7/5/2011 208 Days Old

On the 208th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully. Erin had to work to day so I got up to take care of Maya at 6:00. We are trying to get Maya to go a little longer between feedings so that we don’t have to wake up so early. This morning went well. She was up a few times through the night, but it was not due to hunger. She is still feeling the effects of her vaccinations.

Today was a day for just me and Maya. She did have a visit from her nurse, but that was our only guest. She needed to be held a lot today. All she really wanted to do was sleep, nut when she would wake up she would need some comforting and a back pat. As part of her response to the vaccinations she creates a lot of drool. Which is fine if she is sleeping so that it can drip out of her cheek, but at times she closes her lips so tight that it can’t get out. When she wakes up with a mouthful of saliva she gets  upset. I can tell the at times it gets to the back of her throat and really scares her. She needed to be suctioned a few times today. I hope that soon she will get over her vaccination and we can see more of her beautiful eyes. Until then I hope that she stays asleep as much as she can and rests.

7/6/2011 209 Days Old

On the 209th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully. Erin stayed home from work today. Maya struggled a bit yesterday and Erin wanted to be there for her. Maya did have some struggles today, but not as much as yesterday. She was awake for a fair amount of the day and she returned to her active self. She did need some suctioning and some extra cuddling from her mom. We spent our day taking turns holding Maya.

This afternoon Maya had visits from her occupational therapist and her nutritionist. She weighed in at 10 pounds 12 ounces only a half an ounce higher than her last weight. We decided we would try and increase her feedings again. She did not tolerate the extra fluid last time we tried, but that was two months ago. We hope that her little heart can keep up with the extra liquid. She may have had a disapointing weigh in but she got rave reviews from her therapist. Maya has been working hard and is really developing. It is a slow process but Maya is learning to swallow and to sit up. Her therapist was impressed.

This evening Juliana came by to eat dinner with us and hold Maya for a bit. We got to spend a relaxing night on the couch. No TV or music just Maya. By this time of the day Maya was pretty tired and a little cranky. We adjusted her feeding schedule today so that we can try and work in some extra sleep. Maya’s last feeding of the night now starts at 10:40 and her first feeding of the morning starts at 6:00. Oh how much has changed in seven months. 6:00 is sleeping in to us now.

7/7/2011 7 Month Birthday

On the 210th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully. Our plan to get more sleep back fired. We moved Maya’s bedtime snack to 10:30 instead of 11:00. So Maya woke up at 5:00 instead of 5:30. We were trying to make it to 6:00. Oh well. Back to the drawing board.

This morning Erin had to go to work so I got to spend some time with my baby girl. She didn’t fully wake up all morning but she wouldn’t stay asleep either. She talked most of the morning. Not crying or screaming just grousing. After Krissie showed up for lunch Maya got very quiet and fell into a deep sleep. Apparently she had been plotting a diaper assassination all morning, and all her grousing was just a warning. As soon as the diaper was dead Maya was fast asleep.

This evening Grandma Kathy came by to see Maya. Maya got a little sleep on the grandma time, and got her toe nails painted. After Grandma headed home we decided Maya needed a big girl bath. Maya has always hated bath time and it was suggested to us that one of us should get in the tub with her so that she could feel more supported. Since neither of us fit in the kitchen sink we decided on the bath tub. Since I don’t fit in the bath tub, Erin and Maya got to take a bath together. Maya’s negative reaction was much much less than in the kitchen sink. Hopefully we can get her used to being in water and bath time wont be such a fussy, snotty, screaming turning blue type of deal.

We are headed to bed now. We are going to try for her usual 11:00 feeding tonight, but a 6:00 feeding in the morning. I don’t know why 6:00 sounds so much better than 5:30. It can’t be just a half an hour that separate the two.

7/8/2011 211 Days Old

On the 211th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully.  It’s another Friday, and we forgot to blog. Maya is doing well. We had a great dinner tonight with Coby and Melissa.  Sushi and gelato… what could be better.

Have a great night everyone :)

7/10/2011 213 Days Old

On the 213th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully. Maya had been up several times through the night. She has been waking up every few hours and needing some comfort. At 5:00 this morning after she dragged us out of our sleep we suctioned her and she seemed to rest easier.

This morning we met Grandpa Chris at Le Peep for brunch. Maya has been a busy girl this weekend and has left the house every day. Friday night we took her to our favorite gelato shop. Saturday she spent the afternoon and evening at Grandpa Bob and Grandma Chris’. Today she went to Le Peep. She slept through the event.

This afternoon Krissie and Travis hung out with us. Krissie and Erin got some shopping done, and Maya napped.

Tonight Erin got to take a bath with Maya again. I hoped she would like her baths more and more after she got used to them, but tonight she was still upset. She was not as upset as when she baths by her self though. After her bath time we decided that she might benefit from deep suction. She sure was not happy about that. I hope that she will sleep more soundly tonight. Right now she is sleeping well on Erin’s shoulder.

7/11/2011 214 Days Old

On the 214th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully. Maya had been up a few times through the night. As Erin got ready for work we moved out to the couch where Maya went back to sleep. Maya struggled today. She slept most of the time. She was having trouble digesting today. She would wake up from her sleep very upset. After investigating I would find a destroyed diaper. When she finally got her tummy troubles worked out she went into a deep sleep.

