1st Birthday Party Planning

I've been thinking about Livi's first birthday since she came home from the hospital.  Her birthday is less then a week a way and I still don't have it done/planned!  I just placed her cake order with KlassyKakes KC I can't wait to see the final product.  We are doing a Minnie Mouse theme with hot pink and Zebra decorations.  I ordered a cute banner from an Etsy seller.  Balloons are a must, but what else do I need?  Olivia can't have a lot of party guest due to her BPD and her lungs are still damaged from her being a preemie.  It's easy for her to catch colds and get RSV, which can turn deathly in infants, especially preemies.

Do I plan games?  Do we have snacks? Do I give party favors?  Off to the internet I go to get some tips.  Here's what I got from AmazingMom.

BABY'S 1ST BIRTHDAY PARTY TIPS
When should I have my party?

• Keep the party short 1 to 1-1/12 hours is about the most a one year old can handle without getting over stimulated and possibly cranky.
• Schedule around nap times. Late morning, allows for a morning nap or late afternoon to allow for an afternoon nap.
• Weekend parties usually work better for parents and other adults.

How many guest should I invite?

• Most first birthday parties are for the adults in your child's life (family and friends). Invite the most special friends and relatives.
• Keep it to a manageable number of guests for you and your space. Keep in mind, that you will be caring for your little one at the same time.
• If you intend to invite other babies or toddlers 1- 3 guests is ideal with a maximum of 5.
• Parents of little ones should be included as guests so they can assist their children and you if necessary.

Should I serve food?

• Although it is not necessary to provide a meal, finger foods are always nice. Especially with babies.
• Check with ALL parents regarding food allergies and safety. Keep packaging fun but safe.

What else should I keep in mind?

• Be flexible! All parents know that children and their behaviors are not predictable. Un-scheduled rests, tears, accidents etc. are to be expected at a baby's first birthday. Just relax and go with the flow.
• To help you be flexible...arrange for help from a reliable friend or family member who can watch your child or entertain while you change a diaper, pick up a spill etc.
• If you plan on having children at the party keep plenty of toys and activities available to keep them occupied.
• Baby-proof the party space.
• Parents are often looking for a healthy alternative to the standard, birthday cake for their baby's first cake.

Wish us Luck!

Article: Start Losing Weight Today!

I have been saying for months "I am going to lose weight", "today is the day", "I'll start tomorrow".  Tomorrow hasn't arrived yet.  I find every excuse to not do it.  I need to, I'm killing myself.  I Have a goal to lose 30 pounds by my daughters first birthday, well that's next week and I don't see that happening, unless I cut off my foot! 

Anyway, I do read articles about weightloss and diets and food and all that jazz, and I wanted to share this one with you.  I actually got it from my work, they are all about making my us "healthy".  I've gotten some good pointers and suggestions and will be posting them as I feel worthy.

Enjoy!

Start Losing Weight Today! Five things you can do now to make this plan work for the long-term. by Heather Zeitz, R.D., C.D.N. When you start a new weight-loss plan, you need to go step-by-step. Don't overwhelm yourself with too much information or high expectations. If you want to keep the weight off for good then this is a long-term commitment. But you do want to use your energy and excitement to get yourself on the right track. Below are five things you can do right now that can help you have success. You can do this! Step One: Set Your Goal One of the keys when making any change is to have a clear goal. Long-term goal: What's your ideal goal weight? Establish a healthy, achievable and sustainable weight-loss goal with our Diet Manager tool. You'll get a personalized meal plan, an on-line journal, and quick tips to help you reach your goal. Check in a few times a week! Short-term goal: Now look at the next six weeks and decide on a realistic starting point. A good short-term goal would be to lose five pounds through the first six weeks. Remember, it's important that your short-term goal be achievable! Step Two: Learn the Basics on Calories Many diet plans have complicated formulas and ratios. But the basics of weight loss are simple: Consume less, burn more: To lose weight, you need to burn more calories than you consume. Our plan will help you be satisfied on fewer calories, while encouraging you to stay active and burn more calories. Step Three: Choose Your Foods Wisely! Learn portion control: Identify any foods that you're more likely to overeat. Common problem foods include: ice cream, cakes, cookies, full-fat cheese, pizza and red meat. Cut back on these first. Read labels carefully and watch how much goes on your plate. Remember these tips to help visualize your portions: 1 cup is about the size of a baseball. 1/2 cup is close to the size of a computer mouse. A deck of cards is equal to about 3 oz. of protein. Pick healthy favorites! Now for the fun part. Find healthy foods that you can substitute for your high-calorie favorites. Pick foods you like! Your meal plan (which you can access from your Diet Manager) will give you ideas. Write them down! Start recording your eating habits in food journal. This is a proven strategy for weight loss. Use our Progress Tracker to record your foods online or just use a notepad. Stick with it! Feel full on fewer calories! If you fill your plate with lean protein-rich foods, fruits, vegetables and whole grains, you'll feel more satisfied. Soups are a great example of a food that can fill you up on fewer calories. "Several studies show that soup eaters end up weighing less than non-soup eaters," says Penn State nutrition professor Barbara Rolls, Ph.D. Step Four: Make a Plan to Exercise Make it easy: To make your plan work you have to get moving! Identify at least three exercises you can do easily and conveniently. Schedule it: Get specific about exactly when you will add activity. Decide now, write it in your calendar or planner and stick to it. Step Five: Get Support You're much more likely to keep to this plan if the people around you are supporting it. Talk about it! Speak with your friends and family and let them know about your goals. See if they'll agree to help by giving you positive encouragement along the way. Find a partner! Even better, see if you can find someone to join you as a fitness buddy. You can help each other stick with it!

To Keurig or to not?

Does anyone out there (all 11 followers) have a Keurig Brewer?  I thought it would be a nice little holiday present for my husband and I.  We aren't big coffee drinkers, and we like a cup of coffee on occasion.   We have a traditional coffee pot, and when we make a pot, 75% of it goes to waste.  I've heard people talk about these and have seen them advertised and wanted to check them out. 

Wow these things are pricey! On average, the Keurig cost $120-$160.  And on top of that, you have to buy the special K-Cups for it.  Those can run up to $18 for 18.  The good part is that it cost only $1 for a cup of coffee.  The bad part is it cost you $150 to get that one cup of coffee.  I just don't know if I would get my money out of the machine for that price.  Plus they still take up as much room as a traditional coffee pot.

Are there any brewers out there that are similar and cheaper?  I do really like the idea of 1 or 2 cup brewing.

New Photos

Totally random, but I need to add new photos to my blog and redo my header! 

Taco Soup

My husband and I loved this new dish.  Taco Soup.  I loved how easy it was to make and made the house smell wonderful.  I used 2 cans of beans instead of one, and left out the chilis.  Perfect for these cool fall days!

Slow Cook for 6-8 hours on Low.
Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (16 ounce) can chili beans, with liquid
• 1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans with liquid
• 1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, with liquid
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 2 (14.5 ounce) cans peeled and diced tomatoes
• 1 (4 ounce) can diced green chile peppers
• 1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, cook the ground beef until browned over medium heat. Drain, and set aside.
2. Place the ground beef, onion, chili beans, kidney beans, corn, tomato sauce, water, diced tomatoes, green chile peppers and taco seasoning mix in a slow cooker. Mix to blend, and cook on Low setting for 8 hours.

Day Zero - House Edition

So here is the list that I've came up with so far for my Day Zero "House Edition". 

Bob Villa, Where are you???

