Audrey has now been home with us for almost two weeks and we are celebrating her 1 month 'birthday' today!! Where has the time gone?! Despite the seemingly never ending stay in the NICU, this past month has managed to fly by. Our little girl has been through so much already, yet has also made so much progress, thank goodness!
We had her first pediatrician and cardiologist appointments last week and she received good news at both: she's doing great! Her blood flow through her heart and shunt is looking good and as expected, so we will follow up with the cardiologist next week and probably continue to check in every couple of weeks so that her shunt can be monitored leading up to her full repair surgery in a few months. We have another appointment with her pediatrician next week also- mainly just for a weight check (she has been gaining good weight daily as of her last appointment)- and if all goes well, her doctor wants to treat her like a 'normal, healthy' baby from here on out and see her next at two months! I don't have anything to compare it to, but that sounds pretty awesome to us and we just continue to be so thankful for Audrey's quick progress and positive doctor visits!
We have already had the occupational and speech therapists come to the house for assessments, and luckily they both concluded that Audrey doesn't need their services. Physical therapy came out yesterday, and they will see her once a week for the next month in order to massage some of her slightly tight neck muscles. We have been working on various stretches and exercises that we learned from the PT in the NICU, and are seeing positive changes each day!
Now for the fun stuff. Since bringing Audrey home, we have had your typical good and bad nights. She is used to being on a 24 hour daytime schedule in the NICU, so we are really trying to teach her about 'nighttime' and how it is for sleeping :) As for feedings, we've somewhat successfully gotten her on a four hour schedule, but sometimes she gets hungry before four hours and sometimes she goes past (yay!).
We've found that Audrey just loves the following: lights (the brighter, the better), sucking on her fingers and knuckles, her soothie pacifier, making silly faces and smiling, watching her mom and dad, being swaddled, and doing some serious stretching when not swaddled! Overall it is just a blast watching her learn new things each day! We also really enjoy just looking at her, marveling over our perfect little girl.
We know she has many challenges ahead, but we are taking it one day at a time right now, trying to appreciate each day rather than dwell on the future operations that are enevitable. She is such a blessing to our family, and I can already say that I can't imagine our lives without her! Thanks to everyone for the continued prayers and concern. Sorry it took so long to post a new entry, but we've been focused on spoiling our little angel and lost track of time! Here are some pictures from the past two weeks...
Getting dressed for the ride home from the hospital!
Getting wheeled out of the hospital...much better this time around with Audrey in my arms!
Being such a good girl on her first car ride
The stork announcing her arrival!
Happy Halloween!!
Gig 'em Aggies!
