Update: 03 March 2009

Monica is continuing to grow; she certainly loves her milk.  She is now 7lbs 6oz.  She had her first "jabs" today so wasn't in the best of spirits to start with but she is coping well. It's almost her due date (11th March 2009), so we'll probably have to celebrate her other birthday :-)

Monica has now had quite a few visitors and although she is more awake and alert than ever, she still seems to favour visitor time for major sleeps hence very few people ever seem to get to see her awake.  Her nan and grandad only heard her cry for the first time two days ago (yet she is nearly 2 and a 1/2 months old now!!).  She is such a happy little baby and smiles a lot and has some wonderful expressions.

Monica having her temperature taken after her Jabs.

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Monica is Home at last

After Marie being on complete bed rest for 13 weeks and then our precious little baby girl spending the first 8 weeks of her life in hospital (initially graduating from the high dependancy unit at the Queen Charlotte and Chelsea hospital to low dependancy, the Isolation ward and then finally special care baby unit at the Lister hospital), to say that we are absolutely over the moon to have been able to finally bring our little girl home would be quite some understatement. 

Monica took the cold weather in her stride and slept the whole way home, although to be fair she did have a full tummy for the journey.

Marie and I would just like to thank everybody for all your kind words, emails, cards, presents & visits etc.  It has made all the difference to us and has made the journey a lot easier :-)

Monica getting read to leave the hospital in her "snow" suit.

Monica in her car seat ready to go home.

Monica outside for the first time ever (the first time didn't really count as she was in an incubator then :-)

Our little baby girl asleep in the car.

Monica fast asleep in her new moses basket at home :-)

Update: 21st Feb 2009 - First Week At Home.

The first week at home has flown by and Monica is doing amazingly.  It's incredible how strong she is getting, just a couple of weeks ago she couldn't even turn her head and now she moves her head from side to side all the time.

The poor little thing had to go for another ROP Eye test yesterday which was incredibly unpleasant for her (not to mention for Marie and I).  Retinas in babies aren't fully developed until week 36 hence the test to ensure that they have developed without issue.  I had to hold Monica down while the doctor did what I can only describe as some very heartbreaking things to her eyes.  Luckily she passed with flying colours and so has now been fully discharged and never has to have that test repeated again.

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