1. buy/install trim in livi room
2. fix basement bath plumbing
3. replace all plug ins & plate covers
4. replae all light switches & plate covers
5. put up outside trim boards
6. put up shutters
7. replace front door or paint
8. repair concrete in back yard
9. build front deck
10. rebuild back deck
11. put up stair trim
12. grout bathroom tile
13. replace front door screen door
14. fix outdoor faucets
15. fix toilet seat and seal upstairs
16. fix shower wall
17. install splash guard in garage for dogs
18. replace or paint trim by outside front door
19. put up sheet rock in laundry room
20. install insulation in laundry room
21. redo front window trim outside
22. fix livi pink bedroom door to make it close
23. put up new sheet rock in base bath
24. repair garage ceiling
25. repair holes in walls
26. build shelves/rods in master bedroom closet

$$ It’s all about the Benjamin’s baby $$
27. buy and install fan for Livi room (purchased June 2011)
28. buy stove (may 2011)
29. buy over counter microwave (may 2011)
30. buy new fridge (may 2011)
31. buy water hose
32. buy rake (sept 2011)
33. buy air conditioner-central air (june 2011)
34. buy heather & install (bought june 2011)
35. buy lawnmower (push mower june 2011)
36. buy charcoal grill (june 2011)
37. buy weed eater (july 2011)

Martha?... Mrs Stewart? A little help please!
38. paint basement
39. set up scrappy room
40. set up man cave
41. paint white wall divider in kitchen
42. put up towel bar in upstairs bath
43. unpack ALL boxes and put in plastic totes
44. paint master closet
45. decorate upstairs bath
46. replace bath light upstairs
47. rebuild front flower bed
48. hang curtains in house
49. hang pictures in bedroom
50. put up jungle stickers on Livi wall (July 2, 2011)
51. put up polka dots stickers in Livi play room (July 2011)
52. buy blinds for house and put up
53. put handles on kitchen cabinets
54. replace vanity handles in bath

OMG I’m a Homeowner!
55. wash windows
56. put up new house numbers
57. replace door locks (july 5 2011)
58. de-clutter bath cabinets and hall closet/cabinets
59. hang pictures in hall
60. fix cracks/leaks in backdoor/front door
61. fix popcorn spots on ceilings
62. install new faucet/sprayer in kitchen
63. throw away rung in laundry room
64. repair front door lock
65. install smoke detectors
66. install carbon monoxide detectors
67. remove cables (black) in rooms and on house
68. remove satellite dish
69. clean ceiling lights in office
70. replace backdoor screen door
71. install door stops
72. clean air ducts
73. wash house
74. buy/install curved shower bar
75. replace shower handle/faucet upstairs
76. install new shower head upstairs (June 2011)
77. replace carpet
78. build or buy storage shed
79. fix kitchen leaking faucet
The Great Outdoors!
80. replace window screens
81. fix fence/gate
82. buy or build dog house
83. remove big rocks in back yard (june 2011)
84. pull trees out of fence line
85. plant flowers
86. replace mailbox
87. paint house
88. replace roof
89. remove brush piles
90. landscape front yard
91. fix front porch light
92. clean up debris from under deck
93. remove nails on outside of house
94. put out solar lights (august 2011
95. plant grass seed
96. repair/redo driveway
97. remove tree stump
98. clean gutters
99. Buy Garden Tools (October 2011)
100. fill in holes with dirt in yard
101. fix drain spouts on ground




　

My New "Personal" Day Zero Project List

Here it is, the new 101 things that I need to do in 1001 days.

MISC CATEGORY

1. Recycle weekly
2. sell clothes on eBay (6)
3. donate clothes (6)
4. have garage sale
5. get red car fixed
6. clean/wash jeep 1x month
7. buy new jeep tires

The Biggest Loser
8. lose 30 pounds by Olivia's 1^st bday
9. lose 1 pound for every item on list
10. lose total of 60 inches over body
11. start walking 2 x week for 6 months (6)
12. Take dogs for walk 1x week
13. Lose 20 inches off waist
14. Decrease BMI by 20 points
15. Walk a mile under 12 minutes
16. Get tested for diabetes yearly (3)
17. No soda for a month twice a year (6)
18. No pizza or wings for a month twice a year (6)

Financial happiness!
19. no credit cards for one month
20. pay off pediatric
21. pay off St Luke's
22. pay off Shawnee mission med
23. pay off medco
24. pay off children's mercy
25. pay off women's clinic
26. pay off avenue
27. pay off Kohl's
28. pay off Nebraska furn mart
29. pay off cap one
30. pay off target red
31. pay off target visa
32. Save $25 a paycheck-Tonya
33. Save $20 a paycheck-Danny
34. start retirement fund
35. Pay off household card
36. Pay off Lowe's
37. Pay off mom
38. Pay off 2 of Danny's collection debts (2)
39. no Walgreen's for one month
40. Spend $250 or less a month at grocery store
41. Go 4 months a year only buying necessities (12)
42. Pay off quest collection debt

Livi’s World
43. throw big party for Olivia 1^st bday
44. start Olivia college fund
45. transfer Livi to new car seat
46. One mommy Livi day a month
47. Teach Olivia to Walk
48. Take Livi to NICU for bday
49. Scrap Olivia year one
50. Scrap Olivia year baby
51. Scrap Olivia year two

Get out and Explore!
52. plan or book trip to Disney world
53. take Olivia to KC zoo
54. take Olivia to Deanna Rose Farmstead
55. take Olivia to Omaha Zoo
56. Visit Joe
57. Visit Oklahoma
58. Go to a concert
59. Go to st Louis
60. Go on one random weekend get away
61. visit gpa Charlie (2)
62. Take Olivia to pumpkin patch (3)
63. Family yearly fishing trip (3)

It’s not always about me!
64. donate to homeless pets
65. renew wildlife membership
66. donate to harvesters (3)
67. donate to toys for tots (3)
68. donate to march for dimes (3)
69. walk march for babies (2)
70. raise money for march of dimes (2)
71. take mom for pedicure
72. take mom dad to dinner (2)
73. Donate to 5 new charities (5) *down syndrome, American cancer society, st Jude's
74. Donate $ to each item not completed
75. Take Danny to OU football game
76. Buy KING headstone
77. Start process to find Danny's biologicals   Sometimes it is all about me!
78. Buy new eye glasses
79. Buy a bra that fits!
80. Learn to speak to Danny without getting upset
81. Only spend 4 hours a week couponing and looking for deals
82. Make a new friend each year (3)
83. Buy an excellent camera
84. Make/keep a mom calendar/planner yearly (3)
85. Blog twice a month (72)
86. Danny Tonya dentist 2x year (6)
87. No complaining for 1 week!
88. date night with friends (4)
89. buy new cell phones



Enjoyments
90. Keep in touch with friends, other then facebook 4x a year (12)
91. Family portrait (3)
92. Host bbq/party
93. Take a photo of a tornado
94. Mail xmas, holiday, bday cards misc cards every year (3)
95. Niece/nephew sleep over (2)


Experiments & Becoming Betty Crocker
96. Learn to make a pie from scratch
97. Take cake decorating class
98. Try sushi
99. try 1 new recipe a month (36)
100. Learn to BBQ
101. Try 10 new restaurants

Others:
No fast food for one month
No eating out for one month
Make a daily "goals" list


　

My new Day Zero Project: 101 things in 1001 days

I know my previous Day Zero project isn't complete, and many items on that list are not able to be completed, however, I need a new one.  In fact, I need two new ones.  One personal and one for my new home.  (what is the day zero project? click here!)

I like the Day Zero project because I like the sense of accomplishment and challenges.  Much of my list may seem simple or silly, however I feel they are things I need to work on, or things that need improvement.  Also, I feel like if it's on paper, then I need to try my best to achieve it.

I've gathered my list and am currently organizing them to post, as I'm sitting here, I'm thinking of more and more things I want to add!  Maybe I should start working on a third list for after these 1001 days are over!
May 17, 2011 - February 11, 2014 - home Day Zero list
October 1, 2011 - June 28, 2014 - personal Day Zero list
(click here to figure out the 1001 days!)

Is rapid weight loss bad for you?

