From the beginning... Jen's Journal

The week of Thanksgiving, Jason & I found out we were expecting. After going to the Dr. we found out our little one's expected arrival date would be July 27th, my Dad's Birthday.  My pregnancy had been going well and I actually enjoyed the feeling of carrying a child.  I rubbed my belly all the time.  Jason would always laugh when I did it.   I had been on medication for Blood pressure, but it was under control.  My Dr. ordered a non-stress, stress test which turned out to be the beginning of the most stressful eventof my life.  My blood pressure had started to rise and my Dr. sent me across the street to Parkwest hospital triage.  My brother-in-law, Mike,  was picking up my husband from school because he was having dizzy spells and didn't feel safe driving.  I texted him to bring Jason to Parkwest.  My sister-in-law, Jamie came to wait with me, but since she had our 2 year old neice with her they wouldn't let her come back to triage.  When they arrived, the Dr. on staff there had made arrangements for me to be transported by ambulance to UT.  My Brother's fiance, Krissy, came right over followed by my Brother, Sam.  My parents, Jack and Marcie, and my Mother-in-law, Debbie,  met us at UT.  My blood pressure had continued to rise and unbeknownst to me I was entering stroke territory.  All I could think about was how my sweet little baby was being affected by everything.    After being directly admitted at UT into a room in Labor and Delivery, it was explained that the only way to stop the blood pressure from increasing if IV meds were mot working would be to deliver our child early. I was not even 27 weeks yet!  I was told I had severe preeclampsia.  My body was toxic and I had to be on Magnesium.  I managed to tough it out until early Friday morning, when it became difficult to breath and after a CT scan, fluid on my lungs was the final breaking point.  The Doctors and Nurses were so helpful, informative, and kind.  I slept really well until Friday morning, when I awoke to find out that I would be having a C-section.  Amazingly, I felt at peace.  I felt I did all I could physically and I had to leave the rest to God and the fine men and women he created to take care of me.  My husband had to wear scrubs and he looked so handsome.  After the C-section and my sweet husband's play by play of the entire procedure, we were parents to a beautiful 1 lb, 11 oz, 13 inch long Hannah Katherine Gray, whom we call Hannah Kate.  Due to her low birth weight, she has to live at UT Hospital in the NICU.  It was very difficult to leave her after I was discharged. I cried the whole way home.  We are able to visit her almost anytime and call to check on her anytime we feel like it or start to wonder what she is doing.  I think she is in the best place possible and has the kindest, sweetest Nurses.  Her primary Nurse, Ruth, is now an honorary member of our family.  Her enthusiasm, knowledge, and love for our child is so comforting while she is away from us.  My family and friends have poured out support, love, and generosity to us and we are forever grateful. Also, I get to celebrate my first Mother's Day this weekend.  I am so excited and honored to be Hannah Kate Gray's Mother.  She is a sweet, beautiful, fiesty, little miracle! 

• WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 2010 1:23 AM, CDT

  Jason and I went to visit our sweet little girl earlier this evening and we were able to hold her in our hands inside her incubator.  It was such an amazing experience!

  
  

  THURSDAY, MAY 6, 2010 12:14 AM, EDT

  Hannah Kate had her first taste of breastmilk today. A tiny little tube was inserted into her mouth down into her stomach and she barely even flinched.  Nurse Ruth said that she does not know to be anxious about those kinds of things yet and she doesn't hold grudges if she is uncomfortable for a few seconds.   I feel so blessed to be able to provide nourishment for even though I don't get to take care of her at home.  My husband has been very helpful by cleaning all the breast pump parts and labeling and freezing it.  He is an amazing husband and an amazing and proud Father!  
  Hannah Kate has also finished her photo therapy sessions she was undergoing for Jaundice.  

