Morgan Kate

Sorry it has taken so long to post, but guys, we finally have a baby!

Morgan Kate is home!

Wow! It feels so good to say that. After 107 days in the NICU Morgan Kate is finally home. I cannot even begin to describe the emotions I experienced yesterday or continue to experience every time I see her sweet face. Yesterday was such an incredible day! God has truly blessed our lives and we are so lucky to be Morgan Kate's parents. She is one little trooper!

Monday Night, December 8th

Travis and I "roomed in" with Morgan Kate Monday night. We arrived around 5:30pm and began to assume all "responsibilities". We adjusted her oxygen, gave her all of her medications and took over all feeds. Needless to say, we didn't sleep much at all. For starters it's hard to sleep in the hospital, as I am sure many of you know. Secondly, we were both just to anxious and excited to really sleep. And finally, Morgan Kate is on a three hour feeding schedule, therefore, the minute you feed her and get her to sleep it seems as if it's time to start all over. I know, I know. All you moms out there are probably saying, "Yep, that's what babies do, but it will get better". With all of that being said, I think we did a pretty good job. We helped each other and took turns feeding her. Travis is such an amazing daddy! Morgan Kate's night nurse was great and came in and checked on us frequently which was perfect because we had lots of questions. 

Tuesday, December 9th

Morgan Kate woke up around 5am on Tuesday. Travis got up with her and rocked her until it was time for her to eat and I attempted to sleep a little. Around 9am my mom arrived. All three of us were so excited we could hardly sit down. We would sit, then pace, sit, then pace again. On the day of discharge babies have to first be seen by the neonatologist on duty for an "exit exam", then orders have to be written, then packing up, then mom and dad sign some papers, and then you are off. Dr. E came by around 9am for the "exit exam". It was kind of ironic that Dr. E was there the day of discharge, because she was also there the day Morgan Kate was born. Dr. E then had to see all of the other babies in the unit and then go back and write orders. While we were waiting we had a few visitors. Dr. Salley stopped by to see us and many of our nurses came by for a final visit. Around 1:30 we got the word that Morgan Kate was ready for discharge. We began to pack our things and the supplies Morgan Kate needed - diapers, formula, OG tubes, syringes, stethoscope, wipes, cannulas, etc. 

At 2:30 Morgan Kate's day nurse came in for us to sign papers and "wheel" us off. I had been doing really good all day. I have told you all before that I HATE goodbyes and I usually get really emotional. Up until this point I had done great. I had said goodbye to a lot of great people and I kept it all together. I was really proud of myself. However, the minute I picked Morgan Kate up from that crib and got in the wheelchair I lost it. I was overcome with emotions. Emotions about leaving the NICU- yes, it was a great day for our family, but this was the only place Morgan Kate knew. Everyone had been so good to all of us and taken such good care of Morgan Kate. I felt like we knew everyone there and they were all so great. It was very difficult to leave this "second home". Emotions about finally getting to take our baby home. I remember the day I was discharged from the hospital back in August. It was such a sad day. I remember one of the nurses wheeling me out and I was miserable. Here I was with all this "baby stuff",  but no baby. I felt so empty. However, yesterday I finally got to be wheeled out WITH my baby and it was the greatest feeling in the world. Emotions about finally having this precious girl in my arms. Travis and I have been working on this miracle for quite some time and now we finally have her in our house with us each and every day. Such feelings of relief and contentment. Emotions about finally coming home. When we pulled in the driveway at our house I lost it all over again. Here we were with our little girl and we were finally HOME. Not to mention that Kaky made our homecoming so very special - complete with big pink balloons (15 balloons for every week Morgan Kate was in the NICU), a beautiful stork announcing "It's a Girl" and a welcome home banner. It was so perfect! 

Morgan Kate did awesome on the way home. She sat in her car seat like such a big girl and didn't cry at all. She looked out the window for most of the ride as if she was thinking, "Hello World!" and then fell asleep. Travis and I just kept talking about how this was the ride we had been waiting for for so long and that we were finally a real mommy and daddy. 

Once we arrived home we were greeted by GDaddy and Owens. We got Morgan Kate settled in and she went fast to sleep. She slept until around 10pm. Of course we fed her and changed her, but she didn't wake up once. Now as most of you parents know - if your baby sleeps all day, she is most likely going to be awake ALL night. Well, that is exactly what Morgan Kate did. I think she must have had regular "nightly parties" with the night time NICU nurses and she thought we should have another one last night. Ha! She stayed awake until almost 4am. Yes, that's right - 4:00 in the morning (and we had a doctor's appointment at 8am). We took shifts entertaining and feeding her. Kaky rocked her for a LONG time while Travis and I slept. THANK YOU, Kaky! Not only was Morgan Kate awake, but had a little bit of an upset stomach so she was also quite fussy. At 4am we all settled in for a few hours of rest. I was so sleepy that I went to sleep with my bathrobe and shoes still on. At 6:40 the alarm was going off for another feeding and for our doctor's appointment. 

Wednesday, December 10th

Morgan Kate's first doctor's appointment went well. She did a great job and didn't cry at all - matter of fact she slept through the whole thing. They took us first thing so she wasn't exposed to any other babies. We exchanged a lot of information, Dr. G looked at her throat and ears, weighed her, and examined her little bottom which is quite raw from her upset stomach. Our biggest instructions were "NO VISITORS". Morgan Kate is not your typical term baby and it's winter time which is cold, flu and RSV season, but there is also an outbreak of whooping cough. All of these things would be minor to an adult, but very serious for Morgan Kate. We just left the hospital and we certainly do not want to go back. So we promise we are not trying to keep Morgan Kate all to ourselves (Hee, hee), we are just trying to make sure she stays healthy. We have another appointment Friday morning. Dr. G just wants to see her again before the weekend. 

Today Morgan Kate has been sleeping away. And we finally followed everyone's advice and slept too. Whenever she was sleeping and didn't need to be fed we slept. We are trying to prepare ourselves for another "wide awake" night. Let me just tell all of you "mommies to be" (and I know quite a few of you) sleep now! Don't worry about being lazy - sleep, sleep, sleep! (I know all of you "veteran" parents know this.) Kaky was with us yesterday, last night and all of today. She even cooked us an awesome home cooked meal. Yummy! She left just a little while ago and will be back this weekend. We already miss her and wish she was here! 

Morgan Kate has been on 25ccs of oxygen all day and we have not had to adjust it once. We have attempted two bottles, but had no success. She was not interested! Hopefully once she gets adjusted to home the bottle thing will get better. Travis and I have gotten much better with the feeding tube. We just have to remember that she needs food to grow and get strong and the OG tube is helping with that right now. 

Travis and I finished dinner a little while ago and Miss Morgan Kate is hanging out in her swing. She is loving it! We are very sleepy and feel a lot like zombies, but it is SO worth it. It is such an amazing feeling to be at HOME and have her here with us. Several times today I have thought about calling the NICU just out of habit. It feels kind of strange not calling them or going up for our daily visits. Hello to all our NICU friends! We love you and miss you!

Thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, calls and well wishes! You have all been so supportive and good to us. We can't wait for the day that Morgan Kate can meet all of you! Please continue to pray for Morgan Kate's health, and our strength and courage. 

*I just looked back and this post is SOOO long. Sorry - I was making up for several days!

Be sure to check out the new slideshow to the right. Pictures of "rooming in" and discharge day.