Saturday, January 5, 2008 - Update

We decided to stop the NeoSure for a few days and see how Olivia does. We have her solely on breast milk (along with the Poly-Vi-Sol.)
It’s too soon to tell if it’s made a difference, but she just had a humongous stool and is as happy as can be right now. She just took her last bottle really well, so we’ll see how she does.

I noticed that KSN had a big story on RSV and how it’s the worst outbreak in years. Wesley’s pediatric unit is almost at full capacity and they may have to start diverting people to Denver, Kansas City, etc. It scares me to death, but luckily we don’t have to get Olivia out until her next Synagis shot on Jan 31st. I know we don’t allow very many visitors, but we just ask that if you do visit. . .please evaluate your health before ever stepping foot in our house. We just have to make it to April!!! I know that Olivia has some of the best cousins in the world. They want to meet her so badly, but have been so patient by placing Olivia’s needs before their own. I love you and miss you guys so much!

Friday, January 4, 2008 - Update

Not too much to report today. Grandma and Grandpa Glunt came over so that Ryan could work later and I could go to the store. I think they enjoyed their time with her. Olivia is still struggling with gas. . .so much for my endorsement of Dr. Brown’s bottles. I have never met a baby who struggles with gas quite like Olivia and neither has Ryan’s mom who has cared for countless babies. Nothing seems to help. Her doctor had us increase the gas drops, we burp her during and after each feeding, etc. The gas pains just seem to make her miserable. If it wasn’t for the gassiness. . .she would be an extremely happy baby as that is the one thing that really upsets her. Hopefully, we’ll soon find a remedy that works.

Thursday, January 3, 2008 - Update

We asked so much of our sweet little girl today and she was an angel through it all. Our first stop was the pediatrician’s office where she received her much needed second Synagis shot. We already have her next appt made on Jan 31st for her next shot. They allow us to wait in a separate waiting room and also informed us that next time we can use the side door and bypass the waiting room altogether. We have been very pleased with our pediatrician at Mid-KS Pediatrics. Before her shot, she had another weight check and. . .drum roll please. . .she weighs 7 lbs!!! She gained 10 ounces over the past week. No wonder she is outgrowing her outfits. Her consistent weight gain has diminished a bit of the stress that I’ve felt regarding her feedings because I know weight gain is a huge issue with preemies.

Next stop was at the eye doctor (Dr Varenhorst.) I think she disliked the eye exam even more than the shot, but she was a trooper. The ROP has pretty much resolved itself and has left the doctor utterly amazed. He had to ask again what her gestational age was at birth as he could hardly believe that she was born at 23 weeks. We do not have any more appointments with him. She will start seeing a pediatric ophthalmologist this spring. She has and I know always will be my little over-achiever. She is truly a miracle and I am so grateful to be a part of something so miraculous. There is not a second that goes by where I do not thank the Lord for what He is doing with her life.

Wednesday, January 2, 2008 - Update

Hey - I remember you!

I've gotten pretty big, huh?

Today, Nurse Holli came by to visit Olivia. Olivia was a little cranky when she first got here, but then she woke up and showed Holli all of the new things she can do. Holli has become a dear friend of ours and we are so glad that she came to visit. Hopefully, she can come again soon. I hope all of the NICU nurses know that our doors are always open to them if they ever want to stop by. We’re pretty much always home.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008 - Feliz 2008

Well, I have decided that I do not enjoy baths.

But, I love how clean I feel afterwards.

Is it cuddle time yet?

Because I love cuddle time.

Ryan and I have a New Year’s tradition that started in 2002. We were at my apartment flipping through the channels trying to find a New Year’s countdown. None of the channels seemed to have a countdown for Central Standard time. . .none except the Spanish channel. So, we’ve counted down in Spanish ever since while watching the Spanish channel each New Year’s Eve. Last night, I once again watched the Spanish channel except this time it was just Olivia and me. Ryan had already gone to bed and I wasn’t complaining. The sooner he goes to bed, the sooner I get to go to bed. I woke him up at 4:00 am to feed her, crawled into bed and he let me sleep until 11:30 am!! It was heaven. I also got out of the house and went to Target to use some of my Target gift cards. My real reason for going out was to get some Poly-Vi-Sol for Olivia, but I figured I might as well get some other things as well. Her pediatrician wants her to start on Poly-Vi-Sol because of her anemia. We also ordered a miracle blanket because of a suggestion we received months ago from our neighbor. Olivia has a really hard time staying asleep and holding her is the only way she’ll stay asleep. She hardly makes a peep when she’s in our arms. The majority of the time, I can hold her all day, but there are those times when I have to get some things done. She has a knack for waking up right when I sit down to pump. I hope all of you have had a great New Year’s Day. I have to say that I hope this year is totally uneventful for me as I just want to watch Olivia grow.

