"I Do It Myself!"

I have been feeling very excited, reved-up and anxious. The same nervous energy I would feel on the first day of school. I was up at o'dark thirty today and started prepping the house for the Bean to come home.  That means not only spic n' spanning the hizzle, but, getting her room reorganized to be used, instead of being abused as a dumping spot for gifts and unused baby crap that' has just been sitting around collecting dust.  I put the car seat base and the stroller back in the truck.  And just as if it was the first day of school, I picked out and brought her 'going-home-outfit, #4'... maybe this one will be the lucky one that will keep us from coming back again?  I guess I'm a little superstitious!

Andi has gained even more weight in the past two days.  She's now 9 lbs, 7.2 oz's.  My only concern is that she isn't 'going potty' like she normally does, so I wonder not only why she isn't, but how much of her weight is bloat.  Since we've gone through a whole hospitalization of bloody stools, her activity, or lack there-of, is something we have to be very aware of. During that hospitalization back in July, Andi was treated for NEC (necrotizing enterocolitis) [spare yourself the horrific photo image and don't google it - especially wikipedia, ewh!], and it was also thought that perhaps she had a milk protein allergy - which is apparently rather common in babies.  Since then, she's been on a formula called Neocate, which is milk that's been broken down into just amino acids, so not only is it milk-protein free, it's also the easiest thing for our lil' Bean to digest -- it's like Jello for babies.  It costs about $35. a can, our lil' Princess is eating high on the hog!  This stuff is mixed to be 27 calorie too.  One nurse said it was like drinking 1/2 & 1/2.  Well, last night in her overnight continuous feed, they mixed the Neocate with a new formula - which is a step between Neocate and Similac (which is all milk). So far, it has been tolerated, but it usually takes time for change to be vetoed by the lil' Bean.  This afternoon she has demonstrated the ol' signs of tummy aches, as the cry & behavior is slightly different.  Today's nurse doesn't know Andi at all and seems about as confident as I would probably be performing brain surgery on an ant.  So, I asked when the gas med's were given last, got a 'uuuuh...' and a blank stare. I'll spare you my monologue, and just state what needs to be said... I'm so incredibly thankful that due to wi-fi and the world's best bosses, that I'm able to sit here day after day and oversee, if not personally handle, Andi's care.  I'm in no way putting down any of the (other) nurses, but, for a girl who's first big sentence was "I Do It Myself!" -- I'm very grateful that I can be here to tend to our Beany and in some cases, 'do it myself!' 

So I sit here this afternoon with a Butterball in one arm, staring up at me.  I look down at her and sometimes I get a smile.  Most of the time she just wants her "pacie" -- one hand reaching out, the other twirling her hair or yanking on the O2 tube.  I feel confident that I can handle her care at home.  The house is pretty much ready and her outfit is set.  Now we just need the okay-to-go and launch sequence codes, then it will be solely up to us -- then I can definitely 'do it myself!'