that's right, today was the day we expected the little cherub to arrive! and as you know, brooklyn being her mother's daughter, had plans of her own and decided to do things quickly - waaaaay quickly!
things mom is grateful for on this day:
1. NOT in labor.
2. NO stretch marks.
3. NOT pregnant in this ridiculous 90 degree day.
4. NEVER SAYING EVER AGAIN, "that pregnant lady is what i should look like right now!!"
our sweet little girl is fast asleep in her big girl crib as i post this, and the number 1 thing we are grateful for is how incredibly healthy and FAT she is - on this her due date.
i know, i know, you want to know when she is coming home... we want to know too! unfortunately only God knows, and brooklyn continues to be in the drivers seat - making it her decision as to when she will leave this joint. the talks HAVE begun, and countdowns have been predicted, but for now we will just have to sit back, watch her grow, and wait to see when the big day is. YOU will be in the know as soon as we are! thanks again for all of your prayers and support during this amazing time.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Monday, April 27, 2009
I. Hate. Moving.
Moving seven times in eight years is NOT my idea of a good time, but thankfully we have amazing friends who don't mind (audibly at least) schlepping boxes up three flights of stairs. It also doesn't hurt to move on a gorgeous 80-degree spring day. Thirdly, our new home is amazing; our friend (and now landlord), Cindy, renovated this old home in the most picture-perfect manner. Kelly and I absolutely love it and can't wait to have all our friends and family visit soon. It was hard to leave the South End, but our new neighborhood in Jamaica Plain is rife with large trees and fun, garishly painted Victorian homes. We will post pictures soon.
So we are refrigerator-less for a few days in the new place, making it a bit difficult to repay our friends with pizza and beer for helping us move . Can you guess which of these things were doing their own thing??
So we are refrigerator-less for a few days in the new place, making it a bit difficult to repay our friends with pizza and beer for helping us move . Can you guess which of these things were doing their own thing??
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Day 105 - More test results
Just a quick update. The opthamologist came by yesterday to pry Brooklyn's eyes open again. She said the ROP is receding already and should be gone very soon. Woohoo! B will get one more outpatient visit to make sure the ROP hath been banished to the fiery pits of Hades, and then she's done with the eye torture.
Also, the neurologist stopped by this morning and checked Brooklyn's head for the last time before leaving the NICU. For the third time in a row, B had a clean head ultrasound! This is great news. Although anyone who has visited B lately is probably not very surprised since the wee muffin is crazy happy and attentive. My girl's wikkid smaht!
Also, the neurologist stopped by this morning and checked Brooklyn's head for the last time before leaving the NICU. For the third time in a row, B had a clean head ultrasound! This is great news. Although anyone who has visited B lately is probably not very surprised since the wee muffin is crazy happy and attentive. My girl's wikkid smaht!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Day 104 - PUPPIES!
Okay, so I lied about the puppies. Anyway...Brooklyn is chugging along with no real updates. She now weighs 6lb. 11oz. and is taking a little more each time during feedings. Since B is 39 weeks now, the doctors are a bit stricter on her O2 limits -- this means she has to be above 94 percent. Unfortunately, B is working awfully hard to stay up that high so they put her back on the cannula for a few days so she can focus on growing a bit more. They say this isn't a setback and would actually help her go home sooner. Everyone still seems to think B will be ready to get the heck outta here in two weeks, so keep them prayers comin'.
OH...there is one big news item left: the Lorenz family is moving to Jamaica Plain this weekend! We will definitely miss our beautiful South End home, however, our new digs boasts 3x the space with a yard, garden, two bedrooms, dining room, office and, most importantly, a WASHER & DRYER! We'll post pictures soon.
I leave you with a recent picture of adorableness:
OH...there is one big news item left: the Lorenz family is moving to Jamaica Plain this weekend! We will definitely miss our beautiful South End home, however, our new digs boasts 3x the space with a yard, garden, two bedrooms, dining room, office and, most importantly, a WASHER & DRYER! We'll post pictures soon.
I leave you with a recent picture of adorableness:
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Day 100!!!
