Macie's NICU stay, Part I

Thankfully, Macie was able to get rid of her IV port fairly quickly, not requiring any medications after the routine antibiotics...but she did get herself a tanning light due to her bilirubin levels being too high.  All of these things, we have been reassured, are very textbook signs of her being a preemie.  

Grandpa and Grandma meeting Macie... 

In the meantime, Mommy was discharged...a very unusual and uncomfortable feeling to leave your baby in the hospital and go home.  I rested assured knowing she was in the very capable hands of her nurses...and I rested assured knowing there were two other little people who needed me home.  It is a balancing act...three pieces of my heart are in two separate places...but we're making it:)

After a few days on the light, she was able to come off of it...which made her feel better because I learned that she did NOT like wearing the goggles.  It made me feel better because it was yet another step in the right direction AND I got to start putting her cute, itty-bitty clothes on her now!  The day after her light was D/C'd, she also was taken from the vapotherm (humidified, forced room air) and put on just 1L of forced room air through a nasal cannula.  After a day of good behavior on the nasal cannula, it was D/C'd and she has been without it since!  Apparently, she was done with me taking her picture:

I have countless other pictures that I have taken with my phone so be warned there may be a post of just these pictures...or if I can find the time/energy, I will insert them where they belong in these current posts.  For now, we thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers for Macie...she is doing great and once she catches up