Playtime

Mollie was awake more during the day than she has been since we've been home. She's been awake more in the late evening the other days. This morning she tried out her play mat for the first time while Ben and I played with blocks.


Do you know how hard it is for me to let Ben build a non symmetrical, leaning building with a car in the middle of it? I try hard to let him place the blocks however he wants them and just add supports to keep it from falling down.

After I put Mollie in her crib, Ben had to try out the play mat. After John brought all the baby things down from the attic Thursday, I got out the 2008 blog book and showed Ben pictures of himself in the swing, on the mat, in the bathtub, etc.

Not Going Out

Since it's a gazillion degrees outside, although actually cooler this week than last, Mollie definitely doesn't need to be out in the heat. That has meant that Ben has to stay inside too. To keep things interesting inside, we made a tent this afternoon. We had a lot of fun playing in it. Ben had a fun day all around. While Mollie and I saw the pediatrician, John took Ben to McDonald's for chicken nuggets. After two weeks of having John here while we were at Nana and Grandaddy's, I think Ben really enjoyed having some special Daddy time.

Going Out

Today was Mollie's first appointment with our local pediatrician. I realized in the waiting room that I had forgotten my camera. I had taken these pictures this morning as we got dressed to go to the doctor and then forgot to put it in my bag. I was so mad at myself. Her doctor's visit went well, though. She weighed 6 lbs 6 oz, up from 5 lbs 14 oz on Wednesday night (the last time she was weighed in the NICU).

Kelli Netson bought Mollie this outfit. Aren't the ruffles on the bottom cute?

We seldom see Mollie's hair since she's always wearing a hat to help her retain her body heat. She has lots of it, though. It's all ruffled up from being towel dried.

Checking on Mollie

Ben finds many uses for his step stool. Luckily, Mollie is pretty hard to disturb after her weeks in the NICU where there is nearly constant beeping, crying, and talking.


Mollie looks like she's dressed for a blizzard. She still needs help maintaining her body temperature. Aren't the little feet on this sleeper cute?

Where's Ben?

There he is.

Ben's View

Grandaddy taught Ben to look at the screen while taking a picture. So instead of pictures up Ben's nose, my camera is now full of table legs, toilets, couches, etc. Here are a few he took this weekend. Now that he's got the camera turned in the right direction, we need to work on holding it level.

Bath Time

I gave Mollie her first bath at home Friday night. Her cord has fallen off, but isn't completely healed so I didn't put her in the baby bath tub. Having been bathed by the NICU nurses, who toss the babies around like rag dolls, she probably didn't recognize my timid wiping as a bath.

HOME!

Carrying Mollie into the house.

Ben has been very interested in "Mowwie." He's showing her his red Corvette and how the doors open.

He brought blocks into Mollie's room and said he was building her a bed.

Mollie's first time in her new bed.

Leaving the Hospital

Even though I had been discharged weeks ago, Mollie and I had to ride out in a wheel chair. Ben wanted to ride in the wheel chair, but we didn't think there was room for three. He helped the nurse push us instead.

Rooming In

I was wrong. After reviewing Mollie's stats during the apnea episode, the neonatologist decided that it wasn't apnea after all and he wasn't concerned about it. I thought I was upset about not going home, but that upset me worse. After a long discussion and a few tears from me, Dr. Robbins decided to hold us in the NICU 24 hours longer to give me time to think about what he had said and to overcome some of my fear. After talking with Aunt Connie, who told me about bringing Josh home with his heart problem, I felt much better. By Wednesday morning, I was ready to room in and go home. I spent Wednesday night in the NICU. They have a seperate "rooming-in" room in the NICU. They took Mollie off all her monitors and I cared for her just like we were at home. A nurse came in to check on us every couple of hours.

Still Not Ready?

We were all set for me to room-in the NICU tomorrow night and Mollie be discharged Wednesday. However, Mollie had another apnea episode this afternoon. She was sleeping in her crib when the monitors went off. Her heart rate and respiratory rate dropped for several seconds. I watched it all happening on the screen that monitors Mollie's vitals. Just by looking at her, you couldn't tell that there was a problem. The neonatologist had already been through earlier so we will have to wait until tomorrow to know if this will delay our discharge. It likely will push it back another 5 to 7 days. I was very disappointed when the spell occurred. She had not had one since Thursday night/early Friday morning. Apnea of prematurity is common in premies and is something she simply has to outgrow. I really thought she had. She has matured so much in other ways.

