Best Holiday In a Long Time!

This Christmas and New Year’s has been the best we have had in the past two years. Two years ago, on Dec 19, I was flown into the hospital to have my daughter, at only 30 weeks. She was born on December 23rd and we stayed in the NICU until February 11th. I have a few previous posts about it all. It was a really turbulent time in our lives, but we made it through. Our daughter, just turned 2 and she is perfect, intelligent and incredible! But for the last few years, Christmas time has filled me with anxiety about the memories of what we went through.

Then, on top of all the anxiety I had last year, my entire family came down with the stomach flu on Christmas day! We spent the day, and several sub-sequential days, taking turns puking! It was awful! UGH!

So this year, we tried not to plan much, and play it by ear. Not jinx anything. But it turns out we had nothing to worry about! This year, the worst thing that happened was that my husband got a head cold! We had such a wonderful time being healthy together! We were able to go on some adventures like the Zoo and a few ghost towns.

It was wonderful!

Family trip!

We are taking our first family vacation with our baby girl! Phoenix! Technically she was born here due to her emergency birth and me being flown down here, but it’s our first time back to Phoenix since we left the hospital, and we are here to enjoy ourselves! My parents are coming from Ohio to hang out as well, so we are really looking forward to the time away from home. 

On Thursday, Eisley has her follow up Eye Appointment, which will be the first one since we left the hospital. We were given the all good before we left the NICU, so we are thinking we should be good to go. However, it does spike up my anxiety a little bit, because I hate having to take her back to see more doctors. My husband (as well as my parents) are here as support so I am dealing with the anxiety pretty well. 

I will keep you updated on how things go, and on what adventures we have while in town! 

Have an amazing day! 

Baby Update!

After 50 long and tedious days in the NICU, we were finally released on February 11! It was an incredible day. Simply walking her through the doors of the hospital and brining her out into the sunshine filled our hearts with bliss. We have been home just over two weeks now and we are getting into the parenting routine. My husband has gone back to work and I am officially a stay at home Mom for the next few months. It has been a hard adjustment in terms of my expectations. Being a mom in the NICU requires a different set of emotional coping skills than being a mom with a baby at home. In the NICU we had A nurse help us if we don’t know what to do, or need help with feedings. Obviously, here at home we don’t have that help. I never knew it would be so exhuasting. I mean, people tell you how exhausting it but you never know until you actually are there in the moment. However, I wouldn’t trade it ❤ we are so happy to have her home!