I just read an article I'd like to share.  I've heard that rapid weight loss is bad for you, however, so is being this fat!  There were some good pointers and reminders in the article, so I thought I would share.... Enjoy

A reader emailed me the other day: “Is rapid weight loss dangerous?”
This is actually a fairly common question. And when I see it, here’s what I read between the lines: “How bad would it be if I starved myself to drop a few pounds?”
The answer: Pretty bad. Not because it’s unhealthy—though it can be—but because in the long run this strategy will make you fat. Really.
When it comes to losing weight, how fast is too fast? We asked Men’s Health Weight Loss Coach Alan Aragon, M.S., a nutritionist who works with Olympic and professional athletes, for his perspective. His definition: “Dropping pounds so rapidly that in addition to losing fat, you lose muscle too. This isn’t ‘dangerous’ as in ‘life-threatening,’ but it’s not good for your overall health.”
Here's why: Losing muscle reduces your ability to burn calories and regulate your blood sugar, says Aragon—and, of course, it makes you weaker. (To keep your calorie-burn high, use our 100 greatest fitness tips of all time.) What’s more, lost muscle is often replaced by fat when you stop dieting. The result: You end up looking flabbier than ever. After all, each pound of fat takes up 18 percent more space on your body than each pound of muscle.
Aragon dug into the scientific research to determine the rate that different people could lose weight without losing muscle. His findings:
* Obese to morbidly obese: 3 to 5 pounds per week
* Overweight: 2 to 3 pounds per week
* Lean to average: 1 to 2 pounds per week
* Very Lean: 0.5 to 1 pound per week
AMERICA'S FITTEST FEMALE ATHLETES: We found them and ranked them! See if you agree.
Of course, you can help your cause even more by lifting weights while you diet. Research shows that this can prevent the wasting of muscle, helping ensure your weight loss is pure fat.
The other dangers of rapid weight loss: bone loss, dehydration, and an increased risk of binge eating in some people. “But these are typically the result of severe caloric restriction,”says Aragon. His solution: “I’ve found that you can use a simple formula to calculate a smart and effective caloric intake; it’s based on your target body weight.”
For example, let’s say you’re a man who weighs 220 pounds, but you’d like to tip the scales at 180 pounds. You’ll base your calorie intake on that of a 180-pound guy. Now if you don’t do any resistance exercise (you should!), simply multiply your target body by 11. That’s the minimum number of daily calories you should consume for healthy weight loss, with little risk to your muscles.
If you do lift weights, use 9—instead of 11—and add to that the number of hours you work out per week. So if you exercise one hour a week, you’ll multiply your target body weight by 10. If you exercise two hours a week, you’ll multiply your target body weight by 11; if you exercise three hours a week, you’ll multiply your target body weight by 12; and so on. (The extra activity will allow you to eat more and still lose just as fast.)
Then remember these tips as you start your weight loss program:
1. Prepare to plateau. “Your weight drop will be linear at first, meaning you’ll typically lose a steady amount every week,” says Aragon. “However, as you get lighter, your weight will tend to drop in a stepwise manner. So don’t get discouraged if scale holds for a few days, or even a couple of weeks. The closer you get to your goal, the longer the stalls or plateaus can be.”
2. Take a time out. Every 8 to 12 weeks, take 7 days completely off from dieting. “Don't consciously try to stuff your face, but don't rigidly restrict yourself either,” says Aragon. “This is a good mental and physical break from dieting that allows people to sustain their diets for longer periods.”
3. Redefine progress. “Look at other determinants of success besides the scale,” says Lisa Sasson, R.D., associate professor of nutrition at New York University. Monitor your triglycerides, blood pressure, and body fat percentage. As these numbers improve, you’ll have even more motivation to stick with your eating plan.

*Written by Bill Phillips

Bread or no Bread?

I'm not a huge bread fan, however I like a sandwich or toast now and then.  I've heard so many good and bad things about bread, that I decided to do some research and find out what bread is best for you.  Below is an article that I found in Men's Health.  I'm happy to say that I have selected a "good" bread!  We eat Sara Lee 45 calorie!  Hope this helps some of you wondering the same thing about bread!

Here's the article:
First off, ignore the advertising copy on the front. Flip around to the ingredient list. Is the first ingredient a whole grain? Does each slice have 2 or more grams of fiber? Do "inulin" or "polydextrose" show up? The correct answers are yes, yes, and no. "With whole grain, nothing is stripped away," says Jim White, R.D., of the American Dietetic Association. That means you're noshing on natural fiber, not inulin or polydextrose, two additives used to artificially boost fiber. The breads below meet the criteria, and could also help you build muscle, lose weight, and beat heart disease.
1. Arnold Grains & More
Double Oat Hearty Oatmeal Bread110 calories, 5 grams (g) protein, 3 g fiber
2. Sara Lee
45 Calories & Delightful 100% Whole Wheat with Honey45 calories, 3 g protein, 2 g fiber
3. Food for Life
Wheat & Gluten Free Brown Rice Bread110 calories, 2 g protein, 2 g fiber
4. Martin's
100% Whole Wheat Potato Bread70 calories, 6 g protein, 4 g fiber
5. Genesis 1:29
Sprouted Grain and Seed Bread80 calories, 4 g protein, 3 g fiber

Olivia Updates

Over the past couple months, I have really slacked on keeping updates on Olivia.  Here we are in July and I haven't had updates since February.

Olivia will be 8 months the first part of August.  She is slowly learning to crawl and makes lots of sounds.  She is trying so hard to make words.  She weighs 16 1/2 pounds.  I know full term babies that way less then she does at this age!  What can I say, she is like her mama and loves food.  She sleeps well. She wakes up about one time a night.  She can't get enough of her Gar and Papa and cousins.  I'm so happy she has a love for people and hasn't had any "stranger danger" experiences.  I guess being in the NICU with tons of different people a day may have played a big part in that.

Olivia is using a service called Tiny K.  Tiny K is a state program that helps families out with the growing and development of children.  Olivia is almost 8 months, however being born 3 months early, we have to adjust for that time.  Tiny K makes sure she is meeting the requirements of a 4-5 month old instead of a 7-8 month old.  We are still working on sitting on her own.  She almost has it down.  She can also hold her bottle on her own... when it's close to empty.   I'm just so proud of her accomplishments.  She's my world and I love her so much!!!!

February 2011 Olivia Updates

Saturday, February 5, 2011 7:15 PM, CST

Sorry that is has been a few weeks since my last update. Danny & I have been busy preparing the apartment for Olivia's arrival. We've been trying to declutter and make room for all her toys. She also has been doing very well. She is officially off of oxygen and eating from a bottle! She is also off of Caffeine. They had to add thickener to her formula to help her learn to eat and they are starting to transition her to the formula she will go home on, Similac Neosure. She is 9 weeks old today and weighs 6 pounds 14 ounces.

I cried tears of joy when I watch my baby girl take her first breath with out any help. It was so amazing, she has come so far. She had to be put back on the 1 litter cannula about 4 days ago because she was having several d-sats. She perked right up the next day and was taken off of it.

She is also doing fantastic with her bottle feeding. She has to take all 8 of her feedings by bottle for 48 hours prior to her coming home. The doctors were shooting for her to come home on Feb 10.

That changed a little as of yesterday. Olivia had a very rough afternoon and evening. She kept having d-sat after d-sat and brady after brady. The scariest was after she ate and was all snuggled up with Danny. Her alarm went off and in a matter of seconds a nurse was sweeping Olivia off of Dannys chest and vigorously stimulating her to make her breathe again. She went to a gray/blue color and as limp as a noodle in seconds. It was the scariest thing ever. After they got her to breath again she kept having d-sats and the nurses had to put oxygen back on for a while. The doctor ran blood test last night and started her on 48 hours of antibiotics to be on the safe side in case she was catching a "bug".

The results came back today and the doctor said everything looked normal. After reviewing her charts, she noticed Olivia had her two month Vaccinations yesterday just prior to all of this happening. She believes this was the cause to her crashing yesterday. Her little body was so exhausted from those shots that she just was to tired to remember to breathe.

Olivia had a fantastic day today. She didn't require any extra oxygen, she is taking all her bottles and is having few d-sats and no bradys. God was watching over my precious baby girl yesterday. 

Monday, March 7, 2011 3:56 PM, CST

Where do I start?? I guess I have the whole month of February to catch up on!

I wish I would have kept up on the dates of things so this would be easy to keep up on... but I'll just lay it out for ya from the begining of the last post.

Olivia is starting to drink from the bottle every feeding now and is having good weight gain. She has to take all her feedings for 48 hours before she gets to go home. Olivia is also moving to "another" room. The NICU is expecting Quads so they are kicking us out of the room. Our new roommate is Eliana.

Olivia had a step back around the end of the first week of February and had to be put back onto the nose cannula for a day and had a brady. They are treating her for possible infection and running tests to see why she took steps back. All test came back negative. We met with the ocupational therapist, Cindy, again. She is having us thicken her formula to help her swallow and learn control of her bottle. It seems to be working.

