picture.

10 Months Old!

2010-07-08T09:22:00.000-07:00

Posted by Abigail

I turned 10 months old this month and it has been one crazy summer! I found out I'm going to be a big sister because mommy has a monkey in her belly (whatever that is). I also have been spending tons of time with my friends and cousins. I even help at trivia night every Wednesday by giving Daddy the right answers. Today the temperature is above 101 degrees in sunny Georgia and mommy has promised to take me swimming just as soon as I'm done tacking out this update.

I have started learning more of what I like and don't like lately. Mommy says I'm stubborn, but I just think I'm opinionated! It's good to know what you like and don't like, and I think it's even better to let everyone around me know too. So here's an updated list of what I've been up to, what I liked, and what I didn't!

Likes:

I really like Birthdays! We went up to Gwinnett a few weeks ago to celebrate my cousin Jake's 1st birthday and he had a froggy theme! We had a really good time playing with his new toys and he even pushed me around in his new push-car! Here are some of the pictures of our day:

I really like cousins! We've been spending more time in Gwinnett hanging out with my cousins Raine, Graham, Becca and Jake. I even got to go to my very first All-stars Little League Game! Graham is an awesome baseball player - maybe one day he'll teach me how to play too.

I really like my new friend Corbin! He's almost my same age and we like the same things - like Babytime and swimming. We went to a puppet show at the library together last week and he even came to the 4th of July cookout at our house. I was napping when he got there, but when I finally woke up we had tons of fun playing on the floor together.

I like Babytime at the library - it's neat to see all the bigger kids crawling around and walking. I also like all the songs and bubbles.

I like to get up on my knees and rock. Mommy says I'll be crawling all over the house in no time!

I like to pull myself to standing in my crib or at the coffee table. I also like to stand holding onto my new baby doll stroller Gigi got me!

I like to bite my new baby doll's head. Mommy says this does not bode well for Monkey.

I like to make the "B" sound! It sounds like I'm cold, but really I'm just practicing saying "Boo!"

I like to say "Dada"...a lot...

I like to sleep on my belly.

I like to clap my hands when mommy sings "If you're happy and you know it". I sure am happy!

Dislikes:

I still really don't like physical therapy.

I don't like to sit still for diaper changes. Mommy gets really frustrated because I like to roll over while she's changing me. I just have so much to do in such little time!
I don't like to wear my diaper during naps - but I DO like to take it off and surprise mommy!

I don't like purees very much anymore - I'd rather have whatever mommy and daddy are eating. To show them, I've been trying to grab the food off their plate :)

I don't like putting on my clothes. I still make a fuss. I'd rather be nekkid.

I don't like watermelon - I make a face.

There are so many more things I like and don't like, but mommy says it's time to go! We'll have to continue this discussion after the pool. Bye for now, friends!

10 weeks!

2010-07-01T08:08:00.000-07:00

How far along? 10 weeks 1 day
Total weight gain/loss: 0
Maternity clothes? In them and have been since the stick turned pink. Apparently 2nd pregnancies "show" sooner. I feel like I look like I did at 5 months pregnant with Abby, which makes me really nervous about finding clothes for the coming months.
Sleep: Wishing I could get more! I have been napping in the afternoons with Abby, though. A few times we've both conked out on my bed for a few hours.
Best moment this week: Hearing the neurosurgeon say Abby will not need surgery!
Movement: Nope, although I've been feeling phantom kicks since Abby was born.
Food cravings: Greek salad, taco bell nachos, Green olives. Similar to what I craved with Abby. Having a hard time keeping any of it down, though.
Gender: I'm leaning towards another girl.
What I miss: wine and sushi
What I am looking forward to: NT scan on the 14th with the MFM specialist. Abby will be staying with a close friend so Matt and I can spend some time together that afternoon. It will be the first time we've been just the two of us since...January!

Good news!

2010-06-28T18:39:00.000-07:00

Abby's appointment with the neurosurgeon went swimmingly today! After examining her head and the previous scans, the doctor said that her skull did not fuse prematurely and that we are not looking at any surgeries! He also said he wouldn't even recommend a helmet to round out the forehead and that she will definitely "grow into" her skull and look just fine. Now maybe all the doctors will stop trying so hard to find something wrong with my perfect Abby-bear!

What a relief! I am beyond ecstatic...but I am also beyond exhausted, so off to bed I go. We have a puppet show to attend at the library tomorrow morning, and morning seems to come way too soon lately!

Happy Birthday, Papa!

2010-06-27T06:38:00.001-07:00

Abby's first playdate!

2010-06-25T07:27:00.000-07:00

Abby and I went on our first playdate to the park this week! We met up with Cathy and baby Corbin - who we met at Babytime in the library - and had a great time playing on the swings. It was sooo hot, though, so we ended up cooling off a bit in the sprinklers and heading to lunch at Golden's in downtown. Abby thought Corbin was pretty interesting and they both enjoyed some veggies at lunch. I think this is the start of a beautiful friendship :)

Well, hello there!

2010-06-22T16:54:00.001-07:00

(For those that are not ultrasound savvy, the head is on the bottom left)

Introducing Baby "Monkey" Sandlin!

Our lovely surprise is coming around January 26th, 2011.

I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed, quite a bit surprised - but overall really blessed to have been given another little miracle. This year promises to be a crazy one, with me starting back to teaching half-days (and continuing this time after an abbreviated maternity leave), Abby hitting toddlerhood, and a new little one making his/her debut - but we wouldn't have it any other way!

My doctor is very optimistic that I will not develop HELLP syndrome again and they will be watching us carefully, along with the maternal fetal medicine specialists. Dr. Turner says this will be my full-term baby - and I am so looking forward to having a normal pregnancy and delivery...and getting to hold my baby right after it's born!

Best surprise of our lives!

Happy Father's Day!

2010-06-20T17:15:00.001-07:00

An update

2010-06-17T12:25:00.000-07:00

We met with the craniologist for a follow-up scan this week. Abby's skull seems to have a triangular shape to it - coming to a point in the forehead - which may mean her skull-plates have fused prematurely.

Here's what a normal baby's skull looks like (aerial view):

And here's what Abby's skull looks like (ignore the diagonal lines- they are just measurements):

After the follow-up, Dr. Karl noted that her skull really hasn't rounded out or changed significantly, so Abby has an appointment to meet with a neurosurgeon on June 28th. I've done a little bit of research, and it turns out that Children's Hospital of Atlanta has the best neurosurgeons in the world - as in, people from all over the country send their babies to see them!- so that makes me feel confident that they'll know what to do.

I've put the appointment out of my head for the last month, but now that it's coming up, I'm starting to get a little nervous. I just feel like she's already been through so much - what with her prematurity and physical therapy and all of these doctor's appointments. I was really hoping that the tough stuff was behind us. Please be praying that the plates haven't fused early and that all she needs is a little baby helmet to redirect and round out her forehead. I've seen descriptions and pictures of the surgery they do to correct early skull fusions, and I know she's a trooper and we would get through it and she wouldn't even remember it - but I think every mother's heart just breaks when they think of their child having to undergo even the most minor of surgeries. And I don't think that skull surgery falls into the realm of "minor".

Matt's taking off of work on the 28th to go with us to the appointment. I'm not sure if it's just a consultation or if they will be doing the catscan/MRI that day as well. But for now I'm going to stop googling and go play with this little conehead, who is positively perfect in every way.

2010-05-27T05:58:00.000-07:00

9 Months Old!

2010-05-27T04:57:00.000-07:00

Just chillin' in my new baby pool:

It looks like I'm a nekkid baby in this picture. Teeheehee.

Mommy, I LOVE my new baby pool!

Can you see the itty bitty hairs growin' out my head?!

Abby's 9 month appointment was yesterday and she did fabulously! She was in a great mood and showed off all of her latest "tricks" to Dr. Cheeks (love that doctor) and didn't even cry when they did the finger prick to test her iron.

Here are her 9 month stats:

Height: 26inches - 9th percentile

Weight: 16lbs 14.5oz - 10th percentile

Head: 42.5cm - 12th percentile

Dr. Cheeks said Abby should start on more finger-foods, so she got to have some little pieces of cheese yesterday! She loved it - of course, who doesn't love cheese?? I think a person who doesn't love cheese is a person not to be trusted. But anyways...

After the appointment, we bought a brand new straw-sippy-cup to celebrate and Ab by proceeded to chew on the straw all afternoon and then complain that she couldn't get any out to drink. We also bought a new baby pool and had some sunshine fun.

I can't get her to do them on camera, but here's the new stuff Abby's been up to:

Clapping her hands- sometimes on demand
Army crawling backwards (a little)
Rolling from back to belly
Rolling from belly to back
Spinning while on her belly to get a toy
Trying to pull up
Saying Dadadadadad when she's mad
Trying to cruise from one place to another
Taking HIGH steps
Eating finger foods
Laughing like crazy when you play peek-a-boo
Making little excited grunts when you ask her "are you hungry?" or "would you like some milk/a bottle?"
Sleeping from 8:30pm - 7am
Sitting up really well and hardly ever falling over
Getting little toys out of a box
Picking up puffs with her thumb and finger
Riding in a shopping cart
Sitting in a highchair
Growing the longest, prettiest eyelashes you've ever seen!
Growing more tufts of curly brown/blonde/sometimes strawberry hair
Being the love of her parents' lives

This past month we visited a specialist to see if Abby needed a helmet for a few weeks to help with a little bit of assymetry in her skull. (Insert baby in a helmet jokes here) The scan showed that she does not, but did reveal that she has a triangular forehead that needs to be looked at by a neurosurgeon. That appointment is in late June, and I'm really hopeful that it will turn out to be nothing and that we will never have to go back up to Scottish Rite again. And so that's what the itty bitty bebe has been up to this month!

Island Life!

2010-05-23T07:30:00.001-07:00

Posted by Abigail

As you may have heard, I had a lot of fun on our vacation to see the ocean. Here's a run-down of our time spent outside the pool!

Lets start with the most important part - vacation food!

