Day 3 update - Allie, Norah and Olivia - 8/26/09

Hello ~ Today has been a busy day with visitors but Nick and I had some precious alone time with the girls this morning. The nurses are so kind to remove the girls goggles when I am up there so I can see their little faces. Today I was so busy talking to the nurse about Norah that I didn't realize she had opened ONE eye while I was talking. So I reached in to hold her feet and talk to her...it was the best moment yet! Then her little pouty lip came out like she wanted to tell me something. It was cute. Norah was also removed from her blood pressure medicine this morning. Allie is still on the ventilator. No real updates on that but I am sure she will be off soon. We went back up this evening and BIG CHANGES...they have now given ALL 3 GIRLS breast milk for the first time through their feeding tubes (in mouth and straight to belly). So girls aren't sucking or swallowing but still are getting the good stuff. (And it will be exciting to start watching them put on weight.) They start out with 3 ml (very small amount) to see how their bellies respond and if they digest it OK. All have done well so far. (I'm so excited about this! I've been pumping as often as I can and getting decent milk for 3 days out.) I got to change Allie and Norah's diapers tonight and take Norah's temperature. Respiratory therapist thinks we may be able to hold Norah in the next few days! Oh...we cannot wait! I will have my staples removed and be discharged tomorrow but Nick and I are going to "room in" until Sunday. The hospital offers this (free of charge) for parents with babies in NICU. Most likely we'll stay in my current room with no nursing services, food service, etc. but just be here to be close to the girls. Especially since we might be able to start holding Norah, we want to be close and spend as much time with them as possible. Nick will return to work next week which will be hard for him (and me) so he needs this extra time to bond with his girls. Just wanted you to have a recent update. We are headed back up there before going to bed. Love, Stacie