Pavilion Friends: I'm coming Friday to visit you! (Aug. 26)

Hi NICU/labor and delivery/MFM nurses and friends!

I will be coming to visit you this coming Friday, Aug. 29!

My parents are bringing me in to trade in my car bed and get my car seat checked. Hurray! I don't like my car bed anymore, as of yesterday when we went to my MD. I want to be in a big girl seat now. The maximum capacity for the car bed is 9lbs and/or 20 inches. I'm now 7 lbs 11.5 oz and 19 inches long, but there is no way that I am going to get back in that bed! I used to love it but now it is so tight. I'm into looser fitting things right now.

Other good news from my visit with the doc yesterday:

1. I don't have to be woken up every 4 hrs at night! It's now about every 5.
2. I can make my 1st public appearance very soon! (this Friday!)
3. I can attend my baby shower for awhile!
4. I can take a long trip to Portland for Thanksgiving, weather depending!
5. It's okay that I hardly ever poo anymore and that the color is not pretty!
6. I can eat from whichever source I please! (I think I'll choose an ice cream cone--I hear the ice cream truck playing a tempting "It's a Small World" song at this very moment)
7. I'm getting cuter!
8. I'm now in the 10th percentile for weight for my corrected age!

The bad news is that my little legs are still very little, even my nurses commented on them. Well, of course they are! That's partly why my height is still in the deficient range of the normal curve. But that doesn't bother me. I love to use them to stand and to push myself across my activity gym during tummy time. There are so many things I can do with my little legs and I am very happy with them.

Oh yeah, if you want to comment on something or just chat with me, you can click on the comment link at the bottom of any one of my notes where it says, comment. I want to thank my silly nurse Natalie and my crazy Uncle Perlock for being so brave to leave a comment! Also, you can leave your email address there so I can respond to you personally if you so choose.

Thanks and see you soon!

Danica

I'm 3 months old. No, I'm only 1 month old. (Aug. 22)

Howdy!

I am trying hard to figure this out. I have been out of my cozy, wet sack for 14 weeks, but I'm actually only 4 weeks old. What?

So for you amateurs out there, myself included, here is the deal with preemies. We have a legal date of birth, but we also have a corrected age. Because I was born when I just turned 30 weeks gestational, the first 10 weeks of my life were still gestational weeks even though I was out of my womb. I was learning and doing the same things other babies of the same gestational age are doing, just doing it in your world instead of in my Mommy's tummy. For example, it's pretty typical to develop the suck-swallow-breath reflex around the gestational age of 34 weeks. So, I was not born with this, but it did kick in around my 4th week of life in the outside world.

Now, my corrected age is based on when I was actually supposed to arrive into your world (which I think is totally cool, by the way!), which was July 25. So, I have a corrected age of 4 weeks old, and this coming Monday I will be 1 month old! So I'm acting like a 1 month old. I am not doing the typical things that a 3 month old would do, such as intentional smiling, gooing and cooing and the like. I do talk, trust me on that one, just not the standard type of talking.

So, now you can understand why my friend Callie, who was born on the same day as I was, acts more mature than me. She was born at full-term, so she really is 3 months old. She coos, smiles with intention, plays, and even wears 3 month size of clothes. I still wear newborn size and have outgrown most of my preemie clothes. I weighed 7 lbs 2oz and was 19 inches tall on Aug. 15. Callie weighed 7 lbs 5 oz as was 20 inches when she was born.

My newest friend, Brenden, was born two weeks early on August 6, and he weighed 8 lbs 15.5 oz and was 21 inches long. He is now well over 10 lbs, but he and I act very similar because his due date and my due date are closer together than mine and Callie's.

What do I do these days? Well, I like to be in my quiet alert state for 2 hour blocks a couple times each day. I also love to vocalize and grunt, pop, and squeal. I look around at contrasts and I can win a staring contest easily. I can track your movement if I have my eyes on you and I can keep my head facing the same position if you turn my body 180 degrees. I love to look at Daddy's face and I even stand up by myself when he's trying to feed me. I also can maneuver myself across the bed when I'm laying on my tummy, by pushing with my legs and moving my head from one side to facing down back to the side. I crawl out of my pants when I do this!

Okay, that's the latest from my cradle.

Danica

NICU vs. Home (Aug. 22)

Hello friends, family, and nurses!

Can you believe that I have now been home just as long as I was in the NICU-7 weeks? I can't, but I know that I have enjoyed every minute of it. I also miss the NICU and being cuddled and spoiled by my lovely nurses and my Mommy's nurses. I am still waiting for the day that I can go and visit all of them at the Pavilion. My parents are going to ask Dr. Jack on Monday, because honestly, my Mommy misses them too. She was able to go visit with some of them today and of course they were all excited to see her, but they really wanted to oooh and aaah over ME!!

