Happy one week Bday to Maddy

In 20 minutes it will be exactly one week since Maddy came into the world. I am humbled to think of it all. I don't really comprehend all that has happened yet. I am not sure how it has already been one week. I went back on FB and read my mom's wall from the 48 hours of craziness from the beginning of last week and cried. So many people praying for us, and offering comfort and encouragement. I needed it. I tell you what...I needed the prayers. Chris sat down and read information about HELLP syndrome to me last night and both of us became emotional. I think it will be a while before we can even talk about it normally.

Chris and I are both pretty amazed at parenthood right now. We have come by the experience a little differently than a lot of people. We aren't actually "parenting" yet, but we are definitely parents. She is always on our minds. Chris had a few pictures printed for us to look at while at home or in the car. Last night we were laying on the couch with our heads smushed together looking at them for the 15th time. I was surprised at the physical reaction that her little picture can envoke in me. Every nerve ending in my body tingles and my heart lurches and my skin gets goose bumps and my eyes water. All at once. And i can barely stand to look at the pictures of her on the day they took off her Cpap for us to take pictures...the ones where her face is splotchy and red. It hurts to look at those pictures...hurts in some strange hidden place inside of me that i can't really name.

I look at her now, though, and she is like a different baby. So quickly she has improved!

Chris and I spent 3 hours with her yesterday. When we arrived she was without a feeding tube and Chris saw two empty bottles in the trash....so, we deduced that she is now being bottle fed (i know...sherlock and watson here.) The nurse came in to see us and she was actually the nurse who took care of Maddy seconds after she was born. I didn't remember this, but Chris recognized her right away.

Maddy actually took a bottle while Chris and I were there. It was demonstration time this go around and I watched her eat like a tiny little piglet. She even burped twice when her back was rubbed. Big burps that were like a chirping bird. She then cuddled on my chest for 45 minutes....I had to pee so badly almost the whole time. but I couldn't stand to give her back. Finally, when a moment of weakness almost caused an accident, I let Chris have her and ran to the restroom.

She curled up comfortably on his chest and resumed her nap. The whole two hours we held her she was unplugged from every wire except for her IV (which may come out today) and her little monitor leads. Even her nasal canula were unhooked for those two hours...meaning she was doing all her breathing completely unassisted. and her numbers stayed perfect. THE WHOLE TIME! Another little miracle.

The nurse was going to remove the canula last night, after the doc examined Maddy once more. they wanted to watch her numbers another 6 hours before removing it because it was a lot of taping on her face that needed to be removed and they didn't want to repeat it all.

We are heading that way here soon and I will have another update. Chris and I have not been told an estimated time of release for her....and we are trying to still focus on 2 more weeks...but it is very hard not to get a little excited. We went on a minor shopping trip yesterday. We were so unprepared for her early arrival, we needed things like diapers and a diaper bag...the 15 minutes I hobbled at snail's speed through Target took almost a day's worth of energy and I suffered later last night. But it was worth it to get some of that stuff that we needed.

So, we will have another update for you soon. love you all!