Home Sweet Home!!!!

We are now home with our little Ella. She slept all the way home and is still sleeping. She opened her eyes briefly to take a peak at her brothers, but she wasn't too interested. Carson and Cooper are so proud of their baby sister. The nurse took Ella for a minute while Jason went to get the car and Cooper started crying and saying "no". He thought the nurse was taking his baby sister. It was so cute!

Ella's Coming Home!!!!!!

Ella gets to come home tomorrow!!!! (as long as everything goes well tonight) She had her last lumbar puncture today, so the doctor wanted to keep her overnight for observation. Her ventricles have remained the same on the ultrasound for a week now and her head size has stayed the same. Since she is eating all of her bottles, she gets to come home!!! We're so excited. I think my biggest excitement is that her big brothers finally get to meet her (and so Cooper quits calling my breast pump "baby sister" :). She'll come home on a sleep apnea monitor for a little while. She will also have follow up appointments in a couple of weeks with both the neurosurgeon and neurologist. She'll go to her regular pediatrician once or twice a week for head measurements. And, she'll have another ultrasound later on in the week. We will definitely be in and out of doctors' offices, but it is so worth it. So, there is no need for a shunt right now. Hopefully these LP's did the job. It's just a waiting game.

Ella turned 1 month old today. I can't believe it has already been a month. I'm so happy we're going to have her home before her due date (November 21st). It's going to be such a transition taking care of 3 kiddos. But, I'm ready for the challenge.

Thank you again everyone for your prayers. God has truly blessed our family. We give Him all of the glory. I will definitely keep posting updates on our precious baby girl. Love to all!

Cuddle Time

Papa Mac and Ella (left)
Grandpa and Ella (below)

Grandpa (Larry) finally got to hold Ella today until I rushed him off. I think between her Grandpa and Papa Mac, this little girl may never get put down. Ella is now on her own feeding schedule. If she's hungry, they'll feed her. If she wants 60cc, she gets it. If she wants 35cc, she gets it. It will be so nice not having to force an exact amount down her within their 30 minute time limit. She pulled out her NG tube today, and they said there was no reason putting it back in! So, she is tube free!!!! I totally forgot to take pictures of her beautiful face! Maybe I'll remember tomorrow.

We talked again to the doctor about these lumbar punctures (LP). I asked if it was a temporary fix, then why don't we just go on with the shunt. Anyway, I guess the LP removes excess fluid but won't correct the hydrocephalus. The doctors are hopeful that the fluid won't accumulate anymore after a few LP's. If they think that the fluid is stable and not accumulating anymore, then she will be home with us soon. Everything in my life is so "black and white". This area is so "gray". In my mind, the fix is either temporary or permanent. The doctor today said it is temporary, but yet she might not need a shunt. Jason's understands it. I'm trying to understand it, but I think I still have pregnant fart brain. My brain doesn't work quite as well as it used to :)

Jason and I were able to get out of the house a few times this weekend kid free. We had a great time at a birthday party on Friday (Happy B-day Terry), and we finally made it to church this morning. It was so good seeing familiar friendly faces! We're trying to keep the boys away from germs as much as possible, so they got to play with grandparents all weekend. Jason, Shane, and I took the boys trick-or-treating to 4 houses last night. Yes, just 4! OU was playing football, and we had to get back to watch the game. Boomer Sooner!!!!

Ella's Making More Progress

Ella's bottle feedings are now every feeding! Wooo Hoooo! She only has the NG tube just in case she doesn't finish all of her bottle. Tonight after she finished her bottle, she was rooting around for more. This makes me so happy! The only thing keeping us in the NICU now is just waiting to see if these lumbar punctures are going to work. I'm a little confused by the whole thing, so it's hard to explain it exactly. There is a little bit of a language barrier between us and the doctor she has had the past 2 days. She keeps calling Ella a "he"....drives me crazy :) They did another lumbar puncture today and took off a little over 8cc. I'm not sure how many of these they are going to do. I knew one procedure wouldn't correct the hydrocephalus, but I don't know if it's a temporary fix or it they think it will permanently fix it. There are so many different people working in the NICU. We have a different doctor every couple of days and a different nurse every couple of days. Therefore, we hear a different story every couple of days. Hopefully we'll know more on Monday when a different doctor works. Ella's roommate got to go home today. I'm very happy for them, but Ella's room was so empty tonight. I was so sad to leave her alone :) Maybe we'll get another cool roomie soon!

Chester's Party Barn

Haunt the Zoo

New Bows

We received these adorable bows in the mail yesterday from April Shrader. Oh, I can't wait until she can wear them all the time!!!!

There is not much news to report today. Ella keeps eating well. Oh, and she is up to 5lb 14oz. The Dr.'s would like her to gain at least somewhere around 20-30 grams a day. She is gaining about 80 grams. I think it is because when she does eat from her bottle, she gets a few extra cc's at each feeding. So, when she eats, she really eats!!!! Way to go Ella! She will have another lumbar puncture done again tomorrow to drain off the fluid. Please pray that this will work so she doesn't have to get a shunt!!!!