  FRIDAY, MAY 7, 2010 6:27 PM, CDT

  Today, Jason and I met with a Mother of an NICU graduate.  She was very helpful and informative.  I know we have a long road ahead of us, but the support we have encountered so far is tremendous!  
  Hannah Kate has a heart murmur which is caused by a tiny hole in her heart.  The doctors have recommended giving her a 3 day round of Ibruprophen treatment to try to get the hole to heal on its own.  If this is not successful, then our little fighter may have to undergo heart surgery to patch the hole.  It is a very common surgery that many preemies face, but none of the less very scary.  She also has an ASD (Atrial Septal Defect), which is a larger hole in the upper chamber.  She will have an echocardiogram on Monday to see what the next step will be.  Please continue to keep us in your prayers as well as some new friends we met today.  Their names are Carson and Carter Russell, they are twins that weighed the same amount as Hannah Kate when they were born and were also 13 inches long.  Their Mother delivered them at 25 weeks.  They are continuing to thrive, but could still use prayers.  I think we are going to make a lot of friends in this process.  :)

  SUNDAY, MAY 9, 2010 10:53 AM, EDT

  Yesterday was a busy day!  Jason's Dad, step-Mom, and Grandmother came in from Virginia to see Hannah Kate.  They were amazed at her tiny little size.  We then went to Ye Olde Steakhouse to celebrate my future sister-in-law, Krissy's, graduation.  It was so nice to be reconnected to the outside world.  We enjoyed delicious cheesecake at Sam and Krissy's.  My Mom and Dad and I went back to visit Hannah Kate, while my husband went to hang out with our friend Justin who was in from New York.  My sweet husband deserved every bit of his Filet & shrimp and a night out with friends.  He has been a pillar of strength and a sea of calmness for me during this exciting and at times, emotional roller coaster.

  
  

  MONDAY, MAY 10, 2010 12:37 PM, EDT

  
  

  Yesterday I was able to celebrate being a Mother to a wonderful, sweet little Hannah Kate.  A professional photographer who has a son who graduated from the NICU donated his time to take pictures of all the babies with their families.  The nurse let Jason and I put a tiny little dress on her that someone had made.  It was so cute!  I was able to hold her up in her bed in a sitting position.  When I put my hands around her tiny little body, it was as though all her stress melted away.  She laid her hand on mine.  

  
  

  MONDAY, MAY 10, 2010 10:10 PM, EDT

  Good news!!!!  Dr. Bremmer met with us tonight beside Hannah Kate's bed to let us know that small hole in her heart had become smaller and the other ASD was not picked up on the ECHO.  If she ever had to have heart surgery, it would not be until she was around 4 years old.  We are so relieved and so grateful for the expertise at UT.  Please pray for continued good news for our little sweetheart.

  TUESDAY, MAY 11, 2010 11:47 PM, EDT

  Hannah Kate is now 1 pound and 14 oz.  She is also 13 3/4 inches long.  She is taking breast milk again and it will hopefully help her gain more weight.  Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers.

  THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2010 8:08 AM, EDT

  Hannah Kate has gained another ounce.  I more to go until she is 2 pounds!  We are so proud of our little girl!  We are going to meet Aunt Krissy for lunch and then on to the hospital to meet Mom and Dad and see our little angel. 

  
  

  THURSDAY, MAY 13, 2010 11:38 PM, EDT

  Dr. Bremmer called today while we were visiting Hannah Kate to let us know that the PDA (the small hole in her heart) had closed.  The ASD (atrial septal defect) did not show up on the ECHO either.  We are so happy!  Our little one is doing great!  Thank you for your continued support and prayers.

  • SATURDAY, MAY 15, 2010 1:33 AM, EDT

    Hannah Kate now weighs 2 pounds!  We had a late visit with her tonight and were able to watch the Nurse weigh her.  She is growing! 

    
    

    MONDAY, MAY 17, 2010 12:44 PM, EDT

    Our little Hannah Kate is now 14" long!  
    I misunderstood Dr. Bremmer and the PDA ( the small hole in her heart) is closed, but the ASD (the hole in the upper chamber) has become smaller, but has not closed completely.  Dr. Bremmer said that most children live perfectly normal lives with the ASD, but if it were to get larger or cause her any problems then she would have to have surgery.  This would not occur until around age 4.  Hopefully we will not have to worry about that. 
    