I can't believe that the beautiful 6-1/2 pound baby girl sleeping on her mother's chest right now is 100 days old today. Those first few weeks dragged on forever, but looking back it seems like we were driving frantically to the hospital just the other day. Kelly and I looked back over Brooklyn's 100-day journey thus far and came up with a "Top 100 Things We're Thankful For" list:
100. A “plus” sign on the pregnancy test
99. Finding out she’s a girl on the ultrasound
98. Naps
97. Zofran
96. Dr. Baker (our doctor) being on-call
95. Mom’s intuition to call the hospital
94. Living close to Beth Israel
93. A fast delivery
92. Hearing Brooklyn’s first cry – even at 24 weeks!
91. Dad holding B’s hand at birth
90. Seeing Brooklyn for the first time after 4 hours of waiting
89. Visitors
88. Best NICU nurses in Boston, dare I say WORLD!
87. Being a girl (girls do far better than boys in the NICU)
86. The doctor who told us she would live
85. Two clear head ultrasounds
84. India Quality take out
83. Bottled watter (for Mom the Camel)
82. Mom’s first kangaroo time
81. Dad’s first kangaroo time (duh)
80. A closed PDA
79. A closed ASD
78. No ROP
77. Care times
76. Loving tubby time
75. Family
74. Encouraging cards
73. Getting the PICC line in
72. World-wide prayer
71. Brooklyn’s eyes opening for the first time.
70. Overcoming pneumonia
69. Meconium!
68. Cute hiccups
67. “Whoa! That’s some red hair.”
66. Getting on CPAP..followed by getting off CPAP
65. Recognizing one of B’s strengths as “being feisty”
64. Dad passing his qualifying exams on no sleep
63. Nightly weight check-ins
62. Park Street food deliveries. So…good….
61. TWO POUNDS!!!
60. Brooklyn in the Park Street weekly bulletin
59. No stretch marks
58. No more “morning” sickness
57. Quick rides to the hospital
56. Discount parking for parents
55. Respiratory therapists
54. Respiratory therapist stories (you know who you are)
53. Nurses fighting over who gets to take care of B that day
52. Meeting other NICU parents
51. Specialty doctors from Children’s Hospital
50. NICU wear
49. Photos by mom and videos by dad
48. Outgrowing preemie diapers
47. Moving from isolette to crib
46. Swaddling
45. Holding Brooklyn once a day
44. Knit socks and hats
43. Weekly Wednesday night dinner and Lost with friends
42. The view of Boston from Brooklyn's room on the 9th floor
41. Giving birth during the ugly months of winter
40. The lounge-o-matic kangaroo chair
39. Brooklyn’s team: Nancy, Colleen, Amy, Meghan, Nancy (night), Melissa
38. Peanut butter and jelly sammiches
37. Pre-Brooklyn visit watching of The Today Show
36. Hospital-grade breast pumps
35. The monkey blanket
34. “Good Night Moon” and “The Runaway Bunny”
