Belle Update: June 29

Belle had a great day. 

The room was a busy one, with 3 new admissions since yesterday. Needless to say, there was a lot happening around us. A lot of new and nervous faces. 

It's a painfully scary, yet beautiful world here. I really feel for some of the other parents in the NICU. It breaks my heart sometimes. Their pain often makes me forget about our struggles.

Everyone's story is different, and they say you shouldn't compare, but when I see some of the things that happen around us, I start to realize just how great we have it. 

Arabella's going to be okay. She'll get through all of this eventually. 

We'll get through all of this...eventually...

Look how awesome she looks. You would never guess by looking at her that she's going through so much. 

Today she came off the antibiotics, and off the IV. A second round of blood cultures came back negative this afternoon, so there's nothing to worry about. 

The staff increased her diuretics doses today, so she was able to breathe a little easier by the end of the night. She's already looking less puffy to me, too.

She had a lot of wonderful and alert moments. 

Looking at us and interacting with us. 

Later into the night we gave her a warm bath and dried her immediately. 

We placed her in a fresh new onesie and we stayed with her until she fell asleep. Sometimes it takes her a while. Belle always wants one of us to hold her soother, too. 

In the last month or so, Arabella's been sleeping very well during the night. She'll usually wake up a few times, but only for brief periods. 

She's getting to be such a big girl, it's incredible. Today was just an awesome day.