Long

Charlotte is getting so long!

Busman's Holiday

The doctor yesterday stated she wanted a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) to do a consult with Charlotte.  Hey that's me!  I let the doctor know not only was I an SLP, but I specialized in fluency disorders, language disorders in adolescents, and metalinguistic skills for receptive language.  I couldn't wait to help!

Unfortunately Charlotte's problems are more basic.  They are a little concerned with the speed with which she is picking up oral feeding.  Some of you may know, SLPs also specialize in swallowing and feeding issues.  Well other SLPs do.  I don't, especially in newborns.  

Anyway, by Monday we will have an SLP visit and hopefully she will have some tips for us and the staff to help out Charlotte.  Bottom line is Charlotte continues to grow and get stronger.  Last night Emily noted how much stronger Charlotte's neck is.  Charlotte has some really good feeding sessions but not on a consistent basis, and that is the biggest road block we face to getting her home.  So hopefully the SLP will be able to help.

This is How We Do

This is a super cute thing that Charlotte does - she often rests her sleepy head on her hands.   

Kangaroo care is when a baby and parent spend a chunk of time "skin-to-skin."  It is used around the world and has been shown to help preemies with respiration, body temperature, weight gain and nursing.      It is also beneficial for bonding, which is important for baby and parents especially when baby is still in the hospital and the parents can't be there all the time.  Mike or I try to do it everyday.   She'll be all wiggly and then when you hold her like this, she becomes totally peaceful.  So peaceful that I used to fall asleep all the time too, until some nurses urged me to start taking naps.  

Cutie

Some crappy quality (but great content!) photos from my phone....

Look at that face!

Asleep again.

Bath Time

I think she is just tolerating this part.

She likes getting her hair washed.  Who doesn't?

Hair nice and fluffed.

Needed: Pictures

Sorry that we don't have any pictures up.  Maybe Emily can take some with her smart phone.  Here is what is new with us:

• Emily is now driving which means she is no longer living in the hospital.  We are still here quite a bit of course, so we can help with feedings and the other cares.
• Charlotte continues to do well and is steadily gaining weight and eating more and more on her own.
• Pancho had diarrhea.
• Emily still doesn't like the cats.
• One day in the NICU there were no other parents there.  Just us and the nurses which is rare.  We overheard some funny conversations from the staff.  One nurse told the baby she was taking care of, "I'm going to wake you up and shove this up your butt" (she was talking about giving a baby a suppository).  Later the nurses were talking about the same baby who, as ordered by the doctor, had to sleep on her belly.  So they discussed if you can poop while laying on your belly and one nurse was quick to point out, "I have no experience with that."  That got a good laugh from everyone.
• Charlotte is awake a lot more.  She even was alert for a whole hour with me as I held her.  That was pretty cool.
• She stuck her tongue out for the first time today which is probably interesting to the co-authors of this blog.
• She passed her sensorineural hearing screening.  I just had to throw in the sensorineural part to justify the two audiology classes I had to take in grad school.
• We made a Target to run to buy all the baby supplies most people have BEFORE the baby is born.
• One of my favorite 30 minutes of my life was a few nights ago when I swear Charlotte was looking right into my eyes when I spoke to her.  I know this is common for all parents and usually happens on day one.  But for us, it has come on day 15, and I am not 100% certain she was responding to my voice.  Even so, the possibility that she was is pretty freaking awesome.
• My friends John, Steve, Jen, Ashley, and Greg pitched in on bought us groceries online to be delivered from our house.  The kicker?  They live either in Kentucky, Texas, or Colorado.  Virtual shopping.  Pretty awesome and much love to those five elitist bastards.

Charlotte will probably be here another week or two.   She has to get strong enough to sit in a car seat for two hours (they test her here in the hospital) and get 100% of her nutrition orally.  We're not there yet and continue to go one day at a time.

Family Feud #67123

Emily and I bickered had a debate in the parking garage of Fairview Southdale Hospital parking ramp.

Was Doogie Howser, M.D. a sitcom or not?

Emily says it was, in the spirit of any other "good clean family sitcom show" like Blossom.

I say no way.  It was trying to be a quirky show more like Twin Peaks and Moonlighting that you can't put in a box.

Who is right?