Our Little Princess

The other day, don't ask me which... they all seem to blur together, we came in to the NICU to find Claire in this princess outfit. We thought it was so fitting; we were just disappointed it wasn't our outfit. Our little girl seemed to like the outfit as well, as you can see by that sly little smile. The funniest part... to me... is that when we started taking pictures of her she was in a white hat and Ari took it off to put on the purple and white hat. I knew I was rubbing off on him! The other pictures in the slideshow are an assortment of cute shots we have taken. I especially enjoy the ones in the 80's purple outfit. Ari and I laughed so hard when they put that one on her. We kept singing our favorite 80's songs to Claire all day. What a great era. I have now brought in a basket of Claire's clothes and accessories so hopefully the nurses will start putting her in the cute things we have accumulated for her.

Christmas

Claire definitely had a wonderful Christmas! She was in her big girl bed, got to wear her Christmas outfit again, and got SO MANY gifts. I think she enjoys all the books she got the most because it gives her an opportunity to hear daddy's voice, which she loves. When I am the narrator, I don't get the same gummy grins as daddy. The nurses all say that Claire has the most decorated space of all the NICU babies... well, what else would you expect? Her decorations include a 2 foot tree complete with ornaments, a candy cane garland, a stocking, a Santa Claus name tag, and a menorah. You can only imagine how the nursery will turn out, if her little NICU pod is about 4 ft X 4 ft!

Claire's First Big Girl Bed

A day before Christmas our big girl got herself a big girl bed. That's right, we hit 1500 grams (actually she was 1496) and we were sprung from our isolette. Do you want to know what the best part of the new bed is? Now we can hold her WHENEVER we want... just like real parents! I think mommy, daddy, and Claire are enjoying more cuddle time. This also means we get to dress her. The girl already has more clothes than mommy. I know, that is hard to imagine! ***Note: babies are supposed to always sleep on their backs but preemies keep their airways open better on their tummies and they are on monitors so a little tummy time is okay.

Claire's First Hanukkah

Alright all, I am sorry to subject you to this, but you have to deal with the ramblings and writings for the first time of me, Ari. Things have been going all too well, and Claire is enjoying life... or at least I am enjoying cuddling her, and she has no choice. It has been a big week. Claire got her first MENORAH. Grandma and Grandpa Leib were only too anxious to buy this for our new little one and I have say that we ALL love it. It is quite user friendly and kid safe. Look how excited little Claire looks. I am actually restraining her in this picture. Unfortunately, hanukkah harry was a little bit late (snow storm/cold front out of Alaska and all) and we missed the first day of hanukkah, but what can you do?

Claire still got a present on the first day; she got a book called Mr. Tickle. SHE LOVED IT (especially as narrated by me myself and I)!!! I don't know how many of you are familiar with the "Mr. and Mrs." books but Jen and I loved them as children and they really are funny. There have been countless other presents arriving daily from all around the nation, and a grateful Claire thanks you. This kid is already spoiled rotten and she has not even left the hospital. I will just throw out a blanket "thank you SO much" for the time being to everyone for all their gifts, thoughts, prayers and support.

Lets just say that the month of December is not going to be a cheap one for dear old dad: a.k.a. "the hanukkah man, santa clause, daddy, and birthday-buyer man???" We have a lot to celebrate in this household in December!!! Claire also had her first Christmas tree/holiday bush this year. This poor girl is going to be so confused. There is nothing like living with a Pope, having the last name Leib and lighting the Menorah underneath the Christmas tree. This is why we suggested the wooden Menorah to grandma and grandpa in the hopes that she would not burst into flames. Well, that about sums it up. I am bursting with happiness and already got my holiday gift.... it would be better to have that gift at home, but if it means that the gift is all the better in the long run, I will just have to be patient.

