Just a sweet, cuddly picture...

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Originally uploaded by MrsSuperSpy

First time outside

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Originally uploaded by MrsSuperSpy

5 pounds!!!

So, this morning before Miss Samantha had her bubble bath I weighed her. And guess what?!!?!?! A "5" appeared! 5 pounds and 4 ounces to be exact. I'm thinking my scale at home puts her a bit higher than at the Dr.'s office, but only by a few ounces. So, regardless, she is 5 pounds!!! She looks like a giant to me - and really, she has put on over a quarter of her body weight. Amazing!

Her growth is really confiming to me that we did the right thing. Of course, I have tremendous guilt about her beeing a preemie. I kept wondering "what if...". Well, before she was born she gained only 2-4 ounces in 2 weeks. Now she is gaining almost a pound in 2 weeks! So, I'm feeling better about our decision. She is doing so much better out than in. If we could have only avoided that yucky NICU stay!

So, today is New Years Eve. Tomorrow will be January - and the month our sweet baby was supposed to be born in. I do have to say I'm quite happy about her being a December baby. LOL It all seems so strange. I am just now starting to feel normal again. We walked to the park yesterday and then again to the mail in the evening. She saw some of the neighbor kids, and the boys were so proud to let their friends have a peek at her. It was so cute - PJ was showing off her birthmark. He told them it was her Angel Kiss. That's what I told him I was going to call it. I told him that God knew Sami was coming out too soon so he sent an angel to watch over her, and that her angel had kissed her before she came to us. I had no idea he would be telling that to his friends, but I think it was so sweet!

Sam's Christmas picture

sam christmas
Originally uploaded by MrsSuperSpy

Here is Miss Samantha in her Christmas outfit. It says "Baby's 1st Christmas" on it. Although, I'd love her to be bigger, I am also thrilled to have a baby that could actually wear something that says 1st Christmas on it. By the time my other babies first Christmases came around the giants wouldn't fit in anything that was for a 1st Christmas. I guess from one extreme to another!

Sam's bed...

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Originally uploaded by MrsSuperSpy

Just wanted to share this shot of Sam in her bed at the hospital the day we brought her home.

Back to normal...

Hoping everyone had a great Christmas. It looks like Toys R Us vomited in our house, but I guess that's what's supposed to happen, right? LOL The kids were all sooooo lucky to have gotten such wonderful things this year. They've been really enjoying having some time home to play with everything.

Miss Samantha went back to the doctor on Friday. She weighed 4 lbs and 13 ozs. That's a whole pound more than when we brought her home from the hospital! The doctor was very proud of her. She has basically gained 25% of her body weight, which is a huge accomplishment. I'm guessing by now she's hit 5 pounds. She's averaging a gain of 1 ounce per day. And, the dotor was so happy with her progress that she doesn't have to go back for 2 weeks! This makes me very happy as the last time we were there we were the only healthy people in there.

Pete headed back to Tucson today - and we're all missing him. He'll be home on Thursdsay, though, so we're looking forward to that. I'm sure that the kids have a Nerf War planned for that day. They've discovered that Dad likes to play Nerf guns. So, we now have an arsenal of weapons and ammo. LOL During the last war Sam and I had to hide in her room - and, I still got hit! They set up with 2 people downstairs and 2 upstairs. Then, they shoot over the wall at each other. Needless to say, it's very loud and I can't look because I have visions of little boys toppling over the wall. I found PJ on a chair shooting over at his Dad. A little scary! So, I choose not to know what's going on - but, I did put a no chair rule in place before I went into hiding. Oh, and aside from my boys falling over the wall, I also have to worry about their father shooting them! LOL During the last war, as Jesse was talking, he got shot in the lip by his Dad! And, later as Pete is laughing telling me the story he tells me that Jesse got shot in the lip, started crying, and the dart stuck to his lip! He had to reach up and pull it off while he was crying! Mean Dad!!! haha

Oh, and I have to add a classic PJ quote for your entertainment...

Said after getting in trouble because I saw him chase after and throw a bat at his brother...

P-"I didn't do anything"
S- "I saw you throw a bat at your brother"
P- "Yes, but I MISSED!"
S- turns around to hide laughter...

