Rain. Rain. 9:36am

About a month ago, while Grace was at Hasbro we were having weather up in the 70's.. now that we are home & can enjoy a nice morning/afternoon walk, it's raining all day!

It sure is depressing!! :(

Our first weekend away with the baby, will take place this weekend as we are heading to North Conway, NH for Mother's Day weekend!  I'm a Mommy, wow!!

Yesterday, Grace had her appointment with plastic surgery in RI ..for a consult for

"helmet" therapy for her head.  This is a helmet that is placed on her head to help sculpture her head to a more roundness, then flat (as it is now).. it's flat, mainly because of all the time she spent in the NICU on one side.. and even now, she really favors her right side.  So the helmet will help her head to get rounder as she grows.

Before, we can actually get the helmet, she is going for a CT scan to make sure her bones in her head haven't closed.  That'll be scheduled for the next two weeks.

It's a very low chance that the bones have closed, but the doctor just wants to not miss that..because the helmet won't help if that's the case, and surgery would have to peformed.  I'm just staying positive.. I'm sure it'll all be okay!! :)

I know you all love pictures..soo here goes:

This was from Saturday, we went to our friends' son's 1st communion & this was her party dress.  (It was actually bought as her Easter dress, but she was in the hospital for Easter!)

Our pastor would enjoy this picture.. this is Grace in church on Sunday on Daddy's lap! Just hanging out!

Prunes is her new favorite fruit!! She had two teaspoons this morning with a teaspoon of oatmeal!!

And when was the last time you saw this sign on a magazine shelf at the doctor's office??  I love it, I took 2 :)

Today, is a low key day for us..probably good because of the rain!

Doing laundry, and making phone calls for some up coming appointments.

Playing with Grace on the floor is up for today, as well.

Tomorrow is OT in the morning..we need to get ready for her!

Auntie Tess & the cousins visited yesterday.. it's always such a joy to see them interact with Gracie, who was wide awake!!

All is well here.. Grace was 11 lbs. 5.5 oz on Monday..soo she's gaining & growing!

Thanks for thinking of our family!

Blessings to you all!

love,

pattie & gary, Grace & max



Quick update. 11:05pm

Just a quick update.  Nice weekend with Gracie.. we took some cute pictures, but I haven't uploaded them as of yet.  Will do that tomorrow!

Today, we saw her new pediatrician..we like him, he was very thorough..

We have another appointment tomorrow at Hasbro

(it's a busy week).

She is doing well.  Need to get on a 3 day/meal routine, I think that'll be harder to do since she sleeps usually all afternoon..but we'll do our best.  I got some more jarred baby foods.. squash, applesauce, plums & prunes.

I started a p/t job tonight..as a secretary for a local town board meeting.

Tonight was a long 3 hours.  They meet every other week, so it'll be nice to get out for a little & get a little check.

I'll update more tomorrow..someone is crying!! poor baby & her teeth!!!

Love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max

Tummy time friday 8:01pm

Tonight, Daddy & I had Grace on the floor for tummy time..she is liking it

more & more each day..and staying flat on her belly for quite a few minutes.

We have to keep doing it daily.. tummy time with strengthen her core, that

will help with future crawling & scooching.

Here she is laying flat on her belly...  and a close up ..as long as she

has her binkie!! :)

And then I looked behind Daddy & saw this stain in our carpet!!!!  A gift from Maxwell, we believe!! 

 Thanks for showing us, Max!!

Today's appointment at Hasbro went great.  Auntie Dalila went with us..Thanks, Auntie!!  Gracie's pedi surgeon is very happy how Gracie's gtube is coming..he doesn't want to see her for 2 weeks.  Yea!!  The leakage is little, as it should be.

He was so impressed with her..says she's a new baby!!

Her weight stayed the same, he's not worried about it.. gave us the ok to start a slow process of bolus feeding, instead of continous all day!  So, starting tomorrow we'll do some bolus & continous.  I was concerned that she was constipated because of continous feed, but he said 'nah, not really'.. soo unfort, her constipation just might

be her body!  We are giving her pear juice..just waiting for that big BM!!

Tomorrow is our friend's son, Alex 1st Communion..

which should be a nice time.  Then home to do some cleaning in the home office.

Sunday, will be my try at making gnocchi's!!

All is well at the Pacella house!

Living, Loving my family.. watching Grace grow & eating all her peas tonight & fruit...although not much of the bottle, but she's eating her purees.  We are excited to meet her new pediatrician Monday.

Have a nice weekend!!

Love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & MaxLove!! :)



Peas & Pictures. 7:44pm

I'm already in bed.. Mommy says I go to bed early now & I sleep all thru the night :)

Here's some pictures from tonight.. me eating my peas!

 Mommy?!!

If you look closely, you can see that I'm holding the bottle with my hands.. my mommy was very excited with that!