Daddy fell in love with a little ice cream shop near the pier called Two Scoops. I begged for a bite, but I was told I'd have to wait until next year. That didn't stop me from trying! What's a girl gotta do to get some chocolate around here!?

Mommy tried to take a self-portrait picture of us. I Enough with the paparazzi!

Mommy and Daddy shared an ice cream. That looks like more than 2 scoops to me!

Daddy's Sicilian pizza - he thought he could eat it all by himself...

Mommy's lasagna. She said it was good, although not as good as the kind she makes.

Here I am getting some pleasure reading done:

I love to read!

"Jammajammajammajammma...it's Pajama Time!"

Sometimes I read with Mommy:

Mommy likes to clog up the camera card with silly self-pictures to annoy Daddy:

Mommy and Daddy on vacation!

I like to laugh a lot:

Mommy and I watching Daddy cook-out on the grill:

Mommy and Daddy's picnic. All I got was sweet potatoes and milk!

A funny bird I saw on the pier. I tried to talk to him, but he flew away:

In my fancy jogging stroller - ready to stroll the island! (And we did stroll - all 6 miles of it. Mommy has the blisters to prove it. She says you shouldn't wear sandals when hiking - don't forget it!)

I still had to get in some tummy time - even on vacation. Look how strong I am!

Considering making a fast break out of my pack and play...

Oh, HI MOMMY! Me?? Why, I'm not doing anything...

Vacations make me sooooo sleepy!

Swim, swim swim!

2010-05-23T07:12:00.000-07:00

As much as Abby didn't really care for the ocean, she LOVED the heated pool! She spent most early morning and evenings splashing around in the water and watching the big kids play. She also found the pool's accoustics EXCELLENT for squealing contests with mommy. Abby in her canopied floaty - a really good idea to protect her bald little head from the Florida sun (considering she decided hats are evil this past week):

All that sunshine made for a super-sleepy baby!

Swimming with Daddy:

Scenic view of the pool:

Abby really enjoyed putting her hands and face in the water. She also was an excellent kicker!

Our little olympic-gold-medalist-in-the-making:

Beach Baby

2010-05-12T16:07:00.000-07:00

On Saturday, we left Georgia and headed down to Anna Maria island in the Gulf for a week of relaxing and fun in the sun. This was Abby's first trip to the beach, and besides teething and dealing with a stuffy nose, she's really excited to be here!

Abby in her swim suit right before she saw the ocean for the first time:

Sooooo excited about the ocean! Lets gooooooo already!

Wait!! You want me to put my FEET in the wet stuff?! I'd rather pick them up...

I'm still not so sure about this. Why does the water keep trying to get me?!

Sunset on the beach. We're staying in a condo unit owned by Matt's company and rented out to employees year-round. We even have our own private beach and housekeeping every day - I feel spoiled :)

The beach outside of our condo on the north side of the island has very few tourists, except for the birds and lizards. The tiny lizards are EVERYWHERE and are a little camera-shy (read: too fast for Matt to capture on film)

Taking an 8 month old to the beach has been a VERY different experience than vacations in the past, but we've had a good time showing her island life. Abby has enjoyed the heated pool much more than the ocean - but that's a post for another naptime. Now it's time to suit up and head outside into the sunset.

Diaper changes were a whole lot easier before...

2010-05-07T08:02:00.000-07:00

1. Abigail learned to roll.

2. she decided her undiapered area was an interesting place to grab - poopy or not.

3. she became aware enough to see her bottle sitting on the other side of the room -and aware enough to realize it was not in her mouth.

4. she learned that coughing causes her to toot - which she finds HILARIOUS just as mommy removes her diaper.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm raising a baby girl or a frat boy.

Abigail won't stand for it!

2010-04-28T14:39:00.000-07:00

Abigail decided today she would like to try to stand up on her own. One minute she was sitting in the corner of the couch smiling and reading a book, but the next moment she was pretending to be an acrobat and hanging from the couch arm! Talk about giving mommy a heartattack!

Adventure with a side of romance, please.

2010-04-28T08:04:00.000-07:00

I'm sick of Chick-lit novels that are full of meaningless drivel and predictability. I'm sick of murder-mysteries that involve male-female detectives who pretend to hate each other, but secretly are falling in love. I'm sick of vampire novels that make me wonder if the writer really passed 8th grade language arts class. There has been a good-book drought in my house for far too long. BUT...

I stayed up late last night (oh my goodness - past midnight! It's been over a year since I've done that!) to finish a book that I just couldn't put down. Darn you, Jamie Fraser! I just finished the second of the Outlander books - a mix of history, time travel, adventure, and romance. The basic premise is that Claire Randall, a nurse in WWII, gets transported back to 18th century Scotland during the ill-fated uprising of Bonnie Prince Charlie Stuart. As she learns to live in her new surroundings, she meets and falls in love with dashing Scotsman Jamie Fraser and together they try to spare Scotland from one of the worst national defeats in all of history. The banter between them is hilarious and the historical setting is so well-researched. It's really hard to find a well-written series with just the right amount of intrigue so that I don't get bored, history so that I feel I'm learning something new, adventure so that I'm constantly breathless as I'm turning the pages, and romance that make me sigh so loud that Matt has threatened taking the book away. The books are huge (we're talking 800 pages, here!) and take me nearly a month to finish, but I'm just devouring them.

I'm now contemplating a completely unnecessary run into town today to pick up the third at the library. I MUST know what happens next, but feel the need to justify my use of gas by doing something important while I'm out. Hmmm...I think today's the day to load up the car with the clothes that need to go to Goodwill. And maybe stop by Taco Bell - that would make it a worthwhile trip all in and of itself.

Trying to figure out how to convert a media file so you can view today's cuteness. Stay tuned.

A Different Perspective

2010-04-21T05:27:00.000-07:00

WHY GOD MADE MOMS

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions:

Why did God make mothers?
1. She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?
1. He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring..
3. God made my mom just the same like he made me.. He just used bigger parts.

What ingredients are mothers made of?
1. God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?
1. We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's mom like me.

What kind of a little girl was your mom?
1. My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?
1. His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your mom marry your dad?
1. My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my mom eats a lot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?
1. Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What' s the difference between moms and dads?
1. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
2. Dads are taller and stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friends.
3. Moms have magic, they make you feel better without medicine.

What does your mom do in her spare time?
1. Mothers don't do spare time
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your mom perfect?
1. On the inside she's already close to perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your mom, what would it be?
1. She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on the back of her head.

Do YOU know the Muffin Man?

2010-04-20T10:39:00.000-07:00

Abby has decided that she would like to view the world from an upright position! No, she did not hurt herself in the last 2 seconds - in fact, she didn't even cry! Mommy, on the other hand, did.

The Sleep Revolt, Part 2

2010-04-20T10:36:00.000-07:00

The Sleep Revolt, Part 1

2010-04-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

Abigail had such an exciting day at the Tech game that she did NOT want to go to sleep. After about 3 hours of random shrieking (not crying - she actually didn't cry the whole time! She's my Happy Little Shrieker), she finally nodded off in her crib for the night.

Take Me out to the Ball Game

2010-04-20T10:10:00.000-07:00

On Saturday we met up with my brother Mark and his children at Ga Tech to attend the Tech vs Clemson baseball game. It was a HOT day, but we had a great time. Matt got blisters on his earlobes from the sun, but we were able to keep Abby shaded and cool for the most part. I wish I'd have thought to bring my camera! Abby really enjoyed sitting in her umbrella stroller and listening to her cousin Becca (5 years old in 1 week!) sing to her. We got to see Ramblin' Wreck drive up and the big kids got to go out on the field to help with the National Anthem. AND Tech won, which made it a pretty perfect day.

This was Abby's first college campus visit and she took it all in. Maybe we have a little yellow jacket in the making?

Can't wait until she's big enough to wear THIS:

Quick Feel-Good-Project Update

2010-04-20T09:52:00.000-07:00

As I am rounding out my 2nd month of my Feel Good Naked Project, I'm feeling pretty good! Official weigh-in yesterday said I lost 9.5 lbs this month!! This brings my total to 17 lbs since February 22nd. While I'm .5 away from Goal #2, I'm still going to declare Goal 2 ACHIEVED and move on to Goal #3!

Goal #1: Get down to post-delivery weight (-7lbs from original weight)- MET!
Goal #2: -10lbs from goal #2(Total of 17lbs lost) - MET!
Goal #3: - 8 lbs from Goal #2 (Total of 25lbs lost) - IN PROGRESS!

I didn't really change anything up this month. I'm remaining aware of what I eat and making sure to snack on low-calorie foods throughout the day. We bought some 100 calorie snack packs at BJ's and I have one whenever I'm hungry between meals, or as a dessert. They are great tasting and range from cheese nips to soft chocolate chip cookies to animal crackers. It's nice to have them in 100 calorie portions so I know exactly how much I'm eating.

I (sadly) stopped the 30 Day Shred for a bit so that I can concentrate on my calorie counting. Doing an intense workout everyday was making me crave carbs and pasta and I was having a hard time knowing how many extra calories to add due to the workout. I hope to pick the workout back up after I reach Goal #3.

I have continued walking/jogging this month nearly every day. If I can't get the 3 miles in, I go for a quick 30 minute jog around the neighborhood right after I put Abby down for the night.

Matt's been so supportive - until he bought a tub of ice cream last week. We had a talk :/

My clothes are fitting better, although not the same as before pregnancy. I refuse to spend money on buying new clothes, though, so I will just keep chugging along! I am back into my regular jeans and out of my maternity pants! I still wear maternity tops sometimes because they just fit better on the chest.

And my biggest news?

I have reached pre-pregnancy weight!!

But enough about me, lets get back to what Abigail has been doing this month. This is the Gummybear blog, afterall...

What I've been up to...

2010-04-03T13:23:00.000-07:00

Posted by Abigail

I turned 7 months old last week and weigh 14.5 lbs! Mommy says I'm still her little baby, but I keep trying to tell her I'm a big girl now. Here are all the things I've been up to this month:

I have been learning to stand! I still need mommy's help, but I'm getting better at it every day!

I got my very own new high chair! Don't I look like a big girl??

