Apparently that last update was insufficient

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I think my baby sister might beat me up if I don’t post more.

Baby didn’t get to the PICU ’til 7PM; they were going to move her at 6PM but she had to be fed, and then we had to pack up her stuff. It seriously looked like she was going away to college. It was sad to leave the NICU since we have gotten to know the nurses and it has been good, but hopefully this is just another step on the long road to HOME. The PICU is very different. There are kids of all ages, and it is a lot more quiet because everybody has a private room. Leah has a pretty nice view from her window. Oh, and Leah has a window. Actual natural light! ZOMG!

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LeahBug in her first big-girl bed!!

Empress baby swaps out empires

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BabyBug’s first day in the PICU wound up being pretty short – we didn’t get up here until nearly 7PM! I will post pictures tomorrow – tonight we are having a slumber party! It will be the first night we have spent with our tiny empress. She is sleeping soundly – we shall see how long this lasts!

Some big news and some little news

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So, big news first: Leah is moving to the PICU tomorrow. Our expectation was always that she would move to the PICU after her big surgery, since the babies generally move from NICU to PICU once they reach 10 lbs. But earlier this week Mandy asked one of the nurses if it was at all possible that Leah might be moved earlier, and approximately one whirlwind later, we were informed that they could move her tomorrow. The NICU has been really full lately and I think they will be happy to have the extra bed – and in the PICU there is a place for parents to sleep, so while we can’t exactly set up camp there instead of at RMH, at least we have the option to stay with the baby on any given night, which would be especially nice on nights when she’s having trouble. This also means that Mandy will be able to prepare for classes and get work done while she’s in the room with the baby, which will be HUGE once school starts again. You can’t use computers in the NICU.

They have assured us that LeahBug will have the same level of care and attention as in the NICU – I guess usually once babies go home, if they have to come back to the hospital they go to the PICU regardless of their age and size. So I’m sure she won’t be the only tiny-tot present. Since Leah is at full-term I don’t think it matters that much whether she’s in the NICU or PICU as long as she has attentive nurses and one of us can be there as often as possible.

It sounds like the PICU is a little bit less rigid in its rules, but we will still maintain NICU rules for Leah – i.e. thorough washing-up before you come in and after you touch your phone, nobody visiting without one of us present, and only Mamas sleeping over. And as always, no visitors who are sick!!! (That even goes for Mamas, as you know).

Second piece of big news: BABYBUG REACHED 8 LBS!!! She is 8 lbs, 1 oz today! YAY!!!!

Smaller news: Mama Lisa has returned! I’m back at RMH today and will see my tiny sweetheart tomorrow, assuming I am feeling okay. CAN’T WAIT!

More small news (but still pretty cool): I entered BabyBug into a photo contest and she is currently in first place! If you are on BabyCenter, will you please vote for her?

Honky tonk classics

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I made a video for BabyBug’s fundraising page! I had to use a goofy cover of the background song since YouTube didn’t have the original available for public use. Our friend Faith made most of the original slides to put into an animated GIF, so I made bigger versions, added a few slides, and ta da! Honky tonk LOLBugs.

Still missing my BabyBug

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Still not sure what the heck is wrong with me. I’ve had this sore throat since Monday night and it hasn’t broken into a cold yet. I went to the ER Thursday to get IV meds re: my whole ongoing Thing, and also to see if they could take a look at my throat. They don’t think it’s strep or anything, but it’s still SOMETHING so I’m not taking any chances. I went home this weekend to avoid getting Mandy sick (and also ’cause they don’t like contagion over at RMH – can you blame them?). The cats were thrilled to see me yesterday, but at this point I’m old news; at the moment, Lobo is fast asleep and Jeepers Creepers is trying to see what kind of trouble he can get into. He just tried to pick a fight with my bedside lamp.

BabyBug had a visit from her Aunti Staci today after two weeks apart (Aunti was at camp). While Aunti Staci was away, BabyBug sent her, among other things, eight postcards, a pack of white onesies and a box of rubber bands (HINT HINT HINT). Leah got her way and now she’s dressed like a hippie dippie baby. LOVE! Her weight has been at a standstill the past week or so – she was up to about 7 lbs 12 oz, I think, but I think some of that might have been fluid weight and she has lost a couple of ounces because of the Lasix. She’s 7 lbs 9.9 oz right now and has been hovering around there for a couple of days. They may increase her food again soon. She is already up to 70 mL per feed. Other than that, there is nothing new to report, which I guess is probably a good thing. They are still planning to switch out Mic-Key for Mini on the 21st.

Now I shall return to binge-watching “Orange Is the New Black” and leave you to enjoy photos. Yay.

Baby 1
Hippie Dippie Tripped-Out Baby

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Look at this face!

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THIS FACE! OMG. Need to reach into the phone and pinch her little cheeks.

Baby 2
Together at last!

Would you believe it?

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The nurse practitioner on Leah’s surgical team emailed me this morning to let me know, among other things, that when they do the procedure on the 21st to remove the granulation tissue and do another contrast study, they would like to switch out Leah’s Mic-Key button for a different brand which they find is better with kids who form granulation tissue. It’s called a Mini ONE.

That’s right. Her Mic-Key is being swapped out for a Mini. I am not even kidding.

Missing my Bug!

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I had a bit of a sore throat today – not sure if it’s from being sick so much or if it’s from getting sick-sick, but I didn’t want to take any chances. So we improvised.

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“MAMA! OMG MAMA’S TRAPPED IN THE LITTLE BOX!!”

Meanwhile… I have another gastric emptying study in the morning. I get to eat a radioactive sandwich. It’ll be my first sandwich in months.

In better news… BabyBug is off of her antibiotics! Let’s hope it stays that way!

Just one of those days

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Calling the NICU for a 2AM update and hearing your kid screaming in the background… kinda rips your heart out a little bit. She’s hungry. She’s uncomfortable. We’re supposed to be able to pop out of bed and go to comfort her when she’s screaming like that. Instead I’m getting a report from a stranger.

The doc said earlier today that Leah’s chest x-rays from yesterday and today looked worse than the x-rays from last weekend. She is pretty sure Bug is aspirating but isn’t sure how to prevent it aside from vigilant monitoring of the tube as well as keeping the kid calm (so much for that). They advanced her repogle another 2 cm (which I asked about like 3 weeks ago and was told it was unnecessary). She doesn’t seem to be tolerating it well, though. It keeps sticking to the lining of her throat and therefore not suctioning. Maybe they should have started with one extra centimeter.

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This took the tireless efforts of two exhausted but determined mamas utilizing such tricks as Mama’s Knervous Knee (built-in bouncy chair!) and Magical Mommysongs. It worked, but apparently it didn’t last long.