Trach

Emmalynn's surgery went well. She will be sedated and paralyzed for a little while. We still hate this for her, but know it's what needed to happen. She looks so beautiful with no tape or tubes on her face! We love this little girl!

Because there was another baby in our pod who had to have surgery and was too sick to go down to the operating room, they shut down Emmalynn's pod and we couldn't see her most of the day. They let us sneak in after getting hats and masks on so we could peak at her right after she got back and before they started the other baby's surgery. It was a blessing though because she was out of it anyways and we hadn't slept in 24 hours (she was fussy the night before because she was sore from the bronch and extubation). Luckily the hospital had given us a nesting room for a few days so we could sleep. The next day we couldn't see her again because that baby had to have more surgery. Sadly he passed away and our heart goes out to that family.

Surgery It Is...

Today was kinda a rough day for Emmalynn. She had a bronch done to see where and how bad the swelling was in her airway. The good news was it was her vocal chords and it wasn't too bad. The bad news is she failed her 8th extubation and she failed rather quickly. What does this all mean? It means tomorrow morning she will have a trach put in. Hopefully for 6 months to 1 year but this is Emmalynn's story so we will just have to see. We could use your prayers right now as this was a very clear but devastating decision we had to make. I am grateful for tender mercies though because I got to hear my baby cry before she gets the trach! I may have to wait another year to hear her again.

Look at this sweet baby resting before her big day tomorrow.

New Bed

Emmalynn went from this (the lid is open)...

...to this in preparation for her bronch down in the operating room!

First Bubble Bath

Fashionista

It's no secret. Emmalynn is a little diva and her nurses have LOVED playing dress up with her on a daily basis...and sometimes more than once a day! Of course I LOVE it too! One of her doctors, who is just like a grandpa to me, came in one morning and told her nurse to put some clothes on that naked baby! That's all this momma needed to hear before I brought in her wardrobe! Her preemie clothes are still a little big, but she'll grow into them!

3 lb 11 oz

3 lb 12 oz

3 lb 13 oz

3 lb 15 oz

4 lb 1 oz

Face to Face

The other day I spent over an hour holding my baby like a full term baby just staring at her in awe. I think she liked it too!

Tuckered Out!

My poor baby had a rough day. Her tape had to be redone 3 times today, she scratched her face, she had to get a bath, then the eye doctor saw her. As you can see she is zonked out and her eyes are all puffy. On a happy note, she's 3 lb 11 oz!

Thumb Sucker?

Thumb in the mouth...check!

Fuzzy morning hair...check!

Surgery scar healing...check!

Getting bigger by the day (3 lb 9 oz)...check!

We just can't get enough of your cuteness Miss Emmalynn! Love you baby girl!

First Outfit

Emmalynn got her picc line out yesterday and got the go ahead to wear clothes if they fit! My cousin sent me this outfit from England that is for 3 pound babies and it fit Emmalynn perfectly! I whipped up a bow (of course) to match and we got her all dolled up today. She loved it! I swear she knows when the attention is on her. All the nurses and doctors had to come see this impossibly small outfit. She smiled and high sated the whole time. She is such a diva!

3 lb 5 oz

Blessing

We decided to bless Emmalynn while she was still in the hospital. Finding a blessing dress for a 3 lb baby is impossible so I made hers. I used a preemie onesie and some already ruffled fabric. We had to cut it up the back to get it on over all her tubes and lines, plus we needed to tuck it in underneath her to make it smaller! She looked adorable and of course daddy did a great job!

The beautiful blanket was made by her Grandma Candland.

Smile

Two Months

When I got to the hospital, Emmalynn's nurses had made her a cute sign (inspired by her tutu of course)!

Naturally we had to take her two month photo in her tutu, which a week after this post was tight on her tummy!

At two months, Emmalynn is 3 lb 3 oz and 14 1/2 inches long! She found her fingers and even though she has 2 tubes in her mouth, she loves to suck on her fingers and enjoys her binky. She is good about waking up during her cares and looking at us and listening to our voices. She LOVES bath time and especially having her hair washed. Such a girl! Lots of things happened this month including getting staph, changing doctor groups, having heart surgery, hitting 2 lb and 3 lb, a few failed extubations, first holiday (4th of July), first clothes worn, daddy's first Father's Day, first haircut, and a baby shower in Utah.