To all you loyal readers out there, we wish you a happy hanukkah, a merry christmas, a joyous kwanzaa, and a most exceptional new year. MUCH LOVE.....ARI, JEN AND CLAIRE

Claire's First Visit with Santa

Last Thursday, our nurse asked if we were coming to the NICU Christmas Party. Christmas Party? I had no idea, despite the signs hanging around, that there was one. Apparently, Ari and I are oblivious to everything except Claire when we are at the hospital. I had just received Claire's preemie Christmas outfit in the mail the day before so I thought I would see if she could where it to meet Santa. Now I know that the babies have to be 1500 grams and in an open crib to wear clothes, but I thought there would surely be no harm in dressing her for five minutes for Santa! The first nurse I asked said, "No problem." She was not Claire's nurse for the party though, so we would have to ask again. When we arrived for the party, one of the more strict nurses said she could only wear her hat... boo, I didn't like that answer. Then Claire's nurse came over and told us that she could absolutely put her outfit on for a minute. Yeah!! Our girl is the over-achiever and rebel of the NICU, you go Claire. Now you tell me, aren't these pictures worth it?!

I'm a Week Old!

This last week as felt more like a month! Our schedule has been turned upside down and we have spent so much time loving and worrying for our new daughter. We have made a lot of progress in the first week and are way ahead of anyone's expectations; we continue to be thankful for all the love, prayers, and gifts that have been sent our way.

Claire did get started on caffeine this week. Preemies brainstems are not mature enough to keep their heart rate and respiratory rate always at a normal level which leads to them having apnea and bradycardia or A's and B's. Most of the time they recover on their own but sometimes they need some stimulation like a pat on the back to remind them to breath. Caffeine can also be given in her feeds twice a day as a stimulant so that she won't have these events. Since her twice daily espresso shot (no, they don't really give her starbucks) Claire has very infrequent self-resolving A's and B's. By the time we take her home she will be off caffeine and has to prove she can do it on her own.

This week has also brought us skin to skin time. This is when the baby is stripped down to her diaper and put right on mommy or daddy's chest. Babies like to hear the heart beat that they were so used to and they actually feed off the mommy's heat to stay warm. Claire and I both enjoy are bonding skin to skin time!

Day 6: My Tube is in My Nose

Sorry it has been so long since the last update... I have been trying to catch up on my sleep and take it a little bit easier... this NICU stay is certainly more of a marathon than a sprint. Day 6 in the NICU brought us an NG (nasogastric tube). While babies are obligate nose breathers, an NG tube helps them to develop their sucking reflexes without that tube in their mouth. Miss Claire doesn't seem to mind the change of position and actually really enjoys sucking on her nuk. She also starts to root around when it is time to eat and she makes the cutest little sucking noises.

Day 5: No More TPN

Since Claire has been tolerating all of her feeds (now 1/2 oz every 2 hours), she doesn't have to be on TPN or lipids anymore... which is nutrition through her vein. They kept her on IV fluids up until last night and her IV should be out this morning! That just means she is connect to one less thing, making her much more cuddleable (that should definitely be a word).

She also gained 20 grams over the day, putting her at about 1310 grams, which is still 100 grams below her birth weight. We are expecting a little weight loss, though, after they stop the IV. Soon though, she will be at her goal volume feeds of 2/3 of an oz and then they will fortify my breastmilk so we can increase the calories without increasing the volume... her little tummy is only so big. After fortification, her weight should really start to increase. She needs to be 1500 grams and holding her body temperature steady to be moved to an open crib (and to wear clothes).

Claire also received her synagis shot yesterday to protect her from RSV. Premature babies are at extreme risk of lung problems if they catch a respiratory virus so she will get this shot once a month through the viral season (usually March).

