Baby J- Day 43 - 6 weeks old

Baby J is 6 weeks old.   She is 2 lb 13 oz, 15inches long
She can lift her head quite well and is quickly moving towards being on high flow oxygen.  She is extremely active and opinionated.

Baby J has big beautiful eyes and now spends about 20-30 mins wide awake taking in the world around her.   Yesterday we had a little bit of a scare when the nurse measured her head and thought it had jumped some in size, but the evening nurse measured the same thing it was last week, so it should be good.

Those humongous diapers are preemie size

I was told this morning when I went in that Baby J had managed to move herself to the top of her isolate bed and turn sideways, and remove her bubble CPAP as well as all her other leads. leaving only her feeding tube in.   Kind of surprising that wasn't out as well.  By the way folks, that bed is on an incline so it was very talented of her.    She is very adamant about which way her head now is turned- usually the opposite of whatever way she is turned and will change it herself if there isn't anything holding her down.  She also lets everyone know if she doesn't want to be a certain way (like on her stomach or back depending on her mood)  her favorite position is on her back all sprawled out right now.  Tomorrow that could change.  

This is how she was when I left last night.  She managed to move the bean bag and move herself all over.

They are quickly moving her through the windowing process.  Day 1- 1hr each shift; Day 2 was supposed to be 2hrs each shift, although the daytime nurse and respiratory therapist made it 2.5hrs (they even tried very hard to get the doctor to ok longer)   Originally they were told only an hour, but had convinced him earlier in the day to double it.    (the RT conveniently had lunch in the middle so it went to 2.5hrs)  Day 3- 3hrs each shift  Day 4 - today- 6hrs each shift.  She doesn't really even need the oxygen support, but that's the next step and they don't want to go to fast since she was so bad off in the beginning.  One of the doctors told me that Baby J had gone from being the sickest baby there to one of the most stable.  Yea!  

The hardest thing about being at the NICU is that when she cries, she can't just be picked up and held.    Really not even supposed to mess with her much still.  I try my best to comfort her, but wish I could pick her up.   She doesn't cry to much, but it's still hard.  Hopefully as she gets bigger and gets moved to a different bed that will change.  Course that will make it harder to leave her at the hospital.   She's become very aware of the things around her and it's fun watching her be in awe of the things going on.   She is up to 26 ml of food ever 3 hrs and does well digesting it.  I can't wait till she is big enough to try from a bottle.  I'm hoping since she's so attached to her pacifier that will help the transition.

Tomorrow is another brain scan, so please pray it comes back with even better news.  

Thank you everyone for your prayers and support.    I'm glad i've been able to pay for my room at Ronald McDonald house and travel up here and couldn't do that without support and I know everyone is praying and that is helping Baby J so much.    We are almost halfway to her due date (or rather assumed due date)   And hopefully she will start adding on the weight and she can come home sooner.