11 Days Old and Beautiful

Another day and she's as strong as a 1 pound baby can be. She has been on the machine called the CPAP since she was 2 days old. This machine just helped remind her to breath and did some assisting, but she has been doing most of the work. Today she is being intubated which means she is going back on a machine to breath for her. The reason for this is mostly because with the CPAP her belly gets full of air and it makes it hard to breath and especially hard to keep her food down. She has been dealing with a lot of spit ups and belly aches. This is a little unfortunate, but really expected. We are surprised she made it so long with out having to do this. This machine will help her belly have a break so maybe she can put some weight on and get a little stronger.

Here she is 10 days old laying in her bed.

This is what I see when I sit by her. A lot of stuff everywhere. This is 11 days old.

See how her baby is so big, that is air making it do this. Babies this little have a hard time get bubbles out so they just get stuck in there and give her a rough time.

Tayce hanging out with his little girl.

Here I am, I spend much of my time sitting next to my sweet Olivia. I love her so very much. Keep being strong and hanging on my sweet baby. LOVE YOU! 

Brain scan update. Primary Children's hospital got back to us about the original scan. There is a bleed that is measuring at a level 4, which isn't good, but the bleed looks like it happened before birth which is better news. Her reactions and behaviors are not that of a baby with a level 4 bleed. They are hoping that maybe the brain is rewiring her and fixing the problem.The place of the bleed would effect her legs and movement of them, but she moves and wiggles her legs all the time, so things are looking good. They will just have to keep watching her closely. She has a scan scheduled for tomorrow (Friday the 9th) and then we will continue to watch and pray.

They just finished her intubation and she is doing great and her belly is deflating :) I get to hold her so got to go!

My Heart Just Melts

Tonight Tay is holding sweet Olivia! This is his first time holding her and she loves it! It just melted my heart to see the nurses put her in his arms. What a sweet memory that I will remember forever. On September 6th at 8pm Tay got hold his little girl for the first time. I have the most amazing husband and children in the whole world. I love you Tayce thank you for being the most wonderful husband and father to our children.

He had to put a robe on! Tee hee. That is why he is making that face at me. What a silly boy.

Here are the nurses and the respiratory therapist getting Olivia and Tay all situated.

Tay holding his little lady.

Precious

Happy Dad and Happy Olivia :)

9 Day Old and She's Hold'n On!

Well Folks sorry for the delay in a new post. Tayce was gone for almost 5 days! And he had the computer so I didn't get a chance so update, but here I am sitting in Olivia's room with her giving you all an update.
Olivia is doing great! She had a hard few days while Tay was gone (I think she missed her daddy). On Friday morning she was not wanting to breath and I sat by her side all morning just helping her remember (trying to stimulate her by touching her feet or back and talking to her). It was a hard day, it was the first time she had really done anything beside just be wonderful and amaze everyone. These episodes lasted a few days and it was hard (but very very normal for her age, it takes these little ones a few weeks to remember that breathing isn't optional). Some things that helped her out: holding her :), feeding her continuously a little at a time instead of all at once (because she was spitting up and puking which was making it hard for her to breath), we've been making sure to suction out her mouth, changed her breathing machine (still on CPAP just another machine with it to help stimulate her breathing, so she's always getting at least 30 breaths a minute) and tilted her up a little so she wasn't laying flat (this helps her bubbles come out). After changes and Tayce coming home, she's been doing a lot better.
Brain scan update: Dr. R has sent her scan to Primary Children's Hospital to have their people look at it and tell him what they see. There is no one is St. George that specializes in neonatal scans, so we are just waiting for the response. They will do another scan Thursday or Friday and again let Primary's look at it and then we will have a better answer about how much bleeding and things. Thus far we are keeping our fingers crossed that all is well, because she is acting so well.

Tayce talking to his little lady. She loves him so much. Her stats are great when he is with her. He came home Monday night and read her a story and had family prayer. It was so sweet and it made me love him even more. He is so sweet and loving and loves her so much. HE'S GONNA HOLD HER TODAY!