    
    TUESDAY, MAY 18, 2010 4:45 AM, EDT
    Hannah Kate now weighs 2 lbs 2 oz!   Yay!!!
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      WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2010 11:06 PM, EDT
      Jason and I were able to hold Hannah Kate for the first time last night.  Jason held her first since I had the pleasure of carrying her in my tummy for almost 6 months.  It was the most amazing feeling ever!  She felt so warm and snuggly.  It was difficult to give her back to the Nurse, but I am just going to focus on the great feeling of holding our daughter for the first time.  We were able to feel her breath on our skin and she was so light.  We are looking forward to many more bonding moments like these in the future.  

      
      

      MONDAY, MAY 24, 2010 9:34 AM, EDT

      Jason and I had a wonderful relaxing weekend in the mountains with my parents, Sam, Krissy, Brennan, and Drew.  We were able to go see Hannah Kate on Friday on our way out of town and on Sunday when we got back.  We were able to hold her and so was her Mamaw Debbie.  Hopefully, my parents will have the wonderful opportunity of holding their first grandchild tomorrow.  We called a lot to check on her on Saturday.  She was a good girl and seemed happy to see us on Sunday.  She had her eyes open more than we had ever seen them before.  So, of course, we took more pictures.  She is so expressive and is so full of personality!  We are so happy she is our daughter and love her more and more each day.  
      She is now 2 lbs. 5 oz. and is 14 3/4" long.   We pray for continued growth and health for our little one.  Thank you all for your continued support.  
      
      

      SATURDAY, MAY 29, 2010 2:57 AM, CDT

      I apologize for our lack of updates this week, our Internet has been down.  I will update the photos tomorrow.  
      Hannah Kate is now up to 2 lbs. 9 oz. and a month and 1 day old today.  She is growing and changing so fast.  Her recent tricks include pulling both tubes out of her mouth and trying to escape out of her incubator.  She definitely has a personality!  She has been quite vocal with the Nurses too.  She likes attention.  We appreciate your continued prayers and support. 

      
      

      FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 2010 9:06 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate is making progress day by day.  She is up to 2 lbs. 13.6 oz.  She had been in isolation due to an infection, but the Dr. took another culture and it came back negative.  No more gloves and gowns!  We get to hold Hannah Kate against our skin again.  Tonight I am going to start non-nutritive feeding.  That is where I pump breastmilk right before holding her and then she can practice latching on.  Preemies are able to suck, swallow, and breathe independently, but have trouble coordinating all three.  Hannah Kate's roommate, Blythe, just reached the 2 lb. mark last night, so we are so happy for her and her family. 

      
      
      
      

      TUESDAY, JUNE 8, 2010 9:38 PM, EDT

      

      Hannah Kate has accomplished a lot in the past two days.  Last night when Jason went to visit her on his way home from work, she sucked her thumb for the first time.  He took a picture and it is so cute!  I have posted it with this journal entry.  Today I went to visit her with my Mom and Nurse Ruth wanted me to pump first and then have her next to me to let her get used to me and practice different positioning for future breast feeding.  Nurse Ruth said if she were to lick or smell me then that would be wonderful and if she were to latch on then that would be phenomenal because she is so young and shouldn't be able to do that yet.  She latched on three different times and seemed very comfortable.    What an amazing bonding experience!  I am so happy that my Mom was there to share it with me.  Jason and I  are very proud of our little girl! 