Day 4: Diaper Changing

It was not unexpected to return to the hospital yesterday to find Miss Claire again under the bili lights... she had looked a bit yellow the night before. So the ski goggles went back on and we had a day of no holding :( Ari and I do, however, keep our hands in the isolette most of the time, resting our hands strategically so as not to block the lights. Ari also got the opportunity to change Claire's diaper yesterday. It is so amazing that the preemie diapers are so big on her. We were excited because she had her first poop, too... not in daddy's diaper though! Then later last night, when Claire's nurse Holly was assessing her, we got to turn off the lights for a minute and uncover Claire's eyes. She was so attentative, just staring at her mommy. All the nurses came over to admire her little face and everyone agreed it was a shame that we had to cover her back up. Hopefully we will be out of the lights tomorrow!

Day 3: Cuddling

On Sunday, we were all shocked to walk in and find Claire without her bili lights... usually it takes more than a day to get the bilirubin down. With the lights off and our little angel doing a great job of keeping her temperature up, it was time to come out of the isolette for some cuddling! We put her hat on and swaddled her and blankets so that I could hold my daughter for the second time. After my cuddle tank was filled (OK half-filled, I can never get enough!), Ari got to hold his daughter for the first time. Their bond is already visible. Claire always relaxes and sometimes spontaneously smiles when she hears Ari's voice. She clearly loves her daddy and he is certainly taken with her. Finally, grandma got a turn and she was overjoyed. I foresee much more cuddling in the future!

Day 2: Bili Lights

Day 2 brought us some bili lights. Many newborn babies and most premature babies have difficulty processing bilirubin because their livers are not mature. Ari and I had a feeling Miss Claire would win herself some lights because on the end of day 1 she already had that glow about her. The unfortunate thing about the lights is that to be effective, the babies need to stay under them as much as possible... i.e. less holding for mom and dad. Check out her shades that she is wearing to protect her little eyes. She didn't like them too much because she is awfully alert and likes to look around. I was just thankful that at the end of the day, I got to hold my little girl for the first time. It is certainly hard to carrying someone around with you for 30 weeks and then feel so separated. Holding her was certainly good for my heart and spirits!

Claire's First Day

After her most exciting entry into the world, Claire got transferred to the University Hospital NICU. She is pictured here with her little nasal cpap in her isolette. To help you follow, if you are not medically inclined, Claire was born 9 1/2 weeks early which puts her at risk for a few things. The most important concern is her lungs, babies don't develop well working lungs with surfactant until 8 weeks before birth. The cpap was used to help keep her lungs expanded. Our little princess never needed any oxygen so there was just room air flowing. Sometimes, babies her age and younger require a breathing tube or even some exogenous surfactant to be given; we were lucky Claire needed neither and she was off her CPAP the night after she was born.

She is in an isolette because it takes lots of energy to maintain your body temperature and Claire needs to use all of her calories to gain weight. She actually is doing most of that by herself, too. They are able to keep her isolette temperature low. Once she starts gaining weight and doing an even better job of controling her temperature, she will be moved to an open crib.

Claire has an IV because she was not able to eat right after birth. Premature babies' tummies are often not ready to digest food so she was given sugar through her vein overnight. They put an OG (oral-gastric) tube to start feeding her the next morning. They start just a little at a time to make sure she is ready. So far she seems to like it.

Claire is Here!

Are you shocked? You couldn't possibly be more shocked than Ari and I! Here is how our little girl made her precipitous entry into the world:

Thursday, December 11, I went to work just like usual. I made morning rounds and was starting to contemplate lunch at 11:30 am when I went to the restroom and had a large contraction. I hadn't had one yet, but was impressed by its strength. What really made me nervous was I lost a little fluid. I called my doctor's office and arranged to be there by 1:30pm. I called Ari, who thankfully had the day off, and he thought that was too late... I started to agree because I had two more contractions that were much milder. I called the office and they told me to get to the hospital. I went to find my chief fellow Christine and she put me right in a wheelchair and wheeled to the parking garage. In my shock, I had been planning to drive myself home but she drove me home (which only takes 5 minutes) and we dropped her off at Children's on the way to the hospital. Ari dropped me off at registration to park the car and when I stood up my water fully broke. They got me right up to L&D where thankfully Dr. Lum was waiting. He thought we would have time to transfer me to a hospital that had a NICU because I was only 30 and 4/7 but wanted to see how far I was. They were pushing antibiotics and steroids in too. Dr. Lum was shocked to check me and find I was 10 cm and 1+. So the transfer was out and the NICU team from Children's came to us. They moved me to the OR for delivery because it was the best place for the NICU team. I was trying to breathe through the contractions to give the steroids as much time as possible to work. Soon, however, Claire just would not have it and she came out with only 1 push. Our fiery little girl came out crying at 1:55 pm and had Apgars of 9 and 9. She weighed in at 3 pounds, 1.7 ounces, and is 15 inches long. She was placed on "prophylactic" CPAP due to her gestational age but has never required any oxygen. She was transferred to the NICU at University Hospital that night just for closer monitoring because our peanut has continued to be on the right end or the bell shaped curve; the docs are calling her an overachiever! More soon...

