O is for the Only One I See.
I am home. I was discharged today, sent off to wend my way through new motherhood with only my native wits, 30 Percoset, and a rented breastpump (the Medela “Howling Vortex,” in case you were wondering). I had a bit of a breakdown as Scott wheeled me away from the NICU. It feels unspeakably wrong to leave your baby and go home, wrong-er even than it feels to be standing next to her as she becomes agitated and yet not reach in through a porthole to scoop her up.
Simone is doing very well. So well, in fact, that the echo to get a closer look at her large PDA was canceled today because they don’t want to disturb her obvious equilibrium. She is still on a ventilator but merely requiring room air. I am pretty sure I read somewhere that this means she is a genius and also will appreciate fine puns and the wonders of punctuation.
As you probably guessed, the frisson of Internet access we had near the window of my room disappeared after my last post, and if I hadn’t had Schnozz’s number with me you would all still be wondering where I had gotten to, and whether I had remained pregnant long enough to calculate the number of perforations in my ceiling via mathematical formulae.* Not providing Internet access to women on bedrest is a Sin, and I am drafting a letter to the hospital administration.
Happily, now that I am home I can post whenever it pleases me, and so I thought I might share a few pictures, taken back when Simone was a youthful two days old…
The thing that was kicking me, the nurses, and the monitoring disk:
In her sophisticated sleep mask:
The lady reclines:
And here is my favorite. The one thing sure to calm my baby, besides the Ativan they sometimes give her, is when I cup her furry head in one hand and her legs and bottom in the other, like so:
Back tomorrow.
*5,733. Yes, really.
150 Comments
She is gorgeous.
Congratulations, Mom.
My thoughts are with you and yours.
Beautiful! Congratulations, Mama!
Oh, oh, oh, she is so lovely.
Alexa, I take my hat off to you. I’m not going to attempt anything quippy or clever. I just feel truly honoured to be able to read about and SEE that splendid girl.
OH Alexa! What a beautiful baby girl. This made me cry, desperately.
You and your family are truly wonderful and amazing.
Incredibly glad to hear that Simone is doing so well. Glad also that you have the strength and desire to continue to share with us.
So much love and CONTINUOUS positive energy/thoughts being sent your way.
Thank you for updating us.
Lovely. The picture of you holding her is wonderful.
Now - rest, and eat and take care of you. Go Vortex!
Beautiful! Gorgeous! And has a lovely little leg! She looks so healthy for such a young one. Congratulations. Surely she is a genius.
Holy Cow, she is lovely!
Congratulations to all of you. May she continue to thrive and be home soon so you can update us with endless pictures of the little princess.
Much love to you all.
Damn, Alexa. You are each miraculous. Her beauty is incomparable, and your spirits…I am simply without words, just high pitched, deliriously giddy squeals.
Dad is great too, and I am sure I’ll rave about him after future posts, but today is for you girls.
Bravo!
Alexa and Scott,
What a beautiful baby girl. Thank you for sharing her through the great photos. Welcome Simone! Mucho congrats to Mom and Dad for their patience and love.
Much sympathy for the loss of Amos. He will always be remembered.
Keeping you in thoughts and prayers,
Take very good care.
Your daughter is beautiful! But you already knew that :)
Wow- so beautiful. I’m so glad she’s doing so well. Grow strong, baby girl. Mommy & Daddy have been through so much.
so glad you both are doing well!
Yay, thanks for sharing Mama. There is something wrong about having to leave your babe at the hospital where you go home to be a mom with no kidlet, but it won’t last forever, and soon she’ll be screaming and pooping and raising all kinds of hell at home.
Also, PLEASE DO write the hospital a letter about the internet situation. In all likeliness they are working on it, and there is a plan in action to get the whole hospital enabled, but they might need a reminder that the people who are in for one or two nights might not need to stay connected quite as much as the people who will be there for weeks or MONTHS. When my mom was going through her treatment for Breast Cancer this past year (good riddance, 2007!) it was an absolute godsend to be able to write a quick note to keep friends and family in the loop, and also so I could have my own little internet escape when she was napping or whatever. As someone who works for a health care system, I can tell you that they really take those letters to heart, and it might be the push they need to re-route their plan and get that wing wired ASAP.
