Bonnie is one month old!

Bonnie turned one month old yesterday! She still has a little over a week to go before her due date, December 28th. Thankfully for us, she has been eating extremely well since birth. I was concerned her time in the NICU could inhibit our ability to breastfeed, especially since we weren't even able to try until close to a week after she was born. As with most things so far, she has proven us wrong and surprised us with her abilities. She is now solely breastfeeding except for the occasional bottle so that Eric can help with feedings. She was eating about every 3 hours but within the last week it has been closer to every 2 hours. She started catching a cold a couple days ago, so I'm thinking it could just be related to that. She went down to 4 pounds 3 ounces in the NICU, and gained her weight back within her first 10 days of life. As of December 18th, she was 5 pounds, 15.5 ounces. She is eating between 2-3 ounces each feed. She is just now transitioning from her preemie clothes into newborn clothes.

So far she seems to have a fairly even temperament, only crying when she needs something. Although when she does need something, she has a very strong cry. She spent her first month mostly sleeping when she wasn't being fed, changed, or burped. Within the last couple days she has had some much longer stretches of awake time. At night her sleep is a toss up. Some nights from 10 at night to 7 in the morning she'll only wake up 2 or 3 times. Other nights it seems like she's just unsettled all night and hardly sleeps. She doesn't seem to particularly like the bassinet (flat) we're using, but does like the rock n' play and the boppy lounger (inclined). I've also tried various different wraps/slings with her and she seems to like them all. Mostly, she just loves to be held. We haven't tried any swings, tummy time, or playmats with her yet, but I'm thinking we will need to start trying those out soon as she is spending more time awake.

And since we want to remember how little she is, we've tried taking a couple newborn photos.

Our Week in the NICU

On her first day of life, Bonnie had already done something I've never done - taken a helicopter ride!

Eric drove up that night and didn't leave her side through the next day while I was still in the hospital. He FaceTimed me multiple times to see Bonnie, get updates, and hear from some of her nurses.



As cautious as he was, Benny also got to hold Bonnie for the first time!

After an anxious afternoon of trying to get out of the hospital and pack a bag for an entirely different trip than anticipated - Mom and Dave brought me to the NICU the night after she was born. It was the first time I actually got to really see her in person. I didn't get to see her when they pulled her out and she was so covered up when she was in the incubator about to get on the helicopter.



 I also got a chance to hold her and give her a bottle for the first time.

She was so tiny, the bottle was so tiny, but she was doing great. Drinking about 10 mL at a time. It was definitely a challenge figuring out how to hold her and work around all the wires she was hooked up to. Two days after she was born we got to do skin-to-skin for the first time.

She got a visit from Aunt Katie who also officially got to meet her for the first time (who has been an angel on earth, along with my mom, anticipating and stepping up to every one of Eric and my needs).


Not surprisingly, Bonnie had to go on the blue lights for about 2 days to clear up her jaundice. Which made holding and feeding her even more difficult - but she sure is cute!


Benny has become a master at giving her a bottle and burping her. He was on the tail end of a cold during our stay so he was extra cautious about passing germs.

We didn't know how long we would be in the NICU, and no one wanted to give us a timeframe other than her due date. We knew she was doing really well though and was very hopeful we could leave by Thanksgiving (10 days). Anytime I would mention it to a nurse, they thought I was reaching high for that goal.

One morning during rounds, the nurse practitioner told us she was doing so well we could possibly be leaving the Sunday before Thanksgiving - to say I was excited is an understatement. I immediately called Eric and told him to get the carseat installed.
About an hour later, the NP came back in to apologize. She said they forgot about the shot of caffeine they had given Bonnie to help perk her up the day after she got there. They needed to watch her until the caffeine was out of her system to make sure she was making progress on her own, and not an effect of the caffeine. We were basically just playing the waiting game for it to metabolize.
Sunday came and went, and she still had a pretty high caffeine level. We just had to be patient. In the meantime, she was doing everything on her own. Her heat lamp was off, her IV was out, her jaundice was in check, she took to the bottle very well and even started breastfeeding once everything was removed from her face.

By Tuesday her caffeine level was a 4.1. They wanted it to be a 4 or under and then monitor her for another 48 hours afterward (so Thanksgiving night or Friday is what we were looking at).


Mom came to visit and meet her newest grand baby that day too! It was also the first day she started officially gaining - up 2 ounces from her lowest weight (4 pounds 3 ounces).
My mom had been there for probably only 10 minutes when they came by to do rounds that morning. The NP and the doctor asked how we felt about going home that day. I was shocked.

We said goodbye to the little room with no windows that we had lived in her first week of life.

Eric left work and drove straight over with the carseat. After the carseat test, feedings, discharge checklist and paperwork were complete - Bonnie was officially unplugged from all her machines, we put clothes on her for the very first time, and we were taking her home!

We said goodbye to all the amazing doctors and nurses that grew to love her in such a short time.



It was so strange loading her into the car for the first time. Not at all how we pictured it, but we were so incredibly thankful and elated to be bringing her home.

We have an incredible support system of family and friends that have gone out of their way to rally around our little family - step up to give us meals, send thoughts and prayers, take care of our house, send gifts or care packages, clean for us, visit us, be a listening ear - understanding and still loving on us even when we aren't our best. It's been the most glaring example of God's provision in our lives. We've had our struggles processing everything that happened, but we are doing much better each day. We are so incredibly blessed and grateful. Welcome home Bonnie!

The Best Baby Shower

Right before Bonnie made her unexpected arrival, my sister and mom threw us the most beautiful baby shower! I was so, so excited for this day - and it was far and above anything I could have ever expected.



From the decorations to the food to the games, they thought of everything, and there were so many sweet and thoughtful touches. That wooden 'Love' cut out ended up in Bonnie's room with her in the NICU (and now at home!).

The food. The food was delicious - I could have eaten it all day long.


Eleanor and Jane were also super sweet and helpful. They looked gorgeous in their braids and dresses, and they made the sweetest signs for baby girl. They also picked out the most adorable outfit and sweater for her, as well as a CD of lullabies.




Bonnie got so many thoughtful and generous gifts - she is well loved and cared for already!

We played some hilarious fun games like picking up marshmallows with nasal aspirators, stacking diapers, and guessing prices of random baby gear.


I am so thankful to have met such a great community of friends here who already love this baby!


I just can't thank Katie and mom enough for the best baby shower we could ask for - and PERFECT timing! Bonnie and I are two very lucky ladies, thank you!!