Our 7 day countdown to go home is on! She is breathing on her own with no help and is taking all her feedings. she is now on Neosure formula, she will go home on this. Oy makes her very,very gassy. Olivia received her two months shots. The shots didnt' go over so well with Olivia. She had a brady and an Apnea. She was sleeping in daddys arms, the alarms barely dinged and she went blue and limp very fast. The nurses rushed in and had to give her the "bag" (oxygen) and really had to rough her up to get her to start breathing on her own. Let me tell you, that was the scariest thing. I was more scared then, then when she was younger. she had a couple more bradys that night. our countdown starts over.

olivia had a good week. she is scheduled to go home on the 11th. on the 9th olivia passed her car seat with flying colors. Thursday morning she had had an eye exam and everthing looked good. minutes after her eye exam she had a brady and apnea that required stimulation. One day to go and we have to start over. Danny and I had reacged our breaking point that day. We finally voiced our complaints and concerns that we had built up inside for so many days. Including getting a new room. We had personal conflicts with her roommates mother and how she felt she was better then everyone and how she acted like her daughter was the only one on the NICU. Her daughter was there just a little longer then Olivia.

olivia had a video swallow gram done on the 11th. We finally have answers to all these bradys and apnea. Oliva was asperating regular and necter consticancy formula. She is now on honey consistancy. We have special gel thickener to put in her formula. The FINAL countdown is on. Olivia did fabulous her kast week in the NICU. She did get another roommate, Kazdyn. He is a quite boy. I was a little disappointed that we didnt have any of her favorite nurses taking care of her the last day. Infact we had nurses we've never had before.

the 16th, The rooming in was fun. she was all ours for the night... with nurse assistance if needed.

Februry 17, 2011. day 7 is here. she made it. 75 days later, she is a NICU graduate. she weighs 7 pounds 10 ounces and is 19.5 inches long. Gead circumfrence is 36.5 cm. we tucked her into her carseat, put her in the NICU wagon and waved goodbye. im sitting here holding her trying to type with one hand and tears fill my eyes. its still hard to believe she is finally out of St Lukes. I owe them everthing i have, they saved my daughters life. My miracle. "its amazing how 2 pounds can change your life "          

January Olivia Updates

Saturday, January 1, 2011 9:48 PM, CST
Happy New Year Olivia!
The last two days were better. She has fewer Desats. 12-30-10 she weighed 3.7 and 12-31-10 she weighed 3.7. We are hoping for a gain tonight. We still have yet heard from the nurse.
She had a fantastic afternoon while we were there. Olivia is getting 3 hours of cannula time twice a day. If she does well on the 3 hours, they will move her up to 6 hours twice a day. The nurse dressed her in a little fleece onesie today, she looked soooo cute! They had to up the amount of sodium they are giving her. She is still getting iron, sodium and caffeine daily. Her feedings are up to 32 mils with added protein and calories to it. My pumping hasn't got better. I'm not giving up tho. I keep hoping that it will happen! I believe that's all for now, I should update this as soon as I talk to the doctor/nurse becuase I forget everything by the time I get home

Monday, January 3, 2011 5:39 PM, CST

A quick catch up on Olivia's weight:
1-1-11 weight was 3.7
1-2-11 weight was 3.10
1-3-11 weight is 3.13!

It's been a few days, so it's time to play some catch up, I appologize if anything is duplicate or out of the timeline.

Olivia was put on two diaretics to help get the fluid off of her, the Doctor thinks that the fluid may be pushing up against her lungs causing her breathing problems. With two diaretics, there is a chance she may lose sodium. Well she did lose sodium so the gave her a sodium supplement (on top of the caffiene and iron). Day two on the Diaretics, her sodium dropped even lower. The Doctor ordered an increase in Sodium. Day 3 of the diaretics, her breathing appears to be better, however her sodium dropped again. The doctor took her off the diaretics.

Olivia is scheduled for a head scan today to recheck the bleeding and she has an eye exam on 1-5-11.

Olivia is scheduled to go on 3 hours of nose cannula each shift to help ween her off the CPAP.

They've also increased Olivia's feeding times. They are now feeding her constantly for 2 hours. They think she may have reflux. Hopefully this will help her!

Oh and the funny thing, Olivia pooped on Danny's hand! :)

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Tuesday, January 4, 2011 5:29 PM, CST

Happy One Month Birthday Baby girl! Sometimes I have top stop and take a deep breath and let reality hit me that I am a Mom. :) I like being called Mom, it's pretty cool. Maybe I should call Doris (Gar) Mom more often. :)

Today Olivia weighs 4 pounds!

Gar came to visit Olivia today.

Olivia didn't have much scheduled for today except her head scan. Her head scan showed that she still has about the same amount of blood on her brain, however it is NOT bleeding. The doctor said that the blood will go away within time. The doctor also mentioned that her ventricles were on the Larger side of normal. She said this could be caused by some of the bleeding. They are going to keep watching it, they will most likely retest her in a few weeks. I'm not sure what side effects can/could happen if the ventricles remain large. I asked the doctor about the ventricles, but I'll be honest, I got very confused!

She is also advancing to 6 hours (each shift) on her nose cannula. Yay! I decided to share and let Daddy hold her today. She had no blood work scheduled today.

We also helped give Olivia get a sponge bath tonight. She loves having her hair washed. When it's freshly washed it fluffs up! It's so cute!

I'm so proud of my little girl! She is growing so strong!

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Wednesday, January 5, 2011 5:46 PM, CST

Just a quick update on Olivia.

Her blood gases came back GREAT! The doctor is hoping to extend her cannula time to 9 hours each shift in a couple of days.

Olivia had her eye exam today. It showed that she has immature blood vessels and retnas. This is very typical for immature babies. They will recheck her in 2 weeks.

They are lowering her feedings from 2 hours to 1 hour. They are hoping to be able to get her ready for regular feedings in a couple of weeks.

Her sodium level was better today so the Doctor is decreasing the amount of sodium she is getting with each feeding.

She also will get her Hepatits B shot today or tomorrow. :(

They did the state required testing on her when she was born and everything was normal. They rechecked her at 14 days and she had elevated fatty acid levels. The doctor thinks this was from her IV fluids, but she is going to retest her in a couple of days. (not sure if it is called the "state required test" or if it has an actual name or not, that's what the docotr refered to it as).

I got to hold her for 3 hours today. I love my snuggle time with Olivia!

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Saturday, January 8, 2011 11:10 PM, CST

I need to get better at updating this daily. Olivia was put on all cannula yesterday, today she was having a few to many Desats so the doctor dropped her back to 18 hours of cannula and 6 hours of CPAP a day. She was not happy about getting put back onto her CPAP. She has weighed 4.4 the last two days. She is now eating 35 mils of donor milk a feeding. She is still gettting iron and caffeine. Her blood gases have looked great the last few days.

They are keeping an eye out for relux. She is starting to show some signs of it.

Gar and Papa visited today. papa got to hold Olivia for the first time today.

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Monday, January 10, 2011 8:03 PM, CST

The weather has kept me from seeing Olivia today. I think we already have about 7 inches and are expecting more.

Olivia has been doing really good the last couple of days. The doctor is doing a blood gas in the morning and if it is good, they are going to try her on all cannula again. I hope Olivia is strong enough. She's a tough little girl!

The Doctors don't have much planned for her today. They said she has good color and is gaining an average of 2 ounces a day. She is still a little under weight, but they are hoping that upping her feedings to 36 mils will help her gain. Last night she weighed 4.7!

Keep up the work baby girl. We love you!

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Sunday, January 16, 2011 8:17 PM, CST

Olivia has been really improving over the past week. She is now getting formula for four out of eight feedings. She is up to 42 mils. She is getting so big and changing every day. She weighs 4 pounds and 14 ounces. Her head measures 12.5 inches and she is 17 inches long. We will get new measurements tonight.

I wasn't able to go see Olivia today because I feel a little under the weather. I don't want to chance anything. She had 2 new visitors this week that have been waiting very patiently to see her, cousins Chezney and Adrieanne. Lily, Gar & Papa also visited this week.

