Day 33 & 34 3.0 & 3.1 pounds Doing better!

Daddy time on Saturday

This past weekend went better than expected. The doctors and nurses have been very careful on advancing feeds and watching her tummy closely. She is nearly free of tubes and IV's. She is pink now with her new blood transfusion on board. She is alert when awake. Her abdomen is the smallest I've seen it on her, this is great! We are proceeding with feeds but only doing syringe feedings now. This combines her saliva with the breastmilk so it starts digesting before hitting her intestines. She is off of all oxygen and even the air pressure given through the nasal cannula since noon on Saturday. Goodbye cannula! She only has one IV in her left hand. Her conjunctivitis is gone as well as her yeast infection on her bottom. It looks like she is on the upward trend. She also gained a little and is now 3.1 pounds! Go Gracie...

Thank you everyone for praying so diligently for Gracie. She still has some healing...but will know later today as the doctor will inform us of his findings with the x-rays. He wanted to talk to the x-ray experts. Our doctor is very, very good. They rarely have any NEC patients who can't be treated medically. This is good news for Gracie. They do have other treatments if it goes past this but right now, it looks good.

Grace wiggling out of her "nest"

On Sunday, Hannah U. and Missy S. came to visit. I don't know why Missy didn't get in a picture. So sorry Missy. They were there for her 3rd feeding (the first 2 were by bottle) but her first feeding by syringe. It is such a little amount as they don't want to overload her intestines with much. It is also only 3cc's of straight breastmilk at this point. They did that to train her how to suck, swallow and breath. This is usually learned at an older age, however she is seeming to grasp onto the concept. It is like feeding a little kitten.

Hannah practicing baby holding before her little one comes
next month. Go Hannah!

Grace holding onto my gown after feeding

Sister Katie came to visit with Grace. First time since coming to Kadlec. She wanted to stay much longer than the short time she had there.

Gracie all dressed up but no where to go...cute daisy outfit from Hannah and little 1.5" knit slippers from the NICU.

Have you ever slept with one foot out of the covers? Well, she likes that idea! She stuck her foot out of the port of her isolette. I thought it was funny. She's already has one foot out of the NICU...

Hangin' around when all other parents have left and nurses are working on other babies. Laying back in the recliner doing kangaroo care sometimes gets lonely (even though I sing to Gracie most the time or sleep with her)...this is what I look at all day at the NICU; smiling visitors, parents, nurses, doctors and new babies coming and going. This is my view right now.

And this is the best view ever with no tubes! Sure love you Grace!