And then she had to get one more picture of me before I go to bed..

me holding my binkie!! Doesn't she know I can hold it??

Sometimes, I just don't want to!!

G'night!

love,

Gracie

& max!



Happy 9 months. 1:45pm

Alot of preemie moms that I know celebrate two birthday's with their baby's..one

is the actual birthday..so today is Grace's "actual" 9 month old birthday!

And the other is when they should've been born, so this past Monday, was her

"corrected age" birthday at 6 months. 

So, here she is.. Happy 9 months, my love!

"Uncle" Dougie is here from Australia..Uncle Doug is Ross brother; this is his first time holding Grace.  He saw her back in Maine in November..so he was happy to see her yesterday & hold her.  Nice pic, "Uncle" Dougie!!

Auntie Heather & the kids visited us yesterday.  And Heather was happy to hold Gracie without tugging or having to carry anything too.  What a blessing!

OT came today!! And Grace did GREAT!! She laid on her belly for quite a number of minutes..just laid there, with her binky (of course)

9 months stats:

weight: (we'll officially get it tomorrow)

height:  25"

drinking:  Similiac Neosure via g-tube 35-40ml's/hour a day

sizes:  3-6 month tops; 6 mo pj's with feet (she's very long/tall) & 3 mo bottoms

eating/trying new foods:  pureed peas as of yesterday (she LOVES them!), apples & pears (fruit pureed), pureed sweet potatoe, and oatmeal (about 2 tsp/day 1-2x's a day)

Grace loves music. Loves to be sung & read too.  Loves the bath. Loves to snuggle.

Loves her binky!

Her legs are always kicking around.  She loves when her cousins come over to play; and her friend, Abby "sudo cousin" holds her!

Thanks for reading!

Love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max



Tofu Tuesday 8:24pm

Trying new recipes on WW.. and trying to eat healthy..brings us to

Tofu Tuesday!! :)

Tofu tacos for dinner tonight.. just crumble up some tofu in frying pan with a little olive oil, and add a packet of taco seasoning.. add to your tacos..with salsa, avocado, cheese..

it was quite good!! And even though my husband didn't think he'd like it.. he had 3 tacos

& loved it.  It's all about experiencing new tastes!

Grace is in quite the routine.. she has been in bed the last few nights, by 7pm!

Bath and bedtime..

Thanks for all the prayers & thoughts you sent for our appointment today.

We headed down the cape for her opthamalogy appointment.

Her eyes, look good.. structrually they are 'normal'..

she does, sometimes, tend to rotate her eyes..very minimally moving her eyes to one side than bringing it right back to the middle..(which is a focus thing)..

so they suggested we get extra services in the home by a vision specialist..

we will call to set that up.  We are eager to get any services that will only help Grace in the long run.  We will do another f/u in 4 months.

With the help of OT as well & some colorful toys in front of her to help her focus, it should be fine!  Of course, because she was premature it may just take her a few months to strengthen those muscles. 

Tomorrow is a visit from Auntie Heather.. and I'm going to dinner with my dear friend, Lisa!! Looking forward to it!

Thanks again for keeping up!

Love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max

Happy SIX months, baby!! 9:57pm

Happy six months, Gracie!! Six months (corrected.. meaning her age had she been born on her due date of 10/30).. I didn't ask for a premature baby, but I'm blessed, WE are blessed to have her in our lives!!  Alot of times, too many parents take for granted that their babies come out at 'term'.. there are so many reasons why a premature baby

comes out early.. alot of the reasons are never identified.

1 out of 5 babies are born prematurely!

All sizes & shapes of women have premature babies...

and no TWO pregnancies are the same. 

I was seen every two weeks by my ob..and on all accounts my pregnancy went well.

I'm just saying...

Anyway.. Grace is doing great.. she's sleeping alot.. I can't wait to see a tooth pop up, as I'm sure she can't wait for it to come up too!!  She loves looking at her hands

and eating them!! :)

We had some drama last week with the visiting nurse organization that comes in.  Not the nurse, herself..she actually had agreed with us that we no longer needed services.  The only thing they would do is vitals & weight.  Grace is still being seen by her Hasbro doctor regarding the g-tube on a weekly basis & he is taking her weight as well.  Her 02 is wonderful.. we've even returned most of her oxygen tanks.  The rest will go next week, for sure!  To look at her, you would never think that she had just spent 18 days in the hospital.. she is growing & thriving.  Smiling & crying!!

Love you baby..soo much!!

G'night all..

Thanks for reading & keeping up to date!

Love,

pattie & gary, Gracie & max

p.s. And I don't know why Max passed.. I know women who have had premature twins, that both have made it..and I know women who have lost one twin.  I'm sad when I think about 'how' it happened. And I don't understand it.  But someday I will.

I just won't be able to tell you.