Home Sweet Home

We got to bring Merritt home today!  I can not believe it.  It feels great!  3 weeks to the day in the NICU.  


She actually lost 1 ounce this morning (5 lbs 6 oz), but was still up from Friday's original weigh-in.  And she is still up from her birth weight.  We have to go back for a weight check in 2 days.  And we have plenty of follow-ups with surgery, cardiology, and genetics in the future.  I'm not sure, but I think some people thought the reason she was not gaining is because of latching/nursing issues - no, not the case. She latches and nurses great!  Maybe one of the best of my 3 (Mattox is my poster child for breastfeeding and was every mother's dream in that department, but Merritt is doing GREAT for being early and 2 weeks without food at all).  O babies just do not gain weight like normal babies.  No idea why.  I'm sure it has to do with a combination of their issues.  Add that to increased GI effects due to breastfeeding and the fact that her stomach is small and she can't take the full amount that a normal baby would be drinking.  She struggles to take more than 1 oz at each feeding.  Luckily since we changed to on-demand feeding instead of scheduled feedings, she has started eating more often.  So hopefully we will see some improvement in the next few days.  

I wanted Mati Claire to feel included in what was going on with Merritt, so I let her pick out the outfit to come home in and I think she did an excellent job!  The headband is the one that doubles as her garter on her wedding day and I couldn't have been happier!  

I hear about O babies being called fighters all the time.  She has been the definition of a fighter since conception.  But I've never seen a newborn so AWARE of what is going on than her.  Most NICU babies I saw just lay there.  She was pulling her vent out the first week, and every tube since then.  Last night, she literally kicked and squirmed until her blood pressure cuff and O2 sat monitor came off.  She is so happy to be wire-less!   I've also heard O babies being called "old souls."  I believe that now too.  You can look in her eyes and see that she's been through alot.  Her eyes speak volumes to me every time I look at her.  


On the way out of the NICU, we ran into her surgeon, Dr. Barry Berch!  I was so glad because we never got a picture with him and Merritt.  A friend of mine from high school makes heart pillows for children in the hospital -- it has a place for all the nurses and doctors that attended her to sign their names so she will always know who took care of her!  I was prepared to not see him again until her next checkup, but what a way to end our NICU stay! Thank you Dr. Berch! We are so thankful Merritt has had wonderful doctors in her journey so far!  

And what a way to end today:  Mati Claire and Mattox finally got to meet their baby sister!  MC is my new little mommy, and Mattox - well, when he actually realizes there is a baby in the house I'll let you know what he thinks.  ;)  He's been pretty oblivious to the whole thing.  

"The Lord says, "As surely as I live, your children will be like jewels.""  Isaiah 49:18

Once again, I can not thank you all enough for the prayers.  To be home in 3 weeks is another miracle!  I can not say it enough.  We are blessed to be surrounded with wonderful friends and family.  Thank you to everyone who brought us dinner (and food to the hospital) and gifts! Thank you to everyone for the emails, texts, kind words, cards, and comments!  There have been times that those words kept me going for the day or just absolutely turned my bad attitude around in the positive direction.  Thank you!  


"For with God nothing will be impossible."   Luke 1:37