Grandpa's back in town

Mark flew in late yesterday afternoon. He was supposed to arrive at 4:45 and Megan was going to pick him up and the rest of us were going to meet them at the NICU. He was going to watch Drew while Megan, Andy and I went to an infant CPR Class. Well, as is very common with airlines, his flight was an hour late so Drew and I picked him up while Megan and Andy went to the class. I will take it next week. We still went to the hospital, though, so he could have his first peek at his new granddaughter. Tonight we went for her 6:00 feeding and he held her for the very first time, as you can see from the pics. Kayley hit 6 pounds yesterday, doubling her birth weight. I stole more pics from Andy's blog to show you the stark difference in her legs at 3 days as compared to yesterday. Amazing!

The big news today was that Kayley had her oxygen removed. Let's all hope she is strong enough to do it on her own. I am thinking she can!

It's like....kissing your sister

Drew came to see Kayley today. It was rather touching! Megan and I had been at the NICU since 9 am and Andy brought Drew after lunch. Drew has been saying Kayley's name for quite awhile and I show him pictures of her all the time so he has an idea just who this little person is but not quite sure what to think about her. I think he will have a lot to say about her when she gets home, especially when he finds out he is getting moved to a different room and bed and she is taking over his old stomping grounds. :-)

Let's try a bottle

The NICU is trying to teach Kayley to drink from a bottle. She is doing very well for someone who isn't even supposed to be born yet. Way to go Kayley! Email me!

Sunday morning in the NICU

Megan went down early today to visit her daughter. Grandma showed up around 11:00 to take some video and see how Kayley was doing today. She is inching ever so close to 5 pounds. My prediction is 5 pounds at Monday night's weigh-in! This is, of course, the complete opposite of the premise of the TV show "The Biggest Loser". We want Kayley to GAIN weight each weigh-in. She is doing very well in that department. She would have been voted off the TV show several days ago. :-) Email me!

Kayley's room

A visit with Kayley

Those pearly whites

Email me!

Just say "please"

Pretty in pink

Megan and I spent all of Saturday morning at the hospital visiting Kayley. Sunday I went in around 11:30 to see Megan give her a bath and then she dressed her in the cute outfit shown in the pictures. Following her bath I held her for over an hour during her noon feeding. She was very snug and sleepy while I did this. It is just sheer joy to hold her! She is up to 4 pounds, 4 ounces now. She still has the oxygen prongs in her nose but I assume they will try weaning her off of them this week perhaps. The only other thing she has to learn before she can come home is how to bottle/breast feed. She is still too young to attempt that but they may try towards the end of this week or early next week. The only thing I know for certain about her is that she is one sweet little girl. :-)

Drew and Kayley

Good news abounds

Kayley is doing great. For her one month birthday she got a great report from the opthamologist that examined her and she made it into a big girl bed. That is, she graduated from the covered isolette in NICU to her very own uncovered bed. She can keep her body temperature stable without help. As for her eye exam, the little girl amazed nurses and the examiner. From Andy and Megan's blog:

"The last update of the day is a biggie. The Arizona Pediatric Eye Specialists came in today to give Kayley an eye exam. They check for something called Retinopathy of Prematurity (ROP). It's when blood vessels in the immature part of the retina develop abnormally causing some complications in the eyes. This could be anything from nearsightedness to a wandering eye to blindness. Since a full term baby's eyes are just done developing when they are born, premature babies' eyes are not mature and are at a high risk for ROP. Well, we received great news. Kayley's eyes are already mature! The actual sheet that we received states, "Your infant's eyes have mature blood vessels and are at a low risk for developing ROP." Then it says, "She should have another eye exam by an opthamologist in six months." However, the "six months" is crossed out and written in is "24 months"! What great news. They do not seem worried at all about her eyes at this point. When Megan was there, the nurse told her how great this was and how she really couldn't believe the results because Kayley's eyes are not supposed to be mature at her age. Kayley just doesn't stop amazing us. What a great 1 month birthday..."

Yup, she had some quality time in that womb before she decided to see the real world a few months early! She also weighs 4 pounds 1 ounce. At this rate grandma will be lucky to be able to lift her when she gets home!