Tay is back to her normal self these days. She was having withdrawals from her bff, Aubrey, I think. But, now that the holidays are over they are attached at the hip again. So, we've been subjected to 11 year old girls goofyness again. Which, my mother finds entertaining, but I find rather annoying. LOL But, Tay is happy and I guess I can grin and bear it, right?

Santa came early this year!

Santa came early
Originally uploaded by MrsSuperSpy

Weekend Update, Samantha Jean

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. And for no pictures - it's not my fault! LOL

Anyway, last Thursday Jesse and I took Sam to the Dr. to check her weight again. She hit 4 pounds and 5 ounces! Big girl! LOL The dr. was soooo proud of her. She is gaining an ounce a day and he says that is wonderful. So, I was very happy about that. In all reality she isn't that much bigger than when we brought her home, but she just seems bigger to me. I swear that she looked and fit differently in her car seat even. She's still on an every 3 hour feeding schedule, so that we can keep her growing, and we will go back for another check on the 26th. I'm guessing she's going to hit 5 pounds by January! Funny to think about that, though. Right now she doesn't even weigh half of what her siblings weighed when they were born.

Samantha - 2 weeks old

Well, this has been the fastest two weeks of my life, I think. Ican't believe that my baby is 2 weeks old already. I'm sure it has something to do with the fact that we haven't had her home for a week yet, but still...

Nothing much new, the kids are all getting excited for Christmas. The boys both have their class parties tomorrow and they can hardly wait.

Sam has just been busy growing. Which, I am happy and sad about. I know, that's insane as all I did for 8 days was pray that this child grew so that I could take her home. But, it just marks the beginning to me - the beginning of her being 11 and me not knowing how that happened so fast. Wasn't it just yesterday that Tay was 2 weeks old? Anyway, we go back to the Dr. tomorrow, so we'll get a weight. Plus, we'll talk more about her feeding. I'm having a terrible time with nursing/pumping/etc... I really don't know what to do anymore. Turns out I had the wrong sized parts for my pump which then was causing me great pain. So, I have the right sized ones now (thanks Mom!) and I'm hoping that I can get my supply back up. So many things that I never gave a second thought before. I'm getting terribly discouraged, but I'm trying to take it day by day. I honestly don't know what will happen...

*I know I haven't posted any pics for awhile, by this blog is acting up nd won't load them. Sorry!

Sami Jean - Day 10, 12/13/08

Today was just a relaxing, stay at home, hold my baby kind of day. It was wonderful. We are now nursing at every feeding and I'm so happy about that! Of course, now I've turned into one of those kind of Moms, the ones who worry about how much the baby is eating because they can't measure it. I was never like that before - but I guess with a 9 pounder you don't worry so much about eating. I do have to declare my deep hatred for this gosh dang breast pump. It is such a pain to have to use it. Sami has to eat every 3 hours around the clock. So, I get up, feed her, then pump, then take the milk down and put it in the freezer. By the time this is all over it's been over an hour and I have less than 2 hours til it has to be done again. I can't wait til we are nursing full time and I can hurl that thing back at the lactation consultant. I shouldn't be so negative towards it, though. It was the only thing that has kept my milk supply up and allowed us to start up nursing again. So, I don't *hate* it, but I strongly dislike it. LOL

Nothing else new at all. Which is actually very nice for a change. Pete finished wrapping up some gifts and ran to the store to get a few little things more. He gets so mad because on the weekends he goes to WalMart everyday. But, they are so close and so cheap and we always need something. LOL

Sami Jean - Day 9, 12/12/08

We had our first night home and it was wonderful! Miss Sami at like a little pig all night, too, which made me happy. We have also discovered Rocky's true mission in life - to be a baby nurse. LOL The poor guy was up all night long. Every whimper I heard I'd look over and this gigantic head was peering into her bassinet to make sure she was okay. Then, when I'd go down to feed her he'd be right there with me. He'd wait for me to make it down the first half of the steps, then he'd come down and then he'd wait for me to go down the rest and then follow me down. He paced the kitchen watching her while I heated the bottle and then stood watch as I fed her. I swear, he could work as a volunteer in the NICU and let the nurses know when a baby needed something!