Mommy let me play in my food! She said when I get older I shouldn't do that, but it's okay for now.

I got to hang out with my cousins. Here I am with Graham at dinner! I wanted a taco, but mommy said I have to wait.
I am sitting up on my own!

Hmmm...this position makes it MUCH easier to play with my toys.

I made friends with our kitty cat, Lucy! I think she likes me! Mommy doesn't like having to wash all of the cat hair off my slobbery fingers really quickly before I put them back in my mouth. Daddy says cat hair is protein! What is protein?

Look! I can stand and sing at the same time! Here I am jamming to the Beatles.

I'm getting really good at holding up my head! I'm even trying to crawl a little. Mommy needs to start babyproofing STAT!

Baby Giraffe

2010-04-03T09:39:00.000-07:00

Abigail has been having a rough time lately with her torticollis physical therapy. She was holding her head up very well for a few weeks, but now that she is going through a growth spurt and teething, her head stays at an almost constant tilt. We've been working on stretching out her neck muscles, but Gina (the therapist) decided last week that she needs to wear a special collar during the day to force her to hold it up. Abby isn't exactly thrilled about this latest development, but she only has to wear it a few hours a day and hopefully will not have to wear it for more than a few weeks.

Being her father's daughter, however, Abby has already figured out ways to move her head in the collar so that she can still tilt her head. I have a feeling I'm going to have to watch this child extra closely throughout her life- Lord help us get through the teenage years! She's already a Houdini.

Out and About

2010-04-03T09:16:00.001-07:00

The weather has been so beautiful this week that Abby and I have been spending the afternoons outside in our back yard under the trees. We call these our "picnics", even though we're not eating. Now that it's warming up, Abby has become so much more aware of her surroundings outside. We go around the yard and talk about everything she sees for a bit, then we end up on the blanket to watch the sky. It's a hard life we lead, I know :)

Relaxing on the blanket:

Baby feet!

"Oh, hi mommy!"

Nomming on her current favorite toy:

Making new friends:

Calling Daddy at work to see what he's up to:

Getting ready to go to the park!

Ready, set, Goooooooo!

On the playground swing!

2010-04-03T08:52:00.000-07:00

We took Abby to the park this week to see how she likes the playground swings. Here she is in her debut as a big girl! I think she really enjoyed herself! The best part was seeing her watch all of the other kids running around the playground. You could see her eyes light up as they would walk by - she can't wait to be mobile and play with everyone!

Join us on Team Gummybear!

2010-03-25T08:27:00.000-07:00

Some Facts about

Prematurity:

More than 70 percent of premature babies are born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation. These are called late-preterm births.

About 12 percent of premature babies are born between 32 and 33 weeks gestation, about 10 percent between 28 and 31 weeks, and about 6 percent at less than 28 weeks gestation.

Most premature births are caused by spontaneous preterm labor, either by itself or following spontaneous premature rupture of the membranes (PROM)

About 25 percent of premature births are caused by early induction of labor or c-section due to pregnancy complications or health problems in the mother or the fetus. In many of these cases, early delivery is probably the safest approach for mother and baby.

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS): About 23,000 babies a year (most of whom were born before the 34th week of pregnancy) suffer from this breathing problem (11). Babies with RDS lack a protein called surfactant that keeps small air sacs in the lungs from collapsing.

Today over 1500 babies will be born prematurely.

We will be walking with Abby in the annual March of Dimes Walk for Preemies on Saturday, April 24th and would love for you to join us! We hope to do our part in spreading awareness about prematurity and raising funds to help all babies not only survive, but thrive.

Here are the details:

Date: Saturday April 24th, 2010

Time: Registration at 8am - Walk begins at 9:30am

Distance: 3 miles (but feel free to walk only what you are able)

Location: Carl Miller Park 74 Sewell RdNewnan, GA 30263 (near Newnan High School)

Following the walk, we are hosting a cookout lunch at Dave and Mary Ann Sandlin's home in Newnan. Feel free to join us for hotdogs and hamburgers around 12noon Saturday, April 24th. Even if you cannot join us in the walk, but would like to meet the Gummybear - we would love to see you! If you need directions, please email me at sandlin.jennifer@gmail.com

You can join Team Gummybear and donate to March of Dimes (even if you will not be able to join us for the walk) at http://www.marchforbabies.org/personal_page.asp?pp=3198597&ct=4&w=4026858&u=Sandlin

We have a goal of $200 but view this walk more as a chance to celebrate Abigail's journey and raise awareness about these babies that are all too often born too small and too early. Even if you are unable to donate, we would love to see you at the walk or the cook out!

Eureka!

2010-03-19T07:58:00.000-07:00

Abby has found her feet...and apparently she thinks they're just fantastic!

Feel Good Project Update

2010-03-16T10:25:00.000-07:00

4 weeks into the Feel-Good-Naked-Project and I'm noticing a difference. My official weigh-in was this week, and I have lost 7.5 lbs so far- thus reaching my first goal of being back to where I was right after Abby was born! (Ugh...back to the beginning...)

I've been counting calories and walking/jogging 3 miles every other day. Most days I stay within my 1300-1500 calorie limit, but I did go over by a little on my birthday weekend. Still, I'm just chugging along and actually starting to look forward to sundress season. Now if only the weather would cooperate!

I'm a little annoyed that I "only" lost 7.5 lbs, but I'm trying to remind myself that this is more about feeling good and getting healthy than reaching an ideal number. It also is nice to know that I weigh 30 lbs less than I did at the height of pregnancy.

Last week I've decided to add something new: I'm using the Jillian Michael's 30 day Shred dvd to amp up my workouts. And oh-my-goodness, that woman is relentless! The dvd is divided into 3 levels (I plan on sticking to level 1 for a while...) and designed for the intermediate/advanced. I am neither, and thus it is kicking my butt! The entire 27 minute workout does not allow a second of rest, so I'm pretty near gasping and sweating a river by the time it's over. I like it because she never does more than 1 minute of any given move, so it keeps changing up. Also, I noticed a definite difference in my endurance starting with the 2nd workout! My thighs are so much more toned and my baby pooch is really melting off. I finally don't look like I'm still 5 months pregnant!

Abby likes to lie on the floor and watch me workout. Except lately she's started shrieking with laughter while I'm going at it. Kinda hurts the self-esteem when Miss Chubby-Thighs herself is giggling at me!

I never thought I'd be the kind of girl to invest time in a workout video, but it really has made it easier to get the strength training in without having to go to a gym and leave the baby. And with just 30 minutes a day, I'm thinking I may have to keep it up much longer than the 30 days!

Goal 1: Reach post-baby weight ---MET!
Goal 2: Reach pre-baby weight (-10lbs from Goal 1)-- IN PROGRESS

A Typical Night in the Sandlin House...

2010-03-03T11:34:00.000-08:00

This is the sight that awaits me upon returning from jogging each night...

Attention Ladies and Gentlemen...

2010-03-03T11:25:00.001-08:00

We have a sitter!!

My Little Sweet Potato

2010-03-01T09:21:00.003-08:00

Today Abigail had her first vegetable - sweet potatoes! I'll let the pictures tell the story!

Not me!!

2010-03-01T08:21:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Not Me! Monday! This blog carnival was created by MckMama. You can head over to her blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

I did not let our house go this week while Abby and I were running from appointment to appointment. Why, I am the epitome of housewifery and would never let 2000 loads of laundry and dishes pile up! Not me!

This week I certainly did not invite my parents over to play with Abigail just so I could catch up on some much-needed housecleaning. I would never exploit grandparents in such a way! Not me! (By the way, the floors are now vacuumed, the cat box clean, and our kitchen spotless - and I am a sane woman once again!)

I did not kick my husband "accidentally" several times throughout the night to get him to stop moaning in his sleep. The poor guy is sick with the sinus gunk! I would never intentionally try to wake him up at 2am just so I could fall asleep! (And he didn't wake up...or stop moaning. Must kick harder tonight...)

Who would watch 4 episodes of Stargate back-to-back on a Friday afternoon instead of doing something productive? Certainly not me! (But in my defense, Abby was a hot mess of after-shot crankiness and wouldn't sleep anywhere but on me for 4 hours. What else was I going to do?)

Whew! I feel a lot better. Anything you've not been up to this week?

Happy Unbirthday, Abbybear!

2010-02-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

Today Abby turns 6 months old! I can't believe I've known this little person for half a year now!

Her 6 month check-up went very well. Here are the stats:

Weight: 13lbs 3.5oz (7th percentile!!!!)

Height: 23.5 in (1st percentile)

Head: 40.5 cm(8th percentile)

What's new:

Abby can hold up and support her head fully. Her tilt is nearly gone thanks to PT! This means I wear her on my hip quite often now. She's my super-cute accessory lately :)
Her new favorite thing to do is stand up (holding our fingers) and lift her feet to take steps. She mostly goes backwards right now and hasn't quite mastered how to take small steps. Lets just say that her "baby steps" aren't quite baby-sized! She often ends up in a split!
She will sit on the floor unsupported for about 10-30 seconds. then fall over and smile.
She blows raspberries when she's mad, or bored...or whenever!
She has a love for books. She LOVES to touch them, look at the pictures, and tries to eat them!
Her favorite song right now is "Itsy Bitsy Spider" - she giggles whenever we get to "DOWN came the rain and WASHED the spider out!"
She is having MASSIVE stranger anxiety right now. Just look at her and she'll dissolve into tears unless you're mommy or daddy. If you try to pick her up, she'll cry the most pitiful cry you've ever heard. Don't worry. It's not you. It's her :(
Her stranger anxiety makes people think that she's a really fussy baby, but she's not! She rarely cries during the day unless she's tired or scared.
She is starting to outgrow her 0-3 month clothes and some of her 3 month stuff too! Time to start getting her some 6 month outfits for spring/summer!
She eats 30-40 oz daily and the dr said she can start solids whenever I feel comfortable. EEK!
Abby Sleeps from about 7:30pm-6:30am almost every night and has been doing so for a few months now. I know I'm lucky.
Abby put herself on a 3-nap schedule months ago. She takes two 30 minute naps in the morning, and usually a longer 3 hour nap in the afternoon. Ahhh...to be a baby again...
She LOVES her jogging stroller because she can sit up and look at the world, so that's the stroller I usually take her out in to run errands.
She is teething like crazy and is truly a slobber-monster! No teeth yet...
She has baby-fat rolls on her thighs finally and her cheeks are so yummy looking, you want to eat them, In fact, I have to constantly keep myself from nomming down on them daily.
She's perfect....but that's not new :)

I plan to take some new 6 month pics of her as soon as she wakes up from her nap (she had some mean shots this morning!) so stay tuned!

