Mommy&Daughter Weekend!

This weekend was my first weekend staying the night right next to Miss Ira Jo! <3 {Amazing!}

It was a mommy & daughter weekend...my mom came with me, and we both got to love on baby girl. My mom finally got to get her "grandma and Ira" time...if any of you know my mom she absolutely LOVES to hold babies, and specially her grand babies! It was adorable watching her! 

So Sunday, Ira had another 'first'...Grandma time! <3

This morning and pretty much all day...we got some more good news, and some more prayer requests. Every morning there is a team/staff meeting around Ira, and it includes her surgeon as well. All night the night before, her breathing was great, she was initiating all her breaths over the machine, (that's a good thing) and she went all night without any pain medication! Unfortunately, this morning, she had to have some medication, it was just one dose, so it wasn't enough to worry the doctors and the surgeon, but it was still a dose that they don't want her to have. 

(Prayer request #1, no more pain & no more pain medication) 

Thankfully, they still decided to move forward with their plan. They lowered her breathing machine rate down to 40, which is 10 less than what it has been, so that's good news. The breathing rate has to be at about 30 or lower, plus she needs one other number on the machine to come down a little for her to come off the breathing machine all together. They aren't sure she will be able to do it all by herself until her abdomen swelling is completely gone. It's gone down a lot, but still has a little ways to go. 

(Prayer request #2, swelling in the abdomen goes completely down, and her breathing machine numbers go low enough that she can be taken off the machine all together)

Other than the lowering of the breathing machine, the last part of their plan was starting feeds. Yay! :) I so badly wish we could feed her through a bottle while holding her, but we can't with the breathing tube in! :( So, they put a feeding tube, or a gavage tube, in her nose and down to her stomach which allowed them to start giving her mommas' milk! They've started her off on 1ml every hour, which is a total of 2oz of breast milk per day. It's not very much, but they need to make sure it settles okay with babies tummy. The very first feeding didn't settle well at all, she actually threw it all up! That was terrifying to watch! I was so worried she was going to choke! Ugh, being a mom is so stressful, but so rewarding at the same time! (Okay, my rants over! lol sorry!) After the first milliliter, she seemed to be taking the rest of the feeds really well! So that meant momma got to finally hold her!! :):) But first, they had to access her. Check tube, wires, change her diaper and change the gauze on her Ileostomy, the surgical opening on her tummy where the poop drains. Eventually, it will drain into a bag once there is enough poop coming out that the gauze can't contain, but today, she had her second dirty gauze...in other words, she poop a little again! This is the second time!! Such exciting news!! Plus so more good news, was during the diaper change, they noticed a small amount of brown mucus that came from her bottom, so both parts of her bowel are starting to work!

(Prayer praise/request #3 Praise- The bowels are waking up and starting to work. Request- they continue to work, and start producing more poop so they can finally put a bag on and start the second part of the process)

After they accessed her, we got our special kangaroo time! Such precious and deeply treasured time between Ira and I, it seems to settles her so much, and she loves listening to my heartbeat! I just love our snuggle time! <3 Well, that's our weekend update and prayer requests thus far! I'm sure as the days and weeks go on there will be plenty of updates and prayers requests as well as praises! Thank you all for your love, prayers and just your caring hearts! NICU life isn't easy, but it truly is such a blessing to Linden and I and our girls knowing that we have so many people praying and caring for us! We couldn't never repay you all for the love you've shown us! You are all truly being big blessings in our lives right now! Thank you so much!

Side Note, I have two more prayer requests.... 

#1 Linden is sick, so he's unable to go see Ira for a while. He didn't even get to see her on Father's

Day, and he was pretty bummed about it. So, if you could just pray for quick healing so he could get back to Ira and finally hold her for the very first time ever, that would be great!

 #2 Linden and I can't thank my mom and dad enough for all that they've been doing for our family. Even my grandparents have been amazing. They have cared for us and about us from the very beginning, through thick and thin. My mom and dad have driven me down to the hospital all the time, worked while I sit and hold Ira, take care of Ada none stop without asking...everything! My family has been 100% amazing throughout all this, and they will never tell us when they are feeling stretched thin or worn out, and of course they worry about us as well, so if you could just say a quick prayer for my parents and family as well...just pray for their stress levels...pray that they feel the Lords' love towards them the same why they have been showing unconditional love towards us, even from the very beginning when Ada was born. They truly are going over and above what we could ask out of parents, all without being asked and without wanting anything in return! My family has been amazing to us, so if you could just say a simple prayer of strength and love for my parents and family, that would be wonderful! Thank you so much!