Heart Surgery

Emmalynn before surgery...

...prepping for surgery...

...and resting after surgery.

The surgery went great! True to his word it only took about 20 minutes. In fact, it took longer to set up than the actual surgery. Dr. Derby said it was the biggest PDA he has ever done and he even had to do a bigger clamp which he's never used! It was bigger than her aorta which he was amazed by! We are so grateful for amazing doctors and nurses, modern technology, and of course the tender mercies from our loving Heavenly Father. We feel so blessed! 

Oh and she hit 3 lbs!

P.S. Here is Emmalynn's incision on July 18 (not even 2 weeks later)! The glue will eventually peel off. Looks like someone found their thumb!

4th of July

Happy 4th of July!

We decided to order a pizza and have it delivered to the hospital to eat while we watched fireworks from the top of the parking garage. We had the best view of more than a few areas doing them! We tried to take a picture of us in the car (like 50 times) and because it was so dark we kept closing our eyes, blinking, and making weird faces. So this is the best one! We laughed forever about it!

Tutu

Emmalynn received this tiny little tutu from one of our friends in Texas and it was so big it looked like a dress. The funny part was she was happy when we put it on her. She's such a diva! Of course the doctors and nurses came and watched us play dress up.

See that tape on her head? She got her first haircut because they had to put a picc line in her head (I cried). Emmalynn needed to finish her antibiotics for the staph infection and her little veins were all used up and she was done being poked and prodded. She also needs it for her surgery on Friday and for the days following.

Can you believe those cheeks?!

Utah Baby Shower

2 lb 7 oz

Holding My Baby

I got to hold Emmalynn for the first time like a full term baby (instead of kangaroo care on my chest) for about 3 minutes! They were switching out her bed and so they detached her from everything and the respiratory therapist just gave her puffs of air. She didn't even flinch! Her bath wore her out today. I have to say this picture makes her look big...and she is getting bigger! The doctor says she has some impressive cheeks. I just said it's a weight distribution problem, haha!

Staph & New Doctors

This cute girl is such a fighter. She has developed a staph infection in her arm and knee (which pediatric infectious diseases thinks is pretty gnarly). They think they caught it in time (thanks to one of her primary care nurses noticing Emmalynn not quite acting like herself) and she's on a few antibiotics. She also has fluid in her lungs which is possibly pneumonia. Again she is on antibiotics and is getting 3 types of breathing treatments. The good news is she isn't acting sick and is still growing.

After a bad extubation experience 2 days in a row for Emmalynn along with getting staph, we felt an overwhelming need to get a second opinion about Emmalynn's cares from the other doctor group in the NICU. We were so very impressed and really didn't hesitate to switch over. Her new doctors are so awesome and her tentative plan of action is to get over the infection, grow a little bit more, have heart surgery (15 minute bedside surgery to close her PDA), grow some more and then be successfully extubated! It's all about timing for these little ones and she's the one in control so we will see.

Clothes?!

Last night Miss Emmalynn got a relaxing sponge bath. I even gave her a little scalp massage and back rub that she actually enjoyed! When we were done her nurse surprised me with the tiniest smock to dress her in! Her first time wearing clothes! Yes I realize she doesn't have a bow on to match but she was going to bed and her hair was still drying {see it all fuzzy}. I think I wore her out!

Wide Awake

I just LOVE it when Emmalynn is wide awake! This was after daddy held her for 2 1/2 hours. She just laid there and listened to my voice and even smiled a few times. Anytime we do her cares or I open her isolate and start talking to her she tries to turn to where my voice is. Sometimes she only peaks her eyes open since everything is still super bright and over stimulating. This particular day though was so adorable! She definitely know her momma!

Happy 1st Father's Day

For Father's Day Emmalynn let daddy cuddle with her for 2 1/2 hours!

2 lbs

She did it! She hit 2 lbs today! Go Emmalynn!

So Close....

Emmalynn had such a great day yesterday! She was very rested and LOVED having mommy do kangaroo care with her! Here she is waving hi last night after her cares and being weighed. She is so close to 2 lbs (like 10 grams)! Fingers crossed for tonight! Go Lil' Miss!