Olivia is also on all cannula now. Her breathing is now in it's correct range and isn't too fast. She has few bradys and all most all of her Dsats are self resolved. She should have another eye exam on Wednesday.


*** this just in from her daddy***
Olivia is now 17 1/2 inches long and her head is 13 1/4 inches and she weighs 5 pounds!!! She's had a great day.

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Wednesday, January 19, 2011 9:46 PM, CST

Oh this snow! A Big Thank You to Angela for the baby clothes and equipment. It means so much to us. We love you! i had so much fun putting them in her closet!

Yesterday she weighed 5.3. her feedings are now being feed for 30 minutes instead of an hour. She also got moved down to a 1.5 liter cannula instead of the 2 liter (high flow). She moved up a size in binkys and she is learning how to suck them and keep them in all by herself. The discharge lady also came in to talk to us about preparing for her discharge. Yesterday, All I did was cry. She is growing up so fast and my dreams of bringing her home are finally starting to happen!

Today(1-19-11) Olivia had her eye exam. They said so far she doesn't need eye surgery and they will check her again next week. She's had a great day. Her oxygen levels are still great and she is having fewer and fewer Dsats. She weighs 5.4 pounds tonight!

Team Olivia Jean for the March of Dimes Baby walk is coming along greatly! I'm so excited for the Walk and We can't thank everyone enough!

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Thursday, January 20, 2011 10:46 PM, CST

Today was a big day for Olivia. Her oxygen needs are at the same level they have been for the past few days. So the doctor moved her to a 1 liter cannula! This means she can now learn how to eat from a bottle! We asked the doctor to be sure to schedule her to start at a time we can be there.

They are also weaning her off of her isolete bed! She should be in a bassinet in a day or so. She also got to take her first tub bath tonight! She was a little upset at first, but after a while she really enjoy that warm water. The nurse missed weighing her at her 8'clock feeding and will do so at her 11'clock feeding.

She is growing up so fast and has been making huge improvements the last couple of days. Keep it up my little princess!           

Saturday, January 22, 2011 7:53 PM, CST

Olivia is up to 5 pounds 9 ounces(friday)! She was at 5 pounds 6 ounces on thursday! I can't wait to see what her weight is tonight (saturday). Friday we got to meet with the Ocupational Therapist and learn some oral stimulation with Olivia in preparation of feeding. She wasn't able to feed Friday becasue her breathing is too fast.

Today was another big day for Olivia! She is now sleeping in a big girl crib! They are watching her tempature to make sure she doesn't get to cool. if she gets to cool her body will start burning calories to help keep her warm and she'll be moved back to an isolete.

Olivia also got to try and eat from a bottle for the first time today! I think she got more all over her face then she did in her tummy. But she was so cute trying to eat!

Olivia also had her first hearing test today. Her right hear passed at 100% and her left ear was 90%. They will retest her left ear on Monday. The lady doing the screen said it was no biggie.

She also gets another headscan on her brain on Monday to check and make sure the bleeding is still stopped and to check the size of the venticles.

Things are moving very fast for Olivia. And I can't wait!!             

February 2011 Olivia Updates

Where do I start?? I guess I have the whole month of February to catch up on!

I wish I would have kept up on the dates of things so this would be easy to keep up on... but I'll just lay it out for ya from the begining of the last post.

Olivia is starting to drink from the bottle every feeding now and is having good weight gain. She has to take all her feedings for 48 hours before she gets to go home. Olivia is also moving to "another" room. The NICU is expecting Quads so they are kicking us out of the room. Our new roommate is Eliana.

Olivia had a step back around the end of the first week of February and had to be put back onto the nose cannula for a day and had a brady. They are treating her for possible infection and running tests to see why she took steps back. All test came back negative. We met with the ocupational therapist, Cindy, again. She is having us thicken her formula to help her swallow and learn control of her bottle. It seems to be working.

Our 7 day countdown to go home is on! She is breathing on her own with no help and is taking all her feedings. she is now on Neosure formula, she will go home on this. Oy makes her very,very gassy. Olivia received her two months shots. The shots didnt' go over so well with Olivia. She had a brady and an Apnea. She was sleeping in daddys arms, the alarms barely dinged and she went blue and limp very fast. The nurses rushed in and had to give her the "bag" (oxygen) and really had to rough her up to get her to start breathing on her own. Let me tell you, that was the scariest thing. I was more scared then, then when she was younger. she had a couple more bradys that night. our countdown starts over.

olivia had a good week. she is scheduled to go home on the 11th. on the 9th olivia passed her car seat with flying colors. Thursday morning she had had an eye exam and everthing looked good. minutes after her eye exam she had a brady and apnea that required stimulation. One day to go and we have to start over. Danny and I had reacged our breaking point that day. We finally voiced our complaints and concerns that we had built up inside for so many days. Including getting a new room. We had personal conflicts with her roommates mother and how she felt she was better then everyone and how she acted like her daughter was the only one on the NICU. Her daughter was there just a little longer then Olivia.

olivia had a video swallow gram done on the 11th. We finally have answers to all these bradys and apnea. Oliva was asperating regular and necter consticancy formula. She is now on honey consistancy. We have special gel thickener to put in her formula. The FINAL countdown is on. Olivia did fabulous her kast week in the NICU. She did get another roommate, Kazdyn. He is a quite boy. I was a little disappointed that we didnt have any of her favorite nurses taking care of her the last day. Infact we had nurses we've never had before.

the 16th, The rooming in was fun. she was all iurs for the night... with nurse assistance if needed.

day 7 is here. she made it. 75 days later, she is a NICU graduate. she weighs 7 pounds 10 ounces and is 19.5 inches long. Gead circumfrence is 36.5 cm. we tucked her into her carseat, put her in the NICU wagon and waved goodbye. im sitting here holding her trying to type with one hand and tears fill my eyes. its still hard to believe she is finally out of St Lukes. I owe them everthing i have, they saved my daughters life. My miracle. "its amazing how 2 pounds can change your life "           

more December updates on Olivia

(im copying these updates from Olivia's Caringbridge website)




