Happy Anniversary

Fourteen years ago (April 1, 1995) Alan and I went on our first date. Well it wasn't really a date because I was only 15 and couldn't date until I was 16 but we "hung out." We don't really celebrate our dating anniversary anymore now that we are married but it was a special day for us. He is the most wonderful husband (and now a wonderful daddy). Anyone that knows Alan knows just how lucky I am to be married to such a wonderful man. I could get really mushy right now, but I won't. I just want to wish him a happy anniversary. I love you!!!

Alan and I went to see our sweet baby girl early this morming. We stayed with her until visiting hours ended this afternoon. She is still doing very well. She no longer has to stay under the phototherapy lights. She still has a chest tube but there has not been any drainage so they water sealed it (whatever that means). The discharge nurse came to talk to us today. She was telling us about all the things Jane Baird has to accomplish before she can come home. (It was a pretty long list.) She is making great improvements everyday so we are very excited. The best part of the day was when a nurse came to get the breathing machine. She said that she was pretty certain that Jane Baird would not need that anymore so she was taking it away for good. We were very happy to see that machine leave her bedside. We left when the NICU closed and decided that we were way too exhausted to continue driving back and forth everyday so we decided to get a room for a few nights. We are on the waiting list for the Ronald McDonald House and it is full right now but we were told to check back every morning to see if there is an opening. We will be staying in B'ham tonight, Wednesday night, and Thursday night. Hopefully we can catch up on our sleep so we can go home this weekend and just drive back and forth. We are about to head back over to B'ham to see Jane Baird during the evening visiting hours. We had to come home to pack our bags since we will be staying in a hotel for the next few nights. I will not have a computer so there will not be any updates or pictures for a few days. Hopefully when we return home Friday night I will have lots of good news to share and lots of pictures to post. Some have called and asked about visiting hours. Visiting hours are from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm & 5:00 pm -10:00 pm. Jane Baird loves visitors (and we do too) so feel free to come any time. We are always there during those times.

She may have her daddy's looks but she sucks like me!

This is a video of Jane Baird sucking. My family will really appreciate this because I have been a sucker ever since I was a baby and I still suck when I sleep. This is exactly what I do when I sleep except I am not as loud (hopefully). Alan and I laughed and laughed about this. She is too cute!

Jane Baird Update

We went to Children's Hospital this morning to spend the day with our sweet baby girl and were very surprised to see that her breathing tube had been removed. She looked so much better today than yesterday. She had not needed any pain meds either which was really good. Alan got to change his first diaper today (neither one of us has had that opportunity yet) and did a great job! Right before the midday visiting hours were about to end the nurse said it was ok if I held her. (I was not expecting to be able to hold her for a few more days and I had very little time holding her when she was born.) I was sooooooooo excited!!! She felt so good in my arms and opened her eyes to look at me almost the entire time I held her. We went back to the hospital for the evening visiting hours and found out that while we were gone Jane Baird had some difficulty with her breathing. The nurses are doing everything they can to keep from putting her back on the breathing machine. She was given some medication to help her and she was also x-rayed. Her x-ray came back fine. She was also given some pain meds because she was starting to hurt a little. She was also given breast milk in addition to her IV fluids for the first time today. Unfortunately she is not digesting it (the nurse said this was probably due to stress) so they are going to lay off for a day or so and then try again. I am still pumping and freezing so that she will have it when she is ready for it. Overall Jane Baird is doing well. We called tonight at midnight and she was the same as she was when we left at 10:00. I am hoping that tomorrow when we go she does not have a breathing tube. We appreciate all of the prayers. Please continue to pray for her--she has a very long road ahead of her.

Jane Baird is Here!