She is beautiful, and the picture of you cradling her is so utterly sweet.
Congratulations, and may she thrive and come home quickly.
Precious doesn’t begin to cover it. Many wishes for a speedy recovery for you and a short-as-possible and uneventful NICU stay. Also, may you only have the best NICU doctors and nurses (and if you don’t like a nurse, speak up! - we had one pulled off of Boog’s care because she was a beyotch to us - so don’t just settle). Now I must go chase down my rambunctious 3 1/2 year old former-preemie…
Awwwwww, she is just so beautiful and looks healthy, it makes me melt. I love it. And you, you sound amazing, now more than ever.
I don’t have the proper words, but I just wanted you to know that I am pulling for you, Simone and the rest of your family.
Gorgeous! She is beyond adorable! And those long legs! Exclamation points do not do her justice!
WOW! The pictures bring back so many NICU memories. CONGRATULATIONS!!! She is a beautiful miracle. Make sure you journal about this time. Another thing that helped was a calendar that I kept at the NICU to record weight/growth and other things like U/S, when air settings were changed, ect…..
Good Luck, keeping ya’ll in my thoughts.
O is for OMG she is so beautiful and adorable and precious. Congratulations. The pictures brought tears of joy to my eyes. Blessings on you, Simone and your whole family.
She is so beautiful. Congratulations again and thanks for posting pictures. You’re grace throughout all this has been amazing, Alexa. Hoping for a blissfully boring NICU stay for Simone. Can’t wait to see the pics when she is home with you.
What a beautiful sight!! Congrats Mom! She is gorgeous!
oh oh oh!
look at her little calf muscle. your belly was merely shooting practice! i smell a soccer player.
(infinity congrats)
Oh, Yay! She is beautiful and looks very strong.
I am so happy to see pictures of her looking so good. She looks amazing for a 26 week baby. She is a fighter. The NICU is hard. It will drive you crazy but just try to use this time to heal and prepare for her homecoming. I was in tears every time I left after visiting Bear but I also know I needed that time to heal from my c-section and get everything ready for him. He still came home 1 1/2 months before his due date. Simone has already beat so many odds and been so strong I am sure she will be home in no time. Good job Momma.
So happy for you both. Simone is adorable, and I hope you have her home with you soon.
Darling girl.
I’m so happy for you.
Congratulations, Alexa and Scott! The NICU is indeed a tough place, just right for a tough kid like Simone. I’m currently enjoying a visit with my sister and her babies: my 22-month old niece (who was a 30-week preemie) and 12 month old nephew (who was the surprise news when his big sister was still in the NICU!).
So good things happen. We’re all pulling for all of you. Hang in there.
Knowing that Simone is so snuggly safe and sound just warms my heart.
Well done, Flotsam Fam.
Oh, what a beautiful girl. Fantastic!!
So glad to hear she is doing so well. Continued best wishes for you all.
She is a beauty! I absolutely love that last picture, too. There is something about that way of comforting preemies. My boys loved it, too.
Congrats, mama!
I’m sorry you had to go home without her. It must be killing you! She is so precious, absolutely gorgeous.
…5,733. I would recomend including that in the leter to the hospital administration. They may take you a little more seriously about the lack of internet!
She is absolutely BEAUTIFUL. And definitely a genius baby to be on room air. That is fabulous! Keep up the good work little one! I loved the hand hug. Even now we can settle Elise in the middle of the night by placing our hand on her head. It’s amazing how much love and calm your baby can feel with that simple touch. It won’t be too long before she is snuggled up against your chest.
Thinking of you and your beautiful daughter often.