So, here's a list of the pros and cons of the 2 homes I have known:

NICU: Pros

• I was super spoiled!! 24/7
• I usually got what I wanted as soon as an idea of what I wanted popped into my head.
• Everyone came to visit me like I was a vacation! I remember one of my nurses came to my room to adore me so she could remind herself that babies can be and will become healthy in the NICU.
• I also got to be picked up and shown off to nurses in the other pods (but don't tell Mommy--she always saw me connected to my monitor except when she gave me a bath).
• I could lay on my tummy whenever I pleased because I did have the monitor.
• The nurses were GREAT!
• My room was beautiful! I had the best room in the place--I could look out at the trees and see the sky and I loved peeing on the hardwood floor!
• My Mommy held me every day (except the first couple of days after I was born).
• My bedding was changed almost every day and there was a huge wardrobe to choose from.
• Bathtime was fun, especially when Mommy learned about infant massage from Abbie.
• I was selected for modeling for the front page of the newspaper.
• I got to fingerpaint and toepaint every other week.
• I grew!

Cons

• My "great" nurses had to poke needles into me and it stung!
• I had to tolerate stinky feet (my own that is).
• I couldn't sleep on my tummy when it got closer to going home.
• I had this rotten tube in my nose for 6 1/2 weeks.
• My "great" nurses kept shoving the rotten tube back down my nose once I successfully pulled it out.
• Only so many visitors could be in my room at once.
• I got easily distracted from my daily chores.
• I didn't get to see my Daddy every day.
• Only my family kissed me.

Home: Pros

• No tubes!
• No monitor!
• No stinky feet!
• No IV!
• No shots or PKUs!
• I see Mommy AND Daddy every day!
• Daddy gets to spend lots of time with me at night and feeds me, too!
• I get to go outside!
• I get to listen to music.
• I hear the ice cream truck go past my window every day!!
• I can look at my fishies in my aquarium while falling asleep.
• I have 2 puppies and 2 kitties to chase and play with when I'm older. I will pull their tails.
• Visitors can spend the night in my house!
• I have my own personal visiting nurse who weighs and measures me in between doctor appointments.
• I have new neighbors and I can hear the neighbor kids playing outside.
• A couple of my NICU nurses visit me and are going to babysit me.
• My Mommy and Daddy love me and kiss me all the time.
• I'm getting chubby legs!

Cons

• No nurses around the clock.
• I have to be woken up every 4 hours at night to eat when I just want to sleep (hmm, maybe that old tube was good for something?).
• I don't get to eat ice cream.
• No lively outings, only to Dr. Jack's and out for a stroll on nice days.
• Not as many frequent visitors.
• Only so many visitors allowed to visit at once.
• Mommy and Daddy sometimes want to sleep when I want to play!
• I don't get to play with somebody 24/7.
• I'm not sure if I can attend my own baby shower.
• I'm still distracted pretty easily.

What is my favorite thing at my new home? Knowing that I will get to chase down the ice cream truck when I'm older!!

Thanks for looking at my very first pros/cons list. I'm sure my future elementary school teachers will be proud.

Danica

I'm unusual? (July 7)

Today, I met my pediatrician named Dr. Jack. He is a riot! He said the funniest things about me, but my favorite was, "She's unusual. She's little, but healthy!" That just cracked me up to pieces. I haven't heard anything so silly since I left the NICU. Of course I'm unusual! I have always been on the deficient side of the normal curve in terms of size, but I am determined to do what I want and be who I want! He should have seen me scooting around in my Isolette, rolling over from tummy to back and back to tummy, and lifting and turning my head to the other side when I was laying on my tummy. Although I looked like "28 weeker" when I was born, I liked to consider myself a newborn like other just born babies and do what I pleased!

I weighed in a 4 lbs 11 oz! Evidently, I'm doing a good job eating at home since I've gained 4 oz since I came home Thursday.

Nothing interesting to report from my first weekend being at home. I'm quickly training my parents and whipping them into action.

We'll talk again soon!

Danica

It's a Party! (July 3)

Today I get to go to my big boxy home with Mommy and Daddy.



Last night, my parents spent the night with me here in my favorite, cozy room. Mommy "spent" the 1st part of the night in my room while Daddy slept in another room (there is only room for one adult to sleep in my room), then they switched. The whole purpose for this was for me to train my parents on how to care for me at night, mainly by making enough racket so they would wake up and feed me. Well, Mommy didn't actually try to sleep with me at all. Instead, she stayed up until 3:30am hanging out with my nurses and playing with me. Don't worry, I did get sleep! She wanted the last edition of hand and footprints that I would get during my NICU stay, so my nurses Janay, Heather, and Dana went to work getting them. You should see the pictures Mommy took during this fiesta! I sat on Heather's lap with a clipboard as my big girl desk and Dana helped squish my hands and feet against the inky film. It was so much fun that I fell asleep! Mommy's nurse, Mary, came to visit with us later. She was actually able to spend more time than usual chatting with Mommy, my nurses and the respiratory therapist (whom I delighted to say that I never met!). Her patients upstairs must have been sleeping like me and the rest of humanity! Then, Dana scolded Mommy for staying up so late, so after talking to a hundred more people (remember, I can't count very well yet), my Mommy went to wake Daddy and go to sleep.



