Beware The "Twilight"

So when I was at home last time Mom gave me the book "Twilight". Maggie had already told me that the book was really good and I knew if she liked it, I probably would too. Mom, on the other hand, being in the Book Club, reads some strange stuff sometimes. Strange to me, anyway. So I still wasn't so sold on starting a book about a vampire. She tried several, several times to talk me into starting it while I was sitting around doing nothing for those three days, but I didn't. Instead I brought it home with me, and left it packed in Bailey's half un-packed suitcase, where it stayed until Monday.

Monday I went to the doctor and decided I'd take it along in case I needed something to entertain me. I wasn't able to really get a good start on it there, but did read the first few pages. So, the book has sat on the table for the past few days. Until Wednesday night...

Wednesday night I picked it up before I went to bed and read until I was absolutely positive that I would be miserable if I didn't get some sleep while Bailey was sleeping. Thursday morning, I picked it back up again, and did not put it down until 6:00 this morning, when I read the last word. Well, I mean I put it down to do the necessary things like feed myself and Bailey and bathe myself and Bailey. But that was it. When I tried to put it down at around midnight, I couldn't stop thinking about Bella and Edward and what was going on in their world. And since I couldn't sleep anyway thanks to Sid's annoying snore, I got up and finished the book.

It was totally addicting and if you haven't read it, I suggest you read it. And I suggest you don't just get the first in the series of 4, buy at least the first 2. Because I'm about to break my neck to get myself ready and packed for Alabama so I can get out of here and get to Wal-Mart to buy the second book so I can start on it. I hate it that I don't already have it. It's that addicting. And the sad thing is that I have a big ole gift certificate (Thanks NeNe!!) to Books-A-Million and I simply cannot wait to get to a BAM to start reading the second one.

So watch out Wal-Mart shoppers, I am officially a Twilight Addict and I'll run you over with my baby in tow trying to get to more of it!!

On a much more positive note, Sid, Bailey and I are headed to Bama shortly to spend some time with the fam and go to Leslie's baby shower tomorrow. And a quick update, Bailey weighed 8 pounds when she was weighed Wednesday. I was thrilled. I had her evaluated by the speech language pathologist here for swallowing because something just wasn't right when she would take a bottle. She would spit the formula out as she sucked it and she would get way out of breath and get tired and quit eating and then need to eat again 2 hours later because she was still hungry. I knew that being early and not sucking a bottle for the first week or so after birth was what the problem was, I just didn't know how to fix it. But the SLP we saw was FANTASTIC. I was very impressed. What is happening is that Bailey has failed to develop the suck-swallow-breathe reflex that full-term babies have naturally. She sucks about 6 times before she swallows so when she finally swallows she either A)has too much to swallow and so that's why half of it gets pushed out or B)she does swallow all of it and gets chocked. And because she is sucking and not swallowing or breathing, she is getting way out of breath and stops eating. Sooo...the fix?? I have to count her sucks for 5 sucks and then quickly slip the bottle out so she will swallow what she has sucked and breath. Now, this sounds really complicated, but babies suck-swallow-breath so fast that it is no more than one second or so and the bottle is back and she is sucking again. This has worked wonders for her. She is now taking at least 4 ounces and able to take it all because she has been given time to breathe. And the most important thing is that even though we haven't been doing this for even 48 hours, I can already tell that the S-S-B reflex is becoming more developed, as now she can take about 8-10 sucks while swallowing and breathing before I have to stop the flow of the milk to give her a break. For now, we are set up to go see the SLP 3 times a week for 3 months, but they don't think it will take that long to fix the problem. I was a very distraught Mama Wednesday and Wednesday night because once again, I had that depressing feeling that if I had just stayed on bed rest instead of worrying about work and trying to do Christmas, I might could have made it longer than I did and she wouldn't have been early or in the NICU or have this problem now. That might not be so, but I'll never know, and as her Mama I will always feel guilty because I might could have prevented all this. So I've learned from the experience. And I'll never go against my gut intuition again when it comes to Bailey's well-being.

