End of a Chapter

On Saturday, June 26, Mike and I went to the hospital to spend the night with Chloe. Parents of NICU babies are required to so the nurses/doctors can make sure they are as prepared as possible to take home their little one.

Mike and I went to a family dinner at Grandma & Danny's in Sandy and then headed to the hospital around eight o'clock.

 We were very excited that we were able to go with the original plan of staying over Saturday night and  bringing Chloe home on Sunday.

 We were given SO MUCH information before we were moved to the Rooming In room. The oxygen tank guy came and showed us how to start/stop her oxygen and how to switch out and read the tanks. The dietician came and taught us how to administer her Poly-Vi-Sol and Zinc meds and how to properly mix her milk with Nutramigen. Afterward the apnea monitor lady came and told us why the alarm would sound, like if the leads are kinked or if her lung function fails. The alarm sounds just like a fire alarm. AKA: It scares you to death. It's awesome.

 This is the room where we stayed in the hospital. Chloe was just to the left of us and it was so weird being responsible for her. Sure, we could call the nurse if we needed her, but it was still very much up to us to get her fed and changed. The first night wasn't bad at all. Mike fed her at one in the morning and I fed her at six. 

 Chick's tank. You'd think it belonged to an ninety-year-old. But doncha worry, we have the fun size too.

 We had to learn baby CPR and we practiced on a very creepy and squeaky doll.

 I saved thee child!

 Waiting for the nurse to discharge Chloe. There was a LOT of stuff we had to agree to/sign. The nurse gave Chloe a Hepatitis B shot and she was so mad she couldn't even make a sound. It was so sad. I didn't cry, but I felt really bad for her. 

 Right before the nurse came in to put her in the carseat.

 One VERY happy family! :)

 She is so tiny that we have to roll up blankets and stuff them on either side of her so she doesn't roll around.

 I LOVE my carseat and carseat cover. Mom got me the carseat and Elisha, being the amazingly talented  craftress she is, made the carseat cover. We got SO many compliments on it as we were leaving...thanks again, E! 

 After we said goodbye to many of Chloe's wonderful nurses, we packed up ze baby and headed home. Little Miss had lots of visitors, including Uncle Jake, Aunt Megan, her cousin Kaylee, Grandma Janice, honorary Grandpa Ken (my momma's lova), and Mike's parents and brother.

 Love this picture.

 LOVE HER.

 Grandma Janice and Ken.

 Aunt Jamie came over on Chloe's first full day home. I can't get this picture to load vertically...oops.

Well, our little girl is finally home and we are SO happy. I have loved blogging about this journey beginning even before Day 1 and will continue to document her life on our family blog, which can be found here.

Thanks to those of you who have followed us on our journey (it sounds cheesy, but a journey is exactly what it's been!). Your support has meant so much to our little family and we couldn't have done it without you! 

This is the end of a chapter and the beginning of a new one. 

I can't wait. :)

The Nursery!

It has been a LONG road to finish Chloe's nursery. 

We started with a HUGE mess. It was our storage room and with school and work, the room was the last thing on our minds.

I didn't get to the room until AFTER Chloe was born. I went back and forth between paint colors, but when Jamie and I went shopping at Lowe's, I found a paint called "Beach Sparkle" and knew it was fate.

The room was more organized than before but definitely not cleared out when I painted. I got home and I just couldn't wait! I got it completely done in an hour and a half. I LOVE to paint!

Two days before Chloe came home, Chris came over to help Mike put the crib together and install our air conditioner.

My awesome cousin, Alyse, gave us this crib and we LOVE it! :)

Cheese-face Hunter. You can tell his mom is a photographer. ;)

Getting there...

I couldn't believe how much room we had once we moved the bookshelf into the living room.

Blanket basket. :)

This is my all-time favorite picture of her. 

Jamie came over later on Friday and helped me get the room set up and put a few decorations on the walls. Thanks again, seester!

Kylie gave me this letter C and I love it! :)

 I got her dresser at a garage sale for $15. 

The final result! :)

Eventually I would like to get a white rod and have white curtains that twist around the rod and hang down. Also I am going to be putting up the letters of her name that I made a few months ago, along with a few knickknacks that I've gathered ever since February. :)

What do you think? 

I LOVE it! :)

Nevermind.

I am so mad right now.

Everything was going perfectly and then some random doctor called this morning to say that he wants to conduct all these random tests on Chloe, therefore keeping her in the hospital for who knows how long. 

DON'T tell me my daughter is coming home on Sunday IF SHE ISN'T.