Jason and Jen's Wedding

The weekend before Thanks-giving, Ari and I were lucky enough to be free of work so that we could celebrate the marriage of Jason and Jen. Jason is a friend of Ari's from Illinois Wesleyan. I have always liked Jason since we met and even learned to overlook his fatal flaw of being a Cubs fan. Early Friday morning we hopped in the car and headed for Rockford, IL. The drive went by relatively quickly and we actually made it to our hotel without getting lost. We then stopped by Jason and Jen's so that Ari could try on his tux before we headed to the rehearsal. After everyone got their parts down at the church, we headed to the Rockton Inn for dinner. The food and the company was wonderful. Addison, Jen and Jason's son, really enjoyed eating Ari's noodles... for such a little person he really packed away the food!

Saturday we got to sleep in... what a treat! I dropped Ari off so he could help Jason with some last minute preparations. I then grabbed some lunch and actually lost track of time and almost didn't get to the church on time. The ceremony was very personal and beautiful. Then it was time to party. We had a wonderful dinner and got to catch up with Ari's other college friends. Two of the other girls are pregnant as well (take a look at the photos where we show off our bellies) but I am the furthest along. Then it was time for the first dance. It started off like a normal slow dance then the music changed and they had choreographed a whole routine. It was so classic Jason! There was lots of dancing and then at about midnight we all turned into pumpkins and headed back to the hotel... we just can't party like we used to! The next morning we all met for breakfast and headed our separate ways. We wish Jen and Jason a lifetime of happiness!

7 Months

Time is just flying by and my belly just keeps getting rounder! I have finally come to my third and final trimester and I continue to enjoy my pregnancy. Our baby seems to get more active each and every day which I think Ari is enjoying the most. It used to be a more rare occasion when he could put his hand on my belly to feel a kick. Now he is almost guaranteed a movement when he tries. What is getting really wild is just looking down and watching my belly shift as the baby changes position. I just can't wait to meet this little person!

The doctor's visit this month included my glucose challenge test. I was required to be npo (not eating) for two hours... not an easy feat for me! Then I had to drink a not so tasty orange cola type beverage. I was just glad I passed so that I don't have to pass on dessert! Also, there was a girl learning how to do prenatal ultrasounds so they asked if they could practice on my belly... who could say no to that? Our little one was initially sucking his/her thumb and them seemed to put a finger up his nose... must have learned that from daddy! They stuck to there promise and didn't look between the legs. It was so cool to see our baby making breathing movements. It is hard to believe that when I next blog about my belly, our baby's lung will have started secreting surfactant... making them mature for the outside world!

I guess the only other things to tell you are that I am getting less and less mobile. I will crouch down to talk to a patient and then sit silently hoping I will be able to get up gracefully. Getting out of bed or off the couch is also more challenging; Ari thinks it is a riot.