On Monday Olivia got to switch from the prongs up her nose to a little mask that helps her keep breathing.(She'll be on both back an forth) She was so happy to give her little pig nose a rest. (The prongs stretch out her nostrils a bit and when they take them out she looks like a pig). While this was all going on her Dr. was in helping and asked if she had pictures with my ring yet. I told him no because I didn't have my ring until just recently. He said give it here and took my ring and started a little photo shoot with her. It was great. Here she is and she didn't want to let go, she already likes diamonds. :)

Olivia has amazing people taking care of her. This is Dr. R and Nurse S. They take such good care of her and me! I feel so blessed to have such amazing people around me.

Here is our little princess. She makes the saddest faces. She got to have her mask off for just a minute and so we took the opportunity to take a picture. The best part is that she kept breathing and her stats stayed good! She's pretty much amazing! Her face is still a little bruised, but if you pushed your way through a cervix with a stitch in it you would too! Oh, and see how her nose it a little piggy? It is from her nose prongs that help her to breath.

Here we are! I get to hold her almost everyday! It is so wonderful, but a little stressful. It takes a lot of work and a few people to get everything just right so we can sit there safely. She loves to sit with me though, which makes me SO happy! On Sunday night I held her for over 2 hours and she did wonderful! It was so great to feel like a mom and kiss and love on her. Being in here has been an adjustment and will continue to be one. I've been waiting for a little while to have a baby stick around and now I do, I feel so grateful, but it is so hard. This is not what you expect or think of when you think of being a mom, but really I'll take it. She is beautiful and amazing and I love her so much.

Grandma Nae got to come and spend 4 days with us while Tayce was gone. It was good to not be all alone while I was having some major stress and anxiety issues with Tay gone. She is a good mom and took care of me. Thanks mom for all the fun and for taking care of me.

Here is more of her diamonds! This puts things in perceptive a bit. I am proud to say that she is too big to wear my ring on her wrist or ankle! That makes me feel good. :)

Well, friends and family here is the update. I hope that you like the pictures. We totally love her and can't wait until she gets to meet and be with all her many followers. Your prayers are certainly helping her a lot. We can tell that we are strengthened by all of you. Thank you so much my heart is full and I hope that some day I can repay you all for your love and support. Thank you so much! Love you all and we'll get pictures of dad holding Miss Olivia tonight and get them up. :)

4 Days Old!

My feelings are all over the place right now. My whole entire heart is overwhelmed with gratitude for this miracle in our lives, for all the love and compassion we've been shown by our friends, family and the staff at the hospital and for the blessing that come to us everyday.
Olivia has been doing SO good, we are so proud of her and the doctors describe her as "a rock star", "awesome" and "amazing" which makes Tayce and I very happy. The people at the hospital are wonderful and they care so much about all the babies in here. We are so very grateful for them. She has had a few hiccups, which is very expected. She had her IV's in her belly button, but because of some risks and placement issues she had to get a pick line in her little hand. It amazes me that they can get an IV in her little hand, but not in mine! :) She also had to have a blood transfusion because her little body does not produce enough for her and all the tests she has to have. So, the transfusion will help her keep her energy up so she can keep growing! She's also had some blood in her  urine, but she's sorta a little mystery right now. All her labs are coming back clear and great, her X-ray and ultrasounds are coming back clear. They are watching her closely, but thus far she's doing well. She is now on the CPAP machine, which is better for her then the ventilator and she is doing really well breathing with less assistance. The new machine looks scary and uncomfortable, but it is better for her. I came in yesterday morning and just cried because she looked so helpless and I couldn't do anything.
It is a difficult task to finally get a baby her and say "I'm a MOM!" but not get to do much at all. I have to just stay positive and remember that I am doing all that I can for her. I get to pump and she gets my milk through her feeding tube and I sing You Are My Sunshine to her everyday and pray more then I've ever prayed and I even get to hold her! She's an amazing girl and I am ecstatic that I get to say she's mine.
Thank you so much for all your love and support and prayers. My words cannot express how much you strengthen our little family and how blessed I feel that we have so many people cheering for us. We appreciate it and love you all. Have a great long labor day weekend! And I must give a little shout out to a very special person in my life.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BROTHER! WE LOVE YOU AND ARE SO PROUD OF YOU! KEEP UP THE HARD WORK IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND KNOW WE THINK OF YOU OFTEN AND YOU HAVE A LITTLE GIRL THAT IS SO EXCITED TO MEET HER UNCLE TYLER!