Sami had her first dr. appt this afternoon. We just LOVE our doctor. I would never see anyone else. I just knew I was going to be so happy after this appt. So, we told himwhat we knew - what the NICU had told us to do, etc... Anyway, he told me to nurse her at EVERY feeding. Now, this is great big news, because when she was in the NICU the nurse had to have an "order" from the doctor for me to be able to nurse her. ugh... Anyway, I am estatic about this! I HATE this darn pump and will be so happy to get rid of it. I'm not really a bottle sort of girl. All this pumping and measuring and worrying about every mL is not my style. I'm more a half-asleep pop a boob in their mouth kind of gal. LOL (Sorry to all the males I know reading this!) Needless to say I cannot wait for her to be exclusively nursing.

Sami weighed in at 3 lbs 15 ozs on their scale and will go back in a week to weigh in again.

Sami Jean - Day 8, 12/11/08

Sami is home!!!

We got home this afternoon and have spent all afternoon just loving having her here. Although, she has no idea what's going on I'm choosing to believe that she is just as happy about coming home as we are. LOL I'm still in a bit of shock. This was so diffrent than when our other 3 babies were born. I guess I never felt like I had had a baby. It was so strange to come home without her, and heart wrenching to have to go and "visit" your own child. But, enough of that - she is home now, where she belongs.

As of right now five of the six of us are under one roof. We are waiting on Tay to get off the bus, and then all will be right with the world again... *sigh*

Sami Jean - Day 7, 12/10/08

Well, today was a WONDERFUL day! My late post can be explained by the fact that as I headed out the hospital I got a call from Sami's nurse. She wanted me to bring in her carseat so that they could do her carseat test. They wanted us to "nest" with her that night and then bring her home the next day. It was all a blur as I rushed to still make it to her 11am feeding. I grabbed the car seat we had, just to see if it would work. After we fed her we tried her in the seat. Unfortunately there was no way it was going to work out. We pulled the straps as tight as they would go and we still could have taken her out without unbuckling her. It was a pretty bad fit. So, we decided that we were going to have to go ahead and get a new carseat. I left the hospital after her 2 oclock and headed out to get some last minute things before I went home to pack. Pete made it home around 7 and we loaded up and headed to Babies R Us, where my Mom had given us a coupon to buy the new seat. We ended up with a travel system and it is gorgeous! I'm really excited to use it. And, they way that this carseat fits her is amazing. I'm so glad we got it - she is so comfy in it.

We got to the hospital and gave them the new seat. They put her in it and started the test while we settled into our room. After she passed her test they brought her into our room for the night. However, we weren't really alone. The nurse came in every 3 hours to bring her a bottle and check her temp and listen to her heart and belly. So, although we were "alone" it was more like we were being tested. The nurse we had didn't know us and I don't think knew that Sami was our 4th child. So, she kept a good watch over us all night. In the morning they said "well, you did good, I guess she can go home today". So, it really was a test. Which, is a little irritating, but it had to be done.

Needless to say we were very happy to get her home. She is 8 days old and we haven't really had any time with her. So, I hope everyone will forgive us when I say that we don't want any visitors! LOL Just for awhile - we really missed out on a lot of time with her since she was taken away just minutes after being born.

Luckily Pete was able to take Thurs and Fri off so that he can spend some time with her, too. I don't think he's put her down since we got home! We are so thankful that his new job is so incredible! They are so family oriented and have really made us feel welcome. I have yet to meet any of them, but I hope when Sami is a bit older and stronger that we can make the drive down to Tucson and have a big introduction.

Thanks to all of you who have helped out and sent good thoughts and food and watched our children. We couldn't have made it through this without all of your support! Especially our Nana, who has taken off quite a long time from work and spent many nights over here with the 3 big kids. Not to mention our 2 "furry" children. We have heard that Tay's dog Bubbles has given her quite a run for her money. Sorry Nana! We never said you had to keep the little dog alive - just the big dog and the kids! LOL

Sami Jean - Day 6, 12/09/08

Thought I'd start this post now, since I'm not heading up til 11. Pete called on his way to work, so we do have some news. They have moved Sami up to the front nursery. A few days ago I would have thought this was great news, but yesterday we saw some babies come from the front to the back. Also, they were filled yesterday and were looking to make room. I worry about her up there because it's much louder and the lights are on more. She needs so badly to gain weight that I hope this doesn't stress her out too much. Depending on what I see today I may talk to the nurse about it.

So, when I made it in today they were moving her to the back. LOL They had just moved her up front overnight. There was no medical reason - just I think for the nurses convenience since all the babies were moved around last night. She's back to her same old spot now and is doing great.