      
      

      FRIDAY, JUNE 11, 2010 6:19 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate had a rough day yesterday.  Her little tummy wasn't so little, it was distended and discolored.  The Dr. ordered her feedings to stop and they had to insert an IV in her head to give her fluids and a little tube in her mouth to keep the air out of her stomach.  It was hard seeing her like that.  You could tell she was uncomfortable.  Jason and I went to see her when he got off work so we wouldn't wear her out with two seperate visits.  I went to see her today and she looked so much better and they were able to take the little tube out of her mouth that she dislikes so much.  She smiled a lot today and kept looking around with her eyes open really wide.  The Nurse said she slept all day so she could come out to visit for a little while.  She is now 3 lbs and 0.9 oz. 

      
      

      SUNDAY, JUNE 13, 2010 12:40 AM, EDT

      3 lbs. 3.5oz..... She is getting a little chubby.  :) 

      
      

      MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2010 1:25 AM, EDT

      3 lbs 6.5 oz... Chubbier by the day. :)

      
      

      WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, 2010 10:53 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate started back on feedings today, but the Dr. ordered them to stop and just give her fluids in her IV.  She also had to start taking an antibiotics to help aid in digestion.  She gained weight though.... 3 lbs. 8.3 oz.  We are hoping to get in a private room soon.  We will be able to decorate it and have more privacy when we visit with Hannah Kate.  Once she is not hooked up to so many cords, we can take her to the end of the hall to see her family through the glass door.  Jason was joking and said he was going to have a sign  that said "Don't tap on the glass".  What a sense of humor! 

      
      

      THURSDAY, JUNE 17, 2010 11:11 AM, EDT

      Yay!  Hannah Kate was moved to a private room this morning.  I am starting back to work today part-time and I am going to go to the hospital and take over some stuffed animals and decorations for her room.  Thank you all for your prayers, continued support, and encouraging words. 

      
      

      SATURDAY, JUNE 19, 2010 2:02 AM, EDT

      3 lbs 11.2 oz and 16 1/8" long.... She was also 6 weeks old yesterday.  She loves her new private room and so do Mommy and Daddy.  We have a CD player in her room to play music when we visit and books to read to her.  She is doing really well and loves her Nurses. 

      
      

      MONDAY, JUNE 21, 2010 12:50 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate is having a procedure today to determine why her little tummy keeps becoming distended and why she is having trouble tolerating her feedings.  It should start between 1 and 2 and then the Nurse will call me when it is over so I can go and comfort her.  
      We had a wonderful Father's Day visit with our little girl.  She was wide awake and smiling and making cute little faces.  It was a great day!  Jason is a proud father!

      
      

      THURSDAY, JUNE 24, 2010 11:16 PM, CDT

      Our little girl has big news.... she is in an open air crib now and off of her oxygen.  She is so sweet and seems to be resting better and having less heartrate drops now that she moved to a private room.  We are so proud of our sweet little girl and continue to pray for her progress.  We love her so much.  Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement.  It means so much! 

      
      

      TUESDAY, JUNE 29, 2010 11:13 AM, EDT

      Hannah Kate is officially 4 lbs and 0.4oz!!!  Last night Jason and I went to visit her and had she not been restricted to the NICU, we could have taken her to the "America's Got Talent" auditions.  She had a contrast study done earlier in the day on her GI tract and the Nurse had just administered some medicine to help her move the dye through her system.  She seemed to be struggling to try to have a bowel movement.  We thought we would check her diaper to see if it needed to be changed, it was really wet, so we were in the process of changing it and she projectile pooped across the room.  It was hilarious!  We felt bad for her Nurse because she was in the direct line of fire.  After several rounds of her new talent, Hannah Kate laid back and breathed a sigh of relief.  We cleaned her up and put new clothes on her and held her some more.  She was looking around, sucking her pacifier, and smiling.  I think she got a kick out of watching us trying to figure out what was going on during her diaper change.  We are glad he little tummy feels better. 

