HARPER ELIZBETH

Miss Harper has arrived.
She came out screaming in the littlest voice imaginable.
Those lungs, they sure do work.
She is a itty bitty for sure.
17 inches long.
5 pounds 3 ounces but has only a few ounces so far.
It isn't the 5 pounds that makes her seem so small.
17 inches is just tiny.
Newborn diapers swallow her.
She is in preemie clothing.
But the girl eats like a champ.
She nurses better than HG did the first few weeks.
We are giving sensitive formula after each nursing for low blood sugar and body temp.
My milk must be coming in because she refused it twice today.
Yesterday, she was still taking 20 mls after each nursing.


Our NICU stay was short and sweet, thank goodness.
We were prepared for a 7-10 day stay.
I honestly don't think you could ever prepared yourself for the NICU.
I think she shocked everyone.
They did whisk her away from the OR but we were warned of that.
The husband got to go with her and snap some pictures.
I was sewn up and wheeled into recovery.
I will say that my C section was much more painful this time.
The Spinal took longer to work.
I felt everything except the actual cutting.
I should have taken all the morphine.
Lesson learned.
I was so high after having HG, bad high.
My Spinal lasted a long time as well.
This time, I was asking for pain medicine in recovery.
A C Section is one of the strangest things you will ever have to go through.
Totally worth it and all the gas in the shoulder/lungs and tears shed from that.
I am doing much better today.
Much better.
I haven't had any pain medicine in about 12 hours so thinking about asking for some.
Harper is just the sweetest little thing.
The doctors are more than pleased with her progress.
We will all get to go home as a family, including my 3 year old Princess.
Something we never dreamed of when we arrived 5 weeks ago today.

Still in the recovery bed, my wonderful nurse took me to NICU.
I got to hold Harper and nurse her for the first time.
Not holding your child right after delivery or in recovery is hard.
Much harder than I ever imagined.
To of our surprise, she latched on.
I was told not to push it that is might take some time.
Her itty bitty mouth found what she wanted.

Proud daddy.

Trying to raise blood sugar.

Being monitored.

Notice how dark it was in there?

Kisses for Harper before they took her away.

See that balloon thing above me?

The Dr's and nurses were so amazing to me.

I was shivering, freezing and the spinal made me shake even more.

They ordered a bear hug.

This blew hot air on me the whole time.

I was so thankful.

The blankets swallow her.

Honestly, I love the hospital blankets because they stretch so much.

Cleaning her up after pulling her out.

We are a late term preemie, praise the Lord!!

Her little rash is clearing up.

Sleeping baby.

Trying out a pacifier.