**Feel-Good-Naked-Project Update: I have lost 4 lbs so far this week!**

An Inappropriate Relationship

2010-02-24T05:21:00.000-08:00

I am in an inappropriate relationship. It began a year and a half ago when I was going through a rough time. I turned to this relationship to feel better after the loss of our first pregnancy. I just felt so empty and wanted to feel full. I turn to this relationship whenever I'm bored, or lonely, or sad. Gradually, I began to see this relationship as a solution for all of these problems.

Then I started turning to it when I was happy or excited. I convinced myself that this relationship was my reward for having a bad day...or having a great day. Somehow, I deserved this.

But this relationship has left me feeling insecure and unhealthy. In truth, it cares nothing for me and can't possibly make me satisfied. I have tried to cut it out entirely, but that's just not possible. I have tried to stay away, but I find myself going back one more time. I beat myself up about this relationship and let it determine how I feel about myself. As I walk down the street, I wonder if other people can tell, and if it effects what they think of me. Do they think I'm weak? Do they know...

I am in an inappropriate relationship with food.

I've never been a particularly "healthy" eater. My staples in college included mac and cheese, lasagna night and salad bar at our college cafeteria, and way too much fast food. I grew up an extremely picky eater (although I'm proud to say that Matt has opened my eyes to the wonderful world of sushi, Chinese food, and fish in the past 7 years) and most of my choices centered around comfort foods.

I easily kept the weight off in high school just by sheer energy. Colorguard 3 nights a week and galavanting all around Marietta with my friends (chaperoned, of course!) It was also in high school that I started running daily, tape player in hand and huge speakers over my ears.

I carried on running in college. Of course, it was a CD player and ear buds by then. I actually felt bad if I didn't run daily - like I needed it to de-stress. I would come up with all sorts of storylines and ideas for the future books I would write while running. I was addicted to running :)

After college was when things got tricky. I was in a terrible car accident my first year of teaching and broke several things, including my pelvis, lower vertebrae, and sacrum (that's your tailbone, for us non-med students). I was in a wheelchair for a while, then on crutches for about 3 months. then had some serious pain for another year or so. This put an end to my running.

Things started to get a little out of hand, but I kept telling myself "just wait till you can start running again - it'll fall off you so quickly!" But something changes in the body between adolescence and adulthood. And I soon realized that I had to change my eating habits, along with easing back into exercising.

I learned to count calories and lost 60lbs that year and my back pain was manageable enough to run again. I felt wonderful! I fit back into all of my pre-accident clothes. I ran all the stinking time and loved that sweaty, stretched out feeling I had when I returned back home. Grantville became my obstacle course and I had my own running trail through the downtown area, around the old cemetery, and back home again.

That summer Matt and I took a 2 week roadtrip across the country (definitely ranking as one of the top 3 memories of my life!) and decided to start a family. 3 months later, we were in a dr's office, looking at an empty ultrasound - seeing the place where our baby had been just a few days ago. I don't think I can describe that feeling.It's something that you don't fully understand until you go through it. It is sad to hear about someone you know losing a baby...but it is earth-shattering when you lose your own. And having another baby doesn't "fix" the brokenheart. If anything, when Abigail was first placed in my arms, the realization of just how much I had lost really hit. And also how much I had gained. Without that loss, we wouldn't have Abby. It's a bittersweet ache now.

So I tried to fill the void. Add a complicated pregnancy, a nicu stay, and adjusting to stay-at-home mommyhood, and that "inappropriate relationship" has blossomed...and so has my waist-line!

But no more! I am trying to approach this differently than before. I'm not concerned about losing the weight. I can and I know I will. It's what comes after the weight loss. Since I know why I fall into this routine, I need to recognize it before it snowballs again. I don't want Abby to have a mother who is constantly seeking out the latest diet trend and coping with her feelings through food. I don't have a set number in mind this time. I just want to get to a point where I feel comfortable in my own skin again. To do this, in addition to calorie counting, I have started running again!

One thing I know I am so lucky to have is a husband that loves me and shows me that he loves me unconditionally. A few weeks ago I was gathering up my clothes to change in the bathroom. I know it's gotten bad when I won't change in front of my own husband! Matt asked why I was doing that. I was feeling particularly sorry for myself and so I said something to the extent of "I doubt you'll see this girl naked in the light of day again in your lifetime!". To which he simply replied, "I will". (Now, whether this was meant as encouragement or he was bragging about his powers of persuasion, I'm not sure...)

And so the ~~Look~~ Feel-Good-Naked Project was begun!

Snow Baby

2010-02-13T05:35:00.000-08:00

Babies don't keep

2010-02-11T07:51:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, after a long morning at physical therapy, we finally made it home to our warm house. Ms. Gina, the therapist really worked Abigail with stretches and new positions and I'm happy to say that Abby can now turn her head 90 degrees - full range of motion! She was great for the first 30 minutes of the session, which was mostly play, but when it came to stretching she started to cry the fattest baby tears you've ever seen. Gina wasn't bothered by it - I guess she's used to working with itty-bitties. I, on the other hand, felt like I wanted to cry too. I read somewhere that babies have their own cry frequency that is exactly the right frequency to make their mother feel incredibly uncomfortable/stressed out. It's supposed to guarantee the fact that momma will come running to the rescue, even when no one else will. Abby is such a happy baby, though. Even through her tears of frustration with the stretching, she would look up at Gina and give her a big gummy grin!

After we arrived home, I planned to give Abby a bottle, then get some serious house cleaning done. Since we spent most of Monday out and about in Kennesaw, our laundry and dishes had piled up in a major way. But as soon as her bottle was finished, Abby was fast asleep snoozing in my arms. I glanced around the house at all the things I had to do...then glanced down at her little chubby baby-cheeks (which probably weigh at least a pound each - oh- mah-goodness, I die of cute!) and decided cleaning can wait.

One day Abby will not want to fall asleep on momma anymore. One day she'll be too big to rock, and she'll want to go play with the "big kids". And I'll wonder where my little baby GB went. And I'll miss her little sleepy baby cheeks on my chest.

So I held my sleeping baby on the couch...for three hours straight :)

Mother, oh Mother, come shake out your cloth
Empty the dustpan, poison the moth,
Hang out the washing and butter the bread,
Sew on a button and make up a bed.
Where is the mother whose house is so shocking?
She's up in the nursery, blissfully rocking.

Oh, I've grown shiftless as Little Boy Blue
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, Lullaby loo).
Dishes are waiting and bills are past due
(pat-a-cake, darling, and peek-peek-a-boo).
The shopping is not done and there's nothing for stew
And out in the yard there is a hullabaloo.
But I'm playing "Kanga" and this is my "Roo."
Look! Aren't his eyes the most wonderful hue?
(lullaby, rock-a-bye, lullaby loo).

The cleaning and scrubbing will wait till tomorrow,
For children grow up, as I've learned to my sorrow.
So quiet down cobwebs. Dust go to sleep.
I'm rocking my baby and babies don't keep.

Ruth Hulburt Hamilton, 1958

Doogie Houser sings Les Mis

2010-02-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, I've never watched How I Met your Mother, but I think this interview is just FANTASTIC. Mostly because it's just that random. I adore Neil Patrick Harris. ::Runs to go find some Dr. Horrible clips::

One year ago today:

2010-02-06T16:17:00.001-08:00

Transylvania Mania!

2010-02-05T10:23:00.000-08:00

Last weekend Matt and I had a wonderful date night! We don't often get to go out just the two of us, so this was a really special treat. For Christmas, Matt's sister gave us tickets to see the musical Young Frankenstein at the Fox. So Sunday morning we left Abby with my parents and headed into Atlanta for some fun.

We stopped by O'Charley's on the way for some tastey brunch, then hopped aboard MARTA to avoid driving and parking downtown. The show was HILARIOUS and we had such a good time! We had both seen pieces of the movie with Gene Wilder, but neither of us had any idea of how much fun the musical would be! The special effects were awesome and I loved the actors!

After the play, we met some friends at a local sushi restaurant for dinner. It was relaxing to not have to worry about keeping Abby content while we ate! When it was all over, though, I was ready to be back home with my little Gummybear.

Next Sunday (Valentines Day) we have tickets to Mama Mia at the Fox. Yes, I'm spoiled. I know :)

The Mother I Thought I'd Be...

2010-02-05T09:29:00.000-08:00

I'm not the mother I thought I'd be.

All those years of thinking about the future and planning EXACTLY what it would be like - and I've now come to realize that things don't always turn out the way you planned, but that's okay.

- I planned to breastfeed Abby for her first year of life. And I did make it 9 weeks of pumping every 3 hours. But with the month-long nicu stay and IUGR and severe latching issues, we couldn't continue. I still glance at my The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding book from time to time and feel sad. Sometimes I see a mother nursing in public and wish things were different - that I could still share that bond with Abby. But then I remind myself that the method of feeding my child does not matter as long as I feed her. And my goodness, she likes her bottles! My 2lb preemie now weighs over 12lbs (1.5 lbs gained in the last 2 weeks alone!!!)

- I wanted to co-sleep with Abby in our room for the first year. However, within 2 months of her being home, I realized that both she and I get MUCH better sleep with her in her own room! She pretty much made the decision for us!

- I thought I'd be an incredibly clingy mother, constantly checking on Abby to make sure she's breathing at night, and running to pick her up if she makes the smallest peep. But I've learned that both she and I need our space sometimes, and she actually has a routine of fussing for 2 minutes before falling asleep. She'll fuss when I put her down, then when I come back to check onher, she'll look at me like I'm crazy and fall promptly asleep! Who knew that babies need alone time too?