OMG, she is adorable! Well done Mommy! The hardest thing I ever did was leave my Max in the nursery when I went home and he was only there for 1.5 days after I left. I broke down in hysterics and I NEVER cry. Everyone kept telling me he was ok, but no one but another mommy who’s been through it understands just how unbearably wrong it feels to leave your babe behind. Hang in there, she will be home very soon and I’m sure you’ll be there daily to keep on bonding. Oh and the breast pump? They suck! No pun intended. But a necessary evil.
What a cutie! How long is your sweet little girl? The pictures make her look really long! And those feet — they’re big feet! Can you show us something to compare the size?
I am so happy she is doing so well and can’t wait for the “coming home” post!
Sweet, beautiful baby girl Simone. She is gorgeous and is clearly already as brilliant as they come. Congratulations again.
Oh - it’s so good to hear from you! She is gorgeous and I’m so glad she’s doing so well. I can’t believe those long legs! How could you NOT have had a breakdown leaving her behind. She will be home soon enough, though!
A horror about the lack of internet. So wrong.
Oh, oh…thank you for the photos, She is AMAZING!!!!!! I too had a baby in NICU and I agree, she looks remarkably mature for her age. SO advanced. Right on!
I know it’s hard to leave her, but nothing about your story has been easy. She will be home soon, and she is in good hands. Take care of yourself and get some sleep while you can. Simone needs her mommy strong and well.
Careful with the ’sucking vortex’…I quickly pumped my way to 60 oz/day! But pump, pump, pump. That’s liquid gold for your little one.
I’m just so freaking happy for you all. I prayed so damned hard and I’m so excited for you to be a mama. Yay, hoorah, Fuck ya!!!!!!
She looks wonderful! I know it will be hard to go home without her but it won’t be long before she’ll be with you - she looks like a real little trouper! (or is it trooper? I’m never sure!). Anyway, Congratulations again to you both!
Am sighing sighs of relief that she is doing well. That pic of you with your hands around her head and rump is so sweet.
She’s already a heartbreaker! Look at that sweet little leg! :)
Congratulations!
She’s perfect. And beautiful. And all yours.
Another little post. I think Simone will be a tall one.
My elder beauty, now 9 years old and nearly the height of me, never had those fat baby feet you see in the commercials. I remember my (almost) first remarks on meeting her for the first time - her feet, I have to say, had the look of VIKING LONGSHIPS.
And Viking longships took the Vikings a very long way over stormy seas (we’ll forget about the rape and pillage for a moment. Those ships served them well….)
Best to have feet built to last.
Still in awe and wonderment and will remain thus …
Congratulations to all four of you - Scott, Alexa, Ames and Simone. A wonderful family.
Thank you so much for the peek at your little one. Sending growing vibes her and healing vibes to you. She looks incredibly determined.
Best! Baby! Ever!
She’s beautiful. I’m so glad she’s doing so well!
That’s the leg of a future Rockette!
She’s a keeper. Congratulations.
She’s beautiful. Truly truly beautiful. Leaving your baby in the NICU to go home does feel wrong - but she’s clearly a fighter and in good hands. Hang in there Momma, and know that you have a whole world of internet folk thinking of all of you.
And Simone - welcome to the world little one. You have a lot of guardian angels looking out for you, but none so precious as your brother. Look out for her baby Ames.
Much love to all of you!
Beautiful Beautiful Baby : )
I am so glad that Simone is doing well. I am so sorry you had to leave her in the hospital. She looks beautiful. The picture of you holding her with both hands is an amazing photo.
Thanks so much for sharing the photo’s with us. Aren’t those just the most perfect little hands and feet. I am so glad that she is doing so incredibly well. I pray that she will continue to thrive and that you can take her home in no time.
Oh the memories. May I suggest the Medela yellow fancy pump? It’s the hospital grade level one. I went from sucking vortex to Medela and liked the Medela much better. Also, can I say not to worry about getting 2 ml from one pump? I don’t think I really understood how small their stomachs are at the beginning. Just a tiny bit goes a long way.
As for the PDA: My son’s PDA finally closed when he turned a year old. I know tons of kids with PDA’s. It seems every kid who was scanned had one. I wonder if most babies have them, but since they don’t get scanned, everyone just doesn’t know.
