Month Four

Oh this baby couldn't be any sweeter or more perfect. I hate to brag, and I know I'm biased, but I can't help it! This month, Libby decided to start sleeping through the night.... Praise The Lord! Usually bedtime is around 10 and she gets up around 7. It is awesome! Libby thinks her big sisters are the coolest thing ever and they think she is.... It's pretty sweet... They love it when she smiles at them and now that she's started cooing, that's the best! My little bit has started chunking up. I had to get some 6 month pajamas because she couldn't stretch out in the 3 months. Libby has also found her hands and feet, and it is so entertaining to watch her look and her hands and grab her feet. She thinks they are the best thing ever. I'm totally in love with my baby. She's been a blessing and a joy since she was born. I truly can't imagine life without her. She makes our hearts so full.

1. 

Big Girls

Oh my big girls.... it's amazing how they aged so much when Libby arrived. Ella is finishing up her first year of big school. She is reading like a champ. I'm so proud of her! I worried about her being so young, but she has had a fantastic year! Her teacher, Ms. Roberts, has really pushed her and Ella has really broken out of her little shell.... Maybe to much. Ella loves to draw, read, write, dance, and pretend she is grown. I have to remind her daily that she is 5, not 25. 

Dance Recital Outfit

Loves to get her hair straightened every once in awhile 

Like I said, 5 going on 25

Emmecat is finishing up her year at St. Mark's Early Learning Center.... Hard to believe.... She loves school and her best friend, Hannah! She is in a room full of boys... Only three girls... I'm pretty sure those girls run that room. She has had a fabulous year with fabulous teachers. She wants to do everything her big sister does... Each night when she has to put a pull-up on it absolutely breaks her heart... This girl loves being outside.... I hate it's getting so hot and miserable...emory a newest obsession is wearing headbands.... We have about 40... I finally got smart and started making them myself... I'm looking forward to this summer with my big girls.... Lots of change is coming our way.... We are excited! 

Boat time 

Loves riding her bike... Rides circles around Ella...

There are no words at all...

Selfie time with mommy 

Such a good big sister 

Month Three

I can't believe I am already blogging about another month that has flown by. You, my love, have brought so much happiness to your mommy's heart. It's not that I was "unhappy" before you, but wow, I didn't know what I was missing not having a Libby Craker in my life. Being a mom of three is exhausting. There is always something to do, somewhere to be, or someone that needs something. When the big girls are at school, we snuggle a lot, and I rock you a lot, and I also talk to you in crazy voices and in return, you give me some crazy looks. You have started smiling this month. It melts my heart and makes me laugh every time you grin. You have two different smiles, the crooked smile and the ear to ear smile. I go back to work on Monday. The thought of leaving you makes my stomach hurt and makes me teary. I keep telling myself it is only 3 weeks and we can do anything for 3 weeks. Then, it will be OVER! Our awesome babysitter will have you here everyday and your big sister Ella is super excited that I am going to be at school with her now. It's been since January 10. That is a long time! You are not sleeping all night yet, and if you could arrange that, it would be great. You get up around 2 or 3, and then again around 6:30. You like to sleep a lot still.... mostly. A few weeks ago you were not seeming like your sweet self, so I took you to see the pediatrician. I knew something was up, and it was.... you had a double ear infection. What 10 week old baby gets a double ear infection? You, that's who! You also had your first trip to the beach this month. You thought it was bright, which it was... You hung out under a tent, with a hat, covered in sunscreen. You were the cutest little beach baby. We love and adore you Libby Lou, and you are so loved.

Trip to Tennessee

 

Last week was Spring Break and I thought a road trip with the big girls to see my sweet nephew and his mommy and daddy would be fun. Jeje volunteered to keep Libby and I took her up on it! Cameron was in Colorado for work, so I needed to leave Mobile anyway. I wanted them to get to do something fun, because our going and doing has been somewhat limited since Miss Libby arrived. We drove to Aliceville on Saturday and left Sunday headed to Tennessee. We took our time and stopped as needed.... We had no agenda except to get there. It was 459 miles from my Aliceville to James and Holly's. They live in Kingsport and it's in the northeast corner of Tennessee.

