I can’t believe it has been a month since I’ve posted. Emi is doing so well and has grown so much since the last update.
On Monday she will be 10 weeks old. As of today (Saturday, 4/11) she is 4 lbs. 14 oz. and about 15” long. They will measure her again tomorrow night. She has been getting eye exams these past few weeks and her eyes have not been mature yet until today’s exam! No more strenuous eye exams for this tiny girl ! Such exciting news.
The requirements for her to come home are: -No events for 7 days (stops breathing for more than 15-20 seconds which makes her heart rate drop). -No desats for 5 days (where her oxygen saturation in her blood drops for more than 20 seconds).
-can eat from a bottle and/or breast for 2 days in a row. -Can hold her temperature on her own. -Is gaining weight on a regular basis.
-Can pass the car seat test (sits in her car seat for 90 minutes hooked up to all her monitors and doesn’t have an event or desat the entire time)
She hasn’t had an event since 4/7, she does still desat daily. She will grow out of that, soon we hope. She already holds her own temperature perfectly, she is eating by bottle/breast 60% of the time already. And she has been gaining weight like a champ.
Her due date isn’t until May 15th so technically she could be in here until around that time, however by the way she is going we are hoping within the next couple of weeks we will be bringing our sweet little princess home! 🏡🙏🤞

This is such a crazy time in our world right now. A time that we will never forget, regarding coronavirus/COVID-19!! I mean it really puts things in perspective. I think we will all come out with a new definition of normal. Emi will always know when this happened because it was right after she was born and while she was in the NICU. We want to thank all of those putting their lives on the line to work and save other lives. Thank you thank you thank you. And to the rest of us, we will get through this soon and be stronger, more appreciative people. (I hope so, at least!)

Of course, I think about baby Jay every single day. Wishing I could change the outcome. Wishing they could’ve stayed in me longer. Wishing our little boy was still here. I know I can’t wish things back, or bring him back. I wonder why. Why did this happen, is there a reason?! So many questions. And then I think, some people don’t ever get to see their unborn child. Some people don’t even get to see a positive pregnancy test. Some people still have it worse. I will never lose thought of those agonizing years of not being able to get pregnant. Of thinking I would never be a mom. I am so thankful that we got to at least meet our son, and spend 11 days with him. Those days we will never forget. He looked just like a tiny Jay, just like his Daddy. He really deserved to be named after him. We will cherish the memories we had with him.

Miss Emi, she is a little spitfire. She is a princess. She has the cutest personality already. She is so loved by all the nurses and staff in the NICU. We are so thankful that she is well taken care is when we are not there. It’s hard every minute that I am not there, but knowing she has the best caregivers that really do love her makes it so much easier. We were both able to see her together in the beginning. But, once the coronavirus became a true pandemic, only one parent per day was allowed. It stinks, but we (NICU parents) are the only visitors allowed in the hospital. So, we are thankful. Daddy gives Mommy 6 day’s per week. It means the world to me. Soon enough she will be home with all of us !!
There have been so many ups and downs throughout this time with them being in the NICU. I’ve cried more than I ever have in my life these last 2 plus months. Good, sad and scared tears. They say to talk to someone else who has been through this, or who is going through this…. But, each child is different. There is no way to know the outcome of each child as they grow. You just have to have and keep faith that you will grow with each day that passes and come out stronger, no matter what happens. I have been told that there are no guarantees in life, and boy is that so true. I don’t like it, but it is reality.

Here are some photos of her that I know you all have been patiently waiting for. Please, message me if you have any questions. We are an open book. We’ve learned so much about love and loss in the last 2 months.
Be safe, wash your hands and don’t touch your face!

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