Harboring Memory

Hooray! We've reached the 8 pound mark and Harper is still eating ravenously. NICU babies are typically kept to a pretty rigorous schedule of eating, dirtying diapers and sleeping and each event is recorded and ensured the baby is on time for each event. Babies would preferably eat every 3 hours, have a poop diaper every other diaper and fall asleep about an hour after eating for 2-3 hour intervals.

Well, Harper's set her own schedule and it seems to work for her. She's now eating every hour and a half - and not just a snack but full on meals with each feeding! She's having one...well, explosion each night. Jared had the pleasure of experiencing this while feeding Harper on Friday night. I wish I had a camera because the look on his face was classic - welcome to parenthood! And Harper's going hours, as in 4-6 hour stretches, between naps at least once a day. When she's awake and not hungry, she's wanting to be a social butterfly, When Harper wakes up for social hour and we're not with her to give her full and undivided attention, she'll start crying and squirming until a nurse walks in her room. She's fine until they walk out again. The team has started unhooking her from her monitors and bringing Harper out to help them chart or just walk around to visit. Within the last couple of weeks, Harper's Happy Hour starts at 4am with the night team. She must like to say goodnight to the overnight team and good morning to the day crew at shift change. Unfortunately, Harper's going to have a rude awakening (pun intended) when she finally comes home because I don't see myself being too entertaining at 4am!

We continue to make baby steps to get ready for a possible homecoming. On Friday night, Jared, my mom and I took the High Risk CPR class- talk about making a new parent anxious!!! I'm so glad we have the training and will be well prepared but after acting out scenario after scenario of choking baby, I don't think we'll take our eyes off Harper for months, not even to sleep!

Harper will be fitted for a car seat prosthesis tomorrow to protect her omphalocele when she's in the car. A little ironic, since I don't see myself wanting to leave the house too much once she gets home. After only being there to sleep for the last 6 weeks, it might be near impossible to pry me out of our front door.

After cheering on the Red Raiders last weekend, Harper was so excited to support the Pittsburgh Steelers this Sunday and got all dressed up for the game. Unfortunately, she spit up on her yellow kimono so the pink just had to do. And yes, she does have her very own jersey but will have to wait until next season when it fits to sport it.




It seems like we've been in the hospital for such a long time. In reality, when we look back on Harper's life I'm sure this time will just seem like a blip on the radar. I've had a number of people make the comment that we probably won't even remember this time in Harper's life. While this sounds like a great concept, I pray daily that we won't forget this time, these raw feelings, this absolute yearning to have our little girl home with us. I pray that God keeps me conscious of how vulnerable I am and how much I need and rely on Him right now. I pray that when life becomes normal, when the daily grind sets in, when Harper tests our nerves or cries straight through the night, we can remember our lives as they are right now and we can be thankful for that daily grind, those tested nerves and that sweet baby that cries through the night under our own roof. I ask that our friends and family help to remind us of how far we have come when we see Harper jump off a diving board for the first time or run in a Field Day relay race or ride her bike without training wheels. I pray that what we've been through in the first years of Harper's life will make us better parents, but also better children, better friends and better people. I hope we're always aware of just how lucky we are and what an impact this little gift has made on our lives.