 

 

 

It really wasn't a bad drive and the girls liked seeing the mountains. I checked the weather several times before I packed and there was not snow in the forecast, but guess what? It snowed and all my girls had to wear on their feet were flip flops.... It only snowed for a few hours on Tuesday and it melted as soon as it hit the ground. It was fun for them to see snow since it's a rare sight it South Alabama. We visited and I loved on my precious nephew. He is so stinking cute and I love him to pieces. He is my first nephew and he will always have a special place in his Aunt Sara's heart. I can't wait to see him again. They live too far away for me to spoil him the way I plan to. It was a fun road trip.... I missed my Libby Lou more than I imagined I would... I think Jeje missed me... I really appreciated Jeje and Pops keeping her. 

 

Stopping for some lunch

My sweet nephew

He looks at me like I am crazy....kind of like his daddy does sometimes

Out to lunch

It is snowing but you can't see it

They love him so much! We miss him and his parents already and can't wait to see them again soon! Thank goodness for FaceTime!

Two Months

How in the world is my baby already 2 months old? It doesn't seem possible. Libby has adjusted to life at her new home just fine. Libby is a very easy going baby... Please let her stay that way! She literally slept for about 4 weeks after she got home and around 6 weeks she started waking up more and being alert. It's amazing how much she has changed since she was born. All I do is hold her, and I'm ok with that.... She is the last Craker Baby and I'm going to savore every moment. Today was her 2 month checkup. She weighs a whopping 10 lbs and 7 ounces and is 23 inches long. She's quickly living up to being a Craker Girl. Ella and Emory couldn't love her more, and they are the best big sisters.... They like to test their mommy and daddy since Libby was born, but I think that things are settling down now. When I found out Libby was a girl, I couldn't believe I was going to have 3 girls. I love watching the bond between them... It's the sweetest thing... Cameron was meant to be surrounded by girls. He wouldn't have it any other way. It's still up in the air who Libby looks like... Most people say Cameron and Ella, and Ella loves that.... I think she just looks like Libby! 

Sisters

Ella and Emory couldn't be better big sisters. They adore her and fight over who will hold her. It's precious. I worried about Emory, but after ignoring her for a few days after she got home, she decided that she can stay. I never thought I would be the mom of THREE girls.... But wow, I wouldn't have it any other way. I pray that the three of them will always be best friends and look out for one another at all times. Having only brothers, I never got to experience the sister bond that they will. 

NICU

Libby's stay in the NICU at USACW is a time I would like to forget. The 12 days that she was there were the hardest days of my life. Every time I left her, I felt like my heart was being ripped out f my chest. It never got easier to leave our sweet girl there. I want to write about our experience so one day Libby will be able to know all she went through. The experience changed me as a person, wife, mom, and Christian. Cameron was my rock. He knew what to say, when to say it, and sometimes he didn't have to say anything at all. Libby was moved the morning after she was born. I was allowed to go see her, and there wasn't going to be anything keeping me from going. After having a c-section, I didn't know what to expect, but I'll just say it was the worst pain I've ever been through. With Ella and Emory, I was up and moving around an hour after they were born. Sections are no joke. I never dreamed I would have to have a section... It was definitely not in my birth plan. It didn't matter how Libby got here really... I'm just thankful she did.

