June 24

Today was a big day for you little girl! We met with the OT this morning for the first time since your first surgery when they took you off feeds. We tried a special bottle for babies with cleft palates called a Haberman. In 25 minutes you took 5 CCs and you screamed and gagged the whole time. (Although I got the impression you were gagging because you were screaming. Your Uncle Clayton used to make himself do that also—so dramatic.) Afterwards you were so exhausted that we just sat and rocked for a long time.

You were also moved up on your feeds twice today! From 15 CCs to 25 CCs to 30 CCs. Each time very little residual, if any, was pulled back. Whooohoo!

When Daddy and I came to visit you after the evening shift change, you were very uncomfortable and fussy. You were working on a BM and it hurt your little bottom because of the surgery. Daddy discovered that if he patted your bottom—rubbing your bottom or patting your back wouldn’t do—you would settle right down. So he patted you until you were finished—I think it gave him a good forearm workout. While I was changing your diaper you started throwing up again. Not good timing. Fortunately it didn’t get as messy as it could have since I had to flip you over diaper-less and dirty. After we all got cleaned up, you fell asleep and Daddy and I snuck some kisses from you and headed home around 10.

You are making such great improvements, at this rate it won’t be anytime before we get to go home!