Gabriella's First Pediatrician's Visit on Thursday & Visiting With Auntie Amanda

Thursday's Pediatrician Visit

Ok, so I'm a bit late posting about this. Thursday was a lot of running around. Pediatrician visit in the morning and picking up Auntie Amanda from the airport in the evening, so I didn't get a chance to update about her visit.

Mommy and Gidget


All is well with the exception of a bit of a clogged tear duct which Doctor O. told us in normal and occurs in one out of every ten babies, and Rx'd us some ointment for it. He said he's pleased with her progress and most of all, she's gaining weight, which I was concerned about because she's breastfeeding, but apparently as she's up to 8lbs 14ozs, she's getting enough milk. She left the hospital this past Sunday at 8.6. And she's also now up to a full 23 inches long! Grow Gidget Grow....just not too fast or you'll make your mommy cry. It goes so fast.

Doctor O. echoed the sentiments of the neonatologist we saw on discharge from the hospital and the cardiologist and said that everything she experienced whilst in the hospital has corrected itself and is common among premies and among term babies as well. So we feel much better now. He said he was also pleased that the breastfeeding seems to be working out and that we don't have the issues a lot of other NICU babies/moms seem to have and that he chalks that up to Gidget's size. He also assured me that Gidget's need to eat every hour during the middle of the night was totally normal. It's exhausting but normal. I just hope it decreases soon. He was also surprised that she isn't showing any signs of "nipple confusion" because she was on both the bottle (although it was always breastmilk) and breast whilst in the hospital.

I do make sure, when we go out (which really isn't too often anyhow) that I pack a bottle for her as I'm not too keen on whipping the boobs out in public in order to feed her. Oh, don't get me wrong, there will come a time when I have to, and I'll be discreet about it, but I don't think I need be pressured to do it any sooner than need be. Beside's there are still a lot of folks out there who are, for whatever reason, made uncomfortable at the sight of a mother feeding her infant regardless of how discreet she is. And believe me, my middle name is MODESTY.....but I'm still not ready to have people stare at me or make rude remarks.

So, as long as she goes between bottle and breast as easily as she does, I don't see any need to switch up my routine yet and Doctor O. agreed that as long as it was working, no need to fix what isn't broken.

Gidget was so good during the entire visit, even if she did pee all over the scale when the nurse weighed her. But that's her thing....she either poops all over whoever has the misfortune to weigh her, or pees on them. *lol*

We definitely like Doctor O. especially since he came to visit us several times whilst in the hospital when he didn't have to. And I like him despite the fact he told me that on her next visit in late Feb, at her two-month check up, she gets FOUR jabs/innoculations! FOUR! Bloody hell. I can see that being a very ugly day.

Auntie Amanda Comes To Visit

My younger (but wayyyyy taller than me) sister is here for week visiting us (from Southern California) and we're very glad she's here. Gidget loves her Auntie as you can tell. And Auntie has fun just sitting there entertaining Gidget and enjoying her.

Gidget and Auntie Amanda playing......


Gidget all snuggled up with Auntie Amanda......


Gidget during playtime on Auntie Amanda's lap....


Gidget is able to stay up longer and longer now, just by small increments here and there, but she's noticing more and more during her awake/playtimes.

I love to just sit and hold her and snuggle her against me. This time in her life lasts for but a small period and I'm enjoying every minute of it. Even the cranky late-night feedings when I struggle to stay awake and wonder if she'll ever sleep through the night.

Most of all, I love to just sit and hold her and am never ceased to be amazed by the miracle that we have in Gabriella Rose. I can't help but think back to the days when she was still hooked up the ventilators and O2 with all the tubes and lines running in and out of her....



I still get so teary when I think about those very scary days....days before I even got to hold my precious little girl. It seemed like days like today, and yesterday and the one before that were still miles and miles away - very distant.

And then there are moments like these.....


...when she's just blissfully content to sleep peacefully against me, in comfort and in health. And I just stare at her and am awed by how incredible she is and what an immense blessing this tiny little being is and it seems like those very scary days were ages and ages ago. There are times when I look at those pictures from her time in the NICU when things were in a very precarious balance, that I'm reminded that they weren't as long ago as it seems.

They say watching fish swim around in a fish tank has been proven to help lower blood pressure. Well, I've got one better. Come by our house any time, and I'll place this beautiful little girl in your arms and we'll see if holding her for a while and enjoying her doesn't lower your blood pressure.