This afternoon Maya got really upset. I could not figure out what was going on. I tried every thing that I know to do to calm her including a dose of morphine and she still cried. I turned up her oxygen tank and she got some of her color back, but she still cried. I changed her diaper and she still cried. I suctioned her mouth and she still cried. Eventually she wore herself out, and went to sleep. It was a difficult hour or so. Luckily for me my sister Krissie had come over so that I could run an errand. It always helps to have some one else around, and Krissie has been that some one numerous times. I don’t know how we could get through all this and take care of Maya if it were not for both mine and Erin’s family. Thank you.

This evening Grandma Kathy came by with dinner. Maya was still asleep when she got here. She was able to take care of Maya for a while so that me and Erin could leave the house and run another errand. Maya had a better evening than she had an afternoon. She did get upset a few time, but we were able to comfort her.

When Maya struggles it is hard to understand what is going on. Two Fridays ago Maya got vaccinated. The vaccinations come with side effects of an elevated temperature, increased secretions, and irritability. That was 10 days ago. I keep telling myself that Maya is just having a reaction to the vaccines and that she will come out of it, but I really don’t know that. This has happened many times before. Every time that she is able to pull herslef back up it amazes me. I tell myself over and over again that this time will be the same, but I worry. We are both scared. If we could just understand what Maya is going through I think we could over come some of our fears, but no one seems to know much about what Maya is going through.

I hope that all of my fears are overreactions to the effects of a vaccine. I hope that my beautiful little girl will come through smiling to the other side. I know that she is stronger than we are. I know that she will amaze us every day that she is still here. And I know that I will love and cherish every minute that I get to spend with her. Even when fear clouds my thoughts and tears block my eyes I can still see the most beautiful girl in the history of the world.

7/12/2011 215 Days Old

On the 215th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully. Maya had slept in our bed last night. It was tight but we all fit and no one fell out. She kept us up until 1:30 last night at which point we decided to set her up on her boppy so that she might sleep for a few hours with out waking up. After the move into bed with her mommy and daddy she only woke up once.

Maya was very tired today. She slept for all but a few 30 minute stints. Most of her sleeping time was spent in the arms of Grandma Chris who took off work to help out this afternoon. Later in the evening she was joined by Grandpa Bob. Erin is getting very good at making thai food and we had an excellent dinner while Maya slept on grandma’s shoulder.

Maya is sleeping on Erin now. The trick will be us getting her from Erin’s shoulder and down to her bed while not rousing her. Hopefully she will continue her sleepy trend and go right to sleep.

Tomorrow we have our first showing of the house.  Wish us luck. Maya needs some more room.

7/13/2011 216 Days Old

On the 216th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully. Actually Maya woke up really angry, but that was before I woke up. By the time I woke up Maya was back asleep and finishing her early morning feeding. Erin had to go in to worl today so once again me and Maya camped out on the couch.

Maya stayed asleep all morning. On the days when Maya sleeps all day she normally is up once and hour or so and needs comforting. That was not the case this morning. She slept peacefully until 10:45. I guess she got some good sleep in because for the first time in almost two weeks she woke up and stayed awake for several hours. We used our time wisely and got in as many exercises as we could.

Around noon Sara came by to see Maya. She had not seen Maya since she was three months old. She was very impressed with Maya’s growth. A short while after Sara left Maya went back to sleep. And she stayed asleep or close to it for most of the rest of the evening. She missed out on dinner with Sam and Gayle, and minute to win it.

After Sam and Gayle had left Maya on Erin got in the tub. Maya is still not a fan of the bath tub. We will see if she has the same response when we take her swimming on friday. I’m hoping the baths in Erin’s arms will prepare her for a dip in the pool. We will have to wait and see.

She also created some awesome hair during her afternoon nap.

7/15/2011 218 Days Old

On the 218th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully. Maya allowed us to sleep in this morning. She was up for just a little bit before her feeding, but went right back to sleep until her 9:20 feeding. Today was pool day.

This afternoon we headed over to Lori’s parents house so that Maya could enjoy their pool. With Maya’s hatred of bath time I figured that she would not put up with the pool for very long. I was wrong. She stayed in the pool for more than an hour. She did not like the feeling of floating, but if she was held tight she was fine. She fell asleep in our arms with her little feet just under the water. Eventually she would sleep with most of her body under water as long as she was held tightly.

This evening Grandpa Bob and Grandma Chris came by. Maya is worn out from her pool trip and has been asleep for most of the night.

7/17/2011 220 Days Old

On the 220th day in the life of the most beautiful girl in the history of the world the morning began peacefully. Maya had been up several times through the night again. We were able to take turns staying up with her. She would stay calm for a little chunks of time as long as she was being held, so we past the night that way. I wish I could tell you how Maya is doing, but I just don’t know.

Maya stayed asleep for most of the day today. She did wake up several times with the most pitiful cry I have ever heard. She seemed to be working really hard to breathe today. Erin and I are both scared right now. We don’t know what is happening. We think that it has been too long since her shot for her to still be feeling the side effects, but we can’t explain or understand how she is doing any other way.

She is still the most beautiful girl. Maya has spent about 18 out of the last 24 hours in one of our arms. It makes for a long night, but we don’t tire of holding her. We are just hoping that her struggle eases soon. It is hard to see her so tired. I wish I could express better how she is doing. I think that I would like to know just as much as all of you. I have no idea whether this is a small blip and Maya will amaze us once again, or wether it is more serious. I do know that we will continue to value every day that we have with her for as long as we can.