Zoey August 9, 10 2013

8-10-13

Dear Baby Zoey

Update:

Your cpap is down to seven. Which means you are mostly breathing on your own.

Your weight is 2 pounds 11 ounces.

Your temp in your incubator is 36.6.

Your liver is normal I think

And no more antibiotic

You have a big poo this morning and peed all over yourself.

You absolutely LOVE your binky. It's so fun me me to see you suck on your binky. Hopefully that is a great sign that you will nurse.

Your diaper rash is getting better

And yes I say this every day but I'm hoping, praying that I get to hold you tomorrow!!!!! Ahhhhh yay!!!! So please keep working hard on getting better and strong so I can :)!!!

Love Mommy

8-9-13 7:25pm

Dear Baby Zoey

Today has been the first day that I have not been with you all day because I had to go to work. So to sum it up....I've been crying all day. I know you don't know if mommy is here but I do and my heart sure does.

Mommy started crying when she saw you. Yes, this is dumb but you have changed so much in just a day. Your hands and feet definitely take on the Williams gene because they are soo long. It's ok though because Trudy will let you borrow her 100's of shoes. Lol.

Ok, so lets do an update:

The nurse just said "she is incredible"!!! Ahhh music to my ears. Your  last dose of antibiotics are tonight. The drs don't think you have a major infection because your vitals and stats are so good. If you would have had an infection it would have shown up by now. It doesn't mean that you can't still get one but you are looking good :)

Since 10:00am this morning you have been able to breath mostly on your own. This is huge considering your upper rt lung was collapsed on Monday and you were on the ventilator, which was completely breathing for you.

Your temp is 37.5c

Your weight is 2.9 1/2 pounds

Your Bilirubin is good and you don't have to be on the lights.

They didn't mention your large liver today so Im hoping that means its ok.

Brain ultrasound is still on Monday to check for brain bleeds.

They can't check your sight, hearing etc until 34-35 weeks gestation. I'm praying all that will be normal.

They decreased your humidity to 40%.

They are pulling your last line in your belly tonight!!! This is huge news!!

Our goal if you are still doing good is for mommy to get to hold you for the first time on Sunday. I can't even write that without crying. I've been dreaming of holding you for months (years) and I can't imagine what it will be like.

Mommy just wants to take you home in her purse...lol that was a joke!!!

Mommy hopes you get to come home in October because that is when your due date was. However, you said nope I'm coming in August whether you like it or not....stubborn....just like daddy....lol!!...not mommy..remember that....:)

It's almost time for your cares/assessment. Every three hours I get to take your temp and change your diaper and clean your mouth. Mostly it means that I get to TOUCH you instead of just staring at you through your incubator(which I also love). I could stare at you all day. You are such a little miracle. I bet all Your brothers on the other side of the veil miss you a ton. But Elyse and Jace ask me everyday when they can see you. They can't wait to feed and burp you. We will see how long that lasts. Lol

You have very sensitive skin so they have kept your diaper off today. Hopefully this will help your sores.

They are increasing your fluids to 99%, which means you are on 99% breast milk 1% fluids.

Kimmi is amazing. She is still pumping for you every 3-4 hours. That is probably why you are getting better. She, as well as everyone else, loves and prays for you  constantly.

Well I'm going to scrub up and get disinfected/sanitized so I can touch you. Yay. Love you soooo much!

Love Mommy

Zoey August 7,8, 2013

8-8-2013

Dear Baby Zoey

Good morning tiny one. You are five days old today. If you were still in the womb, you would be 30 weeks gestation.

Mommy rushed up to the hospital so she could do your assessment. However, Amanda, your nurse, said you were very agitated this morning so she did your assessments and then put you back to bed.

You are off the lights, which is great news. You don't have your sunshades on so now I can see your pretty little face.  You keep pulling your oxygen off and we are constantly putting it back on. Little sneaky girl. You are all snuggled up tight and look so cozy, warm and not to mention beautiful!!! I'm pretty sure you look like mommy. Lol :)

Mommy is sitting by your incubator and can't take her eyes off you. I'm just waiting for the doctors to make their rounds so I can ask them all my questions I have about you.

Update Zoey

Weight is 2.8 pounds.

Blood pressure 70\44

Your liver, when u were first born, was enlarged but it is now going down. Tomorrow is the last day of your antibiotics. They don't think you have gbs. Which would be great news. They are starting to ween you off the oxygen so you have to start breathing on your own. Your job or goal today is to start taking independent breaths. Here is the best news.....if you keep progressing well and start breathing on your own, mommy will get to hold you (on Sunday) for a little bit. Ahhhhhhhh when I heard that it made my day!!!! Mommy wants to hold you so bad but I'll wait until you are ready. But still ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh that is mommy's silent scream and jumping up and down. YAY!!!

Love Mommy

8-7-13

Dear baby Zoey

I just got to the hospital around 10:30am. They have moved you to room 2. There are 9 rooms. When you get to room 9 that means that’s close for you to go home. Which mommy is so excited!!! However, I can wait because I want you to be completely healthy and before you come home.

I consider you moving into room 2 as your first graduation. :) yay!!!

You still have a few infections. One might be gbs. The doctors and nurses (Amanda) are giving you antibiotics to hopefully get rid of those infections.

Your right upper  lung is still collapsed a bit. But you are so strong and working so hard to breath, mommy is so proud of you. Yesterday your FiO2 (I'm guessing that's how well you can breath) was too high. It was 55. They want you more between 20-30. Today your FiO2 is 37, much better then yesterday and I pray you can get it even lower.

Your temperature is 36.9c. I think that is good.

