Life with Norah

Let me just start off by saying, thank you so much for all your kind comments! It has been a very busy week and I haven't been able to respond to each of them, but you better believe that I read every one word for word and am amazed at how much our family is loved and prayed for!

These are some pictures from day yesterday in the NICU. Norah is a preemie (they have made an educated guess of about 36 weeks). That being said, she must wanna come home with us because she has been doing everything she is supposed to feeding wise, resting, and of course health wise. She is a rock star! She is getting closer to her birth weight (4 lbs 9 oz) everyday and they are telling us we may be able to go home tomorrow evening!

Because she should still be in the womb for another 4 weeks, the doctors and nurses are recommending very little stimulation, lots of chest to chest time (I have a moby wrap!!), and being held exclusively by mom and dad when at all possible.  This sometimes can be hard to hear as our family has been waiting YEARS for this time, but we know it's whats best for Norah.

Koa met Norah for the first time yesterday and he LOVES her. He is still a little in shock about the whole thing, but he knows her name and says it perfectly (NO-WAH Jane). He misses his mommy and daddy though and is definitely adjusting.

The nurses have all been SO kind to me here. They are constantly hearing about our situation and then asking, "What can I do to help you??" They want to hear our story and they all are very interested in the open adoption aspect. Norah's birth mom has been down to visit the NICU with me a few times and they have gone really well considering we just met Tuesday! We have built the start of a relationship with Norah as our connection. That being said, please pray for her in this hard time of her life that I can't even imagine what she is going through. She absolutely wants what's best for Norah though and I can feel her love pouring out when we are together.

The grandparents came to visit, all except one Papa who is coming tonight to bring the car seat and take me home to get some much needed rest. Aunt Nell and Uncle Johnny came as well! Auntie Kenzie came this morning and then I have spent this whole evening with her.

 

My stay in the NICU has been really special. It does, in some ways, feel like I just delivered Norah and God is totally answering my prayers with this whole situation. This whole week has felt like a whirlwind and I am totally being stretched beyond my comfort zone, but hey, I think its good for me!

I hope this post makes sense and there aren't too many errors because I AM TIRED! This mama needs some sleep before we possibly go home tomorrow. Please continue to pray for our family in this most amazing time in our life.

 

My life has truly changed and I am so incredibly thankful for my precious Norah.

P.S. I know many of you want to hear the story of how Norah came into our lives and I will write her birth story soon!