One Week Old! Dec 27

Got to the hospital just as the Physical Therapists were working with Baby Girl on her stretching. One of the PTs was the same as on Tuesday and made a comment about much more loose her arms are just since then! Her right hand is also opening up a little bit more easily. They will be doing some soft casting on Monday to start straightening out her wrists. The PT also suggested we start swaddling her with her arms out so that she can move them around on her own. When she yawns she stretches down (instead of up or out like most people) and can almost reach her own stomach now!

Her legs aren't coming along quite as fast, but still making some progress. Those stretches will become more important as they get ready to do casting on her feet (as an outpatient), particularly her hip joint as that will effect her ability to walk.

We worked with her on her sucking and it is stronger than it was. Still having some trouble getting milk out of the bottle, but she's progressing on the sucking part. She also has to stop every third or fourth suck to catch her breath still. She wants the pacifier and likes the milk, just can't catch her breath in the middle of all of it.

The pulminologist came by to check on her and said that she's doing remarkably well. Newborns are primarily diaphragm breathers, and since hers is awkwardly positioned she's having so much more trouble keeping a steady rate than most newborns would. That's something that she will potentially grow out of as she gets older. 

Dr. G said she had another good night and is doing well, we just need to work on her muscle tone and eating. Her feeding was increased again - all of the exercise and activity is making it harder to keep her weight up, but she's tolerating the increase well.

My grandparents came by to visit so she got to meet Gigi and "Ol' Blue Eyes" as big sister has named them (my brothers and I call him grandpa, but that's my dad's name now as well so we had to rename one of them :D)

We had a restful afternoon, worked on some more stretching and got in a quick nap before C and I headed back home for Christmas with my family.

Daddy picked out her outfit today, and the nurses just love the hat from Aunt C :)