Tuesday 12-7-10
1:00 am, My Milk is starting to come in!!!
Olivia's doctor called today with her update. Last night she had 5 bradycardia arrhythmia's. They had to help her with one. Bradycardia is when she forgets to breath and her heart rate drops. They typically can help her remember to breathe by rubbing her back. Her blood gases came back and showed she had Metabolic Acidosis. A heart murmer also showed up. The doctor explained it, but there was so much information, I got confused. She said she didn't think it was anything to be too concerned about, but she was going to watch it closely. If needed, it can be treated with medicine. At 2:00 pm, she was given a feeding tube. It runs down her little nose and into her tummy. They will feed her every 3 hours and she will get 2 milliliters of breast milk each time. They also have her on the lowest level of oxygen, which is awesome! They did say now and then they bump it up, but for the most part, it's on the lowest level. We also were able to hold her for the first time. My heart melted, it was so amazing! When the nurse put her in my arms, she opened her eyes and just snuggled into the blanket. When she got a little fussy, Danny recited the book we read to her every night while she was in the womb and it calmed her down. It was so amazing. I was even kind enough to let Danny hold her for a couple minutes. :)
We also met Olivia's Roommate... uh hmm... "boyfriend" parents tonight. They brought Olivia a little monkey in from him. His name is Omi. They said he must really like her because he ran off the past few babies they tried to put in with him.
Olivia had 4 Bradycardias while we were here today. The nurse had to come in on each one of them. She just rubbed Olivia's back and got her back on track. Let me tell you, it sure is scary. her machine beeps my heart stops. The nurses here are great. They are responding to Olivia (and all the other babies) within seconds of the machine beeps.
Olivia weighs 2.6 today.
I got to hold Olivia again for the second time today. This time I held her skin on skin, or Kangaroo Care. They place the baby on your chest. I had tears holding my little girl so close to me. I got to hold her for over an hour! I felt her heart, her breathe, her squiggles, and her grabbing at my skin. It was so amazing. I hope that someday soon Danny will be able to do this with her.
12-8-10 Wednesday. Olivia was put back on CPAP (Continuous positive airway pressure). They had to raise her oxygen levels and her breathing has been fast and she keeps having pauses and drops in her breathing. The nurses had to help her out 5 times in 3 hours this morning. They say the CPAP will help keep pressure in her lungs to keep them open. After the CPAP was placed, Oliva was able to be back on the lowest level of oxygen.
They were also able to pull her UAC line out of her umbilical cord today. Her biliruben is 3.1. Hopefully they will be able to pull the light off of her in a day or two. They are still giving her a dose of caffeine daily. They have been able to hold off on blood transfusions so far.
I did learn that by me having Gestational Diabetes was a good thing. it helped make my baby girl be just a little bit bigger.
They also did an ultrasound today, they say they do them on all babies under 32 weeks gestation. The results hadn't came back before we left. I didn't catch what type of ultrasound it was, Danny thought he heard it was a brain ultrasound. We will find more out about that tomorrow.
Baby girls kidneys are still immature and she is peeing a lot.
Olivia still has a heart murmer. They did a cardiac echo on her tonight. The PDA (Patent Ductus Arteriosus) is not closing up on it's own. This is very common in premature babies. She has a big PDA and they are going to give her medicine to try and close it. They will give her 3 doses of medicine every 12 hours. During this time they will have to stop her feedings and she will just be on IV fluids. Hopefully this does not dehydrate the little girl. She will have another cardio echo done on Friday to see if the medicine worked. If not, she may have to have surgery to fix it.
Olivia will also have a PICC line put in tonight. She weighs 2.7 today.
She is such a cute baby. I can sit there and watch her all day. She loves to stretch those long legs and toes. It's so cute. I love my baby girl.
*Danny called at 11:00 PM to check on Olivia and they had not put her PICC line in.
12-9-10 Thursday. We called for updates on Olivia at 3:30 and 5:30 this morning. They still had not put it in. They said they had a couple other babies a head of her.
Today we made it down to Danny's work to have Olivia put on his insurance. I know now why he gets speeding tickets, we passed 16 cops on the way from Harrisonville to the Hospital!
10:00 am they started to work on Olivia's PICC line. We were able to tell her good morning and are waiting for them to let us know it's done. It should be about an hour. They have a decent lounge with free internet. Danny is addicted to the free coffee/espresso machines.
Olivia's PICC was done around noon. The nurse blew 2 of her blood vessels in the process. :( They were able to take out her umbilical cord UV today. There were tears shed by Danny & I when they pulled the tape off of her belly. Poor little girl started crying, it broke our hearts. The nurse is going to check on the PICC about every hour to make sure it's doing ok.

12-10-10 Friday.

Yesterday was a very emotional day for us.
The doctor came in with good and not so good news. The good news, he didn't hear the heart murmur on his stethoscope. They are sending a cardiologist from childrens mercy in today to run another heart scan on her and see if the valve is closed.
The not so good news. Little Miss Olivia has some slight bleeding on her brain. The doctor classified it has a level 1, non severe. Severe bleeding can cause major problems for the little girl. They will be doing another brain scan next Wednesday to see if the bleeding is still present.
And more not so good news. A part of Little Miss Olivia's brain did not completely develop. The CORPUS CALLOSUM is the neural bridge that connects the two hemispheres to each other, located centrally in brain.
Danny & I also got to change our first diaper together. She started to cry and Danny gave up. :)
Olivia is having a good day today. She is on room percentage oxygen (21%), she gained 3 ounces and is now up to 12.10 and she is getting lots of rest. She also had her photo therapy light removed. Her biliruben count was good, they said it is common for it to come back in a couple of days.
I got to change another diaper today. SUCCESSFUL! No tears or spills!
The Heart Doctor hasn't been in yet today (1:00 pm). I am anxiously awaiting the results!

The Heart Scan reults are in. She has went from a Large PDA to a Medium PDA. They are going to treat her with another dose of medicine. Sunday they will do another scan of her heart and we will go from there. Typically they only give two doses of medicine before surgery. If a baby is stable with their breathing they will wait and watch before surgery. I sure hope this second dose of medicine works! My poor baby can't eat until Sunday! :( After the scan she had to have her oxygen turned up a little, 24%, but I'm happy with that. She is doing so well.
They took her "sunglasses" off today as well. It's so cute watching her open her eyes. She also has some long eyelashes. We can thank her daddy for those. Uncle Jimmy & Aunt Heather visited today.

Olivia is off to somewhat of a rough start today. She is keeping her nurses on their toes. She has had to have a lot of extra help breathing today. She is having to have her oxygen turned up pretty high for her. It's been as high as 47% today. They refitted her CPAP and hope it helps. They also did a chest x-ray, her lungs came back good and they don't think she has an infection. They are going to give her a dose of antibiotics just in case. They ordered more blood gases and cultures. They will do another chest x-ray in the morning, as well as the heart sonogram and more blood gases.

They had to work on her PICC today as well, it was 0.5 cm in to far, so they moved it back.

Also found out that she has a Pectus Excavatum, a congenital deformity (often present at birth) of the sternum, which is depressed into the chest, resulting in a "caved-in" or sunken appearance.

Little Olivia has to also start blood transfusions today. Im so scared for her. The doctor is hoping that this will give her the boost that she is needing. Gar & Papa are visiting today.
2.14 pounds and snow on the ground!

12-11-10 Saturday Afternoon

Update on Olivia. Afte changing the CPAP, her breathing didn't get much easier for her. We are waiting on the reults of her cultures to see if she has an infection, and they went ahead and put her on a ventilator. They also took out her feeding tube for the time being since she can't eat while she is on the heart medicine.
The doctor said this is typical for babies her age.

Sunday, December 12, 2010 1:11 PM, CST


Olivia is doing great on the ventilator. She is having quite a few suctions today. When the ventilator is in the mouth, it's a foreign object to the body, and the body produces mucas secreations, that is what they suction. The nurse said she had a great night and she needed the rest. The blood transfusion is doing it's job, her color is so much better today then yesterday.



We are still waiting to hear from the heart sono/doctor to see if she will have to have heart surgery. If so, she will have that on Monday.



2:30 pm. The cardiogram is done and the PDA is smaller! That is fantastic news!!! That means no surgery for little Olivia! They are waiting on some blood cultures results to decide if they want to try one more dose of medicine to try and completely close the PDA or sit and wait for it to do it on its own.



She is still doing awesome on the ventilator, she is almost to the point where they can take her off, however the doctor wants to keep her on it a while longer. When she was on CPAP she was really fighting and working hard to breathe and the doctor wants her to get more rest before putting her back on the CPAP. She has been sleeping so good, I've been in the lounge most the day so I won't disturb her. I can sit and watch her sleep all day long.... wait, I already do! :) Gar came to visit today.



2.12 pounds today!

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Monday, December 13, 2010 4:29 PM, CST

12-13-10 2.14 pounds! The nurse said Olivia had a great night! She said that Olivia has been "toying" with her and the doctor today. When she is on her belly she is great, but when they put her on her back to examine her, she starts causing her oxygen levels to drop and needing assistance. But as soon as they lay her on her tummy and leave hear alone, she is back down to 21% oxygen again. Little stinker! She also has only had a few suctions today, awesome!



When I got there today her eyes were peeping open and she was sucking her fingers.



The doctor said they are not going to give Olivia the heart medicine again. They will have to push her hard the next day or so to see what the PDA will do. Hopefully it closes and doesn't get bigger. They are going to start weining her off of her ventilator starting at midnight and they are going to start feeding her again starting at 5pm. She will get small feedings for 5 days and then they will start increasing the feedings once she is doing well on them. Her urine out put is on the Low side of Normal, her sodium level is good and she doesn't have an infection. They said it's probably just her lungs acting her age(28 gestation). Her biliruben count was good as well. She is also off antibiotics, she had her last dose last night. She is still on caffiene. When her oxygen drops, she is getting it back up to the normal rate on her own with out any nurse assistance or extra oygen needed. I'm so proud of my little girl!



My milk still hasn't really came in. I'm still getting around 10 mils each time I pump. I've been working with the lactation ladies since I delivered. I've tried all their tricks and still am not having good results. They encourage me not to stress out and get frustrated. That's easier said then done! Every time an alarm goes off in Olivia's room my heart stops!



