Hattie’s Blog

Our Perfect Gift 2/5/13

February 05, 2013Melissa

I was comforted when I called this morning to check on Hattie and the nurse said she was being a perfect angel. Hattie's feeds have increased to 25 cc. She now weighs 1,332 grams, or 2 pounds, 15 ounces. We are well on our way to three pounds! Hattie pulled her feeding tube out today while we were kangarooing. This is the second day in a row she's had her feeding tube replaced. She uses her little tongue to maneuver it out and then spits it up. It was, however, a welcomed excuse to snap a few pictures of our beautiful girl with nothing obstructing her face!

Before I left this afternoon, the nurse put Hattie in time out and restricted her hands so she wouldn't pull her feeding tube out again during her feed.

Hattie in time out with her hands restricted.

While I was kangarooing I became overwhelmed with gratitude to God for all He is doing through Hattie. Thank you for bringing this baby girl into our life in your perfect timing. Thank you for Hattie's resilience, feisty personality and strong will. Thank you for your guidance and for carrying Chris and me through this season of life.

As I watch Chris hold Hattie now I am joyful knowing that our baby was made out of our love for each other and our love for God. God definitely rewarded us in the baby department!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. —James 1:17

categories Hattie Updates

Toaster Head 2/4/13

February 04, 2013Melissa

Hattie is 30 weeks gestational age today! We continue to be optimistic and grateful for Hattie's progress. Please pray Chris and I are good examples of faith for Hattie and that we will be good parents and teachers for her. Lord, please let your grace and love fall over Hattie and continue to give her strength for her journey ahead. Yesterday afternoon Nurse Shanna changed Hattie back to her Z-Flo mattress to allow more cushion for her head. Since Hattie typically lies on her belly with her head flat facing one way or the other, she is starting to get what the nurses call "toaster head," sort of a flat, elongated head shape. The Z-Flo was short-lived; it lasted less than 18 hours. Hattie is too mobile to be back in the Z-Flo; she moves her head on her own a lot and was face planting and causing herself to lower her heart rate and desat. She's now comfortably back in her snuggli. Soon we will start training Hattie to sleep on her back (she will need to sleep on her back once we're home and she's not hooked up to the monitors) and the "toaster head" will fix itself.

Dr. Alexander saw Hattie today and informed me she'll have her first eye exam sometime during the next week when she's 31 weeks gestational age. A neonatal ophthalmologist will come to Hattie's bedside to do the exam. I understand they will use metal contraptions to hold her eyelids open and dilate her eyes. It sounds pretty scary and the nurse told me it is very stressful for the babies. Dr. A does not foresee any challenges with Hattie's eyes, especially because she spent no time on oxygen. Dr. A also discontinued the Lotrimin for her rash from her diaper because the nurses couldn't figure out where to put it. I guess that's a good indication it is healed!

Hattie is starting to recognize when she's getting hungry. About a half hour before her feed she starts sucking the air like a bird, grunts and gets a little antsy. She is still a good eater and now weighs 1,309 grams or 2 pounds, 14 ounces.

Our good friend Katie was so nice to come spend time with us tonight. We were all laughing at Hattie's grunts and squeaks while Chris kangarooed her. Hattie was practically planking on Chris with both arms and legs pointing straight down!

categories Hattie Updates, Photos

Our New Season of Life 2/3/13

February 03, 2013Chris

It's Superbowl Sunday and we don't care. In fact, there are a lot of things we used to care about that we don't find ourselves worrying over anymore. Our DVR is full (Melissa hasn't watched a single episode of The Bachelor and I can't remember where I last left the Crawley family at Downton Abbey), our house is a wreck and we still have Christmas lights on the tree in our front yard. But somehow we're ok with all of that. The old us would've worried about our DVR reaching capacity, or too much mail piled up on our kitchen table (and we would've secretly ridiculed anyone who had Christmas lights up after January). Hattie has given us a new perspective on life. Everyone told us our life would change once we had kids. And we knew that would happen—just not by how much. You could say that our life is so different because Hattie is in the NICU, and that's definitely part of it. But this is only a season we are in. No, our life has changed because we now have a daughter, not only because of her current circumstances. We realize now what is truly important in our life and that, somehow, has nothing to do with TV or the order of our house.

But enough about Melissa and me; let's get to the good stuff and brag about our little girl! Hattie is four weeks old today. At birth she weighed 819 grams, or 1 pound, 13 ounces. As of today she's gained a full pound: she is now 1290 grams, or 2 pounds, 13 ounces. She has also grown a half-inch in length to 14.5 inches. (Don't they just grow up so fast?)

