March 2011...after the circus :)

Interesting events

The daily blah, blah, blah to follow...
Currently playing catch up on life! Documenting the last few months is going to take a while!

Friday, July 18, 2008

Time to meet Baby Brooke! WARNING this entry contains LOTS of photos! :

Thursday I was discharged from Evergreen...without my purple chair :( I asked my nurse, Jenny if I could take it home and she said no, it is not your parting gift. Darn.
Mel and Jenny, one of my favorite nurses

I have been somewhat anxious to be home, but it is really hard to feel like leaving when you have 2 babies you can't bring with you. It took most of the day packing up all the junk I had brought with me to occupy my time, so I didn't leave until about 6:30 PM with Tom and Debbie.
Here she is...our little fighter, Brooke Ashley


We headed for Children's so I could meet the daughter I was rumored to have. Since I had to be put out during my c-section, I didn't get to see Brooke at all. It's suchBrooke has been slowly improving in very little ways, but still has a long road ahead of her. Her lungs are very under developed and need lots of time to heal. They need to get her to the point where she can be off the respirator and breathe on her own so they can perform her heart procedure. Despite that, she looked a lot better than I thought she would. She has gotten a much pinker tint to her skin and they have been slowly reducing medications, which has a calming effect on her. Yesterday they found an intercranial bleed that they will be watching...they aren't sure if it will have any long term impact or not, they will just watch it and see. She seemed so much more fragile and delicate than her sister, but it was great to finally get to see her :) Here are some more photos to show her off.
Mom and Brooke meet for the first timeDaddy is wrapped around Brooke's tiny little fingers already!Mom and Dad visit their sweet little fighter, Brooke

Summer is doing excellent! She is still in Evergreen's NICU and is thriving. She had her breathing tube taken out on Wednesday and is responding nicely. She has started to discover her voice and has made a few noises to express her displeasure to the nurses poking and prodding :) I am spending a couple of days here with her and enjoying just watching her little legs and arms flailing around like little antennas searching for that perfect signal. I am starting to really connect with her and can't wait to hold her soon.
Summer before the tube was removed


Mom and Dad admire SummerWe can finally see our sweet daugher's face without the breathing tube

I got to steal some kisses after they took out her breathing tube :)

Summer's cute little face

More of Summer's cute face...I can't wait to see Brooke this much!

Summer is stylin' in her Star Wars Pod Racing gear!
This ia a CPAP...it delivers oxygen through her nose while she breathes on her own



Tom has been spening lots of time with Brooke and has fallen in love with his tiny daughter. He is definitely wrapped around the littlest finger we have ever seen! We are so grateful for all the doctors and nurses who have made it possible for these tiny little spirits to be here with us...there is no way we could ever have imagined we would be gazing at two such sweet babies just a few weeks ago!

Well, before I start bawling (again) and short my computer out, I better go to bed...until next update, here are some more photos to gaze upon. My poor daughters didn't know they would be so famous so soon! :)

Summer's tanning bed...complete with UV lights (for jaundice) and shades

Brooke's UV tanning bed and her purple shades

A visit for Summer from Mel's friends, Mel K. and Emily

Lynette and Summer

Grandma Julie touches Summer for the first time

Grandma Norris' first touch with Summer

Aunt Jeanette and Summer

Aunt Rachel and Summer

Summer's little footsie is not even as long as my pinky!

5 comments:

Sorensen said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Sorensen said...

They are beautiful Mel! You made me cry. They are in our prayers. By the way you look great!

Laura Jex said...

So sweet, so cute, so perfect! I am so happy for you. When can i have some meals brought in for you and your family?

Connor R said...

Yesh!!!!!! It's hard to put in words and not cry but thank you for allowing me to be there with you and share tears,laughs,hospital food and your sleepovers in your room. I guess I was too busy to get photographed:) That is too funny.
Be sure to call me so I can bring you food! And visit with Summer!

The Kunz Family said...

Such little sweeties. I am so glad your little girls are doing well.