My Four Pounder!

Oh we were waiting and waiting for this day. For the last three days in fact. Since she was moved to a crib she slowed in her weight gain. I was expecting to be able to announce four pounds for the last three days. So then yesterday Alicia goes and gains two ounces! She's 1870 grams. Four pounds two ounces. Good job Alicia. Good milk Mama.

Ah, milk! Shelley found me someone to take my milk. An adopted baby girl from Guatemala. Yeah! I'm so glad that all this milk won't go to waste. We're talking about maybe 30-40 liters of milk. Woohoo!

Oh! So much news! We made it to ICC! The Infant Care Center.

This is a level 2 nursery for less critical babes. It's still a higher level of care than would be offered at your local hospital. But it's oh so so much better than NICU. I can't possibly remember to tell you all the ways. It's quiet. It's darker. There are only four babes in the room, instead of six. There are three gliders in the room, instead of one or none. There is a CD player at the head of Alicia's bed on the ledge. The nurses tell me things that Alicia did, the way you would if you had babysat her, "I put the cat in front of her and she really stared at it for a while." There are toys! in this room. One of the babes has a mobile on her crib. The nurses ask if I need any help when I! take her out! They assume that I'm used to this! They assume that I'm competent with my own daughter! Oh this is so nice.


I had been feeling towards NICU the way you'd feel towards a nasty boyfriend you never really wanted to go out with in the first place. Alicia is still in the hospital, but it feels like a fresh start to be able to walk away from NICU. They are next door to each other, but the feel of the two places is worlds away. This is a much needed boost in morale. I had just been hating going to the hospital lately. I walked around NICU with this, "I'm too good for you." air about me. I chuckle, they are probably glad to be rid of me too.

Feeding is the other story for now.

Oh, I need to break and make sure that you know, Josh is ever the optimist of the two of us. I am the pessimist, though I would prefer to say realist. Josh might have led you to believe that Alicia is actually breastfeeding. Twice a day. Ha. Okay, back to the story.

My dearest Alicia is indeed making progress in the way of breastfeeding. There are so many little steps that I no longer take for granted. She seems to know that she likes milk and where to find it. To some degree, she searches for the breast. She opens her mouth for it, sometimes. She sucks, sometimes with a fairly decent latch. I'm so very very proud of her. After about five minutes her breathing starts to slacken and she might have a spell. We're trying twice a day, and for the second feeding she seems a little more tired even at the beginning and doesn't seem to last quite as long. But I take none of this for granted. This is a great start.

How to pray for us these days?
- Please pray for endurance for all of us. For Toby in his daily time away from us while we're at the hospital. He's with all kinds of different people from week to week. And for Josh and I. This is not at all over yet. Now I'm spending lots more time driving and going. I suppose I'm out of the house at least 6 hours a day now driving and seeing Alicia. And at some point we'll be trying more and more feedings a day--up to six. And they have to be at specific times.
- Development of Alicia's lungs and brain. It is brain development that will one day put an end to the apnea and lung development that will lessen her need for oxygen. Both of those happening as well as more overall strength are what she needs to improve breastfeeding. So yes, please do pray for breastfeeding too.
- Alicia's eyes. Pray that her retinopathy will not worsen, and that her eyes will finish maturing. They need to finish before she can come home. I'll explain why later. I'm tired and it's time for bed.
- Oh, but one more. Please ask that all of us would get and stay healthy (Tobes and I are a bit sick).

Thank you Thank you my friends and family. We need you. We love you. And some day you shall come and smile at our beautiful girl.