Drew and I are having a great time every day. He is so good about entertaining himself and is still a very happy little boy. He still takes long morning and afternoon naps so I am sure that helps with his sunny disposition. We have tried going outside but it is really hot right now. His cheeks get beet red after a few minutes so we pretty much stay indoors during the day where the air conditioner keeps churning out the cool air. His daddy takes him swimming a lot after he gets home from work so he does get his outside time each day.

A few pics of Kayley in her new big girl bed and some snaps of Drew. Have a great week-end.

Holding Kayley

I had the great privilege of holding my sweet granddaughter tonight for the very first time since her June 9th birth. She is fed every 3 hours and they want her held during the feeding. I took the 6 pm spot and was in heaven doing so. I was a little nervous at first but warmed up right away. Holding Kayley was like holding Drew the very first time except she was lighter in my arms. She stretched, hiccuped, slept and opened her eyes during this time. She is changing daily before our eyes. A beautiful little girl. I am definitely going back for that 6 pm time slot. Megan goes earlier and Andy later so I can slip in during this time and no one will be the wiser. :-)

Back in the heat

When I landed yesterday afternoon the flight attendant said "Welcome to Phoenix. Local time is 3:25 pm and the temperature is 550 degrees." :-) She was actually off by 440 degrees but I suppose she thought it felt like 550. But, I just looked at Iowa's temps for today and it said it felt like 98 with very high humidity. That is worse than Phoenix, believe me! I am afraid Mark is in for some mean thunderstorms with temps and humidity that high. :-(

Megan picked me up at the airport and took me to see Kayley at the hospital. I could see a big change in her. It is very nice to see her without all the tubes and wires. She is doing very well! I get the privilege of holding her during her 6pm feeding tonight, my first time to hold my new granddaughter. Be on the lookout for a picture of that event! I am pretty excited.

My last few days at the farm were peaceful. Matt came home of the 4th and we just spent it at the farm and Mark grilled T-bones for dinner. Of course, they were excellent! Saturday the three of us went fishing with Kevin and Lee to Brushy Creek State Park. We had never been there before so Kevin and Lee gave us a pretty good tour along with some fishing. I was the only one that caught a fish. It wasn't a "keeper" but at least I caught one! I think maybe Matt did catch one, also, but he was farther down the bank and I am not positive about that. Brushy Creek is really nice and I cannot believe we have lived so close to it and had never even been there. Shame on us.

I am back watching Drew today and he is as fun as ever. Smiling most of the time. He's a happy go lucky little guy. Well, that about sums up the last few days. Pics from the farm, Brushy Creek and pictures of Drew from today.

Stolen photos

I "lifted" these photos of our granddaughter off her daddy's website. Kayley is doing fantastic right now and is getting cuter every day! As much as I hate to leave Mark and the farm tomorrow, I must admit I am anxious to hold Kayley for the very first time and to give Drew a big hug. One can get a bit attached to a grandchild and I am all of that. :-)

Scenes from our Iowa farm

Land of 10,000 lakes

No, not Minnesota. Iowa could now hold that nickname. I have been back at the farm since June 28th and cannot believe how many ponds there are in the fields. Mark is trying to replant them right now. Such a growing season we are having!

Came home for the 4th of July and also for nephew John's wedding on the 28th. Jan just left today for Osakis. Her son Stan and wife Heather and son Micah returned on Monday. My niece Britt and hubby Tom came down Friday with their girls and left Sunday afternoon. Hayley, Olivia and Carley have grown so much and are just a beautiful as ever. I hated to see them go. Hopefully they are coming back in October for Katie and Dan's wedding. Another fun time to look forward to with my family!

Granddaughter Kayley is doing great. I cannot wait to see her when I return to Phoenix on July 6th. I may even get to hold her for the very first time. How exciting is that?!?! I have to admit that I really am missing little Drew and his smile, too.

Jan mowed our lawn yesterday while I cleaned up the flower beds and garden. It looks just beautiful right now. We drove around in the golf cart last night and admired our hard work. :-) I had to take ibuprofen this morning due to a bit much digging and hoeing for one day. Not as young as I used to be. :-)

Pictures are from my time here on the farm. The little guy is Micah. He is exactly one month older than Drew. I cannot wait to see them together sometime. Two cutie pies.