Olivia will be 29 weeks gestation tomorrow! 11 more weeks until it's 40!

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Tuesday, December 14, 2010 8:24 PM, CST

Olivia had another good night, she is doing really good on the ventilator weaning. She is currently on 25 breaths per minute (which is the amount of breaths the ventilator makes her take) and is on 21-24% oxygen. She is also doing great on her feedings. I'm still working with the Lactation ladies for more milk production. She recommended a herbal pill to try if the increased pumping doesn't work. Olivia is still real touchy with the nurses when it comes to her daily cares, but she is getting better. Her blood gases and biliruben were also good.



I got to hold Olivia (Kangaroo Care) again for over an hour. It is total heaven to hold her so close. I know danny can't wait for his turn to hold her.


The doctor did the brain scan on Monday (instead of Wednesday) and the bleeding is still a level 1. There is no more bleeding, according to the Nurse Practitioner, the blood is still there but should absorb and go away like a bruise. They plan to rescan her in about a month.

The doctor also got Danny's FMLA paper work filled out. Yay!

Danny would like me to add that he and Olivia aren't sure about some of the nurses up here, especially the nurses in training :) They ripped her precious skin on her belly, they hold an object in their hand and spend 5 minutes looking for it, and they put the diaper on backwards... I asked about this and she said it was easier to do it when she was on her belly... sure :)
 
Wednesday, December 15, 2010 4:19 PM, CST


Olivia had another great night! She now weighs 2.13 pounds. Her urine output is getting better and she is now pooping again. :) (she'll love me for that information when she gets older)



When we arrived this morning they had already taken her off of her ventilator. She is now on the CPAP again. She was having some issues adjusting to it this morning, running high heart rate, high tempature and high oxygen needs. She was using 34% oxygen on her belly and at times needed up to 50% oxygen on her back. She has since then calmed down and is happily back on her belly and at 34% oxygen.



The doctor said her chest x-ray was "hazy" this morning, he will run another x-ray in the morning. I asked him what "hazy" meant and he just explained that it could be from the ventilator or just her imature lungs. He didn't seem very worried about it.



Her blood gases came back good and they will run more on her at 5pm.



Gar, Uncle Jimmy & Cousin Lily came to vist today. Her 5 pm blood gases looked good.

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Thursday, December 16, 2010 2:29 PM, CST

Olivia had a decent night. The nurse said she had to turn her oxygen up to 48% a few times. Olivia weighed in at 2.15 pounds!



I got to hold her this morning for over two hours! She snuggles up close to Mom and goes right to sleep.



Her chest x-ray ws good, the doctor said it was better then yesterday, so he believed that yesterday's "hazy" x-ray was due to the ventilator. He also said her blood gas looked good. Also, the nurse didn't hear her heart murmur this morning!





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Friday, December 17, 2010 5:11 PM, CST

Olivia weighs 3 pounds!!!



She is doing great. Today the nurses took her off her CPAP to give her nose a break, they thought it looked brusied so they put her on a Nose Canula today. The doctor said her blood gases look great so she is going to leave her on the nose canula as long as she can take it. Her urine output is doing better today, her oxygen has been between 27%-40%. Danny and I both got to hold her today. We held her skin on skin/Kangaroo care.
Saturday, December 18, 2010 6:01 PM, CST


Olivia had another great night. She is weighing in at 3.1! The doctor said she is still doing good on her nose cannula and is going to leave her on it. She may even get a new isolate bed! Her blood gases and labs came back great, the urine output is doing much better. Olivia is being picky again about being on her back, she just doesn't like it and wants to be on her belly.



I got to hold her for about 3 hours again today. It is the best feeling in the world! Gar & Papa came to visit today. Olivia also lost her umbilical cord sometime last night or early this morning.

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Sunday, December 19, 2010 5:08 PM, CST

12-19-10



Olivia is still kicking butt on her nose cannula. Her oxygen levels are better today then they were yesterday. She is still showing her temper to the nurses when they go to do her cares. She loves when mom does them and when I hold her. I held her again today for a little over an hour. Our room has such a chill in it that I was afraid she was getting cold.



Gar came to visit today. We were sitting there watching her sleep and she decided to pick her head up, completely off the bed, and turn it to the other side! I was so amazed! She is such a strong little girl.



She only has electrolytes and a xray scheduled for tomorrow. The xray is to just check the placement of her picc line. She still is getting daily doses of caffeine. They upped her feedings to 6 mil. As of last night, she weighed 3.2!

Sunday, December 19, 2010 9:47 PM, CST

Just a quick update after her nightly cares.
Olivia now weighs 3.4 pounds and she is 16.5 inches long! My baby is growing like a weed! Keep it up Olivia! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you!!! We love you!
 
Monday, December 20, 2010 4:01 PM, CST


5 more days until Christmas little girl! I know Santa is making a special stop at our house for you!



Today, Olivia is needing a little more assistance with oxygen. Her levels have been in the 30% all day. I got to hold her again, she lifted her head off my chest and turned it to the other side twice! She is such a strong little girl!



Olivia had some special visitors today. She got to meet Rylee and Jordan, their mom Kari and their aunt. Rylee and Jordan is having their 2nd birthday today and stopped by the NICU. They lived at the NICU for a long while when they were born too. They are strong little girls!



Her feet are still swollen, they said that will stop once she is primarily on the breastmilk. They have her up to 10 mil on the breastmilk 8 times a day, and I barely pump that. So once my supply is low, they will start giving her donor breast milk. I really wish my milk supply would start picking up! I would like for her to only have my milk, but I know that probably won't happen. As long as she is getting everything she needs, I will be happy.



The doctor didn't have much to report today. She said she isn't ready for the low pressure nose cannula yet becuase her breathing is still fast.



That's all for now, I'll update more when the night nurse comes and does her cares.

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Thursday, December 23, 2010 6:05 PM, CST

Sorry it's been a few days since I last updated everyone on Olivia.



First I'll start off with her weights.

12-20-10 Monday 3.6

12-21-10 Tuesday 3.7

12-22-10 Wednesday 3.8!



Olivia still might loose a little water weight, as her diaretic starts working. Tonight she is up to 20 mils on her feeding. They are adding an extra 22 calories to her feedings. They hope that once she starts gaining more weight that her lungs and respitory will start kicking into gear.



They had to put her on a new CPAP because her oxygen needs were getting higher and higher. They were getting up into the 60% during her cares and about 45-55% while resting. It makes her look like a Rhino or Elephant! Poor little girl!



She is doing much better today on her oxygen. She has been between 25-35%. Danny got to hold her today, but it was very difficult with the Rhino CPAP and her oxygen, heartrate and respitory rates dropped. Maybe tomorrow will be a better day to hold her.



The CPAP also makes her little eyes swell, so the nurses are making sure to switch which side of head she sleeps on with each care. She is also still on Caffeine. Her Hematocrit (volume of Red Blood Cells) levels showed up a little low but they said they are not going to do a blood transfusion. Oh, they had to put the chin strap back on her because she won't keep her mouth shut and she loses oxygen.



She has been resting very well today.

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Friday, December 24, 2010 9:25 AM, CST

Just a brief update before we head off to the hospital. Olivia weighed in at 3.7. The ounce loss is good for her. She is so swollen, her chin strap was leaving indentions on her head. I felt so sorry for her, so did the nurse. She took it off for almost an hour so I could run her little head and ears.



The doctor called this morning and let us know that she is still on CPAP and her oxygen levels have stayed in the 30% range. She had a good blood gas this morning. They are also stopping her IV fluids today and taking out her PICC! My little girl is progressing and growing so fast!
As of Olivia's 8 pm feeding she still weighs 3.7. She is now on 22 mils with an extra 24 calories added to it. She is also out of breast milk and now using donor milk. This depresses me a great deal that I can't provide for her. What I do get is still very little, the lactation lady told me to side track my mind to help me, well it doesn't help because I end up spilling it! Then I cry and that doesn't help production either! I think I will try one of those Herbal pills the lactation recommended.
Merry Christmas Eve everyone!
 
Saturday, December 25, 2010 8:49 PM, CST


Merry Christmas!