Monday, December 31, 2007 - Stroller Dilemma

Olivia is learning to grasp her toys.

Olivia looking at the pretty baby in the mirror.

Sleeping Beauty

I will attempt to shorten what has become this complicated issue. Back when I was pregnant, I found the perfect double stroller. . .in Graco G Galore (it has Gs all over it . . .for Glunt, ya know.) For some reason, I HAD to have that one and broke down into tears when I couldn’t purchase it with the 2 matching car seats. You could buy the double stroller OR you could get it in the travel system with the single stroller and car seat. We wanted the double stroller with 2 car seats, but could not get it even after calling Graco direct. We had to buy the double stroller, 2 different car seats plus the G Galore pads and switch out the pads. We finally had our double stroller with 2 G Galore car seats that we now no longer need. We can’t take it back because we purchased them at 3 different places and it was quite a while ago. I need to get rid of the double stroller as it is a painful reminder of what could have been. If anyone is in need of a double stroller, please email me. I promise to make you a really good deal on it. . .it’s never been used and never even been outside. Here is a picture of the stroller.

http://www.gracobaby.com/catalog/product.aspx?modelNumber=6K00GLR3&CategoryID=2

Okay, now we want the single G Galore stroller that matches her car seat, but since you can only buy it in a travel system, I would have to buy the stroller with a 3rd car seat. I don’t need three car seats! Does anybody have any suggestions?

Sunday, December 30. 2007 - Welcome!

Welcome Kaleb Snyder!

Sunday, December 30, 2007 - Update

The big news of the day was the arrival of Olivia’s new baby cousin, Kaleb Brodie. Ryan’s sister, Kim, had him today at 3:33 pm and he weighed in at 8 lbs 13 oz and was 19.5 inches long. Yes, Olivia’s baby cousin is bigger than she is. Both Kim and Kaleb are doing well. I will post pictures as soon as I have them.

Last night Olivia gave me an unexpected (and unwelcomed) surprise. . .projectile vomit all over her and all over me. I think it was the karo syrup that did it as it was the only thing that was changed. Afterwards, she was as happy as could be. . .hasn’t been running a temperature and doesn’t seem to be sick. She hasn’t stooled yet today, but I’m not concerned about that yet as she went a few times yesterday. I appreciate all of your wonderful suggestions and comments. Okay, on to my next question. I am so sleep deprived. . .it’s not even funny anymore (even though Ryan let me sleep in this morning.) Of course, I haven’t had a full night’s sleep in over 4 months because I have been getting up to pump. Now that she’s home, I know I’m supposed to sleep when she sleeps. Well, that’s impossible to do because, without fail, she wakes up at least every hour crying and fussing. Ryan and I don’t know what’s wrong, but it seems to be horrible gas pain. We’re using the Dr. Browns bottles, we burp her multiple times each feeding and she takes gas drops at every feeding. I’m starting to lean toward either bad reflux or she’s allergic to something in my milk or to the Neosure. It just doesn’t seem right that a baby wakes up in that much pain. I’m exhausted and worried about her. Poor Ryan has been working all weekend long, which doesn’t allow either one of us to catch up on our much needed sleep. Plus, we can’t have anyone come over to help feed her because that’s when she tends to desat. . .although her desats are becoming infrequent. We only feel comfortable feeding her ourselves. And, we don’t want to expose her to too many visitors.

Anyway, I can’t believe we are almost to the end of the year. As I look back on 2007, I realize that it has been the absolute best and the absolute worst year of my life. This year I finally got pregnant and I have my precious Olivia which makes it the best. These last 4 months, however, have also made it the worst. Sometimes I wish that PDA still stood for public display of affection and that PIP was still just an insurance term. I realize that this is the road I had to take to have my daughter and in that regard. . .I wouldn’t change it for anything.

**Right after I sent my last update, I went in to check on Olivia and she was in her crib, wide awake and as happy as can be. That’s what I don’t understand. . . she will have these bursts of crying and grunting and turning her face bright red, but then the rest of the time she is an extremely content baby. She hardly ever fusses about anything except when she has what seem to be these gas-like pains (or when we try to put the cannula back on her.) I just wish I knew how to help her.**