Monday, Monday!! 10/24/11 @ 12:03pm

Hi, everyone!! Gracie is having an uneventful day, & that's what we like! She has lost some weight in the last week, after last week's events & such.. but everyone here is working on helping her to gain some "good" (we don't want her to gain fluid weight, because that's the weight she would lose the fastest) weight! 

So, she stayed the same as far as length at 44.5cm - 17.5" long

& she is at 4 lbs. 1 oz.

We hope to get her closer to the 5lb. mark by early next week, which will be great for her surgery.  I have been talking to Tricia (in IL) who's son at Gracie's age had to have the same Hiatal Hernia repair 2 years ago.. the same fundo procedure & the g-tube procedure.. so it's been GREAT talking to another preemie mom who went thru the same thing.  Her son is now 3 1/2 & doing Great!!  Thanks, Tricia!!  Also, talking to Melissa who's daughter had the g-tube.. I love reading these girls' blogs & really finding out all I can about these procedures. 

Gary & I are in a good place regarding the surgery & her procedures.. Gracie is going to be FINE!! :)  God & Maxwell is watching over her..  It's very reasonable to say after her surgery, she could be home within 2 weeks or soo... can you imagine??? I think that day that I leave Maine, after this extended stay, I will be CRYING my eyes out.. it's like someone said, the NICU is our community & has been our community for the last 2.5 months.. I'm going to miss everyone here.. the nurses, the doctors, the "rounds", the coffee guy downstairs who we chat with, the guy in the little booth in the parking garage that I wave to (& that just gets me in).  OMG.. one step first.. fatten up Gracie for surgery!  I'll worrry about crying after that!!

Here's my precious babe this morning.. she pulled the tube out of her mouth again..heheee.. They've since replaced it!  She is great, isn't she!!

A big SHOUT OUT to Kelley again.. (Will's mom) went back to work today.. I am thinking of you.. Gary heads home today!  Does that mean I'll have to text Josh to take my pictures when I'm holding Gracie?? lol

My friend, Jessica (who's mom to Evelyn, who was born ..yes, 8/3/11 & who is from Mass, and who was on bedrest here same time as I.. she just was vacationing in Maine when her water broke on 7/4..sooo she is ahead of us by a few weeks).. they told her that Evelyn might be ready to go home by the end of this week.. Awww.. I'm so happy for them!! Her husband, Alex, like Gary goes home weekly to work.

It's not how I would've planned it..this whole experience..however it has been a very up & down experience.  The ups have certainly been the 'community' of people we've met.  I've definitely cried alot up here, but I've also laughed alot.  I'm going to miss seeing Jessica around.. and chatting that we are the oldest live-in's at the RMCD house (age & been there the longest)..lol..

Please keep Evelyn & Jessica in your prayers & thoughts..that they are able to go home this week!!

Okay.. I'll check in later..

Love you guys!

pattie & gary, gracie & maxwell