I was so happy to be able to spend Christmas morning with Olivia. She is still having some slight struggles with her breathing today. She was having apnea and bradys today. (Apnea is where she stops breathing and bradys are where her heartrate drops low).



Danny got to change her diaper and take her tempature with no tears!



The doctor came in and said she looks & sounds good. Said she had great color.



We are waiting to hear back fromthe nurse to find out how the rest of her day went.

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Sunday, December 26, 2010 8:55 AM, CST

Well it took the nurse over 2 hours to get us called back last night, so here is last nights update.



The nurse was worried about all the bradys and apnea's Olivia was having and called the docotor to come check her out. The doctor ordered blood cultures and a CBC (complete blood count) to see if she may have an infection or cold. She is also thinking that she might need another blood transfusion. She lost an ounce so she is now 3.6 pounds.



Fast forward to this mornings update: Doctor doesn't have the results of her blood cultures (they take 24 hours for results) but she went ahead and put Olivia on an antibiotic to stay ahead of anything that "might" show up on her blood cultures. She is also getting a blood transfusion today. I hope my little biscuit pops out of this funk soon! She is giving her mom and dad a heart attack with all these apneas she is having!

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Tuesday, December 28, 2010 3:51 PM, CST

Olivia's been having a few more drops in her breathing/oxygen the last two days. They tested her for infections and RSV and they came back negative! The doctors/nurses think she may have acid reflux and they can test her on it when she gets a little bit older.



She also had a chest x-ray. Monday they tried explaining Chronic Lung Disease to me. I guess all preemies have it and they grow out of it. They say that maybe an inhaler in the future could be the only effect from it when she grows up. Her x-ray looked better then her last one.



Sunday she weighed 3.8 and Monday she weighed 3.9. While I was changing her today, she almost pooped on me! She hadn't pooped in 2 days and the nurse told her it was time for a supository, I lifted up her bottom to change her diaper and out it all came! Stinky little girl! :)
I also got to hold her for 3 hours Monday night. She is such a good little girl.
Tuesday morning, they changed her CPAP again. I hope that this one works better. Her blood gas showed she still has carbon dioxide in her lungs, another cause from her being a preemie. Her oxygen has been between 26%-37% today.

Tuesday she weighs 3.7 pounds
Keep up the good work princess!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010 6:29 PM, CST


Olivia is still having quite a few Desats. They are going to put her on another diaretic, this one is taken orally. They hope that the second diaretic will get all the fluid off of her and will help with her breathing. She is still enjoying being able to sleep on her belly.



They added an iron supplement to her feedings and is now eating 29 mils of milk.



Olivia had to move rooms because Omi is having eye surgery today. She has a new full born baby in her room now. His name is Daniel. The new baby had some issues with his lungs and he shouldn't be staying much longer before he gets to go home. The new family is nice, however they are loud and they have loud children that scare Olivia. Her stats will be fine, and once they come to visit, she starts declining and become restless and gets very startled. I infomred the nurse about it and they have noticed it too. We may be moving back to Omi's room soon.



She weighs 3.7 pounds today. Aunt Norma & Aunt Lucy stopped by today.

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Thursday, December 30, 2010 6:23 PM, CST

Olivia's doing great on her CPAP. Her oxygen has been 21-25% all day. The doctor said she her oxygen levels are good enough for the nasal cannula, however she is still having Desats and she would like to see the number of Desats go down before they switch her over.



She is now getting a sodium supplement with her meals because the diaretic is causing her to lose sodium. Her feedings are still at 29 mils and they are now adding protein to her meals. She had one Brady today.



I got to hold her for about 30-45 minutes today. She was fussy and kept trying to pull her feeding tube out and she kept knocking off her CPAP and wiggling out of it. Little stinker!



She only has an electolyte scheduled for tomorow. Papa & Gar visited today. They got to watch her get a diaper change and tempature, as well as a sponge bath. She loved the bath! she also weighed in at 3.7 today.

blog catch up: Olivia

Sunday, 12-5-10. Olivia was visited by her Grandma and Grandpa, Her Great Aunt Lucy, Norma, Clara & Uncle Kent. Olivia had to have one of her unbilicord IV's replaced because it came out. They tried to run it in her little hand, but it caused her hand to swell up very big. Olivia's oxygen levels are doing great! Her weight is down to 2.8, but the nurses say that all babies lose about 10% f their body weight after they are born.


Monday, 12-6-10

It is a sad day for me, I was discharged from the hospital and had to leave my baby. I know my baby is in great hands and they take wonderful care of her. I am so happy with the staff here at Saint Lukes. Olivia was visited by Grandma today. Grandma told her she loved her and she smiled. It was a tear jerker. Her oxygen is still doing great. She likes to wiggle and stretch her long arms and legs. Olivia also had her first poop Monday night. Yay! Olivia weighs 2.7 today.

The Story of Olivia

I will try to play catch up here. On Wednesday, 12-1-10, I started having lower back pain and slight cramping. I thought nothing of it and used a heating pad to ease the back pain. It worked. I was up all night with cramps and contraction like pain. I finally got up at 4 am Thursday and did a little research on contractions. I put them off as Braxton Hicks. At 8 am, Danny and I started timing the contractions. They were 4 minutes apart lasting 30 seconds. I called my mom and then the doctor. I had to go get checked out at Shawnee Mission Hospital. Luckily, my doctor was the one on duty that day. I was checked out and found out I was dilated to a one. I was put on magnesium and given a steroid shot to help the babys lungs progress, just in case I was in active labor. Around noon, I noticed I felt like I was "leaking" 2 test confirmed that my water was leaking. I was then transferred to Saint Lukes due to their fantastic NICU department. Due to my water leaking, I was told that I would be staying at the hospital until I delivered. It could be hours, days, weeks and even months.

10:00 pm on Thursday, I got to ride in a fast ambulance to Saint Lukes, I was looking forward to seeing the Plaza lights... well the ride was so bumpy, I didn't have time to try and look, as I was hanging on for dear life. By Friday morning my contractions started slowing down and they were able to lower my dose of Magnesium. I was also given another steroid shot for the baby. Friday night, the contracts had returned. I was still dilated to a one. They turned the dose of magnesium back up. The nurse gave me some good drugs to help me relax. I dreamed of fuzzy purple bunnies, monkeys and marshmellows. I was told that I even had conversations with these animals.

On Saturday 12-4-10 the contractions started to slow back down, again. By noon I was taken off the Magnesium. Things started to take a change around 4 pm. The contractions were getting harder and longer. I got another dose of the good drugs. I refer to it as the "bunny drugs". This time I dreamed of short little men with big afros. Mom and Dad can tell some good stories with this one. Around 5:00-5:30 I was beating on the bed in pain and pushing the nurse button. The doctors were paged, in the mean time, I had mom call Danny and have him come straight from work, I wasn't sure what was going on, but I knew I needed him. I was checked out and was dilated to a 4. They couldn't give me any more magnesium to stop the labor, I had already had all they could give me. A quick sonogram showed that baby Olivia was head down and in the right position. They asked if I wanted an epidural and I didn't hesitate. The nurse was very helpful, she taught me how to breathe through my contractions and helped hold me still while I got the epidural. It works wonders, I don't see how people don't want one! Around 10:00 pm, I was dilated to a 9+ and they wheeled me down to the Operating Room. A few hard pushes and Baby Olivia was born at 10:17 p.m. She weighed 2 pounds and 12 ounces. She was 14 inches long and her head circumfrence was 26.5 cm. We had to deliver in the Operating Room because of Olivia being so early, they needed to have all their neonatal specialist and nurses in there. There were about 15 people in the room. Danny and I were able to touch Olivia's tiny hand in the Operating room while they were cleaning her. I got wheeled back to my room and waited and waited. Danny was able to take a few people back to the NICU department to get their first peek at our beautiful princess. Olivia was visited by her Grandma & Grandpa, Her Uncle Jimmy, her Great Uncle Dave and Great Aunt Jennifer and her cousins Marie, Barbara & Stephanie. Finally at 2:00 am Sunday morning, my nurse was able to wheel me down so I could look at my baby. She is so precious. We got moved moved to a new room at 2:30 and slept like a baby. I had a good labor, I didn't have to have stitches and I was up walking around the next day.