Jane Baird was born on March 26 at 1:46 pm. She weighed 7lbs 5 oz and was 20.5 inches long. It was a wonderful delivery (quick and w/out pain). Sadly, a few hours after she was born we found out that she had TEF (Tracheoesophageal Fistula) and needed surgery to correct the problem. She went into surgery around 1:30 yesterday afternoon at Children's Hospital in Birmingham and came out around 4:30. She is now in the NICU recovering and will be there for at least a couple of weeks. Jane Baird is doing well right now. She was in a lot of pain today and we were not able to touch her. We haven't been able to hold her yet but we are hoping that she will be well enough to be held in a few days. She is on IV fluids and will be for a few more days. She will get her first bottle in a few days but the nurses said that it may take a while to get her to eat b/c it will be painful. Once she starts eating the doctors will check for leaks in her esophagus by giving her barium dye. If there are no leaks, she will be released from the NICU once she has healed. If there are leaks, she will have to have another surgery to correct the problem.

Alan and I go visit with Jane Baird everyday in the NICU. We usually get there right as visiting hours begin and stay with her until they kick us out. She sleeps a lot but she will open her eyes every once in a while. She looks right at us when we talk to her and seems to recognize our voices. She looks just like Alan from head to toe except for her mouth. She has my personality--very feisty and does not like to be messed with!

We know that Jane Baird is on just about every prayer list in the southeast and we appreciate all of the prayers. I will do my best to keep everyone informed on her condition.

This is a little info about TEF: Infants born with esophageal atresia (EA) have a portion missing (a gap) in their esophagus, the tube that goes from the back of the mouth to the stomach. With part of the esophagus missing, the baby cannot swallow food or even its own saliva.

"I'll Bet You a 6 Pack..."

I went to the doctor today for my 38 week appointment today. My NST went very well and the doctor said she had beautiful tracings. He checked me today and said that I was definately ready to deliver any day now. I will be induced on Thursday, March 26 if she doesn't decide to come on her own before then. I asked the doctor if he thought I would make it until next Thursday and his reply was "I'll bet you a 6 pack I'll see you this weekend!" We hope he is right. We are very ready to have this baby!!!

37 Week Appointment

I went to the doctor on Wednesday and found out that I am 2cm dialated, 90% effaced and -2. I'm not sure what the -2 means exactly but I was told that was good. The doctor also said that she could come any day now on her own. If she doesn't come on her own by March 26th, I will be induced on that day. We are so excited! My spring break started yesterday so I am so looking forward to a week of relaxation, ponytails, and t-shirts!

Another Baby Shower!

Alan's family had a wonderful baby shower for us at Angie's house. It was so much fun! We got a TON of stuff. We spent most of the night going through everything again and trying to find a place for it all. Here are a few pictures from the shower. This cute little rocking chair used to belong to Alan when he was a little. His mom and dad painted it and made adorable cushions for it.

Mom, me, and sister Morgan

The cake was so good!

Alan's dad (Carl), Alan, me, and Alan's mother (Gloria) Alan, me, Angie (Alan's sis) and her youngest daughter Samantha. So many gifts!

More gifts!!!

Alan surprised me with a glider.

Alan was very excited about the Alabama cheerleader outfit and Bama bracelet (pictured below)from Aunt Peggy and cousin Brooke.

Alan's cousin Scott and his wife Heather sent us a gift in the mail but it didn't quite make it in time for the shower. Peggy wrote down what the gift was on a pink napkin and put it in an adorable gift bag so that we would have somehting to open from them.

Alan and I had so much fun at the shower. We are so blessed to have wonderful families and friends who care about us so much.

35 Week Appointment

I went to the doctor on Thursday for my 35 week appointment. Everything went very well. I am measuring 38 weeks instead of 35 so my doctor thinks the baby may be a bit larger than she originally thought. I will have a more thorough ultrasound next week to check the baby's size. Also Dr. Davis was very surprised (so were Alan and I) to find out that I have already started to dialate. I have dialated 1cm. She also said that the baby's head was very low (as I had suspected b/c of the tremendous amount of pressure I have been feeling).