      WEDNESDAY, JUNE 30, 2010 9:51 AM, EDT

      Hannah Kate is now 4 lbs 3oz!!!  She started bolus feedings.  It is where the Nurse gives her a certain amount over a period of time and then decreases the time to get her tummy used to being full and then develop the feeling of hunger instead of being on a continuous feeding.  Dr. Bass told me yesterday that this was the next step in preparation for putting her to breast.  That is so exciting!  Our little girl is thriving and amazing us on a daily basis.  She seems to be sleeping well in her new crib and keeping her body temperature regulated on her own.  Please pray that her tummy continues to tolerate the feedings.  Thank you for your continued support.  I can't wait to introduce Hannah Kate to everyone. 

      • THURSDAY, JULY 1, 2010 10:14 PM, EDT

        Please pray for our little Hannah Kate, she has to have another procedure tomorrow at 3pm.  The Dr. will have to put her to sleep, but the procedure shouldn't take longer than 15 minutes.  The medical team is trying to determine if she has Hirshsprung's Disease.  It is a disease where nerve cells may be missing from the large intestines and surgery would be able to correct it.  Once she awakes from the anesthesia, she will be able to start feedings again. 

      FRIDAY, JULY 2, 2010 8:20 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate did very well during her procedure. We should know the results within 48 hours. Thank you for your extra prayers and concern. I have attached a picture I took of Hannah Kate yesterday. She was wide awake.

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      WEDNESDAY, JULY 7, 2010 9:01 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate does not have Hirschsprung's disease!  Yay!!!  She is back in an isolette because her body temperature has been low, but in the isolette she does not have to burn calories to keep herself warm. We are so proud of our little girl and the progress she has made.  She is so amazing and we love her so much.  We are so blessed to have her as our daughter. 

      
      

      FRIDAY, JULY 9, 2010 1:45 AM, EDT

      I went to see Hannah Kate last night and she was all cuddled up with her little hands folded.  She looked so cute.  I have attached a pic of her.  It was a little dark in the room, but I couldn't resist capturing that sweet little pose.  When I held her, she kept smiling and making cute little sounds. 

      
      

      
      

      MONDAY, JULY 12, 2010 8:48 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate has been taking bottles & breast feeding daily. It is such a wonderful experience! We are so proud of our little girl and her ability to learn so much.

      
      

      WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010 10:16 PM, EDT

      Jason and I were so excited to introduce our little Hannah Kate to her Uncle Mike, Uncle Sam, and Aunt Krissy.  It was a very special day!  We can't wait until she can meets her neices and nephews.  (Brennan & Drew, thank you for patiently waiting in the family lounge while Sam & Krissy were visiting with Hannah Kate.)

      • FRIDAY, JULY 16, 2010 11:47 PM, EDT

        Please pray for Hannah Kate. She has had blood in her diaper and is currently in isolation. They were able to get an X-ray at about midnight and it came back fine. She took a bottle in less than 10 minutes & was ready to be tucked in by her Mommy & Daddy.

      SUNDAY, JULY 18, 2010 10:11 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate's test results came back negative for Roto virus, but they are going to have them cultured just to rule out anything else.  Until then, she continues to be in isolation.  Jason and I went to visit her today and she was wide awake and hungry.  She did very well feeding today.  We also took new pictures, which we will upload soon.  Thank you for your continued prayers, love, and support. 

      
      

      TUESDAY, JULY 20, 2010 10:33 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate is doing GREAT!!!  I am planning to stay at the hospital in a private room with her and feed her when she is hungry and try to increase her weight.  If everything goes well, then Jason and I will stay in a room with her and then she will get to come home.  I am so excited and nervous at the same time.  Please keep our family in your prayers. 

      
      

      FRIDAY, JULY 23, 2010 11:05 PM, EDT

      What a wonderful Daddy Hannah Kate has.  Jason ended up spending both nights with us at the hospital.  Hannah Kate was fun to hang out with.  She had a few heart rate drops the first night while she was sleeping and then a few the next day while she was feeding.  She didn't have any last night.  I got really scared and the nurses were nice and made me feel better.  
      Hannah Kate seemed to enjoy being fed and talked to by her Mommy and Daddy.  I got to give her a bath and she just smiled and looked around.  Hannah Kate is so fortunate to have such a wonderful staff supporting her at UT and a wonderful loving family waiting for her to come home.  We love her so much!