If it was Dr. Later telling me this, I wouldn't be so upset, but it's not even him! It's some random doctor I've never heard of. He thinks he found a heart murmur (in his words, "a very slight heart murmer") and so he wants to do an echo and monitor it for awhile. I get that any kind of heart condition should be checked out, but I have a heart murmur and I don't need any kind of medication for it. Then again, she's just a baby...but STILL.

This means that Mike and I will not be staying over tonight, because obviously she's not coming home on Sunday. 

Everything as ready as it can be for her, including me.

I want her home! 

Almost there!

 Chloe went on her twelve-hour request feedings yesterday and she did GREAT. So great, in fact, that she was able to do her twenty-four hour request yesterday. I took in her adorable carseat and they are going to conduct the oxygen saturation test soon. So far, so good.

Today she will do the twenty-four hour demand, and Mike and I are going to spend the night at the hospital. That way the staff can answer any questions we have and make sure that we are as prepared as we can be before we take her home. 

HOME.

I can't wait!

Chris came over yesterday morning and helped Mike set up her crib and the AC and then Jamie came over later to help me finish/decorate Chloe's room.

It. Looks. FABULOUS.

I absolutely LOVE the crib bedding I picked out and the blue wall looks great! I will post pictures soon.

And FYI, once Chloe gets home I am "moving" her over to the family blog, which can be found here. This one will still remain open, but I won't be posting to it anymore. 

I am so glad to have her room finished. It makes it so real to me. Last night I just stood in her room and soaked in the babyness. She is going to love her room. :)

TOMORROW! :D

So close...

I am freaking out right now.

Chloe could be coming home on SUNDAY.

Yeah, two weeks before we thought!

She is doing back-to-back feedings and tomorrow they will give her a bottle for every feeding in a twelve-hour period. If she does well with that, on Friday they will give her a bottle for every feeding in a twenty-four hour period.

If she does well with that?

She will be fed on demand for 24 hours.

Then she will come home on Sunday.

I AM NOT READY!!!

Not only did our dryer stop working in the middle of washing all the clothes we've borrowed from my siblings for Chloe, but the crib is still not set up and I have to sand and stain her new dresser. I got said dresser for $15 at a garage sale this past Saturday...six drawers and good, solid wood. Score!

Anyways, I am freaking out.

I know I will never be ready.

I know everyone (yes, you too!) is going to tell me that I'll never be ready, it gets a bit easier eventually, blah blah blah.

Trust me, I know all of that.

But just because I know something doesn't mean I'm going to be cool and collected about it.

SO excited she's coming sooner than expected.

FREAKING OUT that she's coming sooner than expected.

*deep breath*

It's going to be okay. I just have to keep telling myself that I'll be okay and that I can do it. I can take care of my little girl, even if doing so isn't as efficient or smooth as the nurses.

Wish me luck!

Getting closer!

Chloe is SIX POUNDS and is up to FOUR feedings a day! 

She is still on the nasal canulla and Mike is convinced that it's her safety blanket and she'd do fine on her own if she'd just try. *breath* I agree.
Also, there is a bigger than tiny chance that she can come home NEXT WEEK!

Keep your fingers crossed! :)

Daddy's Day

 Dear Chloe,

Your daddy loves you so much.

 I've never seen him as happy as the day he found out you were coming.

And the day he found out you were a little girl.

And the day you were born.

 Daddy comes to see you in the NICU at least twice a day.

And you love it.

 Daddy has a countdown on his calendar for when you get to come home.

He calls your nurses and makes sure they're taking good care of you. Every single day.

You turned six weeks old the day before Father's Day.

I think you are sick of the hospital (pun intended) and really want to come home.

Daddy and I can't wait, either.

Your daddy is amazing, Chloe. 

You always calm down when he holds you and stay still when he signs your casts.

You're already a daddy's girl.
And that's perfectly fine with me.

Grandma Janice

Chloe loves her grandma.

It's written all over Grandma's face that she feels the same. :)

 Mom has come to the hospital with me on her days off for a couple of weeks now and it's so fun to see her holding my little girl. I love talking to her about everything, especially Chloe's feet. Mom had to go through a lot with mine and she's the one person who really understands what a miracle it is for Chloe to only have casts for eight weeks. 

My mom is my best friend and I want my relationship with Chloe to be as awesome as ours is. 

I love you Mom!

Chloe is a very lucky girl. :)

*5 Weeks*

Chloe turned five weeks old last Saturday, June 11. 

Can you believe it? I sure can't.

 She is 5 lbs. 5 oz. and is doing so well! Her oxygen saturation is still down, but she's doing better with eating and she only has a few weeks left before her casts come off for good! 

I just love her SO MUCH.

Aw. :)