Day 1

This is what I walked into the first time I visited Libby in the NICU. I was a basketcase from the second I walked in and continued to have meltdowns until we left. The nurses were amazing. They answered questions and were so just so sympathetic and sweet. Cam and I had a million questions and they answered each of them without seeming to be bothered. On day 1, her oxygen had to be turned up and they did an x ray that showed one of Libby's little lungs wasn't working. Libby also had problems with her blood sugar. She had to be given an IV in her hand and was given medication to help with her blood sugar. They felt like the blood sugar would work itself out... We weren't too concerned about that, but the lung was now the problem. The neonatal doctor told us that one of your lungs wasn't developed and Libby was very sick. I didn't like hearing that one bit.  He told us that we would have to wait and see how she did and she might have to go on a ventilator or have a chest tube, but that was the worst case scenario. I didn't understand how Libby could be so perfect on the outside but so sick? Many people began praying for our sweet girl, and when I tell you that they were felt, they were, without a doubt. I'm from a small town in a small county and I'm pretty sure that everyone in Aliceville was praying for Libby and for us. 

Day 2

On Sundays, siblings 5 and over could go back and see the babies. I quickly regretted taking Ella back. It was too much for her. Pops, Jeje, Sassy, and Emmy all got to meet Libby that day. Pops and Sassy left going home. That was hard. I've never been so sad to see my daddy leave. I knew he would stay if I asked him to, but he knew Libby  was right where she needed to be and so did I. Libby stayed about the same that day.

Day 3

This was a rough day. Libby had to be intubated and had a picc line put in. A picc line is an kind of IV that they could take blood from and give meds through. Her veins were so tiny, all the places they placed an IV blew. So they shaved part of her head and it was placed in her head. The tube was hard to see, because it was obvious Libby couldn't breathe without it. This was one of the worst days of her stay.

Days 4-5

 

 

These two days were mainly just letting her rest on the ventilator and letting that lung heal. She had a procedure twice where they had to put a needle through her little chest and draw air from around the lung. After doing this twice, and it not getting better, they told us she might have to get a chest tube. It was the worst news to us because they told us this was the worst case scenario.

 

Day 6

Things started looking better, she got her tube out....goodbye ventilator! It was a good day. We were so excited! She still had the chest tube but it was working, PRAISE THE LORD!

 

Day 7

 

There wasn't much change on day 7... She started opening her sweet eyes... She also came off all IV fluids so she started looking less swollen and more like a baby. It was a beautiful thing to see her with her eyes open! 

Day 8

This day was the best because we got to hold our sweet girl. I casually asked her nurse (who I went to college with, small world) when we would get to hold her and she said,"You haven't held her yet? Well you can right now!" Of course it was the morning I rolled out of bed and went with no makeup and looking pretty awful! I didn't care! It was an amazing feeling to hold her. I felt like I was going to make it now that I had held her. My heart seemed  to be more complete than ever when I held her. Life was getting better and better. God was showing us that our girl was a fighter.... She had come so far! 

 Day 9

Chest tube came out! She was still on a canula but she was requiring no oxygen. 

We never asked when she would get home... They were pretty confident she would be there for 2 weeks at least. 

Look at this perfect face... They were changing her canula out and I snapped a pic. The big bandage on her chest is where the chest tube was. 

Day 10

Her lungs were looking great and no sign of infection. She also started taking bottles on this day... She took the first one like a champ and never looked back. 

Day 11

The only thing that I remember from this day is when the nurse practitioner told me we could possibly take her home tomorrow.... If she didn't have any heart rate drops that night. I was a nervous wreck.... This news came out of the blue.... We weren't expecting it at all... She also was moved to a crib on this day and to another pod where the stable babies are. Hooray! It was February 18... Emory's 3rd birthday! What a great present! 

Look no canula! She looks like a real baby!

Day 12

This was D-day....She had to pass her car seat test before she was released. Look how tiny she looks... She passed with flying colors. 

 We headed home and things haven't slowed down a bit. I can't say that I ever want to step foot in that hospital again, but I will say that there are amazing doctors and nurses there that I will forever be grateful for. The people that work in that hospital are angels...  No doubt about it. They have between 70-100 babies at a time. Absolutely blows my mind....