Our 1st family picture! Look at all that hair she has! Got to hold her on 8/30.

There I am with many blanket over sweet Olivia, making sure she stays warm.

She LOVES to wiggle her feet and stretch them out. Her feet look like her daddy's! And her second toe is longer then her big toe, that's gotta be from her dad and Grandma Nae!

Here she is propping her foot up on her knee just chilling.

This is the new machine, it is hard to look at, at least for me but she is well. Her stats have been good and the doctors are very happy with her.

Last, but not least her are my HUGE SWOLLEN feet and ankles! I got to our room last night and felt tired and my feet felt tight and not so great. I sat down and there they were. I sorta freaked out a little. This has never happened before, but Tay says I've been doing too much and that's why. We'll see what happens. 

Last little update for you all. I am not coming home for a long time. I will miss Cedar and make appearances when I feel comfortable with Olivia and I's schedule, but St. George is my temporary home. We are staying at the Jubilee home across the street from the hospital (right by the temple!). Tayce is going to be doing some reverse commuting. He will be going to Cedar to do his internship and apartment stuff and then coming back here to spend the evening and mornings with Olivia and I. We love you and certainly will miss our Cedar comrades!

Olivia Renae

Day 32 (bed rest): Saturday, August 27th
Saturday started off so well, we talked to Dr. C to make sure the changing color of discharge was normal or if we should come in. He told us we were good, which made us happy to stay home and spend a Saturday together (I convinced Tay to not go and work and stay home with me). The day went well, I rested a lot and had no real pains or cramps!
Saturday night: I was getting ready for bed and felt just fine. I had been feeling some pressure, but nothing out of the norm. But as I finished going to the bathroom I felt something that WAS NOT supposed to be there (my bag of water!) I called for Tay and we were off to St. George.
We got to St. George around 11pm and I still was not having contractions or pain, some pressure but I felt comfortable. Got checked in and Day 33 was here.
Sunday, August 28th
Dr. C came it and was so careful to check me and see what was going on. It was my bag of water that was causing pressure and trying to make it's way through my cerclage! They gave me a shot of steroids to help the baby and hoped that we could make it 2 days in this state. Well they tipped me back on my head and then they came, my contractions came and came and wouldn't stop. After what felt like 100 drugs they either had me swallow or put in my IV I felt a little overwhelmed that nothing was going to work. Well nothing really did, unfortunately. The last resort was to do an epidural to try and at least get the pain down so I there wouldn't be any pushing and such. Well when I started to roll over to my side my water EXPLODED!
There was hope that Miss Olivia would stay high and be able to stay in a little longer, but that was not the case, much like her dear brother Graydin she was not going to wait. She came at 4:44am less then 5 hours after contractions even started. She is 1 pound and 12 ounces (which is the combined weight of her brother and sister) and she is 12 1/2 inches long!
She arrived with many people around her, the NICU staff was ready for her, but she stunned everyone first. Being a 25 week baby she is expected to be quiet, but not our girl. She got out and started making a fuss and crying. I watched the doctors and nurses just look at her opened mouth and wide eyed. I loved that she cried! I was so happy to hear a baby because I didn't get to meet her. Dr. C let Tay cut the embilical cord and they whisked her off.
The exciting thing about all this is that my cerclage was in for it, so it made having a baby even more pain free ;) Luckily through some kind of miracle and blessing from above my cervix was not shred to pieces, Dr. C was surprised, but we were both happy about that.
Now our little Olivia is in her own little incubator and amazing the doctors! She is strong and pretty sassy! She has a head of dark hair and beautiful eyelashes! She is very wiggly and her nurses love her.
The more I learn all this doctor/nurse jargon the more I will inform you all! I will get better for sure. Thank you for the prayers! Your prayers are totally working because Olivia is fighting and she is strong and each day we get to fall more and more in love with her.

