A quick update. Sorry I haven't called anyone recently. Jeanette has my phone since she chewed up almost 900 minutes for the month already and we don't want a mortgage payment going to AT&T (who charge for looking and breathing on the phone). But I can't bitch about the phone company too much since our facility supports the carriers who pay us to keep them working.
Alexandra is doing better every day. She is currently 2.3 pounds, gaining an ounce or so a day since she started receiving her milk. Which started an ounce every hour for 4 hours 2x day, now increased to an ounce an hour. She had her first movement yesterday (poop, popi, crap, etc) which is big, telling the doctors all is well in the food processing part of her body. She again dirtied a diaper so well this morning that they feel she is healthy enough to stop all antibiotics and air help. She was receiving a minimal amount of air support through the nose but she will be monitored without starting tonight. I was able to hold the small girl yesterday for 90 minutes, under my shirt. She slept comfortably until we had to remove her back to her bed. Ali is so tiny when she was curled up I could only really feel her warmth and her heart beat. Her fingers are long as well as her toes (takes after Jessica). It is hard to believe a small little person has all the same body parts we do, in a small package. She is 13+ inches in length but when you hold her she doesn't seem that long. Jeanette's job now is to produce milk every two hours for Alexandra so she can improve her immunity system, grow, gain weight and develop into a 4+ pound baby. That is the weight the doctors feel will be the target for her to leave the hospital. We are currently living at my in-laws house until Jeanette can drive again (2-3 weeks). Since Amanda's school is only a couple blocks away her Abuelo (Latin grandfather) can take her to school at 7:45, allowing me to work normally from 7-4, then I can stop at Baptist hospital on the way home after work. We also have friends dropping Amanda off at their house after school to avoid others from stopping their work day. That's the price we pay for a Catholic education, no public transportation, but we do have a great parent resource team since we know and talk to every parent who has a kid in Amanda's class. Speaking of that, our girl's pediatrician is a parent of a child (Luigi) in Amanda's class whom Jeanette and I have been good friends of before we had 3 girls (and they have 3 boys in the same age range). She (Cristy) calls and emails me every day she checks up on Alexandra at the hospital, giving us her version of the progress and what the doctors are doing and why:
"Hey Jeanette and Richard, I heard things were going well and I have no doubt she is going to do well, I can tell she is feisty. I spoke to the nurse 1/5/09 At night and she had just weighed her-990 gms. I think you should be very proud. This is going to be a slow process but you will see she will grow so quickly and before you know it, you will be having to decide how to separate christmas and her birthday. Let me know if you need anything. And that includes picking up or dropping of kids. We are praying for you and your family. love, cristy."
Speaking of holiday and birthday's merging, I owe Kim a call, for an update and a Happy Birthday! You now have another family member who will understand the dilemma of a birthday and holiday merged into one. We didn't forget you! I do have a lot of pictures but they are still on the camera. I am bringing home my laptop so I can move them to an email format. I also have some REAL LIFE baby born seconds after video from womb to doctor video I can share if anyone want to see it. I will keep in touch and let me know if I missed anyone's email or want to be included in any updates.
Love,
Rich and the 4 girls
Alexandra is doing better every day. She is currently 2.3 pounds, gaining an ounce or so a day since she started receiving her milk. Which started an ounce every hour for 4 hours 2x day, now increased to an ounce an hour. She had her first movement yesterday (poop, popi, crap, etc) which is big, telling the doctors all is well in the food processing part of her body. She again dirtied a diaper so well this morning that they feel she is healthy enough to stop all antibiotics and air help. She was receiving a minimal amount of air support through the nose but she will be monitored without starting tonight. I was able to hold the small girl yesterday for 90 minutes, under my shirt. She slept comfortably until we had to remove her back to her bed. Ali is so tiny when she was curled up I could only really feel her warmth and her heart beat. Her fingers are long as well as her toes (takes after Jessica). It is hard to believe a small little person has all the same body parts we do, in a small package. She is 13+ inches in length but when you hold her she doesn't seem that long. Jeanette's job now is to produce milk every two hours for Alexandra so she can improve her immunity system, grow, gain weight and develop into a 4+ pound baby. That is the weight the doctors feel will be the target for her to leave the hospital. We are currently living at my in-laws house until Jeanette can drive again (2-3 weeks). Since Amanda's school is only a couple blocks away her Abuelo (Latin grandfather) can take her to school at 7:45, allowing me to work normally from 7-4, then I can stop at Baptist hospital on the way home after work. We also have friends dropping Amanda off at their house after school to avoid others from stopping their work day. That's the price we pay for a Catholic education, no public transportation, but we do have a great parent resource team since we know and talk to every parent who has a kid in Amanda's class. Speaking of that, our girl's pediatrician is a parent of a child (Luigi) in Amanda's class whom Jeanette and I have been good friends of before we had 3 girls (and they have 3 boys in the same age range). She (Cristy) calls and emails me every day she checks up on Alexandra at the hospital, giving us her version of the progress and what the doctors are doing and why:
"Hey Jeanette and Richard, I heard things were going well and I have no doubt she is going to do well, I can tell she is feisty. I spoke to the nurse 1/5/09 At night and she had just weighed her-990 gms. I think you should be very proud. This is going to be a slow process but you will see she will grow so quickly and before you know it, you will be having to decide how to separate christmas and her birthday. Let me know if you need anything. And that includes picking up or dropping of kids. We are praying for you and your family. love, cristy."
Speaking of holiday and birthday's merging, I owe Kim a call, for an update and a Happy Birthday! You now have another family member who will understand the dilemma of a birthday and holiday merged into one. We didn't forget you! I do have a lot of pictures but they are still on the camera. I am bringing home my laptop so I can move them to an email format. I also have some REAL LIFE baby born seconds after video from womb to doctor video I can share if anyone want to see it. I will keep in touch and let me know if I missed anyone's email or want to be included in any updates.
Love,
Rich and the 4 girls
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