A Whirlwind Visit to the Windy City

Last weekend, we hopped in the car and headed north to get in a quick trip to Chicago. Ari worked overnight on Friday and as soon as he got home we packed up the car and left. Luckily he sleeps pretty well in the car (I call it passenger seat narcolepsy). We only stopped for lunch and a brief potty break but it took a bit longer to get downtown than Google said; it also took some figuring out since the directions weren't quite right. Finally we arrived at the South Loop to see Kristen, Larry, Koby (the dog) and their new condo. They have this cool "loft" style condo in an old building right on Michigan Avenue. I certainly was impressed. We sat around and caught up while Kristen worked at crocheting a baby blanket for our baby and Larry worked diligently at making a new dress for Kristen (he is currently in school for fashion design). With the two of them being so crafty, Ari and I definitely felt unskilled! It was great to see them but soon we were off to Elmhurst to meet Dan and Amber for dinner. They took us to an Italian restaurant known for their pizza and we had a great time catching up with them before they had to get ready for a Halloween party. Not quite the party animals these days, plus Ari getting only a few hours of car sleep made us decide to make our way to the hotel. Google Maps disaster #2: it took 1 1/2 hours, 2 stops, and a phone call to finally getting us up to the Mundelein Crowne Plaza. Needless to say by the time we got there we were both EXHAUSTED.

On Sunday, we woke up refreshed and made our way down to Schaumburg to Richard Walker's Pancake House to meet dad and Lily for breakfast. The line was formidable but time flew and we stuffed ourselves with pancakes, omelets, and other yummy breakfast items. I love not feeling guilty about eating a lot of food and those pumpkin pancakes hit the spot! We hadn't seen dad and Lily since I was barely pregnant so they enjoyed seeing me and my ever growing baby bump. With our tummies full, it was time to part ways and get back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding.

The main attraction of the weekend was the wedding of Beth and Jared. Beth and Ari have been good friends since college. She met her now husband in AmeriCorps. Unfortunately, their jobs

have kept them living in Florida then North Carolina for the past few years so we don't see them as often as we would like. They were married in a very rustic barn. The decorations were beautiful: lots of soft candlelight and wreaths adorned the inside. The ceremony was short and meaningful (my favorite kind). The reception was in the same location and the drinks were actually served in the silo, how cool! Dinner was delicious and we certainly enjoyed catching up with all of the Wesleyan crew. Unfortunately, the night passed quickly and we had to say our goodbyes because I was due back at work Monday morning at 6:30am. So on the ride back it was my turn to sleep in the car!

More Vistors!

A few weeks ago... I am not telling how many because I continue to be behind in my blogging... some old friends came to visit and brought all of their beautiful girls with them. Tim and Michelle brought Elizabeth (who was born when we were in medical school), Lauren, and Emma to check out the new house and Cincinnati. Josh and Bridgette brought Raegan, whom I had yet to meet. Needless to say the house was packed with good friends and LOTS of little girls. It was so fun to have so many little people around; Ari and I certainly got a glimpse of what little girls are like from 6 months to 5 years old. Added to the mix, Brent and Nahid brought over Ava to spend time with everyone too. With so many friends with so many little girls our baby is destined to be a boy don't you think? Oh, I almost forgot to mention that Bridgette is also pregnant with... you guessed it, another girl!

The crew arrived on Friday night and we spent a long time catching up. The Lyons gang really enjoyed exploring the house and playing Hide and Go Seek. Saturday while Ari went to work we all went out for breakfast. It was absolutely amazing how well everyone behaved despite the long wait to seat 7 adults and 5 children. After we were filled with pancakes we headed to the park where I managed to capture some cute pictures of the girls, but somehow forgot to take any pictures of the adults. We then were off to the grocery store to pick up fixings for a cookout; one meal out with everyone was plenty. The guys manned the grill and the girls made the sides and we had quite a feast when Ari got home. The evening was filled with more catching up and we even got a visit from Sarah, my med school roommate.

Sunday, Ari got to enjoy our company while I went to work. Unfortunately, the crew headed back that day and I only got to share my goodbyes. We certainly love filling our home with guests, so let us know if you are in the area!!