She has the little black glasses on because they have a the bright light on her to make sure her billy ruben doesn't get too high and to help with her bruising. Some of the other things she's hooked up to is a monitor to keep track of her heart, blood pressures, air saturation, breaths per minute, IV's for her medicines and vitamins, her ventilator that helps her breath and a feeding tube. I don't know if that's all, but that's what I've learned so far!

Double Post: Tay's Starting Graduate Shcool/Lacie's Learning on Bed Rest

Tay's school books came in the mail! He was quite excited for them. He starts his graduate studies in Library Science on the 25th. He is doing an online program through University of North Texas. He has to go at the beginning of every semester to either UVU or UNLV for a 4 day which is fun, but he has to leave for labor day weekend which is hard for both of us right now in my situation. But, it will be good. He will get all ready for school and my mom will come and help me get the nursery ready!

Well, some wonderful ladies from my ward brought me this quilt. (See my bed rest blog for the story.) They taught me how to bind it and this is me sewing away. I finished the binding and now I have a new quilt! I even called Grandma Jo and told her so she would know other ladies were stepping on her territory :)

Weekend Adventure

I am a lucky girl, not only to have Tayce as a husband, but to have a crazy mom and little brother. They came down last weekend and had some adventures with us. First my mom is amazing and cleaned my house, gave Tayce a break from cooking and doing the dishes and doing laundry. It was good for him and it's the only person I think he would let do all that. Next I got to go to Walmart! Which most of you are probably thinking "she doesn't like Walmart" but I hadn't went shopping for a long time and so I got to go and buy Riley some school supplies and pick out some baby stuff so Walmart was fine. It wore me out, but it was fun! I didn't think being on bed rest would wear you out so fast, but it really is starting to make me pretty lame. :) We also got to play board games and Riley made me laugh a lot (which started to hurt). Spending time with them really helped me and I enjoyed it a lot! Thanks family I sure do love you!

Of course Lucy had to come. I like her a lot. I even let her on my couch even though I wasn't to happy her fur was everywhere! She's a great puppy though.

I was sitting in our amazing green chair that is quickly becoming many peoples favorite and I was spying on Tay. So I decided since I had the camera I should take some pictures, he caught me. I'm not a good spy.
There is my mom! She is making us Swedish Pancakes! They are a family favorite and besides her and my grandma Jo I don't know if anyone else could make them right. I haven't even found a knack for them yet. :)

Here is Riley! What a boy. He starts 9th grade this month! I can't believe he's getting so old. He is sitting in my wheelchair. The doctor got me one so I could leave the house once in awhile. Mostly so I can go to an hour of church if I'm feeling up for it. Riley and Tayce enjoyed playing in it all weekend!

Thanks for a great weekend! Love you family!

Amy Dean... Brinkerhoff

Well this is called a back blog!
My dear friend Amy Dean got married on August 6th to Mr. Justin Brinkerhoff. I was lucky enough to help with wedding plans. The goal was not to go on bed rest until after the wedding, but that didn't happen so I sorta had to bail on her. I felt horrible, but you gotta do what ya gotta do and she was so understanding. She was so nice to me too because she brought the flowers over to my house and we did the flowers here! So here are the pictures of our flower decorating!

Here I am looking like I am on bed rest! I am holding my first bridal bouquet. Hopefully it is good enough to my my Uncle and Grandma proud. I think it was pretty cute!

MaLynda came and did my toes while I did flowers! She's amazing. Now my toes are orange and pink! Thanks MaLynda for keeping something on me cute! Love you!

Amy holding her bouquet! We cut the ends off the next day, but we wanted to keep them in water that night. She look beautiful in her wedding dress! I wish I would have taken a picture, but that was what her photographer was for.

Here is her cake, done by the magnificent Lindy (my sister in-law). She did a fantastic job with a tiny help from Jess. I put flowers on it at her reception and it was pretty beautiful if you ask me. The cake more then the flowers, but it all worked together.
So congrats to Amy and Justin! Thanks for letting me be apart of you special day. Love you!