She took 30mL for the nurse all night and about 35 mL for me all day. Dr. Wacko was in again looking for me today. She said she wasn't ready to send her home today. LOL! Duh! So, she (the nurses) decided that we'd raise her minimum mL intake by 2 mL every 3rd feed til she reaches 42 mL and then keep it there. Theyare watching her tummy closely to make sure it doesn't get overloaded with all the food. But, really, it's about the same as she took yesterday and she won't hit 42 til tomorrow. She's been gaining on her intake by the day, so I think she'll be okay.

I felt so good today when I left. I know that the reason I wasn't so upset was because I knew Pete was coming to her afer I left. Which, makes me feel better, but I'm sure it'll be the same for him to leave her as it always is. Which, really isn't fair to him. I know he's going to be so tired this week. His long drive home just got longer. He's heading straight to the hospital after leaving work in Tucson. He says he can just take different freeways, but I have no idea how long that will add to his drive. The hospital is about 20 minutes into town from our house. I'm feeling really bad for him. But, it can't be helped and I know that there is no place he would rather be than with her right now. So, he will make it. I'll just have to be extra nice to him when he gets home. LOL

Sami Jean - Day 6, 12/08/08

***I can't get the pictures to load, so I'll have to add them later - sorry!

Today was a good day. I'm not sure exactly why, but Pete was with me all day in the NICU and I know that helped. We arrived for Sami's 8 am feeding and stayed until she was done with her 5 pm feeding. It was so nice to be able to just relax and be with her. Thanks Mom!!!

Sami ate so good today! And, as one of the nurses said, "Eating is the ticket out of here!" So, we are hoping she will keep it up. She had 26 mL most of the day until 5 pm when the little piggy took 40 mL! When we called tonight to check on her the nurse said she had taken 32 for her at 8pm. So, that is all great news. Plus, she has put on a little weight, up to 3 lbs 11.1 ounces now. Gaining weight is another step in the right direction, so we were very hapy about that.

We did meet another doctor today who I'm guessing will be in for this week. She was a wacko to say the least. When she came is she assumed Sami was a full term baby. Umm, did you not see her?!?! Anyway, we corrected her and then she continued to tell us that she was going to raise her minimums 2 mLs per feeding and that we'd probably get to take her home in a few days. Ummm, what? Pete and I didn't even bat an eye. There is no way that will be happening, she's not ready. Later our her came over and askedif she had really told us that. She said that another nurse had told her and that they (the nurses) would all fight to keep her there because she's not ready. She needs to be more consistent with her feeds and she needs to keep putting on weight every day before we can even begin to think about that. It's funny because Pete and I sit in there and see all these other 5,6,and 7 pounders and they are eating the same or just a bit more than Sami is. Plus, half of them have feeding tubes. Her nurse laughed at her again today because she said that this tiny little thing is just wondering what their problem is, why can't they just figure it out like she has. She is a tough little baby bird, that's for sure. I can't believe how well she is doing. She is truly amazing us everyday with how hard she is working to be strong. Oh, and we had a great nursing moment today. Our nurse today brought in another nurse who is also a lactation consultant. She was so helpful and supportive. I felt so much better about nursing working out after we talked with her. I'm hoping I'll see her again throughout this week. But, for now Sami is taking my milk which they fortify with a high calorie formula at every feeding. That makes me feel good - that I am providing for her.

Oh, and since Dr. Wacko brought up the whole going home thing we all started talking about car seats. The car seat we have holds a minimum of 5 pounds. I do not think she will hit 5 pounds before she comes home. So, I've started researching and there are some that will hold a 4 pounder and they seem to do a better job at supporting small babies, too. So, that may be an option for her. We will have to think more about that as the time gets closer to bring her home. As for now, we are going day by day. There is no other sane choice in all of this...

Pete has to go back to work tomorrow, and I know he's upset about that. But, this will begin his nightly visits with her. He plans to be there at 8pm for that feeding every night. Luckily, my Mom has taken of through Weds so I'm planning on going up tomorrow and Weds for at least 2 feeds.

Keep little Sami in your thoughts and prayers, I know they are working! To see this little tiny creature do so many amazing things is truly a miracle.