Ok, I'll stop rambling now. But I'll leave you with this. My love for this child grows more and more every second that I see her, smell her, touch her, taste her, feel her. And I am so thankful to My Creator for giving her to me and entrusting me to be her Mommy. I am also so very thankful and praise God every night before I close my eyes that this baby is alive and well. So, we are off to see her Mimi and Poppy T and cousin Erin for the weekend, where she'll be loved on even more!!!! And since my Mom was the cause of no sleep last night, she gets the honors of one o'clock a.m. feedings while I'm there. I don't think she'll mind one bit!

This One's For The Boy

I had started a long post to journal Bailey's birth story and the events that unfolded shortly thereafter, but have not finished it. So, before the "moment" is lost, I just want to brag on Sid for a bit. I could not have asked for a better person to be by my side as Bailey was born and taken to the NICU. On that first night, when the nurses wouldn't let me up to go see my baby, Sid would go the NICU and record Bailey and bring it back for me to watch. If he woke up in the middle of the night and I wasn't awake, he'd immedialty call for an update on the sweet girl. Once he woke up in the morning, he would quickly dress, get us some breakfast and take off to see his baby girl. When I was falling apart, he was always there trying to be the strong one. And when you take a step back and look at the what actually happened on that Monday morning/afternoon, poor Sid must have gone through hell. I mean, he was dealing with a wife who had dangerous things going on as well as a new baby who was sick. He told me after things settled down that at one point he didn't know if he was going or coming. He couldn't be with Bailey and he couldn't get back into the OR to be with me. So he just stood there in the middle of the hallway thinking "what do I do now?" How frightening that must have been. I will have to say that for the first 24-34 hours after Bailey was born, I was the lucky one because I really didn't realize what all was going on and how serious Bailey was, or even how serious the situation with me had been. Guess I had some good stuff in that IV, but not Sid. I was lucky enough to be confined to the bed in that tiny hosptial room, not knowing what was really going on. Not Sid, he was the one having to handle me and Bailey all at the same time.

Not until I was released from the hospital and was able to come home and get a shower in my bathroom and get some good sleep in my bed, did I really realize what was happening and was really going on. And I remember at one point during the weekend eating in the hospital cafeteria and looking across the table at this sweet man that is my husband, did I realize what a toll the ordeal was having on him. He looked like he could break at any minute, and in private he might have, but never in front of me. And from that moment on, everytime I looked at him during the days of Bailey being in the NICU, I gained more and more respect for him.

I saw Sid tear up on several occassions. When we left the hospital on Christmas Day with an empty car seat in the back. When he learned about the baby in the NICU having to be air lifted to UAB. When someone would call and tell him how much they were thinking of us and praying for our Bailey. I saw Sid get mad on several occassions. Like the time that nosey nurse in the NICU informed me and Kylie (our sister-in-law) that Bailey was a sick, sick baby. But most of all, I saw a whole lot of love and I felt loved and I felt the love that he has for our baby, for our family. And for that I will forever be grateful. He has no idea how his strength held me together during those 11 days.

Now, if I can just get him to understand what I do at home all day with a new baby when he gets home and the house isn't cleaned or I haven't had a shower or brushed my teeth. He isn't ugly by any means, but he does question just what went on for the 8 or 9 hours while he was working. All I can say is "if you only knew."

Here's Some Food For Thought

I don't really know how to start this post and it might strike some people as a bit odd, but I feel compelled to share. And it is my blog, after all. I'm not sure exactly which order these two events happened in because when your newborn baby spends time in the NICU all the days and nights of hoping and praying seem to run together. But two things happened while we were there that has led me to the decision I'm writing about. First, we were told that Bailey showed signs of developing something called pulmonary hypertension. I had never heard of it and immediately googled it as soon as I could get to a computer. I still don't really have the slightest clue what it is because it's very "medical" when you try to read about it. But I did learn that the two treatments for it are nitric oxide and ECMO (the heart lung bypass machine). Bailey would have had to have been flown to a bigger NICU that had these things on hand had she developed it so Sid and I were VERY thankful that she did not develop it and talked about how hard what we were experiencing was, we couldn't begin to even comprehend what it would have been like had she been airlifted to UAB or some NICU in some other state.

