November 30

Today Gabby went on a road trip to Colasanti's in Ruthven. Colasanti's is a large greenhouse that sells tropical plants, has several gift shops in it, cafeteria, mini golf course, kiddy play ground and a petting zoo. Check out their web page if you wish. Colasanti's. We also decorated our apartment for Christmas.

Gabrielle checking out the tree.

Here's a short video of Gabrielle trying to get her mobile on her bassinet.

Gabrielle is doing well. She got to taste some rice cereal and prunes...she really liked that. She's doing all the baby stuff, eating, sleeping, and filling diapers. She's becoming more alert, trying to get things like the mobile in her bassinet and when you hold her she tries to hold her head up. Dressing her is like dressing an angry snake.

Here are some photos of her enjoying her new swing.

November 24th- Today was a busy day for lil Gabby. She went to the doctor's and checked out very well. She weighs a whopping 6lbs 12oz now! Thats an 18oz gain since she left the hospital! Go girl go! She also got to visit with Grandma today. Last night she had her first bath too.

Here's some photos:

November 19th- Miss Gabby meets her brother and sister.

November 19th- Hurray! Gabrielle is home at last! Today we went to pick up Gabby from Children's Hospital. Momma got to feed her, change her, and dress her for her trip home. We are very appreciative of the job the Docs and staff at Children's Hospital has done for her. Here are a few pics of her getting ready to go home.

November 18th- A very good day for Gabrielle. She is no longer on oxygen and had the IV removed from her. She is breathing all on her own now with no problems. Mom was able to hold her today and feed her a bottle. Dad got to hold her for a bit too. If her condition doesn't change over night, she gets to go home tomorrow. We all have our fingers crossed.

November 17th- Gabrielle is still progressing very nicely. The doctor is very pleased, and feels she can go home in 2-3 days. Her oxygen is down to 5 liters/hr and at 35% now...her IV drip is all done, and soon all the IV's will come out of her belly. She is breathing find, eating a full 2 oz per feeding and enjoying it.

A couple of pix of her at the hospital:


Our Pita Wrap

Isn't she the cutest?

November 16th. Still improving. Oxygen down to 61% and still dropping it every 4 hours. Still breathing well and showing no signs of stress. She really enjoys eating what little she is allowed to have. They stop the feeding by IV today, and remove 1 of the lines in her belly. We are very optimistic, thinking she will be home by the following weekend.

November 15th. Today is her brother Jacob's birthday. He is three today.
Gabrielle is doing better. They start decreasing her oxygen by 3% every 4 hrs. They start slowly feeding her by bottle every 3 hrs. She starts with 10 CC's and they slowly increase each feeding. She is doing well.

November 14th. She's doing a little better. He rates are coming down a bit. More rest.

November 13th. She is doing a little better. Still on 100% oxygen, still breathing very fast. They tell us they think she has an infection, but they aren't sure. They start doing tests. They decide to just leave her alone.

November 12th. Things aren't looking good. The nurse brings her in from the nursery for us and is concerned, and takes her back to see the Pediatrician. It was a good call on the nurse's part. The Doc has a look at her and is concerned and puts her on oxygen. After a few hours, the Doc at Beaumont Grosse Pointe decides this is more than she can handle at that hospital, and suggests to us to move her to a hospital with a NICU. So we pick Children's Hospital of Michigan. CHM sends their Panda One come and pick her up and transport her. We left immediately to join her. Upon arival at CHM we find her being examined by a team of specialists and resident doctors. They are doing and ECKO on her, looking at her heart. Her heart is fine, except for shunting. He white blood cell count is high. Possible infection. They don't know for sure what's wrong with her. They put 3 lines into her belly button/ambilical cord. Two are for IV's, one is a wire that goes into an artirery to her heart to monitor her blood pressure and heart rate. The put a tube in her mouth going down to her belly to relieve gas pressure. They take x-rays, all look good.

Looks like she's plotting something....

Here she is, right after delivery.

November 11th, a day which we will remember for our entire life. At 12:51 pm Gabrielle Sophia Story came into our world, forever changing it for us. She was born weighing 6.87 lbs and was 19" tall. Her arrival brought us great joy, our Lil Pita was with us.