 Monday they will do an ultrasound of your brain to see if their are any brain bleeds. You have a lot of people praying, thinking and fasting for you to get better. You are very blessed to have so many people that care and want to come see you!!:)

You keep pulling at your feeding and oxygen tubes. You don't like them in you and I can't say that I blame you.

You have not pooped today. So if you could poo that would make mommy so happy.

Grandma nay nay is watching Elyse and Jace so that mommy can spend all day with you. I am so grateful for her helping out. She really wants to come see you again too.

Kimmi is amazing. She is going above and beyond the call of duty and pumping milk for you because mommy can't. That is true love right there!!

Daddy calls everyday to see how you are doing. You sure picked the best daddy ever. He loves you more than words can say but just between you and me, mommy loves you more. :)

Elyse and Jace keep asking when they can see you and when you are coming home. They fight over who gets to hold and feed you first. They already adore you.

Well it's time to change you so that means I get to touch you, which is the highlight of my day.

Love Mommy

8-5 8-6 2013

8-6-13

Dear baby Zoey

It's August 6, 2013. That means you are three days old. Mommy came to spend all day with you today. Triplets are coming in so when they do they will kick me out but I'll be back.

Here is what's going on with you today...

You aren't keeping oxygen level well so they took an x-ray. Your rt upper lung is collapsed so they turned you on your belly to see if that will help you breath better. You also aren't digesting your food. So they pulled the food out of you and are starting to feed it to u again to see if you will digest it. U need to poo little one. You are on the light and you have your sunshades on. You are so beautiful and cute I can't take my eyes off you. Aunt Trudy and great grandma might come see you today or tomorrow.

You have some infections. One for just coming early, one in your lungs and one that could be strep b. they don't know if you have it but they are going to treat it just in case you do so they don't have to play catch up.

Anomia in lungs

8-5-13

Jay called around 8:15 and they said she had a good night. She is taking deep breaths on her own and they have really weaned down the ventilator. They were going to move her to a different vent. that allows her to breathe more independently. They said she’s been feeding well and tolerating and digesting the milk. They are doing phototherapy, which is very common even with term babies.

8-4-13

8-4-13

Dear baby zoey

I got to touch you for the first time today. I didn't want to because I was so scared I was going to break you but the nurse insisted. I was shaking the whole time and you kept hitting mommy’s fingers to "leave you alone". Everyone says how much you remind them of me because we are fighters and survivors.

You are the most beautiful baby. You weighed 2.15 so almost three pounds, which is Amazing. You are on a ventilator to help you breath and every machine possible to keep you alive. Just like your names means=life. Mommy was hooked up to all of those machines too. So I know it isn't fun and you are trying to pull your tubes out just like mommy tried to. I pray with all my heart that you are not in pain and that you will grow properly and not have any bad defects. I'm so in love with you. I keep thinking it’s a dream that you are here but you really are.

Kimmi is amazing. She sacrificed her body and so much more to grow you and give you a body. She loves you so much too and thinks you are the most beautiful baby she has ever seen. You truly are a miracle. You wanted to come at 26 weeks but luckily you gave yourself and us another three weeks to grow. I could go on and on of how proud I am of you. I just want to show you to the world and have and have posted tons of pics of you on fb. Everyone says that you are beautiful and that they are praying for you. I can't believe you were in the sprit world with our savior, Heavenly Father and mother and your brothers and sister. I pray that they will be your guardian angels just like they are for ely and jace. Speaking of Elyse, daddy told her over the phone today that you were born. She started screaming with excitement and quickly told jace "baby zoey is here and she is going to be home tonight"! Daddy smirked at the 5year old comment and said you probably wouldn't come home until daddy's birthday. She happily said "ok:)" and hung up the phone, still screaming with delight. We (daddy, mommy, Elyse, and Jace) have been praying for you and Kimmi every morning afternoon and night and 24/7. They are so excited you are here and they can't wait to see you, but pictures will have to do for a couple of months.

I want you to know what a miracle you are. Mommy died while having baby cord. They had to take mommy’s baby machine out to help save my life. Mommy was so so sad she could not have you herself. However, your amazing aunt Kimmi aka other mommy said that she would grow you in her tummy for mommy since mommy couldn't. She did this with the twins as well but sadly Heavenly Father needed them to come to earth to get their bodies and a few hours later returned back to heaven with baby cord and Peponi. I know you don't remember them now but I know they are watching over their little sister. The love I have for you is beyond any words I could say. My heart is so full I think it grew an extra size since you were born. It is now 8-4-14 12:03 in six in half hours you will be one day old. Your due date was October 17th but you said no way I’m going now and you can't stop be. You are already stubborn and competitive like mommy. Did I mention you are beautiful and you even have dark hair (which will probably go light but I can't stop looking at it or you) I could stare at you all day! I am aching to hold you but I will try and be patient so you can grow. You are so little but to me you are nothing but amazing. I hope one day you will be able to read my letters that I write to you. Your daddy is asleep but if he were awake he would want me to tell you how much he loves you and how truly happy you make him. He is the best daddy. You made the best selection. Lol inside joke. Oh baby Zoey I could go on and on but I think it time to wake up Kimmi (poor thing she is so tired) and pump milk. She is amazing and is waking up every three hours so she can give the nurses her colostrum to feed to you when they start feeding you. Which won't be until tomorrow or Monday.

I love you so much Zoey and will write to you as often as I can. Time to wake up amazing Kimmi. LOVE YOU MY BEAUTIFUL MICIRCLE BABY!!! MWA

Our Baby Z Doll

Zoey Kimberly Richards

August 3, 2013

6:33 am

2 pounds 15 ounces

15 1/2 inches

29 weeks gestation

11 weeks early

Our Beautiful Feisty Baby Doll