Cutie Patootie

The cutest baby in the whole wide world!!!



She loves her play mat...



Praising Jesus while she sleeps :)

Reflux Sux

Avery has recently been having reflux issues. Last weekend she started projectile vomiting and spitting up all the time. I was so worried she was going to dehydrate because I felt like she wasn't keeping anything down. When she was eating she wasn't taking very much so that concerned me even more. While eating she seemed miserable and I had to force feed her. She would grunt, cry and arch her back. I did my research and she is a classic reflux case.
Everything I read said to let them sleep elevated. I started letting her sleep in her boppy which is a big no no. The tag says not to let a baby sleep in it but you gotta do what you gotta do. I do put a blanket over it very tightly so she won't sink through the middle, and wrap her up with another blanket so she won't slip out through the bottom like she did in this pic...

Elevating her helped but she was still projectile vomiting and spitting up. I called her Dr. and told her what all she was doing and she agreed she has reflux. She's now on Zantac and so far it seems to be working. She's not vomiting as much, she hasn't at all today so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. It takes up to 2 weeks for it to work completely so hopefully that's all she'll need.
Also she no longer sleeps in her bassinet because she likes to smoosh her nose against the sides. That freaks her Momma out so no more bassinet for this girl. She has a crib in her room but she's not about to sleep away from me yet. We bought her a mini crib that we are going to put in our room starting tonight. The crib has been in the living room unused.
She's been sleeping in her boppy on the couch and I've been sleeping underneath her (if that makes sense?). Tonight for the first time we'll all three sleep in our bedroom, and I can't wait. I miss my bed. I hope she does well in her new bed. We shall see...

Whiskers

Avery loves her Daddy's whiskers. Whether he's just shaved or hasn't shaved in a few days she loves them. When he holds her she has to have her hand on his face. It is so cute. She just rubs and rubs her little hand on his face, and she's perfectly content. What's funny is I was the same way with my Dad :)

Thanksgiving

So obviously I'm a bit behind but since it was Avery's first Thanksgiving I have to post her Thanksgiving pics. After all this is her blog and my hope is that one day she'll look at it and read all her entries.
We didn't go to family dinners this year because I didn't want to risk Avery getting sick. We did however have Thanksgiving dinner thanks to my Mom. She cooked the Sunday before for us at my house. She also cooked Thanksgiving day as well for the rest of the family, what a great Mom!
We have so much to be thankful for. This year has been an absolute roller coaster, with extreme highs and devastating lows. I try to look past all the bad and focus on what's great. My beautiful baby girls are for sure the high points. I'm thankful for both my girls. Although Adison isn't here on earth and it hurts me every day, it's a pain that is indescribable. I'm still so thankful for the time we had with her, and that we got to show her and tell her how much she's loved. She's gone but will never be forgotten.
I'm thankful for Avery of course. I very well could be saying about her what I say about Adison. I could have had two angel babies. I'm thankful she's doing so well and thriving at home. For her to be born 15 weeks early and not come home on monitors and oxygen is a miracle in and of itself. I'm baffled when I really think of all the what if's and the could have been when it comes to her. I'm so blessed that she's just alive but even more so for how great she's doing so far.
I'm thankful for my wonderful Husband. He has been my rock through all of this. He's my very best friend and I love him more than he could possibly know. We've been through so much this year, yet we've managed to hold ourselves and marriage together. Lots of couples who've been what we've been through can't say that. We are very blessed.
I'm thankful for my great family and friends. They've been so faithful with prayers and I was never alone when I was in the hospital. They would give up their time to be with their immediate family to be with me. They made sure someone was there at all times and that meant so much to me. I have the greatest family and friends a girl could ask for. I love every single one of them.
I'm thankful for Avery's amazing Dr.'s and especially her excellent nurses. Those ladies mean the world to me. Laura, Dani, and Becca will forever hold a special place in me heart. They were not only her nurses but became great friends. Each of them helped me through the crazy NICU ride. I don't know what I would have done without them. When I was falling apart they were right there putting me back together. After Adison's death I became a super cautious and paranoid Momma to Avery. I was terrified something was going to happen to her. They understood that and were able to chill me out. I love those ladies and I'm so grateful for them.
Most of all I'm thankful for the amazing God I serve. There were times when I doubted my faith, and thought why would God do this. If He's so great and loving why am I going through all of this? I look at my baby girl and I have all the answers. She is nothing short of a miracle and I'm thankful to God for blessing me with her.