One day Sid and walked into the NICU to find the neonatologist on the phone with UAB arranging for them to come pick up a baby that had been born the night before. I heard him tell UAB that the baby was showing signs of Tetrology of Fallot. I had heard of this before and even had a child in my one of the classes that I have taught in. So I knew this was a heart condition and very serious. Sid and I were in the NICU when the helicopter got there for the baby and we were all asked to leave so that the baby could be loaded up and stabilized. Sid had already been emotional over learning this baby had to be air lifted. But when I actually saw the team come in for the baby, I lost it. We were both thinking, by the Grace of God there go you and I. We knew we had been fortunate. Later that night, the nurse practitioner was on the phone with someone telling them that once the baby got to UAB, they had decided it was not T of F but something called pulmonary artersia. Again, as soon as I could get to a computer, I was a googling fool. PA is just about the same thing as T of F, both are congenital heart defects and require surgery on the heart. But again, very medical and more than you want to know in reading this blog post.

Just to show what a small world it is, it turns out that Ben, Sid's brother, actually works with the mother of the baby that was air lifted to UAB. He has had a stint put in his heart and is now back in Mississippi. He will return to UAB when he is 6 months old for the surgery to repair his heart, but he is doing well. As much as Sid and I hurt for this family, we were grateful for the opportunity to know the baby is doing well.

But I digress. The point in telling you all this is that in googling all these heart conditions, I came across many, many blogs and care pages of babies with cogential heart defects and babies needing heart transplants. It led me to start thinking about being an organ donor and I thought and prayed about it and then ran across the website to actually sign up to be an organ donor.

So tonight, I'm going to give you the web address that will tell you what you have to do in your state to become an organ donor and I urge each of you to really consider it. I don't know that much about what really happens when they harvest your organs and you mean to leave them for donation. But I look at it this way. I don't really need those organs once I leave my earthly body. So I might as well leave them here for a good cause. And not that pulmonary hypertension would be something that Bailey would have needed a new heart for, but what if she'd been born needing some type of transplant. I'd have been eternally grateful for whoever had been the donor.

So, here's the website and if you've already become an organ donor, you are one step ahead of me and "thank you". http://www.donatelife.net/CommitToDonation/index.php

Random Stuff

I posted pictures below so make sure you scroll all the way down to see them all. I have to post them in several posts for some reason. These are the pictures from Alabama and I can't believe how big my baby girl is getting. She is growing like a little weed with some miracle grow sprinkled on. Her eye that was concerning me seems to have fixed itself. I guess that was one of those premie things and she just had to grow into her skin or something. I feel certain we'll be canceling that follow up visit with the eye doctor.

Bailey was so good at Mom and Dad's. She slept in her pack in play and slept through most of the nights we were there, only waking to eat. But as soon as we got back home, she decided to get back to those old habits and was wide awake for about 3 1/2 hours in the middle of the night. I'm going to do my best to get her on a schedule that works for all of us. I knew I was going to lose sleep, I just didn't know I'd lose it all.

She does seem to be enjoying the swing that we borrowed from cousin Colin, only if she isn't left in there for too long at a time. Maybe 10 mintues and then she's done with it.

We are going back to Bama on January 30th for Leslie's baby shower. Mimi and Poppy T are already missing their little girl and Mimi seems to have gone shopping for the sweet baby some new outfits too, so we can't wait to see those. OH, and get this, Bailey not only smiles for her Mimi (and her daddy) but she also smiles for her Mimi when she hears Mimi's voice over the telephone. That little rascal!!!

Hope you enjoy the pictures below!

Pictures

BAILEY AND HER MIMI. ISN'T MIMI LOOKIN GOOD??

 

THIS WAS RIGHT BEFORE WE LEFT TO COME HOME AND MIMI AND POPPY T WERE TELLING ME THAT THEY WERE GONNA KEEP BAILEY. I DON'T THINK SO.....

 

Pictures

JUST CHILLIN' ON THE COUCH AT MIMI'S WHILE IT SNOWED. BAILEY WAS SO RELAXED AT HER MIMI'S THAT I WAS ACCUSED OF GIVING HER SOMETHING TO MAKE HER SLEEP. NOT REALLY, BUT SHE DID SLEEP ALOT. MUST BE BECAUSE THE COUCHES ARE SOO SOO COMFY!!!

 

BAILEY, AUNT MAGGIE AND UNCLE BO! DOESN'T UNCLE BO LOOK LIKE A NATURAL??

 

BAILEY WITH HER GREAT GRANDDADDY. DOESN'T HE LOOK PROUD???