      
      

      TUESDAY, JULY 27, 2010 7:36 PM, EDT

      Today is Hannah Kate's original due date.  We are so fortunate to have already been bonding with her for the past three months.  She is so amazing and seems to be a happy baby who loves to smile.  She cries when she is hungry or misplaces her pacifier, but other than that, she is very laid back.  I can't wait to bring her home, but I am also scared and nervous.  I want her to be ready, so she will continue to grow and thrive.  I trust that the Nurses and doctors have our little one's best interest at heart.  
      I went to visit Hannah Kate this morning and she smiled when I told her it was her Grandpa Jack's Birthday today.  Happy Birthday Grandpa Jack!!

      SATURDAY, JULY 31, 2010 12:37 AM, EDT

      Hannah Kate finally gained some weight!  We are hoping that she will be coming home next week sometime.  We have been getting everything ready for her and our house is cleaner than it ever has been.  (Thank you Mom and Dad)  :)  We will post some updated pics tomorrow when we go to the hospital. 

      
      

      MONDAY, AUGUST 2, 2010 12:02 AM, EDT

      4 lbs 13.4 oz!  Moving on up!   Hannah Kate was having a party in the NICU, I think she was trying to dance.  
      Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers. 

      
      

      
      

      
      

      
      

      TUESDAY, AUGUST 3, 2010 11:25 PM, EDT

      Hannah Kate is having a GI scope tomorrow at 9:30am.  It is to find out what is causing the continued blood in her stool and also to determine if she may be lactose intolerant.  Dr. Kendall will be performing the scope and we will hopefully know the results almost immediately.  I will update you from my cell phone as soon as I know something.  Please pray for little Hannah Kate that we get some answers to the questions of why she is gaining weight so poorly, the origin of the blood in her stool, and why her little tummy is so distended.  Our sweet little girl is really a happy, pleasant child.  She only cries when she has a reason, like being hungry or losing her pacifier in her crib.  Nurse April had the unpleasant job of administering a supository to flush her system before the scope.  I know it was probably uncomfortable for Hannah Kate and equally disconcerting for Nurse April.  (Don't worry Nurse April, our little Hannah Kate doesn't hold grudges.  She knows you are doing what you have to do to make the procedure tomorrow run more smoothly.)  We are so blessed with such wonderful, caring Nurses that treat our little one like their own.  It is always difficult to leave Hannah Kate at the hospital when we go home, but knowing she is in such capable hands make it a little more bearable.  We will keep in touch with the staff that have made such a difference in the health and safety of our little girl as well as comforted and cared for us.  I think our Christmas card list just quadrupled in size.  :)

      
      

      WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2010 9:40 AM, EDT

      Hannah Kate came through her procedure just fine. Dr. Kendall gave me pictures from the scope that showed colitus. We will not know the rest of the results for a few days. I will keep you updated as soon as I know anything else.

      
      

      • FRIDAY, AUGUST 6, 2010 3:27 AM, EDT

        Nurse Brittany just gave us wonderful news.... Hannah Kate is 5 lbs even!!!!!!
        Yay! Let's hope that this is the start of a trend.

      • SATURDAY, AUGUST 7, 2010 11:31 PM, AST

        5 lbs 1.1oz... every little bit counts!  :)  
        I spoke with Dr. Meadows today and he has ordered Hannah Kate to stop breastmilk immediately and start taking Ellasure formula.  So far, her stool tested negative for blood twice and her umbilical hernia has shrunk.  She seemed more comfortable, so hopefully we are narrowing down the root cause of her dystension, poor weight gain, and blood in her stool.  Thank you so much for your continued prayers.  
        Please also pray for Hannah Kate's little NICU buddy, Blythe.  Her parents are rooming in like Jason and I did a few weeks ago.  It can be scary and I just hope they have a good experience.  It is so nice to have a fellow preemie parent to talk to and share our hopes and fears for our little ones. 

