BIG Baby News!!!

We have made so many BIG moves with Ryleigh now! She has moved over to the other side of the NICU, called Baby Steps. I have to admit, I was a little sad to say goodbye to our old room. I loved having our own little personal space. I am real sad to say goodbye to our Buddy Nurse, Chris. He doesn't work on the Baby Steps side, so we are going to miss him. Although I know this is one step closer to home, which is always good. Ryleigh is doing well on the nasal cannula, and they have cut her down from two breathing treatments a day, to one.
  Ryleigh also started bottles and nursing! She did awesome the first time she took the bottle, and she did great the first time she nursed. However, after nursing she has wanted nothing to do with bottle feeding. I am excited that she likes nursing, but we are definitely going to have to get her comfortable on bottles before we can go home. Ryleigh also hit 5 POUNDS!!! I can't believe it! She is going to grow out of her preemie clothes soon and into newborn clothes. Her preemie clothes are going to make great doll clothes in the future.
  Our time in the NICU went really slow in the beginning, but now I feel as if time is flying!!! Rod has been busy working on Aubrey's big girl room all week. I am sad that Aubrey is moving to a big girl room, but I am excited too! I think she is going to like her new room. We are moving her into a toddler bed, which I am a little nervous about. Hopefully the transition won't be too bad. She does love her bumper pads, so it should be interesting. I am amazed at how much talking she does now. She says short sentences like, "Thank you Mommy", and "Bye Daddy." She repeats things we say all the time.  Rod often times will say "Hush" to Maggie when she is barking. Now Aubrey will say, "Sush" anytime she hears a dog bark. One of my favorite things she says is "An Mami" instead of Aunt Tami. Aubrey's favorite foods right now are cheese, any pasta dish, chips in any kind of dip, and anything dipped in ranch. I love dips too! She is still an outdoors girl too!
  I am not sure what life will be like when we are no longer in NICU world. I love all the doctors and nurses that have impacted Ryleigh's life. I hope I never ever take for granted the miracle that Ryleigh is.  "Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his, we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." Ps 100

Old Room in NICU

New Space in Baby Steps

First Bottle

Ryleigh loves the Mobile

Sleepy Baby

Before.....

And Now....

 

Ryleigh is not the only one becoming a big girl! Aubrey loves to sit at the big kid table with her cousins!

Our family members now have the opportunity to hold Ryleigh. It has been a long wait!

Tam

Rod's Mom or Mimi

Mom

Dad

Rod and I took a break from our daily stresses to hang out with old friends. It was nice!

Bethany was enertaining all the kids while reading

I love you Aubrey!