Beach Babe

We went for another visit today- NICU day 5. When we were talking about when to leave, Ava yelled, "Can I come?!" So, we took her in to see her new sister. She was great with her...she brought her a new "lovey" which she proceeded to drop on the floor about 7 times....so, needless to say, we just took it back home to wash it again. We'll try getting it to Bella clean next time around! :) Ava's attention span is only so long, so Patrick took her to ride in the elevators and get a treat....which you can see remnants of on her lips and teeth...she enjoyed her first Tootsie Pop! :)

Here she is baking in her lights! First visit to the beach?! :) ...Positive thinking here! :) You can tell in this picture that she has an eye shield on, which apparently she DID NOT LIKE! Her nurse said she was so wiggly and wouldn't settle down with the eye shield on...said she inadvertently pulled out her feeding tube TWICE! She's a feisty one. :) Bella continues to make wonderful progress! As we mentioned yesterday, her billirubin level crept up past 11 (Hyperbilirubinemia), so the doc decided to put her under the phototherapy lights. After only 24 hours her level dropped all the way down into the normal range, and the lights have been discontinued. The nurses will check the level again Thursday morning to see if she needs more phototherapy. Yay!

I wasn't sure if I'd be able to hold her today, but since her bili levels were so good, I was able to do more Kangaroo Care and held her for about an hour! :) She really loves snuggling up on my chest and resting while she gets her feeding (via the feeding tube). She usually zonks right out the second we start snuggling. :) Pure sweetness.
Here's the only up close we have of her new, cleaned up face! Of course, now she's got that ridiculous white thing that holds her eye shield on. Can't wait to see her perfect face with NOTHING on it!! (PS. By the way- her hair looks like it's getting a little strawberry, huh?! What do you think?! Patrick still insists it's BLONDE)! :)
This is the view when we walk into the NICU. You can see her little tanning bed lights glowing from her room!

Bella has also been a very hungry girl! The nurses are now feeding her pumped breast milk at a rate of 20cc/3hrs (almost to where she ideally should be). She has gained 10gms in the last 24 hours (she weighs 3lbs, 11.6oz)! She has tolerated all of these feedings with no residuals!

Here's Ava with her tutu playing outside while we waited for Patrick to give us valet service! Yes, she picked this outfit out herself! :)