Weight: 1665g

Sami Jean - Day 5, 12/07/08

Well, today was a tough one. Mostly for me, though, I think. Pete got up early and headed in to be there for Sam's 8 o'clock feeding. He was met with good news. The IV was gone, which we knew would happen, but he was surprised by the fact that she was going to be moved into an open air bed today. We had thought it would be a few days until that happened. So, he called me wanting me to bring her some clothes when I came up. When they are in the isolette they only wear a diaper, but in the open bed they can wear clothes and hats. Of course, they only preemie clothes I had were the gifts our family had brought to the hospital. And, of course, they aren't washed yet. So, I took her a blanket that I had already washed and they are using that in her bed for now. I'll take some clothes tomorrow. Today she got to "borrow" a onesie - it was red and said Santa on it. I was hoping for something pink since it's been so long since I've dressed a little girl, but oh well.

The hard part of the day was knowing that now all she needs to do is to eat well. I think I just keep waiting for something to happen. If she doesn't eat well they'll have to put in a feeding tube. Which, we've known could happen all along. It's just so stressful to me that she's doing so well but in the blink of an eye we could digress. Her goal range for eating now is 25-32 mLs per feeding. Pete got about 25 down her at each of her morning feedings, but at 11 I could only manage about 15. Which of course, makes me feel terrible. And then, after that came the talk of her next feeding and what would happen if she couldn't meet her goal then. Ugh... 4 days old and already so much to accomplish! So, I sat with her and did "kangaroo care" until her next feeding at 5. All the while praying that she'd take in at least 25 mL's. Italked with the Np of the NICU and also the nurse and when 5 o'clock came the nurse stayed with me to get us started. I'd love to say that I had this magnificent technique and that I know exaclty how to do it again tomorrow, but honestly, I have no idea why she decided to eat at 5. (She had 26 mL) But, I can't complain, and I was so grateful to have had my prayer answered. So, after she ate I reluctantly bundled her up again and put her into her new bed. I'm so nervous for her to be in there after being in the isolette. I know there is no reason for me to be, but I keep thinking she'll get cold, or she might need something, etc... Anyway, after that I headed home, armed with my bag of bottles to fill and bring back tomorrow. I never gave nursing a baby a second thought, I thought it was the most natural, easy thing in the world. And, I still believe that can be true. In the right circumstance. This, apparently is not. I sat all day listening to the other mother's and their nurses as they helped them to nurse their babies. I've tried to nurse Sami about 4 times now. Complete failure. Her little mouth is too tiny and she can't latch on. It's really hard for me, but, I'm pumping away and they are fortifying my milk with a higher calorie formula to get her a boost in nutrition. As long as she eats and grows I honestly thnk I wouldn't care what she ate. And, I NEVER thought I would say that!

It was a long, hard drive home again. Shouldn't it be getting easier as the days go by instead of harder?

Sami Jean Day 4, 12/06/08

Miss Sami had a very sleepy day today. I got to the hospital at 8am and met my parents there. Sam was wide awake and waiting for us! Her nurse told us she had taken 25 mL all through the night and they were very proud of her. They had moved her IV down to only adding in 2 mL of nutrition and they were stopping her from eating more than 25 mL. So, there was talk all day of removing the IV and upping her limit of bottle intake. We were really hopeful that this would happen, but just try to go moment to moment with her. I stayed through the 8am feeding and at about 10am Jean and Nacho arrived to see her. However, she was really tired because she had been awake with me the entire time I'd been there. So, of course she needed to rest her little body. So, we left her to rest and decided to come back for the 11am feeding. When we got back at 11 she was still sleepy and didn't take down too much. Of course, I felt guilty that we had bothered her and worn her out, so we didn't stay long and hoped that she would rest up and eat more when we came back at 2. When Pete and I got back at 2 they had upped her limit of milk to 33mL, but we only got about 16 down her before she fell asleep again. We stayed wth her a while longer and then decided it would be best for her to get some sleep hoping that she would eat better later that night. Of course, when Pete called before bed she had taken 30mL at both her 5 and 8 pm feedings! Little stinker, I think she's a night owl. LOL

OH! And her IV was removed since she was able to take enough nutrition on her own. Her Dad is soooo happy about that! And, they are saying tht if she keeps up the good feeds she may get an open air bed in the next couple of days. We just have to worry about her keeping her body tem up, but as the days go on her bed heater has been kicking on less and less. So, this leads them to believe that she is doing well regulating her body temp. Which is terrific because that is another thing she has to master before we an bring her home.

