Family Update

It has now been two weeks and Olivia is amazing! Having a premature baby in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) is a blessing, however, a it is a differently packaged blessing than that of a full term healthy baby. Although Olivia is preemie, her small size and her early arrival seem to be her only short coming. She is breathing almost entirely on her own (she has a little help with oxygenated air every one in a while) and is able to eat and successfully digest my breast milk every two hours. She now weighs 1 lb. 9 oz. She does exhibit some typical symptoms or behaviors for her age such as apnea and bradycardia (a temporary pause in breathing and a drastic drop in heart rate). But, the fact that they may be "age appropriate" does not make them any less terrifying. An alarm sounds in the NICU when she has one of her spells letting us and the nurses know that someone needs to physically "rough" her up a little to remind her to breathe. Jeremy and I were talking at her bedside after one of her spells and he joked that he was going to have PTSD from being in the NICU and constantly bracing himself for an alarm to sounds more so than actual PTSD from when he was at war. With that said, Jeremy and I may be physically and emotionally exhausted, but, our often inappropriate humor is still alive and well. THANK G!

Brayden, our son-shine, is awesome. He has been so caring, gentle and kind to me as always, but especially during my recovery. He is also already flourishing in his role as big brother and he's only seen Olivia twice! He is extremely receptive and responsive to the everyday stress around here, but is handling it quite well for his 3 years of age. I'm positive it is largely due to the fact that Daddy is home!!!

People often comment on my strength as a "single parent" during Jeremy's deployments and now as a parent of a baby in the NICU. My response to them is first, "Thanks for the boost in confidence!!!" And second, "I have the strength that I do because I have only had to carry half of my load since having met Jeremy. He is my strength." There is not a finer person to have in our corner than Jeremy.

Speaking of whom, I cannot write this update with out acknowledging Memorial Day and the sacrifice that Jeremy and our troops have made for us all. I am eternally grateful and honored to call myself a military wife.