Another Move, Two Full Bottles, A New Bed & Another Pound

Per the doctor yesterday, we're looking at 2-3 weeks more in the NICU. I can hardly believe that we're already through most of Elise's time there nor can I believe how much progress she's made.

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As of Wednesday, Elise is now in her 6th location since coming to the NICU. I'm not sure that I remembered to post about the last three moves, but she's been...

1) In her original location in the Level 2 area (despite really being Level 3 at first, she was put there due to remodeling being done in Level 3),
2) In her private suite in Level 2,
3) In the Level 3 area (despite being Level 2 at that point because they needed her private suite for another baby),
4) Back in her private suite,
5) Across the room from her original location in Level 2,
6) In the corner just down the wall from her private suite in Level 2,
7) In a Labor & Delivery room designated as NICU since the NICU is so full. (This is really #6 since #4 was a repeat of an old location.)

Soon she should be moved to The Tower, which though still technically Level 2 (there isn't a Level 1) is a step forward from the Level 2 she has been in.

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On Wednesday night, Kit fed Elise another bottle, and she drank the whole thing! That same night she took another full bottle from her nurse, Virginia. Last night she didn't tolerate the two bottle feedings as well (stopped breathing and had to be "stimulated" - have her back patted and rubbed firmly - to start breathing again). It's going to be a process and take some time for her to get the "suck, swallow and breath" thing down.

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Last night after we left, Elise's nurse, Virginia, moved her from her incubator to an open bed with no added heat. I called this morning, and Virginia said Elise has actually been warmer in the open bed than she was in the incubator. Pray our little girl keeps herself warm. This is one of the requirements of being able to take her home.

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As of last night, Elise is 4 pounds, 1.8 ounces. You read right - she's hit FOUR POUNDS!!! She seems huge to us both these days, though she's still so small. Wednesday night she was 3 pounds, 15.8 ounces and we joked that she was just teasing us by getting so close to that four pound mark. But then I figured out what she was really doing - she wanted to give Grandpa that fourth pound as a birthday present. There's only so much you can give to others when you're a baby, and an extra pound is quite the gift.

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We just got the good news last night that one of the couples from our NICU parents' meeting should be taking their little boy home on Saturday! And a couple of days ago I saw another couple we met at the parents' meeting leaving with their little girl! We are so excited to see the progress their babies are making and are looking forward to the day Elise can come home.

Please continue to pray for us and also for our friends whose little boy is on a ventilator. He's been in the NICU since two weeks before Elise was born and has wonderful parents who would just love to be able to bring him home soon. Also, from what I last heard, the gal from my work's baby girl is doing well and is estimated to be in the NICU for 4 weeks.

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Her little legs and toes are starting to get chubby.

We love it!!

Isn't her side profile adorable? She's grinning here and apparently attempting a sit up.

Out cold on daddy's shoulder after a good post-bottle burp.

Daddy pretending to sleep too.

So peaceful.

Her first bunny ears.

In preparation for switching her to the open bed, the heat was down in her incubator and they've started layering her clothes. Here she's wearing one of her cute outfits with a matching pink onesie underneath.

We have not forgotten about our pug, the original blogger in the family who has graciously given up his blogging rights for the time being. He's been sleeping in bed with me in the mornings after Kit leaves. Then he stays in bed for about an hour after I wake up (as pictured here).

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These words are more comfort today...

"After you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish you." 1 Peter 5:10