 

Pictures

BAILEY AND HER COUSIN ERIN

 

BAILEY AND UNCLE WILL

 

BAILEY AND ERIN AGAIN, POPPY T'S GIRLS!!!

 

Pictures

BAILEY IN HER CARSEAT READY TO HEAD TO HER MIMI AND POPPY T'S FOR THE FIRST TIME. I WANTED TO TAKE A PICTURE OF HER HELLO KITTY SUITCASE BESIDE HER (THAT THEY BOUGHT HER) BUT SID HAD ALREADY LOADED IT UP.

 

BAILEY GETTING A BATH AT MIMI'S IN THE BIG SINK. SHE LOVES HER BATH SO SHE REALLY LOVED BEING ABLE TO "SWIM".

 

 

We Are Back

Bailey and I are back from Alabama. It was a very uneventful trip (drive) home which is always good.

Bailey and I both have some allergy like drainage in our eyes. Not sure what that's all about.

Sid was happy to see us, or at least Bailey.

And in case you didn't notice, The Mississippi Scoop got a face lift. Hope you like it.

First Trip to Mimi and Poppy T's

So Bailey and I made the trek to Oneonta on Sunday. Sid wanted to hunt and was working too, so we came to Mom and Dad's. Mom has been WONDERFUL. She has loved having this baby here and is letting me get some sleep. Apparently Sid is right and I snore something horrible because Mom wouldn't even let me sleep with them last night. Good news, Bailey has been sleeping in the pack in play in Mom's room. But she did wake up and stay up last night like she usually do.

Erin got to come over and spend lots of time with Bailey yesterday, as she and Leslie were out from school for MLK day. It snowed here in Oneonta yesterday too. Didn't stick, but they were big ole flakes. I have some cute pictures of Bailey but I don't have my cord to upload them here. Sid is going to be so amazed at how much she has grown since we have been gone. He has enjoyed his hunting time without worrying about me and Bailey being stuck at home, but he said he woke up at midnight looking for a baby to feed. haha!

We will head back to Philly sometime tomorrow. And I'll try to post pictures then.

Oh yeah, Bailey had her first smiles. I thought she smiled at me yesterday but couldn't be so sure. Mom was talking to her this morning while I was in the shower adn sure enough, Mimi got two big smiles out of the sweet baby!

Today Was The Day

That Bailey was due! And I can't EVEN begin to imagine what life was like without her, so I can't begin to imgaine having to wait a month longer than we did to get her here. Although I must say I was talking to her this morning and telling her we could have forgone a nasty vent experience if I could have made it to today. So yeah, I'd have glady waited a month longer if I could to have spared her from that. But my dad was right when he told me while she was still in the NICU that we'd move on from that experience. Boy was he right. The time has flown by and NICU is but a distant memory that will never be forgotten, I can promise you that!

And thank God for daddy. He got up with Bailey last night and made it through her 3 hour "awake" episode. He actually slept in this morning, so you know it was rough. I, however, got some much needed to sleep. I'm wanting to go to Alabama to see my family and Sid is gladly helping us to prepare. I know he's thinking sleep would be awesome. I'm thinking that too, and I'm thinking it's Mimi's turn to stay up with a wide eyed, beautiful baby who wants to be talked to at 1:00 in the morning for HOURS. hehe!!!

Can You Say....

ROTTEN!!!

 

She Is A Little Trickster

Night before last Bailey slept from 9:30 until 5 the next morning. Never moved. Sooo I was thinking we might be making progress with this whole needing to eat all the time thing. No such luck. She was awake practically the whole night and when she did go to sleep the last time she was back up at 5 a.m. She just now went back to sleep.

We went to the eye doctor yesterday to follow up with that. And all was well. Sometimes one of her eyes looks "droopy" to me, but the doctor couldn't tell anything about that yet. If it doesn't get better, we will go back in 6 weeks. Other than that, her muscles, vision and eye anatomy are fine and NOT damaged from being early or being on the vent.

She is growing like a weed, but she is still so small. None of her clothes fit her, as you can tell from the pictures. Sid and I were just talking this morning about how much probably weighs now.

She is a rotten little thing, but we love her!!!!

I'm So In Love

 

 

 

 

5 Days

To go until Bailey's due date. I can't imagine what life was like before December 22, 2008. I sure can't imagine waiting 5 whole more days for her to get here. The little rascal is growing like a weed, eating all the time, acting like Sid and I never feed her.