Next, Daddy had his turn in my room. And he slept! He was a little nervous, but I have a lot of faith in my strong Daddy. He fed me like a pro. He did all the right things to make me trust him, and he was quiet, unlike Mommy, and let me get some more good sleep.



Day shift came, and night shift left. I cried when my funny Janay had to go to her own home. She says she'll come visit me in my new home and I just can't wait!! Thankfully, my nurse Lorna got to spend my last day with me. She's the one who prayed with my Mommy and Daddy when they came to visit the NICU two days before I was born! I got to go on my very first shopping spree in "Gabby's Closet," where I was able to select a variety of items such as clothes, blankets, and a toy! Then, I had lots of visitors. Mommy's nurse, Jill, who helped with the c-section came to visit me and signed my birth certificate. Also, Mommy's day nurse, Kelly, who took care of Mommy and me while we were on bed-rest in the hospital, came to meet me. She had only heard my heartbeat before and seen some of my ultrasound pictures. Nana came all the way from her home in Goldendale to help take me to my new home! My Aunt E came over from work on Rehab to take pictures of me during my last day in my NICU home.

Going home was quite a thrill ride!! At first, I screamed a terrifying scream to let the whole world know that I didn't want to leave (actually, I didn't like being strapped into my car bed), but Daddy did an amazing trick--he made this huge metal thing around me vibrate and make me all comfy. Apparently, this thing is called a car and according to my nurse Erin, I'm supposed to get my very own Corvette when I'm bigger!

Now, I'm home and miss all of my silly nurses who spoiled me rotten. Please come visit me so I don't forget who you are--you mean so much to me and I love you!!

Until I get adjusted to this strange place called home,

Danica

Living it up! (7/1/08)

I had a wonderful day today! So many things happened I don't know if I can keep up with this fast paced NICU world!

Well, for starters, we learned that MSNBC discovered me and posted my debuting article online at: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25436847. I didn't see my gorgeous pictures, but my name is all that matters, right? And my parents thought that they were giving me a relatively unique name! I don't mind though if everyone is named after me!

My nurse Lorna decided it was high time that I get the privilege to eat when I want and however much I want. Do you get to do that, too, all you famous models? With the nurse practitioner's consent, that is exactly what I got to do today!! I was a very happy little baby! And, I even had my 1st poo since Saturday, and it was just dandy.

My best friend Janay let me have my last opportunity to pull out my NG tube! I was a little skepticle, because I know from experience that when I pull it out, it has to go back in. So, she helped me pull it out, and guess what? She didn't get upset, but was laughing and never put another one in!! Hurray! My face is naked and is going to stay that way forever!

Mommy and Daddy are going to spend tomorrow night with me here at the NICU! Oh boy! I don't know what to say! I'm not certain I'll like that much. This is my home and I don't need that much disruption in my little routine! Okay, I'll let them stay. Besides, it all boils down to the plan that I get to go home with them to their house on Thursday, July 3!!! Hurray! I've done it! I grew nice and big and I've shown my medical family who can eat like a little piglet, and I won the grand prize--to go to my new home and spend time with my Mommy and Daddy! It will be hard to get accustomed to their ways, I'm sure. After all, I've been in a very harmonious state during my 48 day stay here in my cozy little nest. I will miss my nurses who love me so much that I will likely cry and scream for them all the way home! I hope they will come visit me in my new home very soon. How will the reporters and photographers know where to find me?

I have to get some beauty sleep now. Which reminds me, thanks for the manicure Janay!

Danica

Atkins diet? No way!

Happy July!

I would know, I am so content now! I can eat again, and I really do eat! The nurse practioner told Mommy at rounds yesterday that they "have been silly." My workup was negative for everything! They discovered, as if I hadn't already demonstrated to them, that I am just a hungry, healthy miniature baby who wants to eat! Of course it cannot be proven 100%, but very likely I just had a bad reaction to the protein that was added to my milk last Friday. Did I sign a consent to join the Atkins diet club? No!

Once I was allowed to eat again, I took all of my bottles in a matter of minutes! Mommy warned me that I had better remember this event and not take food for granted, but most importantly, not be a picky eater during my taste testing years! Well, Mommy, I won't promise you anything. Besides, I'm sure I'll be awfully cute shoving food out of my mouth and wrinkling my nose that you will laugh which will encourage me to do it even more!

My nurse Janay is trying to recover our friendship. She fed me my bottles last night, but also had to replace my IV line as it had gone bad. My parents got a glimpse of what my arm will look like in the future--fat!

We tried out my car seat, which I really don't fit in. My vertical stature is a bit petite. I didn't like my seat so I let everyone know. The nurses hope that I will be more comfortable once in the car with the car running. I'm not so sure. I don't even know what a car is!!

Until next time,

Danica