Finally, Congratulations. Congratulations on such a beautiful little girl. Such a fighter. Congratulations on the all important 4 day mark in the NICU. Congratulations on nearly room air. That is so freaking great and wonderful.
Jeez, you didn’t say nearly room air, you said “room air”. How freaking amazing is that?!!!!
She is a genius!
Another former NICU mom here. My former preemie is 15 years old and just went off to school. I showed her Simone’s picture and she smiled. We both send prayers, energy, whatever it takes.
Leaving your baby behind is difficult but since it’s best for her, it’s just another difficult thing you do - you are a wonderful mother.
I refresh this page all the time, waiting for more news and updates… oh and pictures. Lovely, lovely girl you have. Well done!!!
Hooray! Even her toes are charming.
YAY SUPERHERO BABY!
I can already tell she’s terribly clever. I think perhaps she is doing this whole preemie thing ironically. I’d know that deadpan expression anywhere. Precocious, that one.
What a beautiful baby girl you have! Thank you for sharing her with us. I believe that “cupping” the baby, as you were doing, simulates the womb for a preemie, and they do calm down when you do this. Continue to do so when you visit her. Babies that tiny are not supposed to be eating yet outside the womb, so when they do start feeding her, it will be only about 1 to 2 cc at a time, which is almost like a drop! Like feeding a kitten.
May God continue to bless you Alexa and Scott, and Simone. :)
Alexa - congratulations on Simone’s birth! NICU is a hard time, but now a year later I can hardly believe my little fattypuff was ever in a humidicrib. Good luck with the pumping torture. You get used to it.
She looks like such a sweetie. Congratulations and best of luck. My heart goes out to you, Scott, Ames and Simone on a regular basis.
How lovely and amazing she is. Wonderful to hear the good news - room air! she is truly remarkable.
Look at her gorgeous peach fuzz hair! She is truly beautiful.
Simone looks just divine,
J
She’s beautiful! And I’m in awe that she’s on room air! My 30 weeker nephew didn’t manage that til he’d been in the NICU for almost a month! More exclamation points for the Amazing Simone!!!
Oh sweet! And beautiful, and lovely, and GORGEOUS! What a marvelous, smart, genius baby girl you have. I’m so sorry you had to leave hosp. without her. I am so glad she is doing well, and I hope she is able to come home to you very soon.
Beautiful Simone!! So happy to hear she’s doing well. :)
She is beautiful Alexa, just beautiful.
I am in love. What a trooper. Both of you, actually. Congrats.
She is beautiful. Go Simone Go! Breathe that room air, get stronger and go home with Mama and Dada as soon as you can.
Congratulations. Simone is beautiful.
She is just Gorgeous!!! She obviously has her mother’s fighting spirit. I can’t wait to see her grow!
What a charming and delicate baby. She’s quite obviously gifted.
So. Tiny.
So. Precious.
Sharing in your celebration and grief.
Simone is absolutely beautiful and I am so glad that she is doing so well. Room air!
You are amazing. Truly.
She is absolutely beautiful! Congratulations again!
Breathtaking, beautiful, strong Simone! So many people are sharing in your parents’ joy, cheering you on and loving you!
Take care,
Julie
She is beautiful. Congratulations, Alexa.
My godson and his twin sister were born at 28 weeks and some-odd days after their mom suffered pre-e and HELLP.
The girl twin was 1 lb. 7 oz. Today she is robust three year old who runs, climbs up the stair railing, and generally being a monkey. The boy is doing well too.
We’re in the mid-Atlantic but if you’d like her name, I’m happy to pass it along. I know she found comfort speaking to other moms.
In any case, Simone look very good. Please take care of yourself.
Thank you so much for posting pictures. I am sitting at my desk with tears in my eyes. She’s a little beauty. I am seeing the stylish sleep mask as a precursor to some amazing Breakfast at Tiffany’s-style sunglasses later on . . . .
You all continue to be in my prayers.
