Sunday 18th May Day 102

Anthony has gone in to give Niamh a bottle feed today, I have to stay home and get her room ready and look after Bailey. She had a brady last night which Im worried about. I hope she is ok and we can still bring her home on time. I think I will be on tenterhooks all week!! We are also going to fit the bolt in the car to install her car seat today! So much to do around here to do to facilitate the heating installation on Thursday, plus banging nails in walls to hang her pictures up etc! Busy Busy!
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EEEEK!!!! Niamh is off the monitors!! I am really excited but petrified at the same time! She has been moved back into the side room which is also scary as she is out of the way a bit, but they must think she is ok to do that! Im so proud of my little girl, she has come such a long way. Clever little thing :) x

Saturday 17th May

Niamh was so gorgeous today (well, she always is but you know what I mean)?! She looked so cute and was also very antsy!! She was obviously hungry as she was really wriggling around. She had another good feed, seems to have got the hang of that one now! We left her all settled and sound asleep.

Im so excited about her coming home!! I keep trying to get her room sorted but somehow can't get around to finishing it! There are so many things to sort out and put away, but it will be done by the end of tomorrow, Ive promised myself.

I managed to get an appointment with the doctor on Tuesday so will get checked out then.

Anthony and I are going out to dinner tonight, I can't wait!

Friday 16th May Happy 100 Days Princess!!

STRAWBERRY & CHOCOLATE GATEAU

Layers of vanilla & chocolate sponge filled with light vanilla cream patisserie
(Thank you Muratti Patisserie,Prospect, Adelaide)

Wow, one hundred days! It seems like forever already! It was really lovely when we went in today, Niamh had balloons on her cot and two certificates and a beautiful cake! I have taken photos but will post them later as I have to go out now. (Photos now posted, I know they have spelt her name wrong, but the cake was delicious so who's complaining lol)! Im going to get checked out as I had a lot of pain today. It feels like gallstones which is ironic as I dont have a gallbladder lol! Should be fine :)

Niamhs eyes: Well, it seems to be good news. There appears to be slight improvement on her left eye so although she will be checked again next Friday it looks a bit better. Im still holding my breath though as its not that conclusive yet. Even if she does need surgery which hopefully is still looking unlikely she could be a day patient. The recovery time is 12 hours so it shouldnt delay us getting home.

Niamh will stop her caffeine today (the drug that helps her breathe) she should be off the monitors in 48 hours and hopefully off oxygen by mid next week. We are slowly getting there!! Just her feeding to sort out too now.

Ive been feeling really low today, dont know why, probably just exhausted and so desparate for her to come home and for her to be well.

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Back from the Womens Assessment, what a waste of time! Im neither pregnant nor recently given birth so they can't see me, I didnt realise there was a specific criteria. Not to worry though, Ill just go and see my doctor, its not too urgent.

Thanks for all your lovely comments. I have to give a big thank you to Bec at the hospital for arranging our gorgeous cake today and Niamhs certificates, thanks Bec! You are fab!

Thursday 15th May Day 99 Princess Royle!

Isn't this the cutest photo you have ever seen?!! One of the nurses made the baby next to Niamh a crown today, well Niamh was playing up all morning! Her heart rate was over 200 and her breathing was really increased, we put it down to jealousy! As soon as her nurse made her one she was so happy and even cracked this beautiful smile!! I was so lucky to get it on camera as she promptly fell fast asleep after!

Niamh has been great today, we gave her a bath which really soothed her. She loves her baths just like Bailey did and was so relaxed and floaty :) She was really alert and awake today, it was lovely.

I cant believe she is 100 days old tomorrow! Its a really big milestone for her. She is having her eyes tested in the morning which I am anxious about, but fingers crossed anyway.

Wednesday 14th May

Niamh has coped really well overnight after her immunisations, she had some panadol but otherwise was quite good. She was given the rotavirus immunisation today, I had no idea she was going to have it and it would have been nice to have some warning so I could have been there with her. Hopefully she will cope just as well. I hope they had the lights off for quiet time today, they dont always remember and Im so worried about her eyes being stuck under those flouros, but what can I do? I cant wait to get her home, just eleven more days!
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Niamh was just wonderful tonight. She was so alert and awake and so gorgeous! We gave her lots of cuddles and she was just staring and touching our faces. She even had a small nuzzle on me as she was really searching around :) Back again in the morning.

Tuesday 13th May

Just a quickie tonight as Im tired. Niamh had her immunisations today and screamed her tiny head off! The poor thing. She is so tiny, did I mention that she is tiny? I hated her little legs being stung with the needle she was so upset. After the first one she had a horrible brady, she went quite grey and her eyes went all cloudy. She recovered quickly though and apart from that and some irregular breathing was fine. She was quite unsettled for a while but after a nice cuddle she finally relaxed and fell asleep.

Its been a full on day. The jabs were due at 9.30 but didnt happen until 12.30 which meant I had to stay later. I had planned to start getting her room organised this arvo while Bailey was in Child Care but it didnt work out that way. I ended up having to run errands and do shopping which took up the rest of the day. Oh well, the important thing is that Niamh is ok, she has been good all afternoon as well which is great. Its the start of the wind down out of here so Im glad it is progressing. Hopefully on Wednesday we may be able to start weaning her off the oxygen, fingers crossed.

They are now weighing her twice weekly so no update until the end of the week. She has also been graded onto 4 hourly feeds which is great! She fed really well today, she latches on like an expert and is really settled after!

Another friend went home today, she had been here almost as long as us and was really emotional about leaving. She described it as having a security blanket, you get very used to the routine and the fact that other people are caring for your baby. The sheer responsibility of looking after your baby (especially one going home on oxygen for 6 months like her baby)is overwhelming. Its certainly a rollercoaster ride! Another girl is going home tomorrow with her baby, she has been here for SEVEN months!! It s fantastic to hear she is going home! She has been through so much and so has her gorgeous baby.

Monday 12th May Day 96

Happy Birthday Suzy! Have a great day ;)

We were told a four letter word today!.... HOME!

I can't believe it, it seems to have jumped up really quickly which sounds ridiculous but here it is. We are booked in the Parenting Unit next week (May 23rd)to see how we go on our own without monitors and hopefully no oxygen etc all being well. We go in early on Friday after Niamhs next(and hopefully final) eye test and then stay two nights and come home on Sunday May 25th. I cant wait, it will seem so strange at first though!

Niamh is getting her immunisations tomorrow morning (her two month ones lol) She doesnt seem big enough, she is so tiny. I will be there with her and give her a breast feed after. She is so good now, she hasnt had a brady with me for days and Im more confident with her too. Exciting stuff!! Who would have thought we would get this far?!! Im thrilled, clever little princess xxx