Loved her nurse today! She said that babies like Sam are her favorite - they are super tiny, but seem to have not been notified of that because they act just like they weigh 8 pounds. LOL So, overall she is doing well, we hope that she has another good day on Sunday.

Weight: 1750g

Sami Jean Day 3, 12/05/08

Today was Friday, and the day I was being released from the hospital. It was a really hard day, but the nurses were great. They let us stay as long as we wanted. So we spent the day visiting for every feeding and between them we packed up and loaded the car. We saw her for the last time that night at the 5 oclock feeding and ended up leaving about 6:30. We both had a really hard time leaving her, but we know that she is being well taken care of. We can call whenever we want to and check on her and the nurses are so nice. So, while it's hard I am also so glad that I am comfortable with all the people she has looking after her.





Her billirubin (jaundice) levels came down today, so she got to get rid of her little sunglasses and blue lights. This also means that now we are not limited to holding her for just the 30 minute feedings. So, that was good news. Her feeding has also picked up and she is averaging about 15-20 mL a feeding. So, they have lessoned her IV nutrition seeing as she's providing a lot of it herself from the bottle.





When I called to check on her tonight before we went to bed her nurse just giggled and said that she had just wolfed down 25mL in 10 minutes. And then she said Sam sat there looking at her like "so, what's next?" So, we were really happy to hear such good news on our first night away from her.



The last picture is of the bathroom door in my room. (They use is as the whiteboard) When Taylor came to visit she did a little drawing and this is what we were left with. Think she's excited about having a sister?





Weight: 1740g

Sami Jean Day 2, 12/04/08

On Thursday Sam was doing quite well. She started eating from a bottle and did pretty well for her first time. That day was quite a blur to me, but I think I remember that she ate around 5 mL. She was still getting her nutrition through her IV, so that was okay. I really can't remember much else. I just wanted to post some pictures of her we took that day.

Weight: 1700g

Miss Samantha Jean is here! 12/03/08

Samantha Jean Garza, born 12-3-08 at 7:28 am, weighing 3 lbs 14ozs, 16 3/4 ins, head circ 12 in, chest circ 9 3/4 in.

So, as many of you know, I began having problems in this pregnancy in September. I'm really not sure what was going on. It would be one thing and then another. Finally, in October my doctor was suspecting pre-eclampsia and so she sent me to a specialist. We continued going to appointments between my OB and the perinatologist for about a month. At the specialist they did non-stress tests, measured the bloodflow from the placenta to the baby and also did growth ultrasounds to check on her progress. All of this while my blood pressure continued to rise. Finally, the day before Thanksgiving the peri decided that the baby had pretty much stopped growing and that to wait any longer may be of risk to her. So, we had an amnio on Monday the 1st and were told on Tuesday that her lungs were mature and she would have a good chance of breathing on her own if we induced. Pete and I decided that although it was terrifying to think of having her 5 weeks early and weighing only 3 pounds that we had to do whatever she needed us to do to help her. So, we went in to the hospital at 3pm on the 2nd to be induced. I should alsomention that at this appointment all of my problems were gone. The peri saw no signs of preeclampsia, nothing. It was almost like God had given me all these "problems" just to get me into the specialist so that he could watch over our little girl and discover that she needed to be taken care of outside of the womb.

It was a very easy labor, as all of mine have been. It was scary, though, because all through the night the nurses kept running in because her heartrate was dropping with every contraction. They finally found that her cord was between her head and my cervix and was being compressed with each contraction. After moving the cord out of the way we were all much more comfortable. I had contractions all night long, but nothing untolerable. Pete and the nurse were asking when I wanted the epidural and I honestly wanted to put it off as long as I could. Not because I have this dream of squatting in a rice field, giving birth and then throwing the baby on my back and continuing on. But, because with all my babies the minute I get an epidural everything goes so fast. I knew it would be over and she would be coming. I was really scared... to see her - not knowing what a 3 pound baby would look like. But, also because I knew that the minute she came out she would be taken away from me to the NICU. Of course, I knew that had to happen, and I wanted the best for her, I just didn't want it to happen so fast. But, as always happens, time didn't stop and at 7:28am Sami was born. And then taken away to the NICU...