She is BEAUTIFUL. And room air — amazing!
Sorry that you know so much about the hospital ceiling!
Thank God. Thank God.
welcome home.
I am so, so happy she’s doing OK. I can only begin to fathom what it was like to leave the NICU. After Zach was stillborn, I bawled as we left the hospital because I felt like I was leaving my son with strangers. Of course, I wasn’t, because he wasn’t really there. But Simone is. Oh, what a beautiful miracle baby.
Pardon me for being such an idiot… A PDA??? This kid already has a Personal Digital Assistant??
Whatever, she’s beautiful — and lucky — as lucky as you are to have her.
Simone is lovely–congratulations!
And I’m so glad you are back on-line!
She is absolutely beautiful!!! Congratulations!!! Stay strong little one!!
She’s gorgeous!! Sure to inspire a chorus of “aw”’s wherever she goes. Congratulations mama duck!
HALLELUJAH! She is beautiful and strong.
WOW! She looks so strong!
And room air already? Man, that is a TRUE indication of the genius that is Simone. She’s gonna kick ass (I mean KEEP kicking ass, that is)!
congrats x a million.
Congratulations again. She looks so perfect! I’m so happy she’s doing so well.
Oh, she’s LOVELY! Absolutely perfect! Bravo, Flotsams. And congrats.
She is a miracle, and you are an inspiration.
you both amaze me. way to go, Simone, keep on kicking.
Alexa, keep on pumping…I remember that….so much fun. ;)
be well and she will be home with you soon, get better, Momma…
Congratulations on such a long-legged beauty! And those long, delicate fingers are sure to play the piano. She will surely be a ballerina/pianist and set the world on fire!
So happy to see an update and photos.
She is so lovely. Congratulations :)
She is beautiful. And what a head of hair. I suspect that you were at the same hospital I was, and I agree, no Internet is just not fair. Here is to small victories, kangaroo care as soon as you can, and tons of nummy breastmilk to keep those long legs kicking.
She is so precious! Congratulations to you and Scott. Give ‘em hell, Simone!
I just found your blog recently, but I have been checking and hoping to see good news and I was so happy to find this post today. She is adorable, and she looks wonderful and quite sophisticated in her sleep mask. Very Eva Gabor.
I can’t wait to read along as she continues to grow big and strong.
How amazing! She is really here, your little fighter. Sorry you got to pump those boobies…..Mooooooooooo!
Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl!
Here’s hoping for continued strength, health and a speedy discharge.
Alexa she is beautiful. I am so very glad that she is doing well!
She is beautiful!
Thanks so much for sharing her with us.
She is quite clearly a child prodigy and that leg is going to look devastating in stilettos one day…or converse. whichever.
Rest. Recooperate. Revel in that sweet new baby love.
Congratulations!
Oh Alexa she is just beautiful!
And those toes!
Thank you so much for updating us and posting those wonderful pictures. Both of you will be my thoughts and prayer.
Hooray baby Simone!! Hooray Mom. The leaving the little one behind is incredibly hard, and I still cry when I tell people about it, but eventually it has less importance when the little one comes home. The swirling vortex pump!! I too got up to 50+ ounces a day quite quickly, bought a freezer and some Lansinoh freezer bags and bagged up a LOT of milk that saw us through the day care days when I didn’t pump so much. If you want help with pumping and storing advice, just ask! Yeah, Flotsams! She is perfect.
Those legs! Those feet! That fuzzy little head! She is gorgeous and I love the picture of you cradling her. Of course she loves being held by her mama.
Oh she is so beautiful! Congrats!
She’s gorgeous! Can you ask her where I can get such a nifty sleep mask?
Hello Simone!
Are you sure that’s not MedUSA Howling Vortex. Pumps = eeeeeevil.
Anyway, so happy that you are well and that Simone is thriving. I adore her long, graceful baby toes and the photo of you hoding her is so sweet.
Go, Simone!
She is so beautiful! Congratulations, again. I will send all the “get strong and come home soon!” thoughts I can toward Simone!
