Alanna's High Risk Clinic Visit

Today was an eventful day!  Liam is finally asleep after a busy day playing at his friend Jackson's house. His mother is so sweet.  She literally kept Liam all day so Keith and I could bring Alanna to the High Risk Clinic.  I think after today I deserve some cookies and I'm in luck.  I have a whole batch of cookie dough in the fridge.  I'm going to bake a few... ok maybe more than a few.  Some people pull out the wine but I pull out the cookies  :)

Ok back to High Risk Clinic:  Here's the 411 on High Risk Clinic... It's located at Cincinnati Children's Hospital and it's a place where babies who are born sick go.  It has Neonatologist doctors who follow-up on your child's care.  A Neonatologist is basically a step up from your regular pediatrician.  They went to school longer to specialize in the field.  We see Dr. Jason Wiles at the clinic and absolutely love him and he loves Alanna.  He was there in the delivery room working to save her and was there at the NICU by her side through it all.  We will always have a special place for him in our hearts.  I do love to see him but also dread High Risk Clinic. For one it's a 3-4 hour appointment and it's also a reminder that I'm never quite out of the woods with Alanna. I'm still on the roller coaster ride going up and down hills.  It's a good thing we have this clinic though because when I called Alanna's regular pediatirician the nurse thought "Hydrops" was an inner ear condition.  You can now see why this clinic with specialists is important for her :)

Dr. Wiles was overall pleased with Alanna's progress.  She's finally on a growth chart.  For her first appointment back in August, she was to small to be placed on a normal and even a preemie growth curve.  Dr. Wiles told us today that Alanna is very unique in that we can't place her in the race against other babies her age.  She had a rough start and had to lose weight the first month and a half and she was born premature on top of that.  He said she is basically in her own race and it's more of a marathon for her.  She has to play catch up but she is gaining the right amount of weight each day to be on a good path.  Alanna has terrible reflux and spits up all the time on top of being tiny.  Dr. Wiles says this is normal for preemies and he feels she will grow out of it as she get's bigger and achieves more gross motor skills where she is upright and more mobile. He said it should improve with age.

As far as language, cognition and gross motor skills Alanna is presenting overall at 3 months of age.  This is good news because with preemies you are suppose to go by their adjusted age and not their chronological age.  Adjusted age is the age they should be if they were born on their due date.  So Alanna should be 2:5 months not 4 month really. 

I'm feeling very thankful today and blessed.  I know Alanna is still  very small and get's mistaken for a newborn all the time and that could be upsetting but I still feel on top of the world.  My experience with my battle has only allowed me to feel thankful in every given situation.  It's amazing how it takes going through hell and back to finally teach one to improve.  I used to feel sad in the beginning when I had to leave Alanna in the hospital.  I felt cheated  I didn't get to bring my little newborn home.  I felt like I was going to miss out on that cute "little baby stage".  My feelings of thankfulness since my experience has channeled in our Lord and he has taken care of my "newborn desire" need.  I feel he has given me this special newborn time longer than I would've ever imagined.  She's 4 months and I still feel like I have a newborn.  I have my little bundle of love, my baby doll my everything.  I look at this situation as a surprising gift from God rather than a negative shameful event.  I feel nothing but blessed and thankful.  He has given me my little newborn longer than I could've ever imagined.

Some Alanna at home Updates!!  Alanna is grasping toys and mouthing them.  She is cooing all the time, laughing and is constantly smiling and happy.  She is so happy all the time.  She has a little dimple on her right cheek just like her daddy but other than that people say she looks just like me.  She loves music and Miley's "Party in the USA" is her favorite song.  Every time it's on the Pandora she coos and smiles.  I swear that girl is trying to sing.  She is also very nosey (like her mother).  She loves to listen to me talk to people on the phone. She becomes very alert, wide eyed and stares me down intently.  It's like she's trying to take in every detail.  I will admit we need to do better with her tummy time and gross motor skills.  I spoil her to much and she hates tummy time so I tend to let her off the hook sooner than I should. 

That is the latest on Alanna tonight.  I'm going to continue my battle story when I get the opportunity as I still have lots of feelings I need to let out.  It helps so much opening up to you all.  I feel your love and it's so comforting.