June/July

So sorry for the delay in getting this updated...I know it's the theme of this blog! 

First thing's first...I can't believe I'm planning her first birthday party!!  This is crazy!!  But lil' Miss Ava will be 1 next month!  Who would have thought sooo much planning would go into a one-year-old's birthday! 

Ava is doing GREAT!  We were cleared to stop Pulmicort!  They said her lungs sound good so no need to continue!  We were also able to get rid of the oxygen machine and apnea monitor!  What a relief!  I remember getting trained on all that equipment about 2 weeks before she came home and I felt so overwhelmed.  Now it's gone!

On a kind of sad note, I started working again so Ava has started daycare.  I'm happy she's getting structure and she's learning a lot, but I do miss spending so much time with her.  But overall it's for the best.

At last weigh in she was 14lbs 4oz, again still small for her adjusted age.  She has 2 teeth and is sitting up on her own!  I think she will be crawling soon as she gets to where she wants to go alreay just by rolling and pushing off of things.

Other than that...everything is great!!  Next time I will update with pics from the party!!

April/May Update

First...please go vote for Ava at http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/297105 to get on the cover of Parents magazine!  I believe voting ends May 30th, so if you can vote daily!

Ok now for the update!  Ava is doing really well; getting big and hitting all her milestones based on her adjusted age.  She's rolling over, squealing, laughing and imitating faces.  She is having some reflux so we are going for a swallow study in June.

We weighed her on Saturday and she was 12lbs 6oz!  Still small even for her adjusted age of 4 months, but it's not like she was going to be a big baby if she'd been full-term.  We're getting more use out of her infant carseat and newborn clothes!

In April we had family pictures taken by a friend of a friend and they came out great!  And for Mother's Day I took her to Picture People and those came out great too!  Many of you have already seen them but I will post them here for those that haven't seen them. 

Thanks for keeping track of her progress!

March Update

We FINALLY were able to get rid of the oxygen!!!  One day after her 6 month birthday! 

She's starting to hit her milestones, we have to go by her adjusted age until she's 18 mos or so.  And Karen as for your questions regarding birthdate, yes we celebrate her actual birth date, but as far as milestones we have to go by her adjusted age which would be from her due date.  We do this until 18mos to 2 yrs as by then she should catch up.  So adjusted she is almost 3mos.  She's socially smiling, cooing/ahhing, following objects with her eyes/across field of vision, can bear weight on her legs, holding her head up, turning her head, and doing mini push-ups when on her belly! 

She is getting so big and strong so fast!  She's finally hit the 10lb mark!!  And you can tell she is much happier without the oxygen!  And so are mommy and daddy.  I can actually go to a doctors appointment without help! 

And we've slowly started taking her places and introducing her to people.  We still haven't allowed school-age children to meet her since they carry a lot of germs.  But now that the weather is getting nice and she has one more synagis shot, we will get to have her cousins Leura and Zariah over!!  I know they are so excited to meet her!

March was a busy month but overall a very good month as far as progress goes!  We go on April 16 for her 6 month immunizations (yes I know she will be 7 months) and I am going to ask for another MRI of her head.  I just want to follow up on the extra fluid they had found when she was in the NICU.  Her doctors don't seem concerned, but it would make me feel better to follow up and see what's going on.  At this point you can't help but feel anxious to get an all clear when it comes to brain development as that can indicate other problems (ceberal palsy).

I will post again in April!!

Latest on Ava

I know I start every post like this, but sorry for taking so long to update!  Being home with Ava has kept me busier than I thought.

So to keep it short and simple, here is the latest...

Medical Updates:

• Eyes:  Good, no sign of ROP.  Follow up appointments every 3-4 weeks; next one 3/10.
• Lungs: had 1 trial in Feb to get her off of the O2.  Her sats were 92-93% while she was sleeping.  Not bad but why make her work.  They want to see her at 97%.  So we will try again on 3/17.  She is still getting her Synagis shots to protect her from RSV.
• Pedi: up to date with her vaccines, treating her like a full-term baby now!!  Cleared to get out of house but use common sense; no crappy weather, sick people or school-aged children.
• Hematologist: go back for blood work on 3/26.

Development/Milestones:

• She is so smart, she tries to copy me when I make noises with my mouth! 
• She is officially social smiling! 
• As of last week she is up to 9lbs!!! 
• Today she is 2 months adjusted (2 mos from her due date) and in 8 days she will be 6 months!!  I can't believe how fast it has gone by. 

Update on Doctors Appointments

Last week Ava had 2 appointments...one with the Hematologist and one with the Pulmnologist.  Both went great!!  The hematologist wants to see her at the end of March to check to see if she is a carrier of Sickle Cell, since Will has the trait.  Her platlette count was good at 204K, so he isn't too concerned about that anymore.

The Pulmnologist gave her her 3rd Synagis shot (a vaccine for RSV).  Ava will get these shots every month until April and next year during RSV season (Sept-Apr).  You can learn more about RSV here.  She said we can start to wean Ava off the O2 by turning it off for 10min a day.  When we go back next month they will try her off of it for 45min to an hour.

Ava goes back to the eye doctor on Wed for her 3 week follow up.

She's So Smart! and Big!!

The other day I put her in her play mat with a mirror.  The mirror has a black/white spinning ball on it...I would spin it and then Ava would!  It was so cute.  Before taking the video she spun it about 10 times!!  She's so smart!!  I tried uploading the video but it didn't work.  Anyone know how?

We weighed her tonight after her bath...she's up to 6lbs 10oz!! It's so cute, she has a double chin and rolls on her thighs!  Who would have thought that our little 15oz babygirl would have rolls!

Prayers for Preemies

My sister has created a braclet for Ava and a website with her birth story. 

http://www.wix.com/afourashley/Prayers-for-Preemies

Thank you Ashley!  Love you!

Ava is HOME!!

After a LONG 103 days, miss Ava is home!  She was released on 12/28!  She did have to come home on oxygen and an apnea monitor.  I don't mind the monitor so much as it gives me a chance to sleep and not check on her every 2 seconds.  But the oxygen is a PITA!  Anytime she has a doctors appointment I have to have someone with me.  It's too much to carry by myself (Ava in the carrier, oxygen tank, apnea monitor & diaper bag). 

So far we've been to the pediatrician twice (routine visits) and the eye doctor.  The pediatrician says she looks great for a 23 weeker.  No visible signs of any major problems.  At the last visit she weighed 5lbs 5oz.  The eye doctor wants to see her every 3 weeks, which is normal for a preemie.  So far so good on her eyes, no signs of ROP.  We go the hematologist on the 20th to follow up on tests she had done when she was born.  Since she was so early they just want to follow up.  She goes to the pulmonologist on the 21st, so hopefully they will start weaning her off the oxygen.

She's doing pretty good at home, eating every 3-4 hours.  After her last feeding at night, she usually goes for 5 hours before she wakes up!  Great for Will and I!  Other than that, things are what you expect with a newborn.  Since we have to go by her adjusted age, today she is 8 days old.  But technically today she is 4 months!! 

So HAPPY BIRTHDAY babygirl!!  We love you and are so VERY proud of you!!

Ava is Home!!!

I know it's been a LONG time...I promise when I have more time I will come back and update!!!