Emma's First 10 Days

Emma's Perspective:

March 1, 2008: It's time to fold this taco stand and get out. Halmoni did NOT want me to come on February 29th, so I waited a good couple of hours, just so there was no confusion about what day I came. I think Dad was excited at the prospect of my not dating until I was 64, and that just wouldn't be right. It wasn't so bad, the delivery, but I think Mom was worried - she asked as soon as she saw me, "Why is she purple?" My cousin Sophia may have liked me better that way - purple is her favorite color. They put in a tube to help me breathe. I believe they called me "lazy." I take offense to that. Dad thought I was just being good, not making any noises, until one of the nurses told him it's because of the silly tube in my throat. I got rid of the silly contraption the first day. Mom and Dad came in the afternoon and picked me up for the first time since I came into the world. It's hard to have an intimate moment with your folks when the nursery ICU is so busy and noisy. Who knew there were so many sick babies in the NyICU?

March 2, 2008: Mommy and Daddy decided to name me Emma Virginia. Emma is the name they both liked from the very beginning because it's the name of a very elect lady, and Virginia is my aunt's name, who was named after Great Grandma Virginia Swanson, who passed away before my Busby aunt and uncles were born. Daddy called Aunt Virginia to tell her, and she was very pleased. She and Daddy hope I will be athletic like her. Grandma Busby was very happy, too.

I started tanning tonight under a lamp. I wonder if the IV in my head would tan funny. Apparently, now I'm too yellow from jaundice. I hate the goggles and I move them when the nurse isn't looking. They are not very fashionable. Where are my fancy clothes, by the way?

March 3, 2008: Mom's going home today, but I'm staying. She was sad. The nurse, Lisa, finally took the IV needles in my head out and started feeding me from a bottle today. Mmm, good! Lisa thought I was a superstar. Mom and Dad were watching closely, and Dad even videotaped some of what Lisa was saying. Wonder when I can have some ice cream?

March 4, 2008: Mom and Dad came back to visit me today, but they had to find me in the Intermediate Nursery. Since I'm not sick, I graduated from the place where all the babies are littler or sicker than me. The big baby next to me, Josie, is really chatty. Wish she'd be quiet. I started eating more today. Once I'm done tanning and can move to an open bed, I can go home. Dad visited me for a while by himself, and gave me a blessing while I was in the isolette. Mom and Dad left again to pick up Halmoni and Harabuji who came on a plane to see me. Halmoni thinks I look like Daddy.

March 5, 2008: My bilirubin came down enough that they took the tanning booth away today. Finally, I get to wear some cute clothes. A diaper makes no good fashion statement. I've lost a couple of ounces in weight, so now I have to gain those back AND grow some more. Luckily, Mom's bringing me her milk, so I can grow. The nurses are all excited I'm doing so well. I'm learning to keep my body temperature up, and eat, and poop, and sleep. Just wish they'd let me sleep, but someone wakes me up every 3 hours.

March 6, 2008: I moved again today, this time down to the Nursery ICU Annex on the first floor. It has more space, and is much quieter, except for my two bunk mates who cry all the time - often together! Me, I just mind my own business and sleep through all the noise. Everyone's very pleased with the progress I'm making - maybe they underestimated me because I'm so little. I'm eating regularly every 3 hours now, and even wishing they'd give me a little more to eat. My bilirubin is improving, so I don't need the tanning booth anymore, and they're just monitoring my heart rate and respiratory rate. Lucky for them, I'm not "lazy" anymore, and breathing like I should.

March 7, 2008: Daddy fed me for the first time today at lunchtime. He's very careful with me because he thinks I'm so fragile. I'm pretty tough and feisty, though. I don't ever want to get picked on because I'm small. I'm determined to get bigger and stronger.

We figured out the reason I hate my diaper changes so much is because I have an infection that makes my bummies sore. Something about the side effects of antibiotics. I hope it goes away soon. It makes Mommy very sad. Besides who wants pain in the butt and all that butt paste anyway?

March 8, 2008: It's my one week birthday today. I am no longer in an isolette, and am living in what looks like a clear plastic tub. This is one of the things I had to do in order to leave this joint. It's not bad - I still sleep just fine, about 23.5 hours per day. I hate diaper changes.

Nurse Nancy May, whom Mommy and Daddy know from church, gave me an Easter Beanie Baby. I've been getting lots of presents, mostly new clothes to wear.

March 9, 2008: Mommy and Daddy came just in time for my meal again. I'm now sleeping in 4 hours stretches, and almost home free. Nurse Karen told Mommy I may be leaving the hospital in the next day or two, which is a lot earlier than 2 to 3 weeks the neonatologist had initially suggested.

Mommy came to sleep over with me in the hospital. She called it her Mommy Dress Rehearsal. She told the nurse she was a little scared to take me home. She didn't get to sleep much, but it wasn't just because of me! Mommy and Daddy had to watch a bunch of videos on baby care, car seat safety, and practice infant CPR, so they could take me home tomorrow. It's going to be exciting!

We had a weight check tonight - I'm only weighed on Sundays and Thursdays down here - kind of like Weight Watchers. I weighed 3 lbs. and 14 oz., so it looks like I'm gaining weight like I should.

March 10, 2008: I'm going home today! Lots of people want to see me, but the doctor and nurses don't think it's a very good idea, so I won't be having visitors for a while. It took Mom and Dad a long time to get my new carbed installed in the car, but it didn't bother me one bit. I slept through the installation and the entire car ride home. So long, St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center! So long, noisy babies! Hello, home sweet home!