I finally drove my truck for the first time since Dec. 19th yesterday, without Bailey in it. I went to a meeting at work last night. Then today Bailey and I went to meet Sid for lunch and went to Wal-Mart. It was the first time I had been to Wal-Mart in well over a month. I also got my hair done, which it needed VERY badly and then stopped by work for a little bit. Sid's mom came to watch Bailey for the hair appt. trip. I didn't figure she needed to smell the fumes. Well, actually, the selfish me that doesn't want to let her out of my sight would have taken her, Sid is the one who said she didn't need to smell the fumes. I'm sure Ne Ne enjoyed it anyway.

Bailey is supposed to go to the eye doctor tomorrow but I'm thinking of canceling the appointment. When I was taking my shower tonight something told me that the eye appointment tomorrow might not be a good idea. Sid can't go with us and it's going to be like 30 degrees here, or colder, tomorrow. So I just figured I might reschedule. Then tonight while on the phone with a lady here from my church who had two kids in the NICU, one of which did develop pulmonary hypertension and was flown to New Orleans, we got to talking about the eye doctor with infants. She asked who I was using and I told her they made an appointment from the NICU for us with this doctor and she said "DON'T SEE HIM!!!" His is horrible with infants. She said basically they have to hold the baby down to look into their eyes and they have to hold them while doing it and the baby will scream and scream and this doctor just doesn't have any tolerance for it. Soooo, we might be postponing this doctor's visit until a later date.

I want to clarify... I never said I'd actually have time to update this blog once Bailey got here. But my intentions are good. I have some pictures to post and hopefully will get that done tomorrow or Thursday.

Bailey's First Doctor's Visit

Techinically this wasn't her first doctor's visit since she was visited quite often in the NICU by Dr. Blubaugh and Dr. Boyd (and all their wonderful nurse practicioners). Anywhoo, we saw Dr. Maranto today, who will be Bailey's peditrician. She got a very good report. Our little 6 pound bundle of joy has gained 7 ounces since birth, weighing in at 6 pounds 7 ounces today. She has grown a half inch since birth, from 18 1/2 inces to 19 inches long. So she is eating good. Her eyes, ears, nose, lungs, etc., all were clear and she got a clean bill of health. Dr. Maranto was not near as concerned about RSV as Drs. Blubaugh and Boyd were. But we will still be extra careful with her for the time being because if she does get RSV, she will most likely have to be put back on the vent to help her "recover" from it. A side note on that, we had a confirmed case of RSV at the daycare today, in the baby room no less. So I don't just don't know what my heart and head will let me do about that situation. (We still do not want her around children that have been at daycare or school for at least another 6 weeks. Technically she still shouldn't even be here yet.) I believe he said she should return in 2 months if there were no problems in between times. We see the eye doctor next Wednesday.

She had her first taste of formula today and she looked at me like, woman what the heck is this. Then she gulped it down, in her own dramatic way, gulping like we never feed her. It's quite a noise to hear, and of course the hic-ups that follow are just as dramatic. We were gone from about 12 until about 7:30 tonight and I just didn't know how we'd keep the breat milk cold and then heat it up when time to eat. So we took the ready-to-use formula that the hospital gave us and she did ok with it. She is about to have her first bottle of breat milk since the formula and we'll see how she does. For those of you wondering, I am still just pumping and giving it to her in a bottle. We both seem to like it better that way.

She rides really well so we are planning trips to Jackson to see Sid's grandparents and to Oneonta to see my pap-paw. Hopefully we'll be in those places sooner than later.

Man The Hormones

Are raging. I went almost 9 whole, well 8 whole months, with only a few minor headaches and the trigeminal neuralgia was pretty much under control. I suppose it's the changes that my body is going through now, but I am going on two days with a vicious headache. Of course, it's raining and that doesn't help. Added to the fact that my sleep pattern is now all off, and you get a headache from me anyway. Needless to say, the tylenol bottle stays close by. I just hope it works itself out soon! I did go the doctor yesterday for my 2 week post-partum check-up and my incision is great and healed and all was well. Well, expect for that pesky high blood pressure that doesn't want to go away. But the doctor feels comfortable in not treating it for now. I didn't even know it was still high until it was checked at the doctor's office. I go back in 4 weeks and should be dismissed at that point.

