GOING HOME!!

After a month of being in the Neo-natal intensive care unit, Brooklyn was finally released!! She, or should I say we, were released on May 8th, 2009. I think that I am going to be an overly paranoid mom because of all of the things that I saw in the NICU. The hardest part about being in there was seeing your little baby in pain, and knowing there was nothing you could personally do. It is amazing though what doctors and nurses can do. We had to put all of our faith and trust in them and in the Lord. It all worked out for us, but some other families were not so lucky. That was so hard!! Watching these wonderful parents have to make decisions to let their babies go. Just thinking about it makes me cry. Brandon and I would just bawl. We will forever be changed by this experience. We will probably never understand why it happened, but will be eternally grateful that are little girl made it. We love her and are so glad she is now home!! This is the start of a brand new adventure.

Making Progress!

Brooklyn has now been in the hospital for a little over 3 weeks. During this time we have had a lot of ups and downs, progression and set backs, but she is steadily improving. Brooklyn was finally able to have her first taste of milk which was a huge relief. She took it like a champ and couldn't get enough of it. The doctors are slowly increasing her feedings on a daily basis, so as not to overwhelm her intestines. It was extremely difficult to say the least, for our little family while Brandon was commuting back and forth for school. We are all hoping that he passed his finals considering the intense stress we have all been facing.


I feel lucky to have a husband and a baby as amazing and strong as these two are. Brandon is always there to catch me when I fall. Most literally a couple of days ago when I passed out. It had been almost 3 weeks after delivery and I have been feeling really good. We went to visit a friend who has cancer, who is also up here in Primary Children's. I felt really light headed and just passed out. Brandon caught me just before I hit the floor. I was taken to the ER, where they ran every kind of test possible. After being in the ER all afternoon and evening, they told me that they couldn't pin point any actual cause, and that is was probably just stress. Duh!! You think??!!

(Yes, this bow is way to big for her head, it made us laugh really hard.) Hopefully we will get Brooklyn home soon. We are praying for this coming weekend as it is Mother's Day. That would be the best present ever, just to get our baby home.

Yay for POOP!!

We are making in progress. We have now been in the hospital for a little bit over two weeks. It feels more like forever though! Brooklyn is continuing to make progress on a daily basis. One of the many things that she has to accomplish before we take her home is a bowl movement. Well, she finally did it, Brooklyn pooped!! Now those of you who know me, understand that I do not normally do to well with any type of bodily functions. However, I guess motherhood has changed me, because I have never been more excited about poop in my life! :) They will be taking out Brooklyn's stomach tube (Anderson tube) tomorrow because of her progress. They should start feedings this weekend. Brandon and I have been able to give her baths, and boy does she hate it. But like any girl, she loves having her hair washed. Brandon did her hair, hence the afro puff! :)

Our parents, my sisters, and all of our family have been so helpful. Brooklyn has progressed in leaps and bounds, as have I; and I think that it is because of all the love and support we have been getting. Our families have done so much for us and we will forever be grateful.Brooklyn has made tons of progress since this point! :)

Longest Week Ever!

As you all know, our little angel, Brooklyn Paige arrived on April 9th 2009. From the moment she was born we have not been able to hold her. :( She had to be immediately rushed to the newborn intensive care unit for surgery. After a long week of Brooklyn being on the ventalater, pain medication, and her stomach trying to heal; we were finally able to hold our baby girl a week after delivery! It was amazing, the best feeling ever! She is doing better and better everyday. We don't know how long we will be at the hospital for, but now that we can hold her we can be much more patient. She hasn't started taking milk yet, but hopefully soon. For now she is being fed introveiniously (tube fed).Thanks for all of your prayers and support.

She made it!! Brooklyn Paige Brady

Seven days ago, Brandon and I witnessed a miracle. On April 9th, our baby girl was born. All babies are truly miracles from our Heavenly Father, but ours was extra special. Brooklyn was born with gastroschisis (warning, adult content, click at your own risk). Many different emotions came over me the day she was born, the biggest was relief. I had been seriously worried sick about her since 19 weeks in utero. Twice a week doc appts, bedrest and dropping amniotic fluids didn't help either. After a crazy 28 hours of labor and super fast delivery, she arrived! Brandon was able to cut the cord, they showed her to us for a breif moment and then wisked her away. She weighed 5 pounds 11 oz and was 19 inches long. Brooklyn was immediately taken to the NICU and then to surgery. Brooklyn's surgeon came and told us that everything looked good, her bowels were alive and healthy. I broke down in tears that my little girl has to go through all this and that I couldn't be with her. I started shaking uncontrolably and throwing up immediately after they took her away. Brooklyn has survived the biggest challenge of her life (and ours)! She has now had the surgery and is on a ventalater. We should be able to hold her for the first time in a couple of days. She continues to make progress, but we don't know how long we will be in the hospital for. Our baby truly is a miracle.

Hectic Weekend

On Monday, March 30th, 2009. Brandon and I had the most nerve racking day of our life. I went in at 3:05 in the afternoon to my Logan doctor for my twice weekly non-stress test and ultrasound. It was the first time that Brandon wasn't able to come to the appointment with me because he had a test in school. I totally ginxed/cursed myself and told both the doctor and the nurse that if something is going to go wrong, it would be today when Brandon wasn't with me. Needless to say I was right!! My non-stress test came back non-reactive (not good, un-reactive heart rate) and when they measured my amniotic fluid levels they had dropped by half to a 6.2. (an extremely low level) The doctor immediately got on the phone with the specialist. The doctor told me they would send me by ambulance to the U of U hospital and I would have our baby within the next two days!! I guess I looked kind of stressed because the doctor just hugged me and told me that everything would be alright. I called Brandon and of course he didn't believe me, thinking it was an early April Fools Joke. Brandon rushed right over and then we were off. He followed the ambulance in our car. That was the longest drive of my life!! I was so nervous. When we arrived at the U of U they rushed us up to Labor and Delivery and gave me a steriod shot. (To help the babies lungs.) Her heart rate actually looked great and the amnotic fluid levels had somewhat stablized at a 5.8, so they decided to watch the baby over night rather than induce me. For the next 3 days it was test after test, induction vs. non-induction battle. I felt like a completely lab rat wired to every machine possible. I really thought that they would induce me and that we would have the baby on my birthday April 1st. The evening of my birthday we got released and now I am on bed rest until we have the baby. Could be a week, could be a month, who knows!! I just don't want another scare that the baby isn't doing alright. If everything stays stable with the amniotic fluid levels we should be good for another two weeks or so. Needless to say it wasn't the most fun birthday ever, but I can say that I will never forget my 25th birthday!

Baby Shower March 27th 2009

My Logan friends and mission buddies had a baby shower for me on the 27th of March, 2009. It was so fun. We played the concentration game but with baby words and when ever you got a match you won a corresponding candy bar. It was hilarious. "Example: Umbilical Cord=Licorice Rope, Conception=Scor Bar." My friend Shai flew in from Tennessee to come to my shower and she gave me all this cute bedding stuff. Her and her mom made it!! I couldn't believe it. After the shower we all went out for ice cream with our husbands/boyfriends. If your ever in Logan try Tummy Yummies . . . it's great!