33. Knitting
32. Cute dresses
31. More stuffed animals than one baby should ever have
30. No more cannula!
29. Brooklyn taking her first full feeding
28. B’s first smile
27. Brooklyn’s little grunts and grumbly talking
26. Chubby thighs
25. Elbow dimples
24. Crooked pinkies
23. Cute footprints
22. The Sullivan chins
21. The most beautiful big blue eyes
20. Smiling when she hears mom or dad’s voice
19. Brooklyn getting so excited that she shakes her head back and forth
18. Ah….sweet binky
17. The pouty face (inherited by mom)
16. Milk drunk!
15. No more spells
14. Listening to Auntie Di sing Brooklyn to bed
13. Being held by grandparents
12. First ride in the swing
11. Reminding the nurses she’s a Lorenz not a Sullivan!!!
10. Moving to B’s new home
9. Listening to Brooklyn breathe like a big girl while she sleeps
8. The way Brooklyn studies the pictures in her books
7. First diet
6. Second diet
5. Knowing she’s in perfect health and coming homing home soon
4. The nurses’ faces every time Brooklyn defies the 24-weeker stereotype
3. God’s faithfulness
2. Our family of three
1. Our Brooklyn
100. A “plus” sign on the pregnancy test
99. Finding out she’s a girl on the ultrasound
98. Naps
97. Zofran
96. Dr. Baker (our doctor) being on-call
95. Mom’s intuition to call the hospital
94. Living close to Beth Israel
93. A fast delivery
92. Hearing Brooklyn’s first cry – even at 24 weeks!
91. Dad holding B’s hand at birth
90. Seeing Brooklyn for the first time after 4 hours of waiting
89. Visitors
88. Best NICU nurses in Boston, dare I say WORLD!
87. Being a girl (girls do far better than boys in the NICU)
86. The doctor who told us she would live
85. Two clear head ultrasounds
84. India Quality take out
83. Bottled watter (for Mom the Camel)
82. Mom’s first kangaroo time
81. Dad’s first kangaroo time (duh)
80. A closed PDA
79. A closed ASD
78. No ROP
77. Care times
76. Loving tubby time
75. Family
74. Encouraging cards
73. Getting the PICC line in
72. World-wide prayer
71. Brooklyn’s eyes opening for the first time.
70. Overcoming pneumonia
69. Meconium!
68. Cute hiccups
67. “Whoa! That’s some red hair.”
66. Getting on CPAP..followed by getting off CPAP
65. Recognizing one of B’s strengths as “being feisty”
64. Dad passing his qualifying exams on no sleep
63. Nightly weight check-ins
62. Park Street food deliveries. So…good….
61. TWO POUNDS!!!
60. Brooklyn in the Park Street weekly bulletin
59. No stretch marks
58. No more “morning” sickness
57. Quick rides to the hospital
56. Discount parking for parents
55. Respiratory therapists
54. Respiratory therapist stories (you know who you are)
53. Nurses fighting over who gets to take care of B that day
52. Meeting other NICU parents
51. Specialty doctors from Children’s Hospital
50. NICU wear
49. Photos by mom and videos by dad
48. Outgrowing preemie diapers
47. Moving from isolette to crib
46. Swaddling
45. Holding Brooklyn once a day
44. Knit socks and hats
43. Weekly Wednesday night dinner and Lost with friends
42. The view of Boston from Brooklyn's room on the 9th floor
41. Giving birth during the ugly months of winter
40. The lounge-o-matic kangaroo chair
39. Brooklyn’s team: Nancy, Colleen, Amy, Meghan, Nancy (night), Melissa
38. Peanut butter and jelly sammiches
37. Pre-Brooklyn visit watching of The Today Show
36. Hospital-grade breast pumps
35. The monkey blanket
34. “Good Night Moon” and “The Runaway Bunny”
33. Knitting
32. Cute dresses
31. More stuffed animals than one baby should ever have
30. No more cannula!
29. Brooklyn taking her first full feeding
28. B’s first smile
27. Brooklyn’s little grunts and grumbly talking
26. Chubby thighs
25. Elbow dimples
24. Crooked pinkies
23. Cute footprints
22. The Sullivan chins
21. The most beautiful big blue eyes
20. Smiling when she hears mom or dad’s voice
19. Brooklyn getting so excited that she shakes her head back and forth
18. Ah….sweet binky
17. The pouty face (inherited by mom)
16. Milk drunk!
15. No more spells
14. Listening to Auntie Di sing Brooklyn to bed
13. Being held by grandparents
12. First ride in the swing
11. Reminding the nurses she’s a Lorenz not a Sullivan!!!
10. Moving to B’s new home
9. Listening to Brooklyn breathe like a big girl while she sleeps
8. The way Brooklyn studies the pictures in her books
7. First diet
6. Second diet
5. Knowing she’s in perfect health and coming homing home soon
4. The nurses’ faces every time Brooklyn defies the 24-weeker stereotype
3. God’s faithfulness
2. Our family of three
1. Our Brooklyn
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Day 96 - Cannulas are SO last week
Yesterday I got a call while working that Brooklyn was taken off her cannula. Wowzers! I may or may not have gotten a tad emotional during a meeting (sorry Gail). She only lasted about an hour, but Brooklyn would not be outdone. SO...today they tried again and she is cannula-free so far. Our little girl is breathin' like a straight up champ. Boo. Yizzy.
Oh, and B got another eye test today and her Level 1 ROP has not progressed, which is great news. The opthamologist said that her eyes are about 85% on the way to being mature. Once Brooklyn hits that 100% mature mark, there's a good chance the ROP won't advance; instead, her blood vessels will find a more constructive job by, you know, helping B see stuff.
And here are some pictures of the cannula-free kiddo. She's so freaking smushable!
Oh, and B got another eye test today and her Level 1 ROP has not progressed, which is great news. The opthamologist said that her eyes are about 85% on the way to being mature. Once Brooklyn hits that 100% mature mark, there's a good chance the ROP won't advance; instead, her blood vessels will find a more constructive job by, you know, helping B see stuff.