My sweet, little baby girl is now eating at least 3 ounces of milk, sometimes more, at her feedings. And she is still pretty much waking up every four hours to eat. So she is for sure growing. We are trying to get her to sleep in her pack in play when she naps and at night (which is in our bedroom only steps away from me), but she will only stay there for about an hour and then she cries to be picked up and/or moved closer to wherever we are. So sometimes she does end up in the bed with us. I know, I know. Mama is trying hard to get that under control. The closer we get to her due date, the more she stays awake and the more alert she is. She goes for her first well baby check-up tomorrow and then we will see the pediatric opthmologist on the 15th just to have a check-up, which is standard given her birth age and the oxygen she was on.

I'm trying not to sleep during the day when she sleeps but sometimes its hard. I just don't want to get used to a nap and then BAM, have to go back to work and not get a nap. And speaking of work, man is it ever going to be hard to leave my baby in that baby room, even though I feel very comfortable and confident with the daycare that I run. It's just different when it's your own I guess.

See Those Peepers

 

I don't even think I have the words for this picture!!

Bailey and Her Daddy

 

JUST GETTING A LITTLE SNUGGLE TIME!!! (and check out those hair lines)

Pictures

 

 

 

 

I don't have any pictures from the bath time yesterday because it was pretty tramatic and Sid left me to fend for myself. But Mom, Dad, Maggie, Bo, Erin, and Leslie came yesterday and spent the night. We were so excited to see them and have them see Bailey. So for a recap of the pictures above: Erin and Bailey - my two princesses! Bailey and her namesake - Aunt Maggie Ellen! Bailey with Mimi and Erin- Mimi's two princesses!

Bailey sleeps most of the day and night, waking only to eat. She does like to be awake at some point to get some talking to. She loves to be talked to. She is rotten. She does not like to be put down and left. For instance, when we feel she has been held enough and try to lay her down to sleep, she cries until she is picked up again. Other than that, she never really even cries. I guess since she should still be technically growing for another two weeks, this is normal and I'm sure it WILL change. For now, we are just resting up and thrilled to have her home!

It's Amazing To Me

That the ticker says something like 17 days and my Bailey is lying over here beside me snoozing. We had a great first night, all things considered. I think Bailey is enjoying just not being bothered until she is ready to be bothered. She got up twice and then for good about 7:30 a.m. this morning. So we'll see how today goes. She is the smallest baby I've ever seen and it's hard not to just snuggle with her constantly. I'm trying to give her her rest because we have family coming in and she'll get her fair share of holding I'm sure.

Ok, so we were cautioned big time about RSV. Here is a description of RSV taken from the web: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infects nearly all babies by the age of 2. In adults and children, RSV usually causes mild cold-like symptoms. But in premature babies and children with certain other medical conditions, it can develop into a serious respiratory illness requiring hospitalization. Premature babies or those with lung or heart problems have an especially high risk. We were told that if Bailey were to get RSV, considering her birth weight, birth age, and lung problems that she would have to be taken to UAB or Children's and put back on the vent. I was told not to take her to church, daycare, or any where else people might get in her face for several months. RSV season ends in May. We specifically asked about being around children who come to the house to see her who have been at daycare. Dr. Boyd said don't do it. So we are asking that if you want to come visit Bailey, please do not bring your children right now (unless you are family and then we'll tell you what we have decided). We are also asking that if you smoke, you not visit Bailey right now. It's just a risk we cannot take. We see the peditrician sometime next week and maybe we'll have more information and know just how "at risk" she is.

We'll I'm off to snuggle with my little girl. Again, we just can not express to you all how much we appreciate your prayers, calls, texts, comments, etc. We are truely blessed Bailey is a miracle to us. She's going to get a bath later and I'll post some pictures if I have time.

What A Way To Start The New Year

Sid and I roomed in with Bailey last night at the hospital. She is rotten! She would not let us put her down so she slept in our arms last night. The nurses only came in to bring a bottle.

We were up at the stroke of midnight (well we were up all night) but we were up to welcome in the new year. And what a year it will be.

We just got home, so I wanted to update real quick and let everyone know that the plans went as expected.

We were cautioned about staying out of crowds and away from young children, but I'll write more about that later.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!