Saturday, January 24

Today was a big day. Well, to be honest, everyday is a big day, but a lot happened today.

Natalie was able to get her umbilical line out. They kept it in until they were sure they were not going to need it again because they would not want to have to replace it. The fact that she was ready to go off it is a good sign. It seems every day they are telling us progress that is "a good sign" and they decided not tell her what her gestation age is, because she is working on her own schedule and doesn't seem to know she is ahead!

Today started off a bit crazy with the snowstorm that dumped a half a foot of snow on the ground and then our house got super cold and we realized we were out of oil. So, after a hectic morning, we finally got to the hospital and both promptly passed out on the couch next to her isolette (what they call her incubator). We did not realize how tense and stressed we are until we get to her room and feel it all slide away. I really cannot say enough positive things about the NICU staff at Morristown Medical Center, but if we win the lottery one day, it isn't going to a beach house.

We had already decided to get Natalie baptized at the hospital. We spoke with our church and with the hospital to figure out the best way. So we scheduled a "mini" baptism today that executed the rite, but when she gets out of the hospital we will have the traditional church ceremony with oil and god parents and everything.

It was a beautiful ceremony and they relaxed the visitation rules to allow the grandparents to all attend. She held onto my finger with her tiny hand the whole time and of course I was a bawling mess. The priest welcomed her as the newest member of the Catholic Church and blessed her head with holy water and gave us a beautifully knit white prayer blanket to stand in as her baptismal white.

Because Natalie got her umbilical line out, both me and Jimmy got to hold her for the very first time. It was pretty much the most amazing moment of our life and I still cannot believe how tiny and strong our sweet girl is. Now that they can move her around like that, we will start doing what they call "Kangaroo Care" with her everyday. This is putting her skin against our bare skin for periods at a time for bonding. This is incredibly important for preemies as they are missing out on that extra time inside their mother's womb and spend a lot of time in their isolettes.

They were also able to lay Natalie on her belly for the first time tonight and that is how we left her sleeping. She absolutely loves it and curled up right away in this new position.

 Happy to be on her belly.

Lastly for today, I have to mention the main nurse that is taking care of Natalie. We were very lucky that Nurse Cathy is who was working the morning Natalie was born and she has been an amazing support and phenomenal nurse/caregiver every since. She has been with the NICU since it was created in Morristown and I always feel extra secure when I know she is on duty. She has requested to be Natalie's permanent nurse, so she will be assigned to her whenever she is at work. Not only good at taking care of the baby, she is an expert of taking care of me and Jimmy. Everyday she introduces more ways we can help and be involved and with her long experience, she seems to know our concerns before we voice them. Today she did something special and molded Natalie's tiny footprints into clay in a heart shaped box. She said since it was Natalie's baptism day, that we should have something special to commemorate it. I am pretty sure that is not one of her nurse duties, but she is just one of those special people.