june 16th. just a quickie...

1162 grams.  (2.5 lbs.)  (i cannot tell if they haven't weighed her, or if i just cant read the hand writing lately.... but in the last 4 days, vivi's weight has been either 1162, 1142. 1122, or again, 1162....) amazingly, the nurses' 2s, 4s and 6s somehow all look the same.)

either way, i dont care.  baby's weight is increasing, she is still on her antibiotics, but she has been so so so stable, i dont want to say another word, i dont want to jinx it.  photos coming later today/ tomorrow.

when i call the NICU at night (some ungodly hour of the evening when i am awake, pumping milk every three hours), i ask how valentina is... previously, the nurses would say, she is stable, she is sleeping, she had a difficult afternoon but is good now, she was agitated but happy now, whatever, etc...   now i call and they say, "linda."  they say she is beautiful, she is pretty, she is cute.  again, i dont want to whisper any good news because at a moments notice, it can all change, but i think it is a really good sign, when you call a hospital intensive care unit for health updates, and the only thing the staff can say is how beautiful your baby is. . .  and she has been dressed in little preemie onesies the last 3 days... also a really good sign.  they only dress babies that are super stable.  

intermediate care, HERE COMES VIVI!!

yesterday, i chatted with baby, after she had a long, deep nap.  i had to wake her, which i hate, because that is when she is growing the most.  but sometimes it must be done!  she was so cute, snuggled in her little incubator, with her monkey blankie, oh oh oh i *wish* i had a camera it was amazing.  (photos today, promise!!) but it was nearly 6 pm, time to vacuum her and change her, etc.  nurse patricia has taught me a few belly-rubbing, gas-releasing techniques, so i undid vivi's onesie, opened up her diaper, arranged her nicely, and almond oiled up my fingers and rubbed that tiny belly.  she goes from being a fussy little peanut, to spreading her legs stragiht out, arms up, and begins to open her eyes wide,  mouth in a giant O, and entirely cooperative.  then she gets sleepy, mouth still in the O, but doesnt move and just lets me strategically massage her belly.  and just when you think nothing is happening, you arent doing it correctly, etc., her tiny little bottom shoots out...  darling baby poop.  i had other, very less polite vocabulary words in mind, but i will just leave it at that...  then i changed her diaper, wrapped her back up, and nurse patricia came over and vacuumed her "monkeys" out of her nose.  (in portugal, they call boogers, "monkeys.")  afterwards, i got to hold her, up against my chest.

i would say we both slept, but let me correct this... she slept, i dozed and obsessed for three, blissful, perfectly stable hours.  her oxygen was turned down to 25 (AWESOME) and we didn't have one dip in the oxygen saturation monitor.  i have been reading my preemie books, and one of the things i took note of, was that in order to go home, baby must have several days of oxygen saturation readings above 80.  vivi's monitor only rings if it goes below 85, so we are pretty darn close.  i would love to have at least a week without a dip in any monitor, alarm, etc...  but you know...  im sure the doctors have their own standards for home- release  which i plan on grilling about, monday morning.  they are in BIG trouble now that i have my books....   

sidenote: in portugal, they do not do the hand/ footprints for birth certificates, etc.  does anyone in the US know how i can do this myself, asap?  naturally i would do it in the supervision of the nursing staff, etc. (i just need to let them know we are doing this project and they said they will help).  where can i get a kit, etc?

so i held tiny princess, and kissed her tiny head, unobstructed by tubes and hats.  poor baby most likely has a bald spot on her fuzzy little head from me kissing her all evening... :D  <3 <3 <3

ok!! off to shower & head to hospital...

*grow baby grow*