And here are some pictures of the cannula-free kiddo. She's so freaking smushable!
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Friday, April 10, 2009
Day 92 - Magic Number 75
UPDATE: Brooklyn has now conquered TWO full feedings!!! She guzzled another bottle at 5pm.
It was a big morning in the Lorenz household. Brooklyn took more than a full feeding from her bottle today! Her full feeding is currently 62cc's and Brooklyn typically can get down around 20cc's, but this morning was different. B decided to show off and guzzle down 75cc's! I think she just wanted to test out her new 6lb. 2oz. figure.
The evidence:
The happy mom and dad:
It was a big morning in the Lorenz household. Brooklyn took more than a full feeding from her bottle today! Her full feeding is currently 62cc's and Brooklyn typically can get down around 20cc's, but this morning was different. B decided to show off and guzzle down 75cc's! I think she just wanted to test out her new 6lb. 2oz. figure.
The evidence:
The happy mom and dad:
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Day 91 - Food NICU Challenge
For the past few weeks, Brooklyn has been trying this whole bottle whosawhatsit out. She's slowly getting the hang of it and today she guzzled down 35cc's, which is over half her feeding. Don't believe me? Check it!
Food NICU Challenge from Sean Lorenz on Vimeo.
Food NICU Challenge from Sean Lorenz on Vimeo.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Day 89 - Chubby Lady
Howdy! Brooklyn wanted to say hi to everyone and let you know she's getting some serious chubbiness now that she weighs 5 pounds 11 ounces. She has the cutest little elbow dimples and fat rolls now! In fact, she's so chubby now that they've put her on several diets and decided to even take her off the protein shake yesterday. This is good news because that extra shake gave her lots of baby gas, causing her to turn a nice shade of heirloom tomato red.
Other than that, it's been relatively uneventful here at the NICU. Brooklyn is still on a very low amount of oxygen from the low-flow cannula, which she mainly needs during her feedings. This is B's final and biggest challenge: coordinating the suck, swallow, breathe routine. She's getting great at chuggin' some milk without turning blue, but doing all that eating takes a lot of work. After about 15cc's of a bottle feeding, Brooklyn tends to say "Sleep time!" and is off to dream of binkies and CPAP wars.
Brooklyn also had her fourth ROP exam today. Unfortunately, they did find a small amount of Level 1 ROP, however, her eye doctors were amazed she went four exams without showing any ROP! Needless to say, they will be checking her eyes every week now to make sure the ROP does not progress, but so far there is nothing to be concerned about with her cute little eyes.
Here are some photos of B from the past few days:
Other than that, it's been relatively uneventful here at the NICU. Brooklyn is still on a very low amount of oxygen from the low-flow cannula, which she mainly needs during her feedings. This is B's final and biggest challenge: coordinating the suck, swallow, breathe routine. She's getting great at chuggin' some milk without turning blue, but doing all that eating takes a lot of work. After about 15cc's of a bottle feeding, Brooklyn tends to say "Sleep time!" and is off to dream of binkies and CPAP wars.
Brooklyn also had her fourth ROP exam today. Unfortunately, they did find a small amount of Level 1 ROP, however, her eye doctors were amazed she went four exams without showing any ROP! Needless to say, they will be checking her eyes every week now to make sure the ROP does not progress, but so far there is nothing to be concerned about with her cute little eyes.
Here are some photos of B from the past few days:
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Our Photos
After 8 LONG days, I finally have my computer back! Thankfully I did not ruin the hard drive and was able to recover all Brooklyn's photos and videos. So the first thing I did last night was back up all our photos online to Picasa. All B's pictures are now online here: http://picasaweb.google.com/sean.d.lorenz
I'll post a new video soon because Brooklyn is so fun and lively these days. Also, B is now at 5 lb. 6 oz. and took 25cc from a bottle yesterday! That's almost half her feeding. The goal is to have Brooklyn eat two ounces from her bottle without spelling (i.e. turning blue and refusing to breathe).
I'll post a new video soon because Brooklyn is so fun and lively these days. Also, B is now at 5 lb. 6 oz. and took 25cc from a bottle yesterday! That's almost half her feeding. The goal is to have Brooklyn eat two ounces from her bottle without spelling (i.e. turning blue and refusing to breathe).
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