      MONDAY, AUGUST 9, 2010 11:08 PM, AST

      5 lbs 3.4 oz!  Hannah Kate is getting little chubby cheeks now.  Hopefully she will be home really soon.   We appreciate your continued prayers. 

      
      

      FRIDAY, AUGUST 13, 2010 2:02 AM, GST

      Drum roll please...... Hannah Kate now weighs 5lbs. 7.3oz!  The new formula (Elecare) is really packing on the weight on Hannah Kate. She will be coming home on Monday.  Jason and I will spend the night at the hospital this weekend to transition into taking care of her full time.  We are nervous and excited!  Please pray for us as we begin our next chapter of parenthood... bringing home baby!

      
      

      MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 2010 11:27 PM, EDT

      Our little girl is finally home and adjusting quite well.  The first night we roomed in at the hospital, she stayed up until 2:30am.  She pretty much slept through the day yesterday.  We were cracking up when she started crying because her pacifier fell out because it sounded like she was screaming "Dad".  She usually only cries for her pacifier or if she is hungry.  One night while Nurse April was helping us give her a bath, she started sucking on her hand.  We told her we would feed her that she didn't have to eat the nurses.  
      We were able to get her newborn pictures made at the hospital and they were so cute.  Jason took a few too while she still had on her dress and headband.  I have attached a picture that Jason took.  
      Thank you so much for your continued prayers and patience with us as we adjust to being parents outside the NICU.  It is imperative that Hannah Kate be exposed to as little germs as possible.  We are so excited to introduce her to everyone but we are going to start out slowly. 

      
      

      THURSDAY, AUGUST 19, 2010 11:48 PM, AST

      

      Thank you to all the parents out there who have sacrificed their time to love, cherish, and truly enjoying raising their children.  It is an experience like no other and I am so happy to be where I am a this point in my life.  Parenthood is amazing!  Although we have been parents since April 30th at 9:14am, we must have had a delayed reaction.  :)  It is so funny how several hours can go by just watching our little one sleep or holding her and watching as discovers her ears or her nose.  
      Today was Hannah Kate's first Pediatrician appointment.  It went really well and we go back next week to monitor her weight.  Hannah Kate dropped her pacifier in the floor at the Dr's office and we threw it away.  That was a big mistake because the novice parents we are, we did not bring a spare.  I bet Hannah Kate could talk she would tell Nurse Ruth, Jill, April, and Brittany all of the silly things her parents have done since she has been home.  We are trying really hard and even though we make mistakes, we have the best of intentions and want to do right by our little girl.  Jason has been so supportive and is so good with Hannah Kate.  He makes up songs about her and even changes the words to songs to make them about her, like "Sweet Hannah Kate" instead of "Sweet Caroline".  It is adorable. I want him to record a CD for her so she can listen to it when she is older and know that even though we did not get to live under the same roof for the first months of her life, that she was constantly in our thoughts and in our hearts.  She is definitely a "daddy's girl" and she has him wrapped around her little finger.  
      Please continue to pray for our continued sense of humor throughout the learning curve and for our precious little miracle, Hannah Kate.

      FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2010 2:10 PM, EDT

      I am sitting here watching my sweet little angel sleep.  She is so precious and such a good baby.  I am so happy to be her Mommy.  
      I am thinking about starting a blog for Hannah Kate since I am almost at capacity on the amount of photos I can upload.  I also want to be able to share video clips with you all.  I will keep you posted.  
      Thanks again for all of your love and support as our little one keeps growing day by day. 

      
      

      MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2010 10:06 PM, EDT

      I have started the blog for Hannah Kate, it is not finished yet, but you can still check it out at:www.hannahkategray.blogspot.com
      
      I am just learning how to upload pictures and videos to it.  I need to get my paperwork done for work, but I will try to work on the blog more a little later tonight.  
      
      Thank you everyone for your continued support!