What's the word...

So I wanted to tell you guys that once again we had some bad shit happen over here trying to build our family.
I found out I was pregnant in March and we were super excited. My first trimester screening came back 1/8 for Downs so I got an amino. When Doc did the scan before the amino he noticed bright spots on the heart. So went went to CHOP a couple days later for a fetal echo cardiogram. There we found out that our son had hypoplastic left heart syndrome. (The babe did not have downs by the way) In addition to that the right ventricle was leaking so the odds were not in his favor. So we made the decision/or the decision was the best for the baby and ended the pregnancy at 16 weeks. This was on June 11. You know I read all these blogs and hear people put their fate/faith in God and blah blah...I just do not get it anymore. But anyway that's a whole other post.

So at this point we are finished shaking our heads (how can this shit keep happening to us)and throwing up our arms(instead we held on tighter to Nina). I think after what happened last year, we can get through any fire walk.

We have opened our hearts and minds to domestic infant adoption. This is something we have talked about on and off through the years and we are going forward with this. We have hooked up with an agency and the paperwork is beginning to process!!

Classes

So I have been looking more and more into sending Nina to karate lessons are East West Karate in our town. They have a free trial class. She would be with the 3.5 to 5 age range kids called Tiny Tigers. She would be the youngest in the class in age and size and I am sure ability but from what I read thy section off into smaller groups which she would surely benefit from.

She has expressed a desire to attend dance class this fall. So I need to get the ball rolling on this too. Her BFF Ava wants to take class so it would be nice for her to already have a buddy.

This is her last month at Children of America. She has been at the same school since April 2009. She has done well there and we have nothing but great things to say. She will be going to a smaller Lutheran nursery school come mid Sept. I am hoping with a smaller class size and more experienced teacher she would do awesome! The only huge change is class is only 2.5 hours where now she is there 7 with lunch and a nap. so this will be an adjustment to us both.

Hanging Around

Summer is flying by so fast. Yesterday we went back to that little zoo in NJ that you can feed the animals. This year Nina got the treat to feed a giraffe. It was super cool!! This zoo has 9 giraffes where the Philly zoo only has 2. Aug is shaping up to be a busy month with 2 trips to the shore and Maine vaca.

Nina is doing good. She has many cuts and scrapes on her knees from her runs. She was D/C from PT so I am looking forward to seeing this final report. They said she can keep up with her peers so they d/ced her.

We are enrolling her in dance and maybe karate in the fall.

It's been 3 years since (6/21/07) Nina came home from her long long stay in the hospital.

It's just amazing looking at her now and how she has grown into this awesome, smart, fun kid!

I come across blogs where moms are going through the beginning of life in the NICU. It's just heartbreaking and sometimes I cannot believe I was once in their footsteps. But we get through it, we put one foot in front of the other and drive ourselves to the hospital and be with our baby.

We do it because that's our job.

It's true, we do not know how strong we are until we have to be.

Hello out there!

What to say? This morning we are going to Ped for a growth check. She is about 30 pounds and 35 inches.
Nina is almost 40 months old. She has grown 1/4 inch since March.
She is great is the weight dept but kinda behind in the height.
Not sure what Ped will say about it.Blood work? Not sure. Some of my fellow preemie moms have gone down the blood work route and found nothing...

It just makes me nuts when the Doc tell me that her height has nothing to do with being born 4 months early. That my 5/5 and Jason's 5/11 height determine her final outcome...I am finding that to be bullshit when your kid was 1/3 and 11 inches long at birth.

Dentist!

SHE KICKED BUTT!!!

We have been talking about going to see the dentist for some time now. I asked her if she wanted to sit on Daddy's lap or by herself and that is what she did today! They cleaned her teeth and flossed and the other usual stuff and she opened wide and had absolutely no issues with the visit. Jason and I were floored!! Great Job!!

After the dentist we went to the zoo with her friend Ava and had a blast! Good day all around!

updates

OK, an update...here we go!
Nina had her eyes checked a few weeks back and she did great ! Amazing! Do not need to go back for exam for another 2 years.


Her 3 year checkup was good. She is still mini as I already knew, she's not even 35 inches which is mini for a 3 year old. Her weight is on track at 29 pounds. The Dr tell me this has nothing to do with prematurity, well just see how she grows in the next few months...

One wacky thig is NIna's one canine tooth never came in and then maybe 3 weeks ago it came in BUT it came in sideways. CRAZY! We are going to the dentist next month. The Neo Natal F/U people said that maybe the vent tube caused damage? WHo knows? It's just weird since this tooth should have come in maybe 18 months ago and it just broke through looking like an arrow.

NIna moved up to the 3 year old program at school and is doing wonderful. She is learning so much and getting that 3 year old sass and mouth.

She loves helping me cook and doing things by herself. Still an awesome eater.
She is potty trained, and wears a pullup at night.
What else?

At 3 years old, Nina is done with sippys. Her fav food is mac and cheese and chicken nuggets.
She has two eggo waffles every morning for breakfast with syrup. I think that is a lot of food but sister downs it. Her fav color is purple. Still loves Yo Gabba Gabba and Sesame.

She has been healthy for the most part. Dr said she has allergies so she takes Zrtec for that. We also give her Pulamocort 2 daily.
Nina is receiving 2x a month PT sessions at school.

We are looking forward to an awesome summer. Have our passes to Sesame Place and got a swingset put out back.

I have pics and I need to download them...