June 24, 2011
Day 8
GOING HOME DAY!!!!!!!
I snapped this picture before the sun was even up of Halle and me snuggling after her 6am feeding. It might just be my favorite picture thus far. Look how snuggly she is! I just love those little rolls on her side too! Really, this was one of the first true snuggles I got with my "wi-fi" baby (that's what we called her when she was finally wireless...no IV, no monitors, no feeding tube, no oxygen, etc.).
Resting up for her big trip home!
Feeding time with daddy!
After passing all of the tests and being thoroughly checked over by the nurses and doctors, we were finally discharged. What an amazing moment!
I had a darling little outfit for her to wear home, but I didn't even care at the point what anyone was wearing. I just wanted to be home with my baby! I did slip on her new Zuzzi headband and she told me that she loved it even though it was still a tad too big!
In the car ready to go!!
This picture cracks me up! By the time we got home, her headband had slipped off her head and was more of a necklace. She was asleep, so she had no idea!
Once we got home and the car unloaded, Halle quickly settled into her pink Boppy chair for a nap. What an exhausting eight days!!
Here are a few of the "party details" that never happened. Instead of hanging in our hospital room, Halle's birthday banner is still proudly displayed on our mantle. Scott asked me when we were taking it down, and I told him it might just stay up until her next birthday (not really) but I do like seeing it everyday!
Of course Addison had to have a "big sister" banner too (I didn't want her to feel left out!!) and it was going to be in the hospital room also. Well, it's over her bed in her room and she absolutely loves it there!
I had cookies made as "party favors" and they were in cellophane sacks tied with really fun grosgrain ribbon and these tags. I didn't get a picture of them pacakged up, but they turned out pretty cute!
And naturally, we had water bottles. I made labels in 3 fun patterns. This was our last bottle as we left most of them in the breakroom at the NICU for the nurses (along with a fabulous cookie platter from Dara Marie's!).
So that's the party that never happened. Oh well...we made the best of it, I think.
Scott and I truly cannot thank our families and friends enough for all of the love and support during this time. Each and every phonecall, text, email and visit was appreciated more than you'll ever know!
As terrible as it was having our sweet Halle in the NICU, we honestly had a wonderful experience. Our nurses and the hospital were both amazing and we did not have one complaint about our entire stay!
I learned a lot while Halle was in the NICU. I've joked before about how "go with the flow" I am (and people always laugh when I say that...I'm not sure why!). As I'm sure you all are aware, I'm a planner and even the birth of Halle was planned to detail. It's amazing how fast all of the planning can go out the window, though, when a NICU visit is thrown into the mix. And honestly, I was bummed a few days into the stay that we didn't get to have her birthday party and the girls didn't get to wear their 5 days of matching outfits, but in the end it really didn't matter. The only thing that mattered was that Halle was healthy.
NICU stays aren't for babies either...only the strong survive the NICU! I've called it Baby Bootcamp and for very good reasons. They don't mess around in the NICU! The babies eat every 3 hours on the dot and they are allowed 30 minutes per feeding. If they don't finish their feeding in the given time, then they fail that feeding. I'm telling you, it's brutal! Halle failed a time or two and Scott and I were her biggest cheerleaders when the 30 minutes was almost over and she still had several cc's to go! We were literally sweating bullets a few times! It's definitely scheduled and rigorous, but the silver lining is that Halle basically came home on a schedule...which has been WONDERFUL!!!
There should be a survivor's club established for parents of NICU babies. It's hard. It's emotional. And you definitely feel like you deserve an award when your baby finally gets discharged. It's quite an achievement!
We are more than thrilled to be home and to have our new family of four healthy and under one roof. We may have had a bumpy start, but we sure have enjoyed every minute of Miss Halle's three weeks. Before she was born, I wasn't sure how my heart would balance the love for my girls, but it's amazing how fast it all just falls into place. I can't imagine our lives without her now. Our family is complete.
Welcome Home Sweet Home Halle Michelle!