- I thought I'd constantly be out and about on playdates and outtings with Abby. However, RSV season has kept us pretty much on lock-down and we can't take the risk of her being around small children until it warms up. In addition, classes like Kindermusic cost way too much for our budget, and we can just listen and dance to the radio at home! I'm really looking forward to our Mommy and Me Swim classes in the Fall, though!

- I thought I'd be able to get lots done at home and be able to work on losing the baby weight. The truth? I rarely do anything at the house that's not baby related and I'm still carrying an extra 40 lbs I don't have time or energy to lose right now. Oh, and my hips have spread from here to Texas - thanks, GB! I know I'll be able to lose the weight when the weather warms up - just right now it's not the top priority, know what I mean?

- I thought I would love staying at home, but the truth is that I'm ready to get back to teaching. Believe me, I know how lucky I am to get to stay home with Abby for her first year of life. I know that most women out there would give their left whatever to be able to stay home. But after years of working a job that I love and having a set schedule, it's been really hard to slow things down at home every day. Being on lock-down hasn't helped, and I feel like things have gotten too slow. So when Matt and I had the budget talk and he mentioned that we really needed me to bring in some type of income starting in the fall, I immediately burst into a smile and started making plans. I know leaving Abby each day will be incredibly hard, but I also know that it's what's best for all of us. At one year old, it will be great for her to have the socialization with other kids, and also good for her to get to independent from mommy at times.

- I had always heard about how relationships between husbands and wives change after the birth of a baby, and I planned to make sure it didn't with ours. But, truth be told, at the end of the day we're both exhausted and staying connected hasn't been a top priority. Matt is an amazing father and adores Abby, but I can't honestly say we've been setting aside time for just us. More on this later.

- I guess I thought I'd feel like a mother. Like there was this magical transformation that would happen and I would suddenly be changed into all the things I had imagined. But that didn't happen. Looking back at the past 5 months, I can see how much my life has changed and how much I have changed. But in the end, I'm still me....except now with the most extraordinary little person attached at the hip. My decisions are undeniably based on her every need. I think that most of what kind of mother I thought I'd be was based on my needs and how I pictured myself. Now I realize that at the end of the day, if my house isn't pristine, dinner made, and our social calendar full - that's okay! It doesn't make me any less of a mother. The most important thing is that Abby is loved and taken care of to the best of our abilities - even if to do that I can't be the mother I thought I'd be.

2010-01-31T04:28:00.000-08:00

How Preemie Moms Are Chosen by Erma Bombeck

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation.

As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint, Matthew.

Forrest, Marjorie, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia.

Rutledge, Carrie, twins. Patron Saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."

Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles."Give her a preemie."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God?She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God."Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel."

"But does she have the patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother.
You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."

"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect. She has just the right amount of selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect.

She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied.

She will never take for granted a spoken word.

She will never consider a step ordinary.

When her child says momma for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it.

I will permit her to see clearly the things I see--ignorance, cruelty, prejudice--and allow her to rise above them.

She will never be alone.I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air.

God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

Bump, bump, bump!

2010-01-21T11:22:00.000-08:00

On Sunday, we all took a family road trip to Tadpoles consignment store on Barrett Parkway. I'd been eyeing a baby doorway jumper for a while online and wanted to see if I could find one that was cheaper.

Well, low and behold, they had one and it was exactly the same as the one I'd seen online! Abby is still a bit small for it, but she enjoys being bounced in it and her new favorite phrase that make sher break out in uncontrollable giggles is "Bump, bump, bump!"

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-20T14:43:00.001-08:00

What "I need a nap" sounds like...

2010-01-20T13:04:00.000-08:00

(NOTE: Apparently having a baby has brought out the southern accent in me. I cringe every time I hear myself stretch out 1 syllable words into 2 or 3 syllables. Just ignore it.

Also, check out the cute jeans that Jana got her!)

An "off" day

2010-01-19T14:44:00.000-08:00

So today wasn't the best day for Abby. She was extremely vocal ALL morning, to the point where it sounded like she was yelling at Crinkle-puppy. When she wasn't yelling, she was giving this low moaning growl. I took her temperature, but she doesn't have a fever. I thought she might be teething, but she didn't seem to be chewing on her hands/toys much at all today. The only thing I can think of is her acid reflux is bothering her (we have been without her meds for 2 weeks now - Matt basically had to strong-arm the insurance company into finally mailing it to us. Apparently it is one of those they find cheaper to mail, but both the pediatrician nurse and the pharmacist dropped the ball in getting it ordered...so it made for a very acidic baby. I had the most horrible reflux during my pregnancy, so I really feel for the kid. Especially since she can't sit up on her own yet! Imagine reflux when all you can do is lie flat!!) and she is still worn out from the cabin this past weekend.

But then it got worse. The only time we could schedule physical therapy today was for 2pm - right smack in the middle of her nap time. I tried to get her to sleep on the way to the appointment, and she was fine until the therapist picked her up. Then she let out a blood-curdling scream like you've never heard before. You would think the child had just lost a limb! The therapist worked with her, screaming and all, while intermitently handing her back to me to calm down. I had no idea separation anxiety could start this early! The session was an hour long today, so basically Abigail wailed for an hour straight.

In the end I learned a few things
1. The at-home exercises are working! Abby went from being able to turn her head 35% to the right to 65%!
2. Any future PT sessions need to be done in the morning.
3. One of my favorite times of the week is directly after the session while I'm driving home, baby snoring in the backseat, frappucino in my hand, and music playing on the radio. It's the simple things, these days.

Of course, as soon as we arrived home I found the box of meds waiting at my doorstep and my sweet, happy baby has returned once more. I guess everyone is entitled to an "off" day, even when they're so stinking cute 99% of the time.

More Wordless Wednesday...

2010-01-13T12:00:00.001-08:00

God Bless Shirley the Seahorse!

2010-01-13T10:02:00.000-08:00

It's like a glow worm, but plays classical music/lullabyes for 5-8 minutes. And it's a pink seahorse.

It has successfully gotten Abby to conk out during nap times. And when she cries her "I just woke up and am still tired but don't know what to do with myself" cry, I rush in there and squeeze Shirley's belly and *POOF* Abby is fast asleep once more....for the next 5-8 minutes.

UPDATE: She just woke up and somehow miraculously BUMPED INTO said seahorse, making her sing, so I didn't have to rush in there! I may actually get to finish my lunch!

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-13T09:25:00.000-08:00

Take Two (Posted by Abigail)

2010-01-09T10:58:00.000-08:00

And action! This is why I love show business!

Stardom is not easy! (Posted by Abigail)

2010-01-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

This is my first feature. I was not sure how the role would be but it's work. Every star has their start somewhere. At least it is not a cereal commercial.

Wordless Wednesday

2010-01-07T06:56:00.000-08:00

Just one day late...

I like to move it, move it...

2010-01-06T06:50:00.000-08:00

At Abigail's 4 month appointment we told Dr. Cheek about something we'd noticed about Abby's neck: she seems to turn mostly to the left and cannot hold up the right side very well. Being the avid webmd researcher that I am, I already knew it was probably torticollis.

Torticollis, or wry neck, is a condition in which the head is tilted toward one side (cervical Lateral flexion), and the chin is elevated and turned toward the opposite side (cervical extension).

(Why does wikipedia have a picture of a guinea pig with torticollis, you ask? Not sure...are guinea pigs prone to torticollis? Must google...)

Dr. Cheek agreed with my baby-diagnosis and decided to go ahead and set Abby up for a physical therapy assessment at Children's Rehabilitation just to get the ball rolling. Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this doctor??

This Monday Abby, Crinkle-Puppy, and I got up, got dressed, and headed over to Piedmont-Fayette hospital for her assessment. The physical therapist led us into the rehabilitaion gym and worked with Abby on the floor mat. She was really great with Abby and agreed that she has right torticollis - but with some daily neck strengthening exercises, she should be fine.

They gave me a packet of daily exercises we must do 3 times a day. It's great because it gives me specific ways to play with her to help her neck. We also learned new ways to hold her in order to stretch out those neck muscles. Abby goes back to therapy weekly for a while - until she starts holding her head up better.

There are three reasons I'm digging this physical therapy:

1) It's going to help Abby with her neck muscles

2) They are also keeping an eye on her developmental milestones to make sure she's hitting all of them on time. Right now, although they consider her to be only 2 months adjusted age, the therapist said that she's doing things 3 and 4 monthers can do :) But we always knew she's a genius!

3) It allows us to get out of the house once a week and have some interaction with other humans. It also allows mommy to make a weekly Starbuck's run ;)

Videos and pictures of Abby's exercise routine to come!!

Decade in Review

2010-01-02T18:55:00.000-08:00

Okay, so this is a few days late. But honestly, I'm lucky if I get more than 1 thing done around the house these days, so blogging hasn't been a top priority! Believe it or not, clean socks have taken precedence over my writing. Clean business socks, to be precise. I'm washing a whole load as I type. Anyways, here goes...

Most people cannot tell you where they were on every New Years for the past 10 years - much less who they were talking to. For me, it's pretty simple. Except to explain this, I need to go back more than 10 years. 13 years to be exact.

New Years Day 1997: I was 14 and Matt had just turned 16. We were talking on the phone since 8pm the night before - if I remember correctly, I was lying upside down on my bed in my room, letting my hair touch the floor and twirling the phone cord around my finger. Picture that? Typical '90's teen - maybe even a scene off Saved By the Bell. Anyhow, we had talked on the phone for over 4 hours (what in the WORLD did we find to talk about for so long?) and at midnight he asked me to "go out with him". Regardless of the fact that I was too young to leave the house alone with a boy, and even if I could he wasn't allowed to drive anyone around yet. But I said yes anyway.

Flashforward to New Years 1998: Same bedroom, same phone, only this time I had to whisper because I was grounded. At the time, my parents said it was for life. Still, Matt called and wished me a Happy New Year - and it was the start of a really sweet tradition.