Month 6

Seriously, I cannot believe that my belly is that big and our baby is estimated to weigh just over a pound! What I do know is that he/she is loving all that room because throughout the day I can feel him/her moving here, there, and everywhere. People are always asking me why my hands are always on my belly and it is just because I am so amazed at this little life inside. I am continuing to feel well and just cannot imagine people who do not love being pregnant... though if I were puking, I probably wouldn't love it. Despite the new onset of some low back discomfort (on occassion after long days) and more difficulty finding that perfect sleeping position, I am just truckin' right along. This month's doctors visit was just a weight check, blood pressure check, measurements, and a listen for heart tones. We passed with flying colors. Next month is the glucose tolerance test. I hope there is no sign of diabetes because I certainly am enjoying a sweet treat more often than I used to!


I do have to share with you one of the cutest things that has happened at work recently. One of my 2 year-old patients apparently loves pregnant women. Now that I am showing, she likes to pat my belly then her mom will ask her to wave to the baby and she will wave at my belly and say "bye bye" to it when I leave. It is absolutely adorable.

Comedy and Cardinals

Nearly a month ago now... yes, I know I am still very behind... Ari and I drove over to St. Louis for a whirlwind visit. We got into town late Friday night and mom and I got up early Saturday to get some shopping done. I was looking for some maternity dresses for weddings we are attending in November. Then we had to get back because we had plans for dinner on the Hill followed by seeing Jim Gaffigan at the Fox. Ari has long complained that despite our many trips to St. Louis, I have never taken him to eat Italian on the Hill. I picked a new restaurant for all of us: LoRusso's Cucina. It was superb. The ciopino (basically the best fish stew ever) was phenomenal and warranted a picture... I know I am strange. Everyone else enjoyed their meals as well. Then we were off to the Fox and what should have been a ten minute drive turned into a 45 minute drive because of SLU homecoming. There were cars everywhere, streets blocked off, and not a cop in sight to direct traffic. Needless to say we missed most of the opening act but were in time for the main show. Ari and I have seen Jim Gaffigan in the past and absolutely love him. I personally find it refreshing to see a comedian who can do two hours of stand up with out any crude jokes or cursing... do I sound like an old woman or what? After the show, it was again a traffic disaster. We sat in the parking garage for 40 minutes before John got out to see what the problem was. Shortly after he left, things started moving... apparently because he started directing traffic!

The next day we were up and out early again so we could meet Laura, Tim, Audrey, and new baby Drew for breakfast. We brought over Panera and Laura made a fruit salad. It was so nice to catch up since we only see them about once per year. Baby Drew is beautiful and looks like the male version of Audrey. We played for a while and Ari practiced his art skills for Audrey until it was time to head off to the Cardinal game. It was much warmer in our bleacher seats than I had expected and I only had brought maternity jeans! We baked for the majority of the game but it was great to see a win and lots of offense! After the game we sadly parted with mom and John and headed home.

Octoberfest

Well it seems as though we have moved from one very German town to another! Octoberfest is a huge deal in Cincinnati and the second largest in the world to Munich. Blocks and blocks of streets are partitioned off for fair rides and countless vendors doling out German favorites including beer, brats, sauerkraut, and potato pancakes. The food isn't just limited to those, however, we also saw perogies (a favorite of Ari's), bbq, and classic funnel cakes. We went to see what the celebration was all about with our new friends Corey and Ericka. Ericka is a first year pediatric endocrine fellow at Cincinnati Children's and was the first person I met here. Believe it or not, her husband is in Ari's emergency medicine group at Miami Valley... what are the chances?! Needless to say we have a lot in common. The three non-preggers people enjoyed the beer while I had a delicious brat and water... next year, I get to partake!

The fun didn't stop after the street fest. About a week later, a bunch of the bone marrow transplant folks decided to meet at the Hofbrauhaus on the levy. Everyone was in good spirits as we listened to polka and stuffed ourselves with more sauerkraut and sausage! We ended the night doing the chicken dance on our table... what a sight!