Life as we know it

I am going to try to do short blog entries a few days a week to keep everyone updated on Ivie and Zoie, well and Derik and I. Short and sweet will do :) Ivie was born Friday March 28th via c section at 11:22 am weighing 4.10 and 18. Inches long. She was 33 weeks 5 days. We have learned size doesn't matter, maturity does. For the first three days she was on an oxygen pump to help expand her lungs. They weren't quite mature enough. She also got an IV right away in her foot for vitamins and fluids. She was then placed in an incubator for warmth and oxygen flow. When we left the hospital yestrrday(Sunday) she has already improved. She was off the oxygen pump so her lungs are working all on their own. Her IV did get moved from her foot to her head. This looks scary, but it's actually very common in preemies and doesn't hurt her. She got her first feeds started Saturday through a mouth feeding tube which they switched out Sunday to a nose feeding tube. When we called last

The last week has been a whirl wind for our family. Just when you say "that was the hardest thing I have ever done," usually something trumps that. At least it does with our family. Zoie had surgery one week ago from Friday and everything went smoothly. She had a VNS implanted for seizures. She was in surgery for about three hours, then recovery for about three. The hardest part for me was watching them put her under and having to walk away. Luckily they took good care of her, and she is healing wonderfully! She had her first ramp up appt to slowly turn on the device Friday and the appt went well. We have noticed a few changes in her since Friday like some irritability, she is having difficulty rolling, and makes funny sounds. Tomorrow we will call to make sure these are normal side effects and that everything is okay. It's always hard when it's something new and you haven't experienced it before. Her incision site looks phenomenal! She is my rock star! Last Sun

For some reason I have been asked about five times this week what I do. Usually I have a simple response, "I'm a stay-at-home mom :) when you get asked this over and over, you kinda get creative! I start saying things like, " well, I stay home with my little girl. We do therapies, run errands, clean, oh and I sleep a lot because I'm growing a baby." Then you have someone who says, " don't you get bored?" Don't ever ask a mom this. This week I have really felt the pressure of "being a mom." I know I always do my best, and I also know I'm a good mom and wife, and no, I never get bored! While prepping for Zoies surgery, and growing a baby, and nesting, and trying to be a good wife, all this week, I have taken a lot of down time to sit, pray, and reflect. Sometimes we all need to do this to be reminded what's important and what we can let go of. Our schedule was filled today through April with all of our post op appts for Zoies

I have been postponing blogging about this for a while now, trying to push it to the side, but we all have to face "life" at some point and this is one of those steps. Derik and I were waiting for a sign as to if we should pull the trigger and do Zoies surgery now or wait. I knew we wouldn't schedule it until we knew we were doing the right thing. Two days after we asked God for a sign, we were in the er for IV fluids for Zoie because of all day seizures which led to throw up and dehydration. This was our sign; help Zoie have as little seizures as possible. She will be getting VNS surgery Friday March 14th. We are ready to get it done and over with. We are also not looking forward to sitting in a waiting room For hours.   I'm still contemplating on what we will do for that time, no I will not be able to sit and read as someone suggested. We show up at 9. She will get an hour long physical. We have an hour break, then checkin for surgery is at 11. Starting at 1 she