Zoe's First Feed!

So this post is going to be much different than 2 days ago. Wednesday was a horrible day for me at the NICU, we actually thought we were going to wait until next week for the Anderson tube to come out.  Yesterday morning, I walked into the NICU and see my daughter just looking around.  I couldn't pinpoint why she looked so different to me.  It took a few seconds for me to realize that big huge tube was no longer there!  They took the Anderson tube out a few hours before I got there.  Zoe was just so content, happy, loved touching her face and we couldn't have been happier.  We got the news that she was going to eat 24 hours after the Anderson tube was taken out.

Last night I waited for Mike to come home so we could spend some time together, and we ended up watching Jersey Shore.  I should have just went to bed because Zander had a rough night = rough night for mommy.  He's got a head cold and just was miserable.  We were a bit behind schedule today, so I rushed as fast as I could so I could make sure I was able to give Zoe her first feed.  Lauren, the day nurse, held off a bit knowing I was coming in.  11:00 A.M. Zoe had her first taste of REAL food, 5 ml of breast milk in a bottle.  It took her 20 minutes to finish it.  She was falling asleep during the feed, then you would hear the sweet noise of her guzzling down the milk.  Best.Sound.Ever today.  She gets 5 ml of breast milk every 3 hours until tomorrow.  If she can tolerate the 5 ml without throwing up, they will move her feeds up to 10 ml tomorrow (and then double it by Sunday and so on).  And so far up until 8:00 p.m. she has tolerated all the breast milk.  She even pooped today.  BIG DAY for Zoe!  We're praying that she will finish the requirements that they expect her to finish so that they won't have to insert a feeding tube.  The only reason why they would even consider doing that is to make sure she's getting the proper nutrition of the milk.  They are lowering the TPN line (the line where she's been getting her nutrition solely up until today).  If all goes well, potentially she could be home in probably 3 weeks!!!! I'm not holding my breath, but I'm staying positive.  I would love for her to be home before Easter, but I have learned that you need to take each day at a time in the NICU life.  You can easily have a great day 1 day and then feel like you have taken 2 steps backs the next.  So here's hoping our little fighter eats like a champ!

Here's Zoe right before her first taste of milk.  I had to unswaddle her to wake her up so we could start feeding.

Here's a picture immediately after she finished her first bottle!

We had another set of special visitors in the last few days, Zoe's Godfather, Josh and his wife Jola.  Josh is also Zander's Godfather.  Josh & Jola are not just friends, but they are family to us.  Josh is Mike's best friend and I used to joke that they talk to each other more per day than I do with him.  They are due with their first son, Bronx, in April.  Zoe will have her first boyfriend!:) Watch out Josh, Mike may have words with your son. 

Nonni and Papa came to visit again, and this time Papa wasn't afraid to hold Zoe. He's been hesitant due to all her wires, but since her Anderson tube came out and he didn't have to worry whether she would pull it out or if he would, he held his granddaughter for the first time.  I think she's smitten with Papa just like Zander is (that's Zander's #1 buddy).

We'll be getting Zoe's newborn pictures from Kelly Vanderploeg Photography soon, so I will share some of our favorites on here and some recent pictures of the Zman.  

Thanks for all your continued thoughts and prayers.  We've come along way in such a short amount of time.  Now I just can't wait for my sweet son to meet my beautiful daughter.