Wow! Congratulations!! I’m glad to hear you’re home and you and Simone are well. Hang in there!
Wow! She is so precious! Congrats on your little miracle (genius, too)!
Anxious to continue following her progress.
Take care Alexa (and Scott)!
Beautiful! Many congratulations!!
I can’t imagine how happy and overwhelmed you must be. I was born at 32 weeks and spent 4 weeks in the NICU, 32-years later my mother still bawls her eyes out every time she talks about having to leave me there.
Sending strong and healthy vibes to your entire family!
Such a beautiful baby! Congratulations!
She’s such a very pretty baby, Alexa. Also, I think it’s great that she’s already so attached to and soothed by you — clearly, you are the best mom ever.
I was hoping we’d get a picture soon. She’s a gorgeous girl!
Your Baby! YOUR BABY! Your daughter! Isn’t that amazing?! Congratulations!! I am so very happy for you all!
Truly a miracle. A tiny beautiful miracle. Here’s to her continued good progress and bringing her home to be with you and Scott long before your due date.
My thoughts and best wishes are with you all.
She’s beautiful!
She is beautiful! She has the longest legs I’ve ever seen! Not only will she be a genius, but she’ll be the first long-legged, supermodel, genius that can appreciate the wonders of punctuation! She’s going to change the world, I can tell. I’m so happy for you. I’m merely a lurker on your blog, but I felt it necessary to comment. Congratulations on your beautiful little miracle and I hope she can be home with you very soon!
What a beautiful little girl!!! Congrats!
I love the pic of you holding her. It is amazingly sweet. Congrats.
Oh my gawd! She is so exquisite! I am all tearful just looking at her photos (tears of joy and wonder that is!) My best to both daughter and mom!
She is beautiful - just beautiful. So delicate (and those legs - she’s going to be tall!), and obviously already knows her mother!
So precious! A long-legged beauty! So glad you are both doing well. Thanks for sharing pix.
Hello Simone!!! Welcome to the world! You are gorgeous. And Mom she knows your touch. Congratulations and best wishes on your new daughter!!
Many, many Congratulations!! So happy to hear (and see) you are all doing so well. Really fantastic - she’s lovely.
I’m not sure there’s any better feeling than a baby’s head. Congrats, Mama. She’s really lovely.
How long is she? She’s ready for her America’s Next Top Model shoot - where’s Miss J?
One more thing! I didn’t have the “Howling Vortex” model, but instead and earlier one I think they called “Taffy Puller 2.0″ - My husband made the mistake of commenting about it one night and I’m pretty sure I shot acid dipped razors from my eyes.
It’s good to have talents.
The picture of you cradling her is sweet beyond words. What a beautiful girl you have there!
Fabulous, fabulous, fabulous. So happy for you and your family. Simone sounds like a trooper, like her maman. The internet is humming with giddiness for you, clearly.
The picture of you cradling her in your hands made me cry. Both of you are so beautiful and yes, nevermind that all I can see of you is your hands. You are both so strong. What a perfect miracle she is.
xo
Congratulations on your precios little girl.
Its great she is doing so well now. My daughter was a preemie too and was able to breath on her own for the first week, and then needed help for the next 5 weeks. The NICU is two steps forward and one back. Its long and its hard, but it will end eventually. Its not how its supposed to be, but at least it is.
Congratulations, Alexa and Scott, on your beautiful baby girl!
Congratulations, Mom! Simone is a real champ, already on room air. Definitely a genius. I love the pic of you calming her down. I hope you get to bring her home soon.
She is beautiful and precious!!! Congratulations to you and Scott! I am so looking forward to hearing about her progress and seeing more gorgeous pictures of sweet Simone.
I will be keeping everything crossed for a good echo. We went through that with my little one.
I know everyone says little girls are gorgeous…but she’s really gorgeous. That little hand under her chin in the second picture.
I just wanted to add something - I have heard that if you drink one beer per day, it will help make more breast milk, or take a brewers yeast tablet daily. But, please do check that out before you do anything like that. =)
Simone looks beautiful! Congratulations.
