Updates

Sweet Addelyn is doing so well.

She has definitely exceeded all of our expectations in her first week of life.

Not to say I'm too surprised, we were expecting a fighter.

I can't believe that she is already 8 days old.

We are so lucky to have such wonderful family and friends who have given us so more than enough support, food, kind words, thoughts, prayers, visits, extra attention for Savannah and much more.

Not to mention all the amazing doctors and nurses we have had on our side, clearly, none of them read my blog, but still, I HAVE to mention them.

If I haven't told you already, THANK YOU! To all of you. Seriously, we truly appreciate you. We would be lost without so much support.

Mom, Dad, Em, Thank you.

Mommy's first visit after going home Saturday morning. (4 days old, still very sleepy)

Aunt Em and Uncle Bobby coming for a visit. 5 days old still on the vent and a few other machines and tubes, but eating mom's milk through her new feeding tube.

All her treasures

Pink and white beanie babies from big sister and Grandma Theresa, puppy from Babop, lamb from Grandma, and angel from Auntie

Angel baby (6 days old)

Doing great with her feedings through the tube, even though Sunday afternoon she decided to pull it out and had to have it reinserted.

Savannah's first time touching Baby Addy. Nurse Erin was so sweet to help Savannah hold her hand and let her interact with her baby sister.

Side note: Check out her tummy. She is healing so well from her surgery. She is eating, peeing, and pooping like a champ! She even has a cute little belly button, her surgeon's self proclaimed specialty!

(Her face is pretty swollen in this pic. She had just finished tummy time.)

I still don't have a super great picture of her pretty little unswollen face.

Our first big surprise came Monday night. Paul and I went to visit together Monday evening after work. When we walked into the NICU, her nurse Erin and another nurse were standing around her talking and working with her. Erin looked up at me with a strange look on her face. I got a little panicked.

Erin: "So our little Addy had a change of plans."

Me: "Um, what?"

Erin: "Well, about 20 minutes ago, she pulled her ventilator tube out."

Turns out she was sick of waiting around to be weaned from the vent, and decided to take matters into her own hands, literally. So, she yanked her tube out.

Fortunately, she was able to sustain herself without the vent, and after meeting with her neo, they decided to keep it out and just assist her with oxygen.

She is now vent free!

After the whole ordeal, she was very upset. The nurse told us her throat was probably hurting pretty badly, she was having to work for air for the first time, and they had to postpone her feeding for over an hour. In efforts to soothe her, Erin asked me if I wanted to hold her!!!!!

The best words ever. I immediately kicked Paul out of the rocking chair and called dibs on the first hold. I do feel bad though, he still has not gotten the chance to hold his girl.

Finally holding my girl after 6 days.

I've only had one other opportunity to hold her since then. She developed a little jaundice so she has blue lights around her now as well as an oxygen dome over her head. I'll have to post a picture, she looks a little LadyGaGa(ish) right now!

In other news: a few pics of this cutie!

Savannah had a blast celebrating her friends' birthday party at BounceU!

During presents, she kept staring longingly at the gifts, asking me when it was her birthday party.

Savannah's good buddy Connor moved away a few weeks ago. She and Gracen made him a sweet Build a Bear named Gilbert for Connor to take with him to St. Louis. She even put her voice in his paw! It said, "I miss you Connor!"

Belated funny picture from 4th of July