They had the NICU team in the room waiting for her and they wheeled her off to the nursey after I got to hold her for just a second. Pete went along with her and got some pictures. She was doing well, breathing on her own with no need of oxygen. So, that was a great sign. She was in an isolette to keep her warm and had an IV for her feeding. Her blood sugars were problematic at first, but they gave her some "sugar" and that was resolved.

We don't know how long she will be in the NICU, but we are so happy that they have such wonderful nurses in there taking care of her for us. They are truly a blessing!

Weight: 1770g

Bubbles...Troubles...

It's really too bad that my daughter loves this dang dog so much. She really is nothing but trouble. But, she's really cute and she makes Tay sooooo happy. They have been working on training this summer. Bubbles somehow decided that she was in charge of Tay, instead of the other way around. I have no idea how that happened. It couldn't be because my daughter named her Princess Bubbles, or the fact that the dog is carried around everywhere. No, couldn't be. So, we have instituted a new policy in this house regarding dogs. If the 125 pound dog can't do it, neither can the 10 pound dog. Because really, there is a double standard when it comes to dog sizes. Like, why is it cute that a 10 pound dog barks at you and jumps on your leg. You can bet that if my sweet Rock did that somebody would be crying. So, no Rock on the couch, no Bubbles. No rock on the cabinets, no Bubbles. Etc... That little turd needs to be put in her curly tailed place! And, until she can behave like this sweet, handsome charming beast that spends his life not more than 4 feet from me at all times, she's got another thing coming!

One, two, three...

and coming January 2009.....four!

Zoo fun...

The 3 Amigos at the Stingray Pool. Avery monkey watching.
A gorilla deep in thought...
Peek-a-boo Jesse!
Mr. Tiger!

Nana and Pa took most of the crew to the zoo last weekend. The stingray exhibit was still here visiting and the boys thought it was a riot. They ended up soaking wet. But, they had a great time. It was actually the longest day we have spent at the Zoo, over 4 hours. Pa and I, of course, were trying our our new zoom lenses. I still have a lot to learn with mine, but some of the shots are okay.

The Coolest Cast in Town...

Happy April!

My girl will be eleven this month! Yikes!

"She's sun and rain, she's fire and ice. A little crazy, but it's nice..."

A song lyric my husband once said reminded him of me. Hmmm... how to take that one? LOL

My baby is four...

Sometimes I just kill me... LOL

Soap Bubbles...

What's in my bag?

Goofy shot I took for a CafeMom contest...

School Awards again... sorry, but this is Very Important Stuff in our house! LOL

Friday Pete, Jesse and I spent over 2 hours in the kids school gym. It was awards assembly day and we had much to see. Turns out PJ ended up with a lot more awards than we or he knew about, LOL. He was Student of the Month for February. He also was chosen by Coach as the 1st grade boy of the quarter for PE participation - which is super cool!!! He also received a Citizenship Award. He was very proud of himself! Tay made Principal's List - 1 of only 5 in her class. And she was chosen for the Pat Tillman award by Coach. The 5th graders wrote and essay on Tillman and he chose the best for the award. We were glad to be there, and very proud, but it sure was a long time. Poor Jesse was so tired of it by the end!

Another from our shoot a couple weeks back...

The Wii Bowling Champion!

Well, you know this post would have to have something to do with the Wii. Apparently Jesse is the ultimate Wii bowler in the family. He has beat all of us every time. And, as you can tell from the photo, he's extremely happy about that fact.

Besides Wii playing the kids have been gearing up for their 2 week spring break. They have a few dates made with cousins that they are excited about. And Jesse's birthday and party will also fall during that time. He is very excited about that! I am guessing there will be some Wii playing involved at the party. Probably mostly so he can show off his bowling skills, LOL.

Uh, Oh! We have a Wii...

So, I thought I'd let you all see some snapshots of my children outside. Since I don't think we can ever leave the house again. At least not until the kids have become professional bowlers and I am a Guitar Hero.

If looks could kill... LOL

I guess it could get annoying, having a mother who always has a camera in your face. But, ouch! That hurts! LOL

Stripes...

Some shots of Tay at the park...

Taylor and I met Pa for some photos yesterday. Here are two of my fav's. I was so impressed that she actually smiled - she told me later that her Dad had threatened her before she left the house. Oh well, whatever works!