Happy Father's Day

We were all happy to have John here this weekend. We had not seen him since Sunday. He had planned to come Wednesday, but then waited since we were supposed to go home Friday. He was very disappointed when I called to say Mollie wasn't being discharged.

Mollie is very alert and bright-eyed when she's awake.

The NICU staff is so nice. They helped make Father's Day special for the dads with babies in the NICU.

We think the lady that works with the March of Dimes did this. I know she took the picture.

Mollie is growing fast. She now weighs 5 lbs 5 oz.

Friday Fun

Ben wearing my sun glasses.

Friday morning Ben and I went to the park. We had fun, but it was very hot.


After playing at the park, we went "to the Wal-Mart" (as Ben says) and bought him his own sun glasses. He had a pair, but I have no idea where they are. We ended up with the Thomas glasses, which were much cooler than the turquoise Elmo glasses that I was afraid he was going to choose.

Getting them on straight isn't always easy.

Taking a ride in the wooden car with Nana.

Not Quite Ready

I was supposed to room-in with Mollie in the NICU tonight and we were going home tomorrow. However, today she experienced an apnea episode while in my lap. She recovered quickly, but it completely scared me to death. The doctor decided to keep her for observation for a few more days.

No Tube

After feeding totally from a bottle for 24 hours, Mollie got her feeding tube out yesterday morning. No more tape mustache.

Happy Flag Day!

Did you know today was Flag Day? I didn't either until John told me this afternoon. Ben was dressed appropriately anyway. This is his 4th of July outfit Nana made him. He wanted to wear it today, though. Every day is Flag Day to Ben.

Tales of Two Eaters

Today to get Ben to eat his grilled cheese sandwich for lunch, Nana gave him Ranch dressing to dip it in. Sounds gross, but he ate it all. Mollie was a hungry girl today and ate all of her 8 a.m., 11 a.m., and 2 p.m. bottles. Hopefully this good eating streak will continue for her.

Big Brother

The Elders brought Ben to visit Mollie in the NICU for a few minutes today. He had not seen her since last Sunday (the day she was born) and we thought he needed to see her in person again. On Tuesday, we had showed him pictures of John and me holding Mollie and he had thrown them on the floor. We tried again Friday night showing him a picture of just Mollie. This time he looked at it and just seemed very concerned. When he got to the NICU today, he really didn't want to get near Mollie so we let him look around the room. He walked past Mollie and said, "That's Mollie." We showed him her tiny diapers and her bottles. He looked at the clock, the TV, and the computer (screen that shows Mollie's heart rate, breathing rate, and oxygen). Finally, he decided to check out Mollie, but he stayed at a distance.

He would look at her over the side of the chair, but he didn't want to sit with us in the chair. As he stood beside the chair he said, "Baa Baa Black Sheep" and laughed. I asked, "Is her name Baa Baa Black Sheep?" He told me, "Nooooo." Since we've been home, the only comment he's made about visiting Mollie was that he walked under the wires. He had to go under the wires that connect Mollie to her screen and he thought that was fun.

Ben has had a great time staying with Nana and Grandaddy this week. Plus, Fran, MV, and Janey have been staying with Fran's mom and have visited every day.

Saturday Nana, Fran, Mrs. Barbara (Fran's mom), and Kelli Netson took Ben, MV, and Janey to Chuck E. Cheese. From what I hear, it took all four adults to keep up with the three children.



Ben couldn't wait to open his "surprise" when we got home from the hospital Saturday. Kelli brought Ben a big brother gift, a baseball glove and ball. He knew he was supposed to put his hand in the glove, but never could figure out how. That didn't stop him from playing with it though.

Ben and Grandaddy have really bonded this week. Nana was already committed to work at VBS this week so Ben and Grandaddy have been hanging out together in the mornings watching Seseame Street. On Thursday after taking me to the hospital, they went and looked at a really big flag then rode a carousel.

Ben was glad to see John this weekend. He had John draw him a clothes dryer and a washing machine.

Ben is sleeping well in the big boy bed at Nana and Grandaddy's house. We brought Cat and Puppy with us Saturday night. MawMaw Wilma brought Ben the stuffed beagle named "Maggie" that he is holding Sunday. The brown bear was Nana's when she was a little girl.

John got his childhood collection of Matchbox cars out of the closet for he and Ben to play with. Ben woke John up both Saturday and Sunday morning ready to play cars.

Fran, MV, and Janey had breakfast at Nana and Grandaddy's this morning before they headed home. The grandchildren made one last ride around the house in the wooden car.