So Much News!

Wow! It has been a while since I have posted and I feel like I have so much to tell! I will start with the picture of Sofie in her new swimsuit. Isn't she cute?!!! I haven't taken her swimming yet, but we are definately going Friday and maybe before then. She loves her bath, so I think she will love the pool! Sofia has figured out that she can splash and she does it all the time.

Now I will start off with Saturday. Saturday started off pretty normal, Sofia woke up to eat about 6am, but only drank an ounce and then went back to sleep. She does this every now and then so I wasn't alarmed. Then I was getting Sofie dressed and was playing with her and she laughed! She finally laughed! It was the cutest thing ever! I had to call everyone to let them hear and by the time I got to my best friend Laura, who is also a kinda new mommy, I was just balling cause I was so excited! Then everything changed... Sofie wouldn't eat, wouldn't stop crying, nothing I would do or could do made her stop. Finally, I called her doctor's office and was told to take her to the emergency room. Surprisingly we were in and out of there in about an hour or less. All the ER Doc said was that Sofia may just have a sore throat. Sofia also had had thrush and I asked if it was gone she told me it was. So, we went home and she was totally fine after that. What a Drama Queen! So, from 6am till 9pm Sofia only had 2 ounces of formula. After that she was eatting normally.

Sunday we went over to Papa's and Grandma's for dinner and Sofia was licked on and loved on by her Uncle's doggie, Tootsie. She loved it! Tootsie was a little jealous, though. Then we went outside to watch her Uncle's and Papa play basketball. And then we went home.

Yesterday we had a follow up with Sofie's doctor to see how she was doing with the nebulizer treatments. Sofia weighed 11 lbs 13 oz on Saturday at the ER and weighed 12 lb 5 oz yesterday! The treatments are working and she is breathing easier. We are going to continue with the treatments, though. And we were told that Sofie does still have thrush! So, she has to start taking the medication to treat that again. But, other than that she is healthy and doing great!

Now, in other baby news....

Congratulations to the Jackson Family on the birth of the daughter , Leigh Kathryn. Leigh was born on July 18, 2006. Her Mommy and Daddy are friends of Ivan's from High School. I think that it is so neat how many of our friends from school have babies the same age and they will grow up together. Ivan and I went to rival High schools about 5 miles apart, so I am curious to see where we will end up living and where Sofie will go. Right now we live in her Daddy's school district, but hopefully that will change!

Baby Jackson is doing really well, and is still working on his way home! Baby Audrey is still doing great, but still not liking the bottle! Say a little prayer for her Mommy that Audrey will soon accept the bottle! Baby Julia has been extubated! Go Julia! Baby Jaythan was born on July 19, had to be put on ECMO on July 20 and also had his hernia repair surgery that same day. He is doing well and is already being weaned from ECMO. For those of you who aren't sure what ECMO is you can click on the link at the right "What is ECMO?" and that will take you to the Rainbow of Hope website's page on ECMO. Jana has done an awesome job on this website and I am so glad that it has been done. Since we are on the topic of Rainbow of Hope I wanted to let everyone know that there is so much great info there. Also, I hadn't looked at it in a while and just saw last week that there is a store on there to buy CDH awareness like, shirts, bumper stickers, and even a link to buy CDH awareness bracelets. You can also just make donations there. The money helps to maintain the website, to purchase the book Empty Cradle, Broken Heart: Surviving the Death of Your Baby by Deborah L. Davis to be given to families leaving the NICU without their babies, to help with the creation of a non-profit organization to help raise funds for CDH research and awareness and assisting families who have lost children to CDH with incidental costs. So, please visit this wonderful site and check it all out. Now back to babies...
Jaylyn, the CDH bayby born the same day as Sofia will hopefully be discharged from the hospital by the 31st. We are so happy for her family!

I also have some exciting news that I want to share, but I can't just yet! So you will all just have to keep reading until I can tell you all about it!

Okay, I really think that is all I had for today! Sorry it was long! I still haven't received Sofia's portraits to view online, but I will post them as soon as I do. Thank you all for you prayers and please continue them for all CDH babies. God Bless

Love, Catherine