5 weeks home

They told us that this would happen.  Little ups, little downs... Big ups, big downs (thankfully in Pepper's case there weren't many truly big downs)... One milestone is hit and immediately followed by a new set of goals for the next...  That's just the way it is with these micro-preemies.  Then you start getting your head wrapped around the idea of going home and you are told that most babies get home and just take off.  Soaring.  I would say that this is the case with our Pepper.  She has been doing great ever since we brought her home.  Sure, she may get choked while taking a bottle every once and a while and hold her breath for a minute, but she hasn't turned blue and that's good, right?  We think so.  She's just doing the things she's supposed to do.  Eating.  Sleeping.  ...and the rest.  And she's good at them.  Four doctor's appointments down and all is well so far.  We are proud.  Proud of the little fighter, happy to have her home and galvanized, ready to take on whatever else may come. 

All of that having been said, we are not out of any woods yet.  Pepper has a road in front of her.  She is going to be, for some time (years), more susceptible to sickness due to her lungs being underdeveloped when born, and she'll be catching up for a year or two developmentally, but all of this is pretty typical of preemies.  Again, we are very thankful that she has not had any more serious issues to date and we're hopeful, prayerful and optimistic about her health and future.  We're already seeing some changes like her growing ability to focus on things and even our faces, and her smiles and little voice are starting to show themselves more frequently.  No baby-type sounds yet, other than crying, of course, but they're coming.   She's also started responding to our voices which is just plain pure and simple fun for us.  We can't wait to talk to instead of just about this little person. 

If you'd like the numbers (which, we all like the numbers when they're headed in the right direction), Pepper weighed in at 6 lbs 9 oz on Friday, Sept. 30.  That's a gain of 11 oz in 21 days, which is on the lower end of the desired range, but it is a gain.  In the last 13 days she has probably gained around 6 or 7 oz. which would put her at +/- 7 lbs today.  Today, 10.13.2011, marks 5 weeks that the Pepper has been home. 

Thank you all for your continued thoughts and prayers.  Now for the usual barrage of photos...  (5 weeks of catching up to do!)

 moving day.

 

Lauren, THE primary. 

a few last goodbye's. 

far. 

near. 

 far.

near. 

first time out of the hospital.  we drove 20 mph the whole way home, hazards on. 

don't get wet, don't feed after midnight and...  what was the other rule?

 

just in from the hospital, about to get the tour of her new home.

napping on the couch.  Pepper's favorite past-time.

napping on the changing table.

stop.  bottle time.

napping in the bassinet.

 

napping on mom's lap.  do we see a pattern here?

 i don't conform to "patterns"

 i can be my own person.  a free mind.

i'll start after my nap.