New Years 1999: He called - lets overlook the fact that I was dating someone else, and so was he.

Fast-forward to New Years 2000: Me and "boyfriend at the time" (not Matt) were arriving at my house after a masquerade New Years party at my friend Kate's. (Hi Kate!!!) I was dressed as a French Maid and we all toasted to the year of our graduation - apple cider, of course. I remember saying goodnight to said boy on the front porch and hurrying into the house just in time to hear the phone ring - Matt was on the other end. I should have known then.
**On a side note: now that I think about it, might be combining two separate parties at Kate's in my mind - Halloween and New Years. The details get kind of fuzzy after 10 years!
New Years 2001: You guessed it! He called.

New Years 2002: Yup - again!

New Years 2003: I had just arrived home from a semester abroad in Italy and was celebrating the holiday with my friends PJ and Kristin in Athens. I remember sitting outside on the cold balcony that night and smiling when the phone rang.

New Years 2004: Matt and I had been seeing each other every weekend I was home from college that fall. I joined Kat at a party at a Tech Fraternity - regardless of the fact that I knew no one there but her. We ended up having a good night anyhow, and I was very happy when the phone rang. "Um...Happy New Years. And can you pick us up?"

New Years 2005: I was teaching in Newnan and we went to my old college roomate's wedding that night. When we got to my apartment, Matt gave me a heart-shaped neckelace I would wear for years.

New Years 2006: What a year that had been! We had been in a car accident earlier in the spring and gotten engaged in London that fall. We spent New Years together at our new apartment in Smyrna, feeling quite grown up!

New Years 2007: We spent the holiday in Mexico on our honeymoon - a tiny island called Isla Mujeras (yes, Spanish majors, that means Island of the women). The resort had a special New Years Eve dinner and we chatted with other couples. We walked on the beach to ring in the new year.

New Years 2008: Matt was in school full time and I was teaching during our first year of marriage. I had just graduated with my Master's degree and finished my written exams. We stayed home together and rang in the new year. I think he called me from his office while I was in mine. We are nothing if we aren't romantic!

New Years 2009: Matt had just graduated and was in the process of applying to various companies. We weren't quite sure where 2009 would take us yet. We spent 5 gloriously relaxing days at a cabin in North Ga, with some friends. I woke up in the loft to hear my phone ringing at 12:01am. As I glanced down into the common room, Matt smiled up at me.

New years 2010: It had been a year of challenges and excitement. We spent a quiet evening with friends at our house. Abigail decided to try and stay up as late as she could, finally falling asleep at 11:50pm. Before we went to bed, I asked Matt how he was going to call me from the same room. So he slinked off to the kitchen - and I heard my phone start to ring :)

1997

4 Month Update

2009-12-29T15:42:00.000-08:00

Stats:

Weight: 10lbs 2.5oz
Height: 21.5 in
Head Circ: 37 ~~inches~~ CENTIMETERS (Thanks, Kris...)
Percentile on Growth Chart: 1st

We really liked out new pediatrician but Abby REALLY did not like her shots :( She starts physical therapy in a few weeks to work on her neck muscles since she's holding her head a little lopsided these days. I had no idea itty-bittys did physical therapy! Matt is off work this whole week so he was able to go to the appointment. Sooo happy to have my family all together this week :)

What a difference 3 months makes!

2009-12-28T15:58:00.000-08:00

The day we brought Abigail home from the nicu in September 2009 vs. December 2009

When we brought her home, Abigail weighed 3lbs 12 oz and was 1 month old

Today, Abigail weighs 10lbs 4oz and is 4 months old!

Now we're getting ready for her 4 month appointment tomorrow and hoping she's finally on the charts!!

My Friends

2009-12-28T09:05:00.000-08:00

Guest-post by Abigail - aka Gummybear

Hello Friends! I would like to introduce you to my newest favorite companion - we call him "Crinkle Puppy"!

He is my newest friend and the very first one I have been able to really talk to. We talk about all sorts of things when I sit in my bouncy chair.
This is L.O.V.E, people!

Best Friends:

Silent Monks singing Halleluia

2009-12-15T10:47:00.000-08:00

Love it!

Creative high schools students give a great rendition of Halleluia!

Guess that baby!

2009-12-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the horrible quality - I have really shakey hands and no scanner.

Can you guess who these babies are? Matt or Jennifer?

Now compare again to Abby's bath pic here:

Freaky, no???

A Night on the Town...and Bathtub fun!

2009-12-11T08:09:00.000-08:00

Last night was the annual lighting of the Grantville Christmas tree, so we bundled Abigail up to have her first Christmas holiday experience! After the fiasco at the pizza joint (see vent below), we broke out her jogging stroller and headed downtown to watch the Grantville Elementary kids sing (LOVED IT!! Can't wait to see Abby up there) on the old Train Depot stairs. Abby decided she didn't want to stay in her stroller, so I held her where she could see all the lights and people - and she had a blast! She didn't get to meet Santa this year (it was just too cold and crowded to wait around) but she is definitely on the nice list, so she can expect plenty of gifts!

Here are some pics from our night:

Getting all dressed up (she learned this expression from her daddy!)

Bundled up!

Are these not the cutest feet ever!?

Mommy's ready to go!

Daddy just got hime - lets roll!

Matt strolling along

Mommy and Abby in front of the Grantville tree

Look closely! Yup, that's Santa on a four-wheeler. We are nothing in Grantville if we are not klassy!

After the big eventful day, it was time for Abby to have a nice warm bath. She LOVES her baby spa!

Look at that outtie!!!

Let sleeping babies lie!

2009-12-11T07:42:00.000-08:00

So we were at a local pizza joint when the owner - lets call her Kelly - comes over to the table to take a look at Abigail. Lucky for us, Abigail was napping, so I had high hopes of being able to eat my ENTIRE meal before her waking up and needing to be fed/changed/comforted. Because Abigail is not just a BABY, you see. She is a premature INFANT and infants need a lot of sleep. Likewise, when you wake a sleeping infant before they are ready to wake up, they are none too happy about it. How do YOU like being rudely woken up when you're in the middle of dreaming about your next meal?? (Note: Cheryl, this is not directed at you. That was a totally different situation on Thanksgiving and you are forgiven :) )

So "Kelly" walks up and starts chirping at Abigail. And this is how it went:

Kelly: Ooooh, such a cute BABY! Wake up, Baby!

Me: She's napping right now. Guess we got lucky. (HINT HINT)

Kelly: Well, wake her up so I can play with her! I wanna play with her!!

Me: No, she's napping right now. This is her nap time. She needs to nap. Hopefully she'll nap all through our dinner.

Kelly: ::insert baby talk:: Aw, I wish she would wake up. Itty Bitty one - wake up!

**Then she starts vigorously rocking the carseat and shaking Abby's mittened hands - all the while looking over at us as if she's not purposefully trying to wake our baby.**

ARE YOU KIDDING ME!! Call me overprotective, call me a first-time mom, call me WHATEVER, but a stranger trying to wake up my baby so that SHE can play with her?? Because obviously her need to "play" with an overtired crankypants outweighs my child's need to sleep and grow.

Woman, unless you spent 3 days in labor to push out this child, pray every night that she stays healthy, and get up every night with her to change her poopy diaper and rock her overtired little self back to sleep, you have NO right to try to "accidentally" wake up my baby.

So how did it end, you ask? Abigail - being the perfect angel that she is - continued to sleep away, much to the annoyance of said devil-woman. And Abigail's mama gave said woman the look of death, which apparently worked, since she went away and did not return.

I'm not here to make friends, people.

End of conversation, discussion, and post-modern diatribe.

Ps. She slept 8 hours last night, plus an extra 4 after fourthmeal :)

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas...

2009-12-08T11:10:00.000-08:00

Abigail's first Christmas Ornament

Mommy's first Christmas ornament

Mommy, Daddy, and Baby's stockings

Sideways stockings for Ginger, Lucy, and Jack-Jack

Stocking for our lost little one

Our tiny Abigail-sized Christmas tree!

Someone got their holidays mixed up!

Sick-o

2009-11-30T08:04:00.000-08:00

Ever since Thanksgiving, my house has morphed into an advertisement for Purell hand sanitizer. Seriously. Matt's sick, Gummybear is sick...heck, even the cat is puking on my carpet.

DON'T PANIC (like I did) - the baby is FINE. She's not "really" sick after all. Turns out, her projectile vomiting has nothing to do with a fever or the flu and has everything to do with the thrush meds she's been on for a few days. I suspected this after taking her temperature every hour on the hour for the past 48 hours and wondering why my thermometer wasn't working - it kept coming up with 98.5! I even sent sick Matt out to the Hogansville Rite Aid (directly past the sketchy :Piggly Wiggly) to spend a fortune on one of those digital ear thermometers. Still, 98.5. How could this be? She had been spraying herself, myself, the couch, and the dog with sour milk after every other feeding...that we gave her the thrush medicine...It all started to make sense. Considering that her thrush meds are green and smell like old people, I don't blame her for causing them to forcefully exit.

So, crisis averted. For now. I know that one day (probably this winter) she will get her first "real" cold/flu and I will be a mess - but hopefully not for a few more months.

And how is Matt, you ask? Not so good. He's got quite a bit of nastiness going on and sounds an awful lot like Pooh-bear when he talks. And, worst of all, he cannot hold GB until he gets better. She misses her daddy. :( My poor little bunny....

Dear Daddy,

2009-11-19T07:38:00.000-08:00

Dear Daddy

1. I do not fit into my preemie pants anymore, so mommy put some HUGE newborn pants on me and pulled them up to my armpits. She thinks it's cute, but I think I look like a little old man. I also think Jack-Jack is laughing at me. I think you should have a talk with mommy about my "image" when you get home. She can't go messing up my "image" like that!!

2. I was so fussy this morning that mommy put me in the sling and I got to go to bed in the big bed! Then when we woke up mommy told me about the dream she had. She dreamed she had triplet boys who all needed their diapers changed at the same time. She said it was a nightmare and she's sooooo glad there's just one of me. Is this a compliment??

