ten firsts

Quinn has had a big week of big firsts....

1. First time outside
2. First time in a car
3. First time in a building other than the hospital
4. First time up and down stairs
5. First time meeting a different species.
6. First time she has gone over 24 hours without someone examining her
7. First time she has gone significant stretches of time on room air
8. First time in bassinet (which she generally hates)
9. First time on a couch or in a bed
10. First time she got to overhear TV shows

Quinn's week

We have been busy with doctor's appointments. We saw our pediatrician on Monday. He is fabulous. We have to go weekly for weigh ins, but otherwise we will just see him for our six month check up. He thinks Quinn looks great. We saw THE eye doctor on Tuesday. He thinks Quinn's eye are continuing to improve. We don't have to see him for two more weeks. Yahoo! Quinn is grateful for that too.

Quinn is sleeping better at night. But seems to have some sort of colicky behaviors developing. Three nights in the row, she has started crying around 7:00 pm, and has been hard to console. Our regularly happy baby is so sad during that time. It is no fun for anyone. Hopefully, it is short lived.

She loves to be in her car seat. She just sleeps, and sleeps, and sleeps. The minute you get her buckled up to the minute you take her out...she is just out! I love it.

Sleeping in one of her owl blankets.

Sleeping on her Mama's legs.

Sucking on her bink with dad.

Waiting for the eye doctor.
Covered up to ward off germs.

Losing her binkie in her monkey jammies, with her monkey blanket.

5 signs we have a Dracula Baby

Pretty sure Quinn may not be human at all, but instead a Dracula baby.

Sign1: Her widow's peak. She has had a very pronounced (and very adorable) widow's peak since day one. You know who else has a widow's peak? Dracula.

Sign 2: She did not see daylight for almost the first two months of her life. You know who else hides from daylight? Dracula.

Sign 3: She thinks nighttime is the right time. Quinn likes to sleep all morning/afternoon, and then is awake in the evenings/night. Sometimes all night. Like the first two nights she was at home. You know who else likes to party all night? Dracula.

Sign 4: She hates cow's milk. Or at least her tummy does. And she doesn't really like to eat. Maybe, she prefers to drink blood. You know who else drinks blood? Dracula.

Sign 5: She loves to suck. Right now, it is on a binkie, but just wait until she has teeth. She is just getting practice for all the blood she is going to drain. You know who else likes to suck blood? Dracula.



Things to note in the photo:

1. Her distinct hairline
2. Practicing for future blood sucking. (aka the binkie)
3. Also practicing holding her future cape shut.

Coming home

Quinn is home! And it was a journey! We are so overwhelming excited to finally have our baby home! I don't even know where to start...

We have been waiting for weeks for Quinn's eyes to get to the point in which she could be moved from blended oxygen to pure oxygen, and waiting for her to eat better. The eyes were slow and steady in their progress, and the doctor was confident that they were maturity, and the ROP was resolving on its on. Whew! We knew we would get there, but just didn't know when.

Her eating, on the other hand, was all over the place. It was ok, and then got worse. We made a new eating plan and switched her to a milk protein free formula, and her feeding got a lot better. The doctor, at that point, said she would be comfortable sending Quinn home with a feeding tube since she was close to eating 100% orally as soon as her eyes were ready! We were elated.

Then some of the nurses thought we were "forcing" Quinn to eat. It was the only real negative experience we had at the hospital. It felt like the nurses/staff were gossiping, but no one would talk directly to us about it, just hint. It was frustrating and hurtful. Long story short, Dalan and I changed the way we were feeding Quinn (for better or worse...we did not want to do permanent damage, but all of a sudden things they had been fine, were not allowed. And everyone was being so passive and weird about things).

Then they increased the amount of volume she needed to take at each feeding by 20 percent. And her feedings percentages went down. However, we did not panic, because we had been assured she would go home as soon as she got the ok from the eye doctor.

On September 29, the eye doctor gave his approval as long as we followed up on an outpatient basis. However, the NICU was being hesitant to start discharge planning, because of her decrease in oral intake. And the doctor could not be reached. I cried and cried. I obviously did not want Quinn home before she was ready, but I thought we had a plan, and there had been no previous warning that the plan may be changing. Luckily, the next day, despite some reservations, the doctor agreed to discharge her on Friday as long as she maintained on her new oxygen. Dalan and I held our breath, just hoping and praying that Quinn would be discharged!

We "roomed in" for the day on the Friday to practice monitoring her oxygen, and using the pump that goes along with her feeding tube. It went perfectly. And we were discharged after her 4:00 pm feeding on Friday, October 1! They made an announcement that Bed 32 was leaving the building and 15 to 20 people came out to say good bye. It was touching. Two of our nurses also gave Quinn books. It was so sweet.

Leaving was bittersweet. I am so grateful and thankful to everyone who cared for Quinn. It was these people who saved our baby's life on more than occasion. They also treated Dalan and I so well, and made the stay tolerable. I do wish we had left on a better note, without some hurt feelings, but I know all of the nurses, doctors, and staff loved Quinn so much. I also know they were always looking out for her best interests. I will have a very special place in my heart for all the people who took care of Quinn for the rest of my life.

Having Quinn home is wonderful. It is an adjustment. The feedings are pretty easy, even with having to use the tube. The oxygen monitor is a pain, but we are figuring out our schedules. Quinn took the weekend to adjust. My wonderful sleeper was too excited to sleep at first, and stared around the house wide-eyed for the first full day! She is settling back into her routines. Piper loves Quinn, and wants to constantly lick the back of her head. Dalan and I love having Quinn in arms, and and getting to be at the house with her! It is really the best feeling in the world.

Here are a couple of photos from our first few days....

Car ride home...slept the whole time.

Feet

Remember this little foot from May 16th?


Look at what 4 months can do....

Sweet baby Quinn

Last week, the hospital photographers came and took some "newborn" pictures of Quinn. They turned out so pretty, and we were suckers, and went ahead and bought the rights to the CD because they were so pretty. Enjoy!

Quinn's Coming Home Story soon....

Quinn is home! More details when we can catch our breath!