Falling Into Place

     Our baby girl finally made it home on Monday, October 4th around noon. She was a mere 5 days away from being 6 months old. I can't even explain the joy we felt to finally see her in her own crib that sat empty in our home for so long. Things have not really been quite as hectic as I first anticipated. Analeigh has seemed to adjust to home life pretty well so far. We had our first pediatrician's appointment only 2 days after getting home but since then we've been able to stay here. The nurses from home health have been wonderful thus far and as expected, she has them all wrapped around her little fingers.
     I've been keeping myself busy around the house with cooking, cleaning, washing and sterilizing bottles, mixing formula and doing laundry. I often help the nurses with Analeigh's baths and trach care because I feel it's very important that I not become too dependent on their presence. You never really know when Medicaid might decide they no longer want to pay for 24 hour care anymore. I am quite confident I could handle it without their help but it's definitely a lot of work for one person and I can't be awake all day everyday. 
     She's doing some things now that are new and I'm so excited. One of them is this thing where she takes her paci out of her mouth, holds it in her hand for a minute and then throws it toward the foot of her crib. Sometimes she just kind of drops it next to her side but usually she gets a kick out of throwing it. She also will now stand up in your lap with assistance. She'll straighten her legs out and then bounce a little. It's so cute!
     All the nurses seem to be very amazed that she takes all her feeds by bottle and that it's very rare that she needs to be suctioned. Apparently all their other experience with vent/trach babies is frequent suctioning and G-buttons or NG tubes. She's still on a rate of 10 bpm from the ventilator but her sats stay in the 95-100 range for the most part (she does tend to dip into the 80's when she's throwing a fit). I'm hoping that after our pulmonologist appointment next Thursday, they'll let us start weening... I don't really care where we start as long as we start a weening process. It's not that I want to rush her, I just feel like she's doing SO well that maybe we could afford to make a tiny change or two at a time until eventually she won't need the vent or the trach anymore.
     I do so appreciate every bit of support from everyone who has been involved in our lives and Analeigh's the last 6 months. We couldn't have come this far without the nurses at Clear Lake Regional NICU, our social worker Georgia and our friends and family. We have been so blessed by so many with kind hearts! 

 Michael and I in the lobby of Clear Lake Regional Medical Center on October 4, 2010 to take our baby girl home for the first time at nearly 6 months old.

 Heading out of the NICU to the service elevators.

 Going to the ambulance waiting to take us home. This was the first time Analeigh had ever seen the outdoors.

 Dad, Me and Georgia waving goodbye to the hospital after Analeigh was loaded.

 Getting everything ready to place baby girl in her own crib in her own room for the first time.

 Analeigh all dressed and ready for her first pediatrician's visit on October 6, 2010.

 Analeigh at her pediatrician's office... she got warm so we took off a layer. lol

 Home on her play mat looking all cute.

     Daddy feeding Analeigh her 6pm bottle - Oct 13, 2010.

     I'll try to post a little more often but it's just been so great not having to drive an hour away everyday to see our baby girl and I'm enjoying every minute! Doing that mommy thing is so nice! :)