Big Steps

Today was the day I'd been waiting for for 11 days now.  The first time I got to hold and kiss my little miracle baby Katea.  In the past week and a half I've gotten to change her diaper, take her temperature, and weigh her, but never had the opportunity to actually hold or kiss her yet.  Today was a wonderful and very special day!!  She's such a fighter and has been doing so well.  She's still on a ventilator, but her lungs are getting stronger everyday.  They were able to take all the wires out of her umbilical cord and put a PICC line in her arm to give her all the antibiotics and medicines she needs through that instead of being hooked up to several different wires.  And the brain scan she got came back completely normal with absolutely no brain bleeds.  That was a huge hurdle she jumped over, and the best news we could have gotten!!  She lost a little weight in the first few days of life, which is normal....but now she is starting to gain again.  Today she weighed 1 lb10 oz.  They've started feeding her some of the breastmilk I've pumped....she started out with 1ml every 6 hours, but her little stomach is doing so well that they've up'd her feedings to 3ml every 3 hours.  She's simply amazing and everyday I look at her perfect little face, I thank my Heavenly Father for her.  The nurses said that she's unusually stable for a baby that was born at 25 weeks.  That's exactly what we love to hear!  Good job baby Katea, we love you so so so much.....keep fighting baby girl, we're all cheering and praying for you everyday! 

Big day, not only for mommy...but for daddy too!  The night before was the first time for him to change her diaper and take her temperature.  He was a little nervous because of how tiny she is, but he did an excellent job and I know he was happy that he did it!  Today he got to kiss her little head and face while I was holding her.  We were so overwhelmed and emotional, what a blessing to be able to finally kiss our little miracle.

These are HUGE steps for us and we are so grateful everyday for her progress!  They told us when I first had her...and have been telling us over and over again that life in the NICU is going to be a roller coaster of emotions.  She'll have good days and bad days....but that we needed to just focus on the good days.  That's exactly what we're doing...focusing on the good days!  We are so grateful for all the prayers and thoughts on our little baby's behalf....they really do help....you can see it in her progress! 

WE.LOVE.YOU.SO.MUCH.OUR.DEAR.SWEET.BABY.GIRL!!!

And of course, right beside her bedside....is the little angel bear from her twin sister's funeral.....she's always with her, watching over her and helping her fight.