3. I am wearing my daddy's princess onesie today in your honor.

And now I think I'll go nap on mommy because it's more fun to sleep during the day and stress mommy out all night :)

Heart you, daddy!
Love,

GB

****************************************************************

Dear GB,

I am sorry that the preemie pants are too small, but think it now gives you the opportunity to wear all sorts of new ones. I don’t know if mommy would listen if I said to make sure pants only go up to your waist. Jack-Jack is laughing at everyone, but you just call him fatty and he will simmer down.

You should really attempt to be less fussy. I know things are new and exciting, and that being fussy is your only form of communication. Daddy is really glad that we don’t have to worry about triplet boys at the same time as you. It would be hard to budget the time for everyone. I think what mommy is saying is that she loves you very much.

Have a good nap, and let mommy nap some too.

Heart U

P.S. Mommy needs to get some extra sleep. Crazy Train is leaving the station. :)

Saturday. In the Park....

2009-11-15T17:10:00.000-08:00

Posted by Abigail

Now that I have you humming the song (did you know Chicago is one of my mommy's favorite bands?), I would like to tell you about my first day at the park! Thanks to my Aunt Jessica, I have tons of pretty pictures to share. So lets get started - I have dinner reservations at 8.

I went to the park Saturday to meet my cousins! We were celebrating my Gigi's birthday. I'm not sure what a birthday is yet, but we still had fun. I hope we celebrate Gigi's birthday every Saturday!

Me with my cousins (Graham, Jake, Becca, Raine...and me!)

Becca and me!

This is Becca eating a cookie. I didn't get a cookie...

Instead, I got some milk! (But I still want a cookie!)

Here I am hanging out with Raine!

This is Baby Jake. He is two months older than me. (And he is a MONSTER! His shirt said so.)

Jake, Uncle Mark, and Uncle Andrew like to talk about these little boxes and then they talk into them.

Baby Jake took a nap in the sunshine.

He was REALLY sleepy! What a baby!!

Becca and Graham palyed on the playground. Look at that hair!!

Mommy says that one day I will be able to play with them too.

Right now I just play with mommy and daddy.

Here's the sleepy-head Jake again!

Here are my feet! Not sure what this picture is doing in my story... (But I find them to be very lovely.)

I told them to amuse themselves and Bocci is the best they could come up with. That's ok, I will learn how to play another time.

This is my mommy's first attempt at PhotoShop, but daddy really did it. (shhh don't tell)

Good bye for now, friends. I have a dinner appointment to keep.

Daddy's Girl

2009-11-15T06:47:00.000-08:00

Wrapped around her teeny-tiny finger....

An email from Abigail to Daddy:

2009-11-05T11:54:00.000-08:00

Dear Daddy,

You are cordially invited to dinner tonight! Please see details below and let me know if you can attend!
Dinner: Meat and cheese quesadillas

Dessert: Brownies
Entertainment: Me (The Gummybear) and Castle on Hulu (that guy from Firefly - he's a hoot!)
Time: 6:30
Place: Casa de Sandlin (mommy taught me some Spanish today! And how to type, apparently...)
Number attending: 6 (Me, you, mommy, Ginger, Lucy, Jack-Jack)

Please RSVP.

Heart you, daddy.

Love,

GB

A day in the life of Abigail...

2009-10-31T14:41:00.000-07:00

Every night I sleep in my swing, because mommy and daddy haven't been able to get me to sleep in the crib yet:

I LOVE breakfast!!

Tummy Time isn't my favorite time - but did you hear that I rolled over this week?!

Sometimes Daddy and I dance

I can do the cha-cha!

This is me relaxing after a long day!

While you're in the kitchen, can you get me some milk, Mommy?

I sleep A LOT!

When I sleep, Mommy plays around with the camera

I laugh at her because she's pretty silly!

When Mommy sleeps, I play around with the camera too!

Whatcha think??

I like to roll my eyes a lot. Just wait until I'm a teenager!

Here I am getting changed! Do you think my hair looks red??

How about in this picture?

Mommy likes to dress me up, so I humor her by giving her my best poses:

Then I give her the side-eye behind her back, because I think she's kinda crazy:

A smile, or just gas...what do YOU think??

At the end of the day, I can barely keep my eyes open...

Mommy and Daddy party while I sleep!

Baby's First Halloween

2009-10-31T14:09:00.000-07:00

This year, Abigail decided to go as a Giraffe:

Happy Due Date, Abigail!!

2009-10-22T10:32:00.000-07:00

Today is the day that has occupied our throughts for the past nine months. We anticipated this date, beginning on February 6th, 2009 when I saw that pink line.

Apparently, God had other plans! And right now those plans are 8 weeks old and sleeping peacefully in her crib.

Miss Priss!

2009-10-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

Ask any mom - one of the best things about having a little girl...dressing her up!

Abby is finally fitting into some of her newborn clothes and she is looking SCHNAZZY!

In my big girl clothes!

Lookin' around:

Something smells like poo in here...

It wasn't me!

Honest!

I'm ready for my close up!

Sleepy Abbey:

In my mommy's sling:

Arab baby!

Hanging out with my Aunt Cheryl:

I like my aunt Cheryl:

Resting with my Mimi:

Mimi put me to sleep!

With my papa:

I'm Papa's little peanut!

My mommy is goin stir-crazy at home - can you tell?

Abigail in pictures

2009-10-11T14:46:00.000-07:00

::Drags exhausted self onto blog and collapses::

For your viewing pleasure...

At the NICU:

Cutie Patootie!

Anger-ball!

Catching some rays/ throwing up some gangster signs:

WHY are you bathing me, mommy?!

Getting ready to come home!

Chillaxin in my car seat:

One of many trips to the NICU:

Finally on my way HOME!!

In my crib for the first time:

Not so sure I like my crib...

Daddy's pillow is better than the crib...

Sleepy girl:

I love sleeping on my daddy:

Okay, mom too...

Me and my Gigi:

First pediatrician appointment (doesn't my mommy look tired?):

My Great-Granny and me!

You woke me up for what?

Mommy, Daddy, and me!

After 31 days in the hospital....

2009-09-26T00:26:00.000-07:00

Apparently I spoke too soon in Thursday's post - when I arrived at the hospital yesterday, I was the parent the nurses asked, " So, are you ready to take your baby home tomorrow?"

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When Edwina asked that, I think I looked something like this:

So I spent the day getting perscriptions filled and diapers purchased in between feedings at the hospital. We've packed her diaper bag and installed her carseat base, and we're heading to the nicu to pick up our baby at 9am this morning. Abigail is coming home :)

Reasons I'm frustrated:

2009-09-25T02:44:00.000-07:00

1. Although I can nurse just fine with the lactation consultant helping, I cannot seem to do it on my own. Abigail SCREAMED every time we tried by ourselves after the LC left and I almost cried with her :(
I feel like once we get home, we'll be able to take our time and figure it out- hopefully.

2. Abigail is too small for our carseat! We even have one that is supposed to be for tiny babies, but it just swallows her :( We're bringing in another today to see if she will be able to go home in it. We need the harness straps to tighten more than they do on most.

3. The nurses won't commit to even GUESSING when she'll be going home. I sit in the nicu all day and see babies come and go - most are only there for a few days - and hear the nurses say "are you ready to take them home tomorrrow?" to the parents, and I'm just WAITING to hear that. What's so hard is that some of the babies are sent home on oxygen, or still with major apnea problems - problems much more severe than Abigail's. And now that she is gulping down her bottles (WE'RE AT ALL BOTTLES, ALL DAY!!!) I am getting so antsy to take her home.

4. My baby cries when I put her down to leave. So I hold her as much as I can - and we both LOVE it! But I just can't wait to have her home where I can hold her whenever she is upset and not have to leave her for hours on end.

5. My FMLA runs out next week, and Abigail isn't even home yet. Looks like I'll be talking to HR about a longer leave of absence, but I can't do that until the case manager writes my letter stating why Abigal needs full time care and cannot be in daycare for a year due to her immature immune system- which she can't write until I have a discharge date to give her - which none of the nurses will even speculate on! ARGH!

Reasons I'm smiling:

2009-09-24T02:42:00.000-07:00

1. Abigail has started drinking her entire bottle! They've moved her to 3 bottles a day.
2. The nurse told us to bring in our carseat for the nicu carseat test -we're getting close to discharge!
3. The lactation consultant helped me in the nicu yesterday and Abigail actually latched on and nursed for 15 minutes! She did so well!
4. My husband is great - I can't imagine going through the last month without him. It's been amazing to see how in love he is with his child. And we've gotten even closer through the whole experience. I can't even write this without smiling :)

Nearing 4lbs!

2009-09-21T07:56:00.000-07:00

A quick update before I head over to the nicu:

Yesterday Abigail weighed 3lbs 11.2oz and took 27ml of her 38ml feeding from a bottle! I think she was trying to show off since her daddy was the one feeding her. She always falls asleep with me during her bottles, but she stayed wide awake for him yesterday! I'm wondering if maybe she can get the whole bottle down today!
She has been keeping her temperature up while in the open crib, and latest ultrasound shows that the infammation of her left kidney has resolved itself (although the right kidney is still inflamed). I'm hoping that maybe it will resolve itself as well in the coming weeks.

I've started washing Abigail's clothes and blankets in preparation of her coming home in a few weeks. My goodness - this little girl has so many clothes! It's funny that the preemie clothes are STILL too big on her, but that means that she'll get to wear those and her newborn clothes for a few months. We've also rearranged our bedroom to accomodate her bassinet since she'll be sleeping with us for a while.

And now I'm off to snuggle!

You want me to wear WHAT?!

2009-09-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

It's official: Abigail is now wearing CLOTHES! She also has been moved out of her isolette and into an open-air crib - we'll see how her body temperature tolerates the move! If she gets too cold, they will put her back in her control-temp islolette. She had another bottle today and finished 20 mil (as compared to the 10 mil she finished on her first bottle yesterday), so we're moving right along!

And for everyone who keeps asking: the nurses think she'll be coming home with us in 2-3 weeks (5-6 weeks after birth). We cannot wait!!

