Eliza's Taste

Eliza has not tasted many things at this early stage in her life. She has had breast milk, formula, liquid vitamins and iron. The most exotic thing she has tasted was children's Tylenol, cherry flavored.

Supposed To Be Birthday Eve

Hey do you know what tomorrow is? It is the day Eliza was supposed to have been born! And it is the day her "corrected age" begins. You see, even though she was born nearly 2 months ago, we aren't supposed to count those towards any sort of milestones babies reach. Like something full term babies will do at 6 months, Eliza will do at 8. Or so they say, but we will see.

Amanda sure is glad Eliza came early. She often will look at E and imagine she was still in there and needed to come out. She's much bigger now, you see, and it would hurt more.

Well then, this second day of being back into daily posting post is over. I hope you enjoyed it. They should get better as I get back into the ol' swing of things. See ya!

I Think We Should Start Again

It seems like the time is right for a return to daily or almost daily blog postings. I have gotten pretty lax in doing so lately. So I declare today that I shall make an attempt to get back on the daily postings.

We have sure enjoyed having Eliza at home. She has been out of the hospital for 9 days and it has been a blast. Having a kid is pretty awesome, if you're ready for 'em and all. There is not one thing negative about it, I have found. Sure, a few nights consisted of very little sleep, but sleep is over-rated and that's what coffee is for.

When I look at her it amazes me every time. It's not just my daughter, but the fact that people in general all start out like this then get bigger and then do whatever it is they do. The miracle of life is just that.

Here's a fun game. Name any person you want to. 100% of the time this person started out as a baby. The only exception I know of was on Saturday Night Live when Will Ferrell was born a full grown man. But that's make believe, and hilarious.

Well then, it's the middle of the night and Eliza is back to sleep so I probably should do the same. I will type to you later today or tomorrow though. See ya!

51 Photos of Eliza

One for (almost) every day of her life. This is the third installment, it gets bigger every time, and so does Eliza!. It's fun!

Eliza Eats A Lot

Every 4 hours or so, Eliza takes a bottle. This bottle is filled with 80 ml of milk or milk substitute. And she eats this in 20 minutes or so.
Eliza is almost 8 lbs as of her last weigh in. So it's about 10 ml per pound.

Imagine, if you you will, a full grown adult eating the same amount. A 200 lb person would consume 2000 ml, or 2 liters. Not just once, but at least 6 times a day. And taking around 20 minutes each time. That seems pretty impressive to me.

Maybe it is not so much if you are Joey Chestnut or Kobayashi, but I certainly couldn't do it. However, I am also not a growing baby who shouldn't even have been born for 10 more days so she needs all that nutrition and whatnot. But still she's a super eater. And that's pretty neat.

Eliza Is Coming Home

Dear Eliza,

Today is your last day in the NICU! You are coming home! Mom and I are just waiting for the doctors to do whatever it is they do to discharge patients.

We spent the past 2 nights with you at the hospital. You even got to sleep in the same room as us! We feds you whenever you were hungry and you took your bottles so well. One thing I did find out about you is that during the day you will want food every 4 hours and you'll sleep all the way through. During the night, when daddy is trying to sleep, you like to eat every 2 hours and don't sleep "like a baby" and toss and turn and fuss about.

Last night we had you do what they call a car seat challenge. This is where we stick you in your car seat to see if you handle it well, since you usually lay flat on your back as opposed to uprightish. You passed. 

So now we wait. It's been 6 weeks but these few hours today seem to be the longest of them all. We cannot wait to get started on our life at home with you. It will be quite different than hospital life where we only saw you 4 hours a day.

It is a whole new chapter and this chapter will be filled with great times and also some not so great times. There will be fun and games. There will also be sleepless nights and frustrating times. But we will go through these all together as a family, and we will remember them forever and cherish those memories.

Well Eliza, this is the last letter I will write to you as a part time parent. From now on yer mom and I are full timers so I hope you like what you get. We sure like what we got in you.

Love,

Dad

Eliza's Face

It is free from tubes and tape and everything! She is eating from a bottle real good too. If she keeps this up she'll be home on no time. We are super excited.

Eliza Is Getting Her Tube Out

We had just arrived at the hospital when Eliza's nurse gave us some great news. Today Eliza gets her food tube out of here nose and we are going to try just bottle feeding. And we are going off the feeding schedule and just feeding when she wakes up. It is so exciting today.

Hopefully it all goes well and we can get her home! She only needs 48 hours and she can!

