Though She Be But Little...

Today our sweet bunny is 1 week old.  I tried to remember what our first week home with Jaslyn was like  -- how thankful we would be to wake up every 2 hours to nurse a crying baby.   We are still thankful, just for different things.  Modern medicine, compassionate doctors,  family and friends that opens their hearts and their homes  in your time of need.  Strangers who offer advice or a shoulder to lean on when the NICU itself just becomes too overwhelming.  NICU parents are really amazing  -- a hundred  people have shared their story with us , helped us understand what we should expect , or just offered to be there if we had questions.  Until you've had to leave the hospital without the baby that brought you there in the first place, you just can't imagine.  An instant community that you never expected to be a part of.

Juliet has cruised through her first week of life in the NICU, sleeping snugly in the incubator meant to mimic my belly.  She has lost just 100 grams, expected fluid loss in any newborn.  In the next 3-5 days we expect to start seeing her weight start to climb again.  She is tolerating her tube feedings  and the amount she takes in increases everyday.  She is allowed to try to nurse once per day , although  her doctor has advised me she is still much to young to really eat on her own. Instead the time  she spends trying to nurse is meant to let her learn , explore, and build up stamina for when she is bigger.  Our doctor joked that she makes his job easy.  We are so proud to be the parents of this tiny super human.  

 

 

After 10 days in Morgantown  I came home for the night to replenish my clothes and repack Jaslyn for her week with grandparents.  Jeremy and his parents drove to Morgantown to be with the baby while I was gone.   Jazzy and I got to spend the morning watching Frozen and playing with  Easter eggs then Mimi came over to help get some things done in both girls rooms.

 

 

We sorted through baby clothes and laughed when Jeremy said he couldn't remember Jaslyn being small enough to fit newborn clothes.  I  finally framed one of the new pictures I bought for the nursery and  it couldn't be more appropriate for our new love.