I am likely to be fired shortly for sitting at my desk and blubbing, but happily they are tears of joy so I dont care!
She is beautiful and wonderful and obviously destined to kick-box her way through life, and I am so happy for you and Scott.
Congratulations!!!!!
Happy Valentines Day, dear lady. You have so much love to give to this new life. Congratulations. Below I am pasting a Dar Williams song that I thought you might appreciate very much right now. I’d mail you the CD, but, you know… dunno where to send it. ;)
THE ONE WHO KNOWS
- Dar Williams
Time it was I had a dream
And you’re that dream come true.
If I had the world to give
I’d give it all to you.
I’ll take you to the mountains,
I will take you to the sea.
I’ll show you how this life became a miracle to me.
You’ll fly away, but take my hand until that day.
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job’s done you’ll be the one who knows.
All the things you treasure most
will be the hardest won.
I will watch you struggle long
before the answers come.
But I won’t make it harder,
I’ll be there to cheer you on.
I’ll shine the light that guides you down
The road you’re walking on.
You’ll fly away, but take my hand until that day.
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job’s done you’ll be the one who knows.
Before the mountains call to you,
before you leave this home,
Wanna teach your heart to trust
As I will teach my own.
But sometimes I will ask the moon
Where it shined upon you last
And shake my head and laugh and say
It all went by so fast.
You’ll fly away, but take my hand until that day.
So when they ask how far love goes
When my job’s done you’ll be the one who knows.
Dear Alexa and Scott -
What a great lookin little baby leg she has! You just might have a future Rockette on your hands! But really - she’s just so sweet and beautiful and I want to thank you so much for sharing your journey and your little miracle with us. I would like to throw something else out as well and I hope it’s okay to do so. I just want to encourage everyone who has been pulling for you to support the March of Dimes! All babies deserve a healthy and strong start and I’m hoping that some day premature birth will be a thing of the past. I am walking in my first March for Babies (formerly Walk America) to celebrate the little ones who are with us today and the little angels who have gone on ahead. Even though I have never met you, I will be thinking of your precious children during my walk. I have a link on my new blog, captaincrazy.blogspot.com that will take anyone to my March of Dimes webpage if they want to learn more. Take care of yourself and your precious little girl - with much love!
That is a marvelous baby. Just marvelous.
Congrats mama,
Simone is beautiful, I especially love the photo of her cradled between your hands.
My 25 weekers were born 6 months ago tomorrow and I can still (clearly) remember the feeling at the start of our NICU rollercoaster ride, it felt like it was going to stretch into eternity. Time does pass and they do make progress.
With regards the PDA- both my daughters had PDAs and both needed medication to treat it, one daughter’s closed with the meds, but the weaker of the two had to stop treatment due to an infection. When the infection was finally under control she was too old for the meds to work. So we were waiting for her to grow big enough for the operative closure when the PDA closed spontaneously!! There is always hope
a first time visitor here (via thalia)
she is lovely
reminds me so much of my two when they pitched up a couple of months early (now happy, healthy almost four year olds)
hang in there, mommy, and keep pumping
:-)
OH! Looking at her makes my uterus ache for another!!!! She’s lovely!
Proof that superheroes come in mini packages too.
Well done, Alexa. Well done.
Thinking good thoughts for all of you.
Congratulations on the safe arrival of Simone! I’m glad to hear she’s doing so well. I hope she continues to thrive.
Aw Alexa - she’s just beautiful! I can’t imagine leaving either and I wish you (and Scott) peace and Simone good health.
Hope you are coping ok with the daily grind of pumping, heavens how I hate it. And, more importantly, that Simone is flourishing. If you haven’t already, you might want to read Julie’s post called something like “so you’ve decided to have a baby in the NICU”. It tells it like it is.
Oh, I’m late joining the congratulations but delighted to wish you, Scott and your precious daughter the best. Welcome, Simone - keep flourishing, you brave little one.