So we are just sitting here waiting for Eliza to wake up. Normally we would be feeding her right now but she don't want none. 

Well I have to go check some foot all scores while we wait. I will get back to you all later. Bye!

Eliza Goes Up A Size

Dear Eliza,

You mom and I just left the hospital after our weekly overnight visit. We sure had a great time while we were there. You are getting so big! We tried to fit you into a preemie sized outfit but you are too big for it and we had to use newborn size. Same with your diapers, you are newborn diaper size also. Wow!

Your weigh in last night had you at 7 lbs and 5 oz. That is almost 3 lbs up since you were born just over 1 month ago. Impressive, Eliza.

I don't want to jinx it or anything, but I think you might be coming home pretty soon. The other times we have thought that, it didn't happen and we were a little let down because we want you home so bad. October 1 is the day you were supposed to be born and that is when your initial come home date was so if it takes that long it is ok.

You just gotta start taking all your feedings by nipple. We did 3 of them in a row yesterday which was pretty cool. Your nurse told us you are doing about 60% of your eating this way. So you are getting closer! Also it has been since the 8th that you had a Brady. 4 whole days!

Well Eliza, I have to get going. Your mom and I have some things we need to get done. One of them is going to pick up some more clothes for you from my co-worker Tammy. You have so many clothes!! Alright, see you later E!

Love,

Dad

Eliza Is One Month Old Today

Dear Eliza,

Happy birthday!!! One month old today! Do you feel any older? Lol. Sorry we didn't get you any cake. You can't eat that right now anyways. But soon you can and you will have the best cakes when you do.

We got some pretty nice clothes recently from your grandmother. There are several pair of jeans, some vests, some sleep-ware and the neatest one is this fancy white dress. You are going to look so adorable in it Eliza. It is a size 18 months but I hope it doesn't really take that long to fit. It would make for a nice Christmas photo next year.

Your grandma also got us a Baby Bullet to use to make your food once you start eating solider food. That's a ways out yet though. But it's cool to have. Maybe we will do some practice batches while we wait. I don't think your mom is gonna like the blended up peas!

Well Eliza, I better be off to bed. You are probably doing about the same as I type this since you got your cares at 11 o'clock. We will be in early tomorroe morning to check on you. They did your latest length measurement tonight and I am excited to see how you've grown. Ok, I'm going for reals now. Bye birthday girl!

Love ya',

Dad

Eliza Daily Photo Video Number 2

A new, bigger and better video comprised of Eliza's daily photos is available for your viewing pleasure! She is certainly growing up right before my eyes. I am glad to be undertaking this project as it is already fun to be able to see the change in recorded fashion. I will be there in real life to see it, but like they say, "Take a picture it'll last longer." And it's true. The old brain camera doesn't work as well as a Sony DSLR for remembering things sometimes.

Alright then, here it is. I hope you enjoy watching it. The music is silly in this one. See you next time!

Eliza Is The Cutest Baby

Dear Eliza,

Once again it has been too long since I have wrote you. It seems yo be a nasty habit I am developing. I will try to fix this.

Your Mom and I are with you at the hospital again today. Did you know you are over 6 pounds? It is true. 6 pounds 3 ounces as of your weigh in last night. Pretty impressive, Eliza. And this Sunday you will be 4 weeks old! It seems like just yesterday you were born. The time sure does fly by like they all say.

We are pretty much ready for you to come home whenever you are ready. We got you your starting out supply of cloth diapers from www.eco-politan.com and you have so many cute clothes. Your Mom's cousin from England just sent you some fancy clothes. They're French. You will look so classy in them!

And we have your bed, your monitor, bottles, bath tub, blankets, medical supplies and all sorts of other stuff you may require.

We have almost everything we need for bringing up baby, we are just missing you, Eliza! You are doing pretty good on the bottle feeding. You don't take all your feedings from it, but some. You are not to keen on the breast feeding yet though. You try so hard to do it but I guess you are just too young yet. Pretty soon you will be doing only bottle or breast and you can come live with us.

Oh and they are going to try and take you off the oxygen in a couple days. You sure would like that. You are always pulling at your little oxygen tube trying to get it off your face. They did try that a while ago, when you were younger, but you couldn't get quite enough on your own. Now you're bigger and stronger and it will probably be ok. They already have it turned down as low as it goes and your levels are a-ok.

Alright then Eliza, we are just about to start your physical therapy so I best stop writing now. But I will write you at a later date. So till then...

Love,

Dad