Penelope and dad

Houdini baby

Penelope trying to make a break for it.

Penelope is 39 days old

Penelope continues to do well. Her weight is up to 1470g, which is
just under 3 1/4 lbs. She is still on nasal canula but is breathing
well. She only had one Brady/desat last night.

Trent had to work late yesterday so he went to see her last night.
Penelope is very popular with the night nurses. Apparently she is a
night owl because she was super alert. He got to hold her while she
ate and watched her get a bath. He enjoyed seeing her at night so much
that I want to go back to the hosptial after dinner.

Thanks for checking in. I'll write more later.

Good morning!

Fingers in the mouth

Penelope is 37 days old today

Penelope's gestational age is about 33 1/2 weeks.  It's seems a little unbelievable that she still wouldn't be a full term baby if she had been born today because she has been alive for over a month.  Although it continues to feel weird that we are parents we can't imagine life without her.

Trent and I both got to hold Penelope yesterday and we started making the first steps toward breast feeding.  She had a really good night, too.  She didn't have any brady/desat episodes at all.  She's also gained weight and is now 1410g, which is just over 3 lbs.  This morning, the team and the nurse kept saying how wonderfully she is doing.  This may have gone to her head because she started desatting while she was eating lunch.  This is still normal preemie behavior and she will eventually grow out of it.  I'm just ready for "eventually" to be "now".  When I start to get a little discouraged, though, I look around the NICU at the new preemies and remember how far she has come in such a short time.  And she will go even further over the next month.  This whole process just takes faith that she will continue to improve and patience to get through the minor set backs. 

Thanks for checking in.  I'll post more later. 

Day 36

Penelope is 5 weeks old today. 

We are still waiting for Penelope to grow and breathe.  She's breathing much better today and hasn't had any brady/desat episodes while eating.  Hopefully that problem won't return.

Today she is wearing a blue polka dot shirt.  I'll post a picture soon.  She looks very cute!  I think the nurses are having a fun time dressing her up.  I know I am. 

Over the past few days, the nurses have been encouraging me to participate in more of her care.  I've been changing her diaper regularly, taking her temperature and applying warm compresses to her eye (it still has some discharge).  It really helps me feel more like she is my baby who needs me to take care of her. I appreciate all the tutoring they are giving me.  We will definitely be more prepared than a lot of full term parents when it comes to knowing how to bathe, diaper, feed, etc.  She will also already be on a schedule when we take her home (whenever that will be), which will be nice. 

Later this week, we are going to try to start preparing her for breast feeding, although she won't actually be able to eat that way for a few weeks.  Like the breathing and the temperature regulation, it will be easier for her to eat when she gets bigger and older. 

Thanks for checking in.  I'll update more later.

Update - Day 35

Penelope is 35 days old today. 

Over the weekend, we brought some baby clothes and blankets to the hospital.  The nurses dressed her up and styled her hair.  She looks so cute!  See the photo in the previous post.   Some of the nurses are becoming really attached to her and they come visit her on days when they are assigned to other babies.  It's really touching to see how much they care about her. 

During the past few days, she was having trouble breathing and keeping her heart rate up while eating.  Last night, the nurse turned up her oxygen during feeds and this seems to have helped.  Her right eye has a little bit of discharge again, which may be from a clogged tear duct.  The nurse is going to apply warm compresses to her eye.  She weighs 1340g and is still on the nasal canula.  The team doesn't have very much planned for her this week.  It seems like once she reaches around 1400g-1500g, she will start making more progress - like regulating her body temperature better and possibly breathing on her own.  Last week she gained 120g and and the week before that she gained 110g.  Hopefully, she will reach those milestones in the next couple of weeks.  For now, we are just waiting for her to get older and bigger. 

Thanks for checking in.  I'll update more later.

Penelope's make over

Check out the new threads and hairdo.

Penelope's big ol' shirt