35 weeks

Ava is 35 gestational weeks today. I should be huge and waddling and uncomfortable right now,but instead I have spent the last 8.5 weeks getting to know my little girl on the outside, watching her struggle and fight, and overcome. During my pregnancy, I had many little goals set up. My first goal was to make it past the time my water broke with Travis (19w6d). Then it was to make it past 23w2d, when Travis was born. Then "viability", 24 weeks. I made it that far and was so relieved. My next goal was to make it to my third trimester. I never made it. But my ultimate goal was to make it to 35 weeks. I swore that if I made it that far I could totally and completely relax. Clearly, I missed that one by a long shot!

Things have been going rather smoothly in the NICU, which is what we love! Essentially Ava is just working on eating and figuring out her breathing so that she can come HOME. There have been lots of little comments made here and there by nurses and RT's working with Ava about how she is "gonna be outta there in no time!" It's still impossible to know exactly when that might be, but at least we are getting closer. Currently she is taking two feeds by mouth per shift (12 hour shifts). Once she has masted that for 24 hours she gets to move up to the next step. She ALWAYS does great for me. Usually she nurses for 15-20 mins and then takes about an ounce from the bottle. Her weight gain has been up and down since it takes so many calories just to eat, so she is about 4lbs 6oz right now. Her most recent eye exam showed Stage I ROP. It is really not a concern unless is progresses. I don't really have any expectations of that happening. Otherwise, there is not much else to report on Ava. She is just an eating, peeing, pooping, growing little baby. I do believe we have reached "feeder grower" status!