Hattie has certainly made stellar progress over the past four weeks and we have so much to be thankful for. Appropriately, Jim Keller's sermon at church today was about a story in Acts 3. Here's a good description from the Summit website:

In Acts 3, we read about the miraculous healing of a man who had spent his entire life unable to walk. When he realized the change that had come over his previously weak, hindered body, he didn’t react calmly. He jumped. He leaped. He praised God! His joy caught the attention of the people around him… and they praised God, too. We all have a story of healing. Are you proclaiming yours? (via)

As Melissa and I thought about this message today, we connected it to Hattie and how far God has brought her since birth. She is our story of healing and we will praise God for her every day.

categories Hattie Updates, Photos

A Great Saturday 2/2/13

February 02, 2013Chris

Any Saturday that I get to spend all day with my two favorite people is alright with me! Melissa and I slept in a bit today and then headed to the hospital to see our angel. We helped with her hands on time and then I kangarooed her from about 1:30 to 6 p.m. I've said it before, and it's still true: holding this baby is about the best feeling in the world. I just can't get enough of it. As I hold her, I remind myself that I need to remember this; I need to somehow lock it into my memory bank for the future.

The few months that we will have spent in the NICU will end up as such a small segment in the fullness of Hattie's life. That's partly the reason we have this blog. We of course want to update you with Hattie's progress and some very cute photos, but we also want to have this as a journal of sorts that we can look back on one day to remember the special way Hattie entered the world.

A funny thing happened today when a tech came to take Hattie's blood for the Florida infant screening. We had not yet arrived at the hospital, but our nurse Shanna said that this tech was surprised that anyone would name their daughter "Hottie." The other nurses corrected her but not without a laugh! In fact, the nurses all love Hattie's name and often refer to her as "Little Miss Hattie" or "Hattie Harper" in a sing-song voice. We love it!

We took a field trip to Jeremiah's Italian Ice for a treat during shift change. Afterward, we helped with Hattie's evening hands on time. She lost 5 grams today and is down to 1,245 grams. It's nothing to be worried about—all the doctor looks for is an upward trend week to week, not anything on a daily basis.

We prayed with Hattie before heading out to meet Scott and Ali for dinner on their last night in town. It was so hard leaving Hattie after such a great day. She was just so peaceful in her bed and she was wide awake with the one eye we could see looking around. We were thankful to spend time with our good friends who traveled so far to see us and to meet our sweet girl. Melissa and Ali talked on and on about all things baby and I think it was good for them to have the time together.

Melissa and I have been fixated on a song for the past couple of days because it makes us think of Hattie. We've been playing Gungor's "Beautiful Things" over and over in the car. The chorus reads, "You make beautiful things / You make beautiful things out of the dust / You make beautiful things / You make beautiful things out of us." We thank God daily for making our beautiful Hattie. She is such a blessing.

categories Hattie Updates, Photos

Mommy Got Initiated! 2/1/13

February 01, 2013Melissa

This morning Kristi and I stopped at the hospital before heading to the airport so she could say goodbye to her sweet niece. Kristi read a book to Hattie and I loved watching my little sister interact with and talk to my baby. It has been nice to have Kristi here and for me to have company. I was very sad when she left; some days this is all really, really hard. Hattie and I kangarooed for hours this afternoon and it was just what I needed. I hope I never forget these precious moments with Hattie. Every day I tell myself she will never be this small again and relish in the fact that I'm her mama.

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. —1 Samuel 1:27

And, I have officially been initiated into motherhood because while I was kangarooring Hattie pooped on me inside my shirt. A lot! I guess I'm going to have to start carrying an extra shirt with me...

I spoke to Dr. Alexander and he continues to be impressed with Hattie. Hattie got a new feeding tube today. She seemed sort of annoyed by it and coughed a few times when the nurse was putting it in. Her gag reflexes are already starting to develop!

Hattie's feeds have increased to 24 cc. Hattie gained almost two ounces today! She weighs 1,250 grams, or 2 pounds 12 ounces.

Our friends the Clarks from our small group came to meet Hattie and she showed off by sitting up (with the nurse's assistance) inside her incubator. Later, we had a wonderful dinner at Houston's with Ali and Scott and spent the whole time talking about babies!

Chris and Hattie kangarooed tonight. Hattie was cracking us up with her little grunts, squeaks and squeals. She can be so animated while we're holding her! It was hard for Chris to put her away and for us to leave, but around 11:30 p.m. we forced ourselves to go home. Thank you Lord for Hattie, your perfect creation!