Pumpkin Bee

   Originally this post was going to be called Pumpkin Pie, but the other day, possibly by accident, Michael called Emma "Pumpkin Bee" and now I like that.

  Two weeks ago (Monday, October 2nd) my parents came down to visit with my brother Zach, and his daughters, Peyton and Helena, so we could go to The Crayola Experience and then visit Emma. I liked naming the crayons and a few other activities and watching the presentation of how crayons are made, but was anxious to see our baby girl. We are still only allowed to have two people in Emma’s NICU room at a time, and one of those people when we have visitors is either me or Michael. I took Zach back first since he had not met Emma before, then my dad (for his second time seeing her), then my mom. They took turns watching Peyton and Helena in the lobby since little kids aren’t allowed in the NICU without paperwork saying they have updated shots, and even then only siblings are allowed in, not cousins. Luckily Emma was having another great day and liked the attention so she didn’t mind wearing the pumpkin hat that my mom brought.

   Last Sunday (October 8th) when we visited Emma she was having another really great day. She's actually had a lot of really great days this month. I keep waiting for the doctors to tell us that she's back on track to come home in six weeks, but they haven't yet. Not only was she not having episodes, but she was also smiling at herself in the mirror and playing with her toys. The nurse, Kim, put a new pretty dress on her so we took advantage of her happiness for another family photoshoot. Kim was busy with another baby when we got there so Michael took pictures of me holding her. 

   We had a meeting two days later with the nurses and doctors. The week before they found fractures on her lower ribs and wondered if she has Brittle Bone Disease, but testing showed she does not. Thank goodness- poor baby doesn't need any more problems. The ribs are healing, but her trachea and bronchi are the main issues which cause the episodes when her throat closes, so we still don’t know when we can bring her home. I’m hoping in December, before Christmas.

   On Thursday (October 12th) along with Michael's birthday, it was also Emma's 4 month "birthday" and since she was doing so well we got pictures. I'm trying to keep our life as normal as possible, still wanting to do as much as I would if she were home already.

 ^^ This picture makes me laugh. It's currently one of my phone wallpapers!

  It makes me so happy that she has been smiling a lot more lately and laughing a little bit. From what I have seen she doesn't cry as much as I assumed babies do. Maybe because she stays fed every three hours and we change her diapers often, or because I'm only around her for one to four hours per day. Everyone has been saying how great she has been doing lately, so that's always wonderful to hear. Max, the music therapist, recorded me reading a short version of the Wizard of Oz for the nurses to play when I'm not there. Apparently Emma loves it so they keep it on repeat.