I would like to introduce... Caroline Leigh Anderson... aka Rock Star Baby

  So we have had a great week and I am very proud of my little girl.  I can not tell you all how amazing this journey is but for any of you that know it first hand it changes you.  Let's see... Caroline decided that she no longer needed oxygen and took it off and since she tolerated it the NICU doctors decided lets see how she does with out it.  Well my feisty little girl is doing just fine!  She is back up to birth weight officially in ounces but is a little up and down with her gram weights.  It's expected since she is now in a self controlled environment.  Basically her very expensive bed heats her up if she gets too cold.  She is wearing clothes and is swaddled now.  She is off of all support with exception of monitors and of course and her feeding tube.  The feeding tube you see in the above picture is actually in her nose now which is much smaller and more comfortable for her.  She also can turn her head completely over which is unusual for full term babies.  She kinda does what she wants.   :) 

Biggest news is that her heart mummer is now closing and they do not expect to have to treat it at all!!!!!  This is fabulous because had they had to treat with medications they would have had to cut back on her feedings to do so.  This of course would have set her back growth wise.  They will check again in a week.

Now for a bit of a me update.  I have placed the girls in day care from 10-2 everyday.  This allows for Tom and I to kangaroo at the 11am visit.  On Monday, Wednesday and Friday I have 3pm wound care in the hospital.  Those are very hard days for me.  It's simply painful and exhausting.  I am still not able to drive so getting to and from daily can be hard to manage.  I put it out there on my facebook that I was in need of some help but unfortunately I've had only a few responses.  (A special thank you to those of you who are able to help, I am forever in debt).  I am a very prideful person and I hate asking for help but I am physically unable to do so much because of having an open incision on my belly.  It will take half the time to heal and prevents serious complications so it's worth it but I am at somewhat of a loss for the simple things like how to cook dinner on the nights that Tom is at work.  (Tues.-Sat.)  Any help any of you can give is much appreciated.  If you have some availability even if it's just some time to pick me up from the hospital or grocery shop for me those things really count.  I have to pump 12 times a day in order to keep up with the supply Caroline needs.  I'm hardly doing so due to a lot of factors but any time I can free up allows me to dedicate that much more time to providing breast milk for her.  It's critical in getting her to come home!  At 35 weeks gestational age (she's 32 Thursday) I have to have enough milk to sustain her or they will put her on formula.  If I can prevent this it would be ideal.   If you would like please share this with anyone you think might be able to help.  I am not shy if you know me and well I can say that I haven't met too many people in my life I can call strangers.

If you think you can help at all please contact me:

countrycasey@gmail.com
www.facebook.com/caseylmeredith



I will update again soon.  Here's one more picture.  Tired, Happy mama and my little chunky monkey.  Love to all.

xoxo,
Casey, Tom and Baby Caroline