Happy One Week Birthday!

Today Emmy is one week old! Last Friday seems a million miles away in many ways. What a difference a week makes! She is doing great and she really looks so much better. It's so nice to see her without the feeding tube, scalp IV, and the "sunglasses." She's back up to her birth weight today, 2 lbs 10 oz! Way to go, Emmy.

It's been a busy day for us. Charles went to officially register Emmy on post with our insurance and sign her up for a primary care physician. We've opted to try and use an outside provider so we can have some consistency of care for her. (Children aren't guaranteed to see a pediatrician and it's possible to see a different doctor every time you take them in.) We hope that our request will be granted!

I got my hair cut today (yay!) and then Charles' first sergeant (his right-hand woman!) came by with a card and a gift card from their unit for us and Emmy. What an overwhelmingly sweet gesture!! They have all been so supportive of Charles and I throughout the last few weeks. It wouldn't always have been possible for Charles to spend as much time as he has with me and take care of everything, and we are so grateful. I know it's been hard on his 1SG to not have her sounding board there. She's carrying the load!


We went in to give Emmy a bottle for her 3:00 feeding and hold her for a while. Today they decided to let her eat as much as she wants, but she needs to take at least 20 ccs at each feeding. She took about 22. I was able to get her to eat a little better today. I've fed and changed lots of babies while baby-sitting growing up, but a preemie is a new experience! I also changed her diaper for the first time. The little diapers they have on her are so unbelievably small.

Aunt Beth and Uncle Griffin (Charles' sister and our brother-in-law) came to town today and so did my mom, "Su-Su." We had fun this afternoon opening presents that Mom had brought from several family friends in Greenville, and Charles' Mom and Dad and Beth and Griff. I think Beth bought out Babies "R" Us and Baby Gap! After a quick dinner at the Village Deli, we headed back to the hospital so Beth and Griff could meet their niece. We got there around 8:30 and her night nurse asked if I wanted to feed her. OF COURSE! So Beth, Griffin, and my Mom all took turns coming in to see her while I was feeding her and holding her, then Charles came in to hold her for a minute, too. What a nice treat!!

And now, it's time for bed. Just three more hours and the alarm will be waking me up again...