One Month Old

Adalee is one month old today and is coming along slowly. We have  plateaued with her feedings where she was getting to much in her that she started having more frequent and runny poo so shes staying at 9ml an hour on continues feeds though a feeding tube that goes down her nose and into her stomach the Doctors have added something called Certo (its what you make jams and jelly with) to the milk to thicken it up and hopefully slow down the digestion process so shes able to absorb and process her food better. The good thing is she is growing she is up to 5lbs 6oz now and hardly fits into her preemie clothes, shes also starting to get a little personality! Today she had to have another blood transfusion. She is not creating enough red blood cells because she isn't getting enough iron in her diet (iron would be to rough on her tummy right now since she is still healing from surgery). All in all Addy is doing good considering the hand she was dealt. We knew we were going to get to a place where she couldn't handle the food intake but the Doctors weren't expecting her to even get to 9ml an hour based on the amount of intestines that she has left, so yet again she has surprised them with her progress!

2 weeks old

Today was a big day of firsts for Miss Adalee she started eatting today, she put on her first outfit and she was moved out of her icubator into a crib!  Its going to take some time to see how she does with the milk but were praying that she tolerates it and is able to digest it. She's only getting a little bit at a time so if she does good with this amount then it will keep getting increased. My parents were finally able to hold her last night and she gave them lots of smiles, my mom was scared by how small she was and all the wires shes plugged up to but you get use to it .Jamison has been drawing pictures for her that we can decorate her new crib with. Tomorrow she will be two weeks old, shes come so far in these two weeks and has exceeded all the Doctors expectations. Shes such a strong little girl and even after everything shes been though shes still a happy and mellow baby. All the nurses fight over who is going to take care of her because she is so easy going and low matinence. So again we wait to see how she does and pray that we get to bring her home soon!

Poo Poo Party!

Well it finally happened! Adalee is 12 days old and finally had her first poo poo! Im so happy that we were with her and even were able to record her pooping. It may sound weird but we have been waiting and praying for this to happen. Tomorrow, Cody and I will meet with her surgeon, doctors, and a G.I. doctor to discuss Addys progress, what to expect, and the long term care that she may need. Adalee has come so far in such a short time that its hard not to get our hopes up and believe that everything is going to work out but we know we need to take it one day at a time. Our nurse told us that Addy is now allowed to wear clothes but its becoming a challege to find something to fit a 3lbs 8oz baby, I'll probally have to take an outfit from one of Jamisons dolls. Jamison and my parents are coming back tomorrow and we cannot wait to see Jami. We've missed her very much (we missed you too mom and dad :) I'm nervous about our meeting tomorrow and what their going to tell us but regardless of what we're told we will be ok!

One week old

Adalee is recovering very well, so well that I was able to hold her today! It felt great being able to hold her, we feel useless when we're with her and all we can do is hold her little hand and talk to her. She was very alert today and was staring at us with her pretty blue eyes. The doctors are slowy taking her off medications and in a couple of days the breathing tube should come out. So now we are just waiting for her to poop and believe me there will be a celebration when this happens!!! Cody and I bought her a few outfits today, even the newborn size seems so big compared to little Addy but by the time we bring her home she'll be able to fit into them.

Meet the parents

Grandma & Pappy playing with Jamison

Grams & Jamison

Pop Pop & Jamison

Cody and I are very fortunate to have parents who would drop everything to be with us when we need them most. Right when they heard what was going on they grabbed what they could and got to as quick as possible. We are very lucky to have their love and support through all of this. We both have amazing families and wouldnt know what we would do without them!

Today my parents took Jamison with them down to South Carolina for a few days. Im missing her smiling face, her little giggles but most of all her hugs and kisses! I know she is in GREAT hands so it makes easier having her gone and gives Cody and I a chance to spend more time with Addy.

Addy is recovering well two days after surgery her belly was a little swollen today but she had her eyes open and was looking around. She is on a breathing tube but she is only getting room air which is very good and the only reason for the breathing tube is so she doesnt have to worry about anything but getting better. Were unable to hold her which makes it very hard when all we want to to is hold her tight and let her know that everything will be ok. So were counting down the days until shes in our arms!

Addy two days after surgery

Pictures

First time mommy held Adalee

Second time Daddy held Addy

 
 

Right before Surgury

One day after surgery

 

*A STAR IS BORN*

 Friday January 28th, 2011 Adalee Knight Alt was born via emergency c-section. She weighed 4lbs 3oz and 16.5 inches long. She was taken to the NICU but not before daddy got to hold her and show me her beautiful little face. She was doing good but something wasnt right with her tummy, she had the doctors stumped. They decided surgery had to be done to get a look at what was going wrong. Tuesday, February 1st Addy went into surgery. After what seemed to be the longest 2.5 hours they were finally done. The surgeon told us that something happened to her intestine that caused it to kink and everything below that kink had died. They ended up removing a good portion of her lower intestine and connecting what they could save. This wasnt what we were expecting so it came as a shock when the surgeon started mentioning things like "Short Gut Snydrome" and her having to get nutrients through a IV for the rest of her life. What she was left with leaves her with a 50/50 chance it could go either way, she may have enough of her intestines left that she wont need an IV. After a minor break down we were finally able to talk with our favorite NICU nurse Colleen who explained the situation to us better and prepared us for a long road ahead. It will take about a week before we see if the surgery was a sucess and if the connection that was made works. No matter what happens either way Addy will have a great life! We will do whatever it takes to get her eveything she needs to strive. So now we just wait. Today, one day after surgey she looks good. Her blood pressure was a little low so she was given a blood transfusion but this was expected, it was a big surgey for such a little girl.  Were going to take it one day at a time and were looking forward to day we bring her home so she can finally meet her big sister (Jamison is not allowed in the NICU because of her age). Addy is a strong little girl and has so much love around her that things can only get better from here!