Nom nom nom...

2009-09-16T18:22:00.000-07:00

A quick Abigail update: She had her first bottle today! She will get 1 bottle a day (in addition to her regular tube feedings) for a few days, and we will build up to more every day. Of course, she didn't finish her bottle on the first try, but she made a valiant effort before falling fast asleep on her mommy. Good day!

Update from the Nicu: Day 21

2009-09-15T22:43:00.000-07:00

Current Weight: 3lbs 6.4 oz!!
Gestational Age: 35 Weeks
Actual Age: 3 weeks

I can't believe Abigail is already 3 weeks old - and that we've been in the Nicu for 3 weeks now! She's doing her thing and growing. The nurses all adore her because she's so darn cute and has a bit of an attitude. Don't know WHERE she gets that from! She gets quite fussy whenever anyone disturbs her sleep. Poor thing - I say she deserves to be as fussy as she wants after being poked and prodded for weeks. It wasn't her choice to come so early after all!!

Abigail's definitely starting to have more wakeful periods where she looks around and just takes everything in. Today she was awake and looking around for a good 45 minutes while I held her. She especially likes it when she hears Dr. Villez walk by speaking Spanish. She also will open her eyes and peek around when her daddy reads her bedtime story each night.

Today we tried to nurse, and although we didn't get much accomplished, it was nice to sit there and snuggle for a while. She is still taking her feedings by tube, but she takes them in 1 hour instead of 2. The next move is to slowly start adding bottles and breastfeeding sessions. We will probably start on those later this week/early next week.

In other news, Matt and I got our dryer fixed! I'm so excited to finally be able to do laundry again (it broke back in August right before I was hospitalized) but completely outraged by the price to fix it! The sad part is, we kn ew exactly what was wrong - we were just too technologically intimdated to fix it ourselves! Never again!!

Update from the NICU: Day 19

2009-09-14T05:52:00.000-07:00

Current Weight: 3 lbs 5oz
Current Length: Same (15.5 - 15.75 inches)
New Milestone: Bolis feedings

Abigail's feeding method has been changed to bolis feedings! This means that instead of continuous food being given to her through a tube that goes down into her intestines (N-J tube), now they are feeding her in 2 hour intervals with a tube that goes down to her stomach (N-G tube). So far she is doing GREAT on her new feedings, although she is experiencing a little bit of reflux and may need to be put on an acid reducer like Zantac. If she continues to tolerate the N-G tube for a few days, they will slowly start replacing her feedings with bottle feedings. It's really up to her how fast or slowly she wants to start taking a bottle. She still hasn't mastered the suck/swallow/and breathe reflex, so it may be a challenge to get her going on bottles to begin with.

Today Matt was able to bathe her - and she was not happy about getting her bath! Afterwards, though, she stopped crying and just looked up at her daddy for a while as he held her swaddled and the nurses changed her bedding. She was quite entranced!

Matt and I then went to an infant care class with some of the other couples from the NICU. It's so weird being part of this "preemie world" now that most people don't even know exists. Before August 26th, I certainly had no clue about the things preemie parents go through in the NICU or what special considerations they have to take when they bring their babies home.

Here are a few of the things I've learned in our stay at the NICU:

1. Parents of preemies feel cheated out of all of the "normal" birth experiences. I didn't get to go to a shower and really celebrate while we prepared for Abigail (although I hear my shower was wonderful!). We are woefully unprepared with a nursery. Friends felt awkward celebrating the birth of such an early baby, so we didn't get the balloons and flowers and visitors in the hospital after her birth. We didn't get to really prepare for childbirth or use any techniques we had learned. Abigail's birth was not greeted with the excitement I had always imagined I would have - it was instead a time of high tension and fear.

2. Preemies are NOT just smaller babies! Even I did not realize this until we were put in this situation. Preemies are still supposed to be in the womb, developing - which means they look and act differently than newborns. For example, Abigail gets EASILY overstimulated and begins to panic when she is faced with sensory overload. While a newborn baby can handle being talked to, looking at their mom, and nursing all at the same time, Abigail can't handle that many senses being used together yet. She gets easily frustrated and confused and will flail her arms and stare wide-eyed until some of those stimulators are removed. This is why we have been told not to have too many visitors in the NICU.

3. Preemies are more suceptible to infections than full-term babies - for most of their childhood! Since over 50% of preemies end up back in the NICU with infections in the first year, in the infant care class we were told that under no circumstances are we to take Abigail out around people for the first three months of her life. This includes staying home for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. This we have no problem with, as the last thing we want is for Abigail to get sick. We're just hoping everyone can understand why we seem so over-protective and why we're going to insist everybody who visits washes their hands. We're really nervous with cold season starting soon.

4. Preemies will probably not hit their developmental milestones on time. Preemies have both a "real age" (from their actual birthday) and an "adjusted age" (from when they SHOULD have been born). Right now Abigail's real age is 2.5 weeks, although her adjusted age is -5.5 weeks still. Abigail may always be about 2 months behind on the usual baby milestones of crawling, walking, and talking - although it's possible that she won't be behind at all. But for this reason it is hard to go by the usual baby books as far as what an infant/toddler should be able to do by what age.

Abigail Update: Day 16

2009-09-10T18:58:00.000-07:00

I'm so tired, so I'll make this short and sweet!

::Drum Roll::

Current Weight: 3lbs 2.7oz

We've hit three pounds!!!!!!!

Today was a good day - I got to hold Abigail for 4 hours and even gave her a bath all on my own! She wasn't too happy about that part. The nurses are letting me take over parts of her care - for example, I now take her temp and change her diaper whenever I'm there. Finally starting to feel like a mama! I've found that even doing these little things for her helps keep the blues away. They seem to creep back up during long car rides home, though...

Now off to bed!

Update from the NICU: Day 14

2009-09-08T14:47:00.000-07:00

Current Weight: 2lbs 15.9oz - YAY! She is back up to her birth-weight (plus some!)

Abigail is doing well and so I (thankfully) have very little news to report! She's still dining on breastmilk, although they've raised her feedings to 36 ml every 4 hours. The next step is to move her tube up higher into her stomach (right now it goes all the way to her intestines) and give her larger amounts of food in shorter time periods. If she tolerates that, they will start her on BOTTLES!!

I'm working hard to keep up my supply for her, but it's really hard being tied to pumping every 3-4 hours! I hate when one of those times falls during our kangaroo session and I have to put her back in her isolette for the evening. But I keep reminding myself that the best thing I can do for her right now is supply food that is easy to digest - so I'm keeping at it!

It's also been hard to work around her schedule in order to hold her - and also having to ask to hold my own baby is humbling. Because she is woken up for measurements/diaper change at 5,9 and 1 (AM and PM), those are the times I need to be there to kangaroo. I hate when the nurses decide to do her measurments early and I arrive to find her fast asleep again...and have to wait until next time. Today I missed her bathtime because she blew out a diaper in the morning while I was at a dr's appointment, so they went ahead and cleaned her.

My 2 week post-partum follow up went well - and my blood pressure is back to normal! I asked the doctor about the possibility of having HELLP in future pregnancies, and she said it's possible - we wouldn't know for sure until I get pregnant again. However, she said that my fear of HELLP is NOT a reason to avoid getting pregnant in the future. She recommends waiting at least a year - and believe me, we will have no problem doing that! Not sure how I feel about having any more children. Luckily, we don't need to decide anything for a while.

Matt is heading over to the hospital soon to say goodnight to Abigail, as he does every night, by reading her Goodnight Moon (thanks, Mrs. Julie!) I really think he's going to be the best daddy ever. :)

Gummybear update: Day 12

2009-09-06T18:13:00.000-07:00

Current Weight: 2lbs 14.3 oz
Weight Gain: -.7oz (but gained 3oz since last weigh-in!!)
Current length: 15.75 inches (up .75in!)
Current feeding: Still through the nose tube. They have upped her feedings from 4ml when she was born to 32ml every 4 hours! She is currently dining on breastmilk with milk fortifier to give her more calories. She appears to tolerate the breastmilk very well, so hopefully my supply can keep up!

Abigail is doing well and is GROWING! Dr. Villez calls her his "skinny little friend" but promises that she will start getting chunky soon. Every day I hold her while in the NICU - it is called kangaroo care. Basically I put her on my chest for skin to skin contact for hours. She has been attempting to nurse, but gets very tired quickly. Hopefully as she gains more weight she will continue to want to nurse. Mostly we just sit together and snuggle for hours.

She has had 2 ultrasounds on her kidneys and Dr. Villez is concerned that she has renal reflux. Basically, the tubes that connect the kidneys to the bladder are inflamed and are retaining water. He put her on an antibiotic to stave off a bladder infection and he is going to send us to Scottish Rite to have a special test done once she comes home.

This weekend Abigail graduated to the Intermediate side of the NICU! I'm so excited, although this means that she does not have her individual room anymore. The nurses are also talking about trying her on bottle feedings later this week. Every day is another day closer to bringing our angel home!!

Why Abigail had to come early: about HELLP Syndrome and IUGR

2009-09-05T07:45:00.000-07:00

HELLP syndrome is a variant of preeclampsia/toxemia. The symptoms I showed during my hospital stay were

extremely high blood pressure,
high levels of protein in my urine (showing that my kidneys were starting to fail)
elevated liver enzymes (showing that my liver was starting to fail)
extremely low levels of platelets - that continued to drop (in fact, dr's will not allow an epidural below 100,000 platelets for fear of stroke and clotting issues. I was at 101,000 on the morning of her birth)

The decision to induce labor was not an easy one, but one that was basically made for us as my condition worsened. Luckily, Abigail is in one of the best NICU's in the south and I'm really very happy with the care she has gotten thus far.

Abigail also had some issues that influenced the decision to give her an early birthday. The main issue was that Abigail had IUGR (Intra-uterine-growth-restriction), meaning that she had not grown since she was 29 weeks. So Abigail is one of the shrimpiest 32 weekers they have ever seen! For some reason (probably her smaller cord) she stopped growing right before I was admitted into the hospital - so the induction saved both of our lives.