So it starts...

Hubby is in law enforcement and has a hard time leaving his job at the station.  He usually follows the paper to see who has been arrested for what and knows some of the people who have been arrested.  On Friday, he called to tell me that Baby Love's grandfather has been arrested.  It's kind of ironic that Baby Love's family is not from this area.  They recently moved here.  Doesn't sound like they're making a very good first impression...just sayin'.

She can't OR she WON'T!

Today was our 2nd visit with Baby Love's g-ma.  Last week I left her with a 2 oz bottle and her feeding pump, tube and supplies. When I went to pick her up after the visit I expected her to have eaten about 30 ml's from the bottle and 35 ml's from the pump.  The dr's orders are to feed her from the bottle ONLY until she tires (around 20-30 ml's) THEN put the rest on a tube feed.  G-ma either can't or won't use the pump BUT she won't admit she doesn't know what she's doing!! Baby Love is burning too many calories drinking from the bottle but they don't want her to lose her desire or ability to suck.  Today, after the 2 hour visit, she told me again that the baby finished all of the bottle.  I already told the agency worker...now I have to figure out how to explain to g-ma what she's doing wrong!

Busy...

This precious baby girl is stealing our hearts.  Caring for her has been a full time job but she is such a joy.  Her smile is just beautiful and she is so social!  It seems that she is eating very often.  Her feeds are every 3 hours but it's taking anywhere from 1 to 1 1/2 hours to feed her.  She has very low muscle tone so I expect she'll qualify for speech, occupational and physical therapy.  At the last consignment sale I sold all of my baby equipment so I have had to shop.  We haven't had a baby girl here since 2009 (Daisy) so I have had to shop for clothes too.  I forgot how much fun it is to shop for pink!  The agency worker has set up visits for Thursdays so we'll how that goes. 

Impromptu visit...

I forgot about the last minute visits with foster care.  Yesterday afternoon at around 2:30pm the phone rang.  It was the supervisor from the agency (who is under staffed and happens to also be Baby Love's agency case worker).  She wanted me to bring the baby up for a visit with the bio family for 3:30.  I guess they were at family court and the lawyers were fighting for a visit TODAY!  I asked her if they could make it for early this morning but she called back to say that it HAD to be done yesterday.  We weren't even showered!! So, I met the grandparents (only g-ma stayed for the visit) and left Baby Love for an hour.  The g-parents will be working the case plan.  The visit was supervised my the agency AT the county building.  G-pa left right after I got there.  Grandma is my age (mid to late 30's) and has a one month old of her OWN.  Baby Love is her oldest daughter's daughter.  Just when I thought foster care couldn't get any more Jerry Springer...  :)

OHANA FAMILY!!!!

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Busy week...

Trying to get any info on Baby Love is next to impossible.  The med center PICU was very helpful with some of the supplies for her feeding tube and heart meds.  I have already followed up with her pediatrician and he is wonderful.  He has seen her since birth so he really knows her and the whole staff at his office was wonderful and SO thankful that she's in care!  The ped gave me permission to put her on continuous feed at night via the pump so the last 2 nights I've gotten more sleep :)  This makes for one happy mama.  Sprout LOVES this new baby (so do my other children).  She really blends in with our family.  Today we got started with W*I*C  and finally met the county worker (who is new).  We had a home visit too and our agency worker happens to have a son with the same heart condition.  Sounds like maternal grandparents will be working a reunification plan. What ever happens, we are trusting that God has a plan for sweet Baby Love. 

This sweet Baby Love

She is SO tiny!  I spent most of Saturday afternoon in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. I was re-trained in feeding tubes, pumps how to dose and distribute meds via mic-key button and what red flags to look for and complications of VSD.  Baby love was born at 33 weeks gestation and was only 3.7.  She is a special needs baby.  We have made it through 2 nights waking up every 3 hours to feed first by mouth and the rest by tube.  No caseworker has been assigned to the case yet.  Her pediatrician is wonderful and she is in VERY good hands. Our goal is to grow big and strong so she can have her heart repaired.  We're at 8 pounds today.  More soon!

Baby Love

Later this morning I will be heading to the hospital to pick up a sweet baby girl, Baby Love.  She is a 5 mo old with very special needs.  We are so excited to love on her and watch her tiny 8 pound 3 ounce body GROW and GROW!  Praying God goes before me and trusting that others will see HIM in all I do. 

I had a dream...

Woke up this morning right after I had a dream that Sprout's baby brother was removed from bio mom's care.  That's all I remembered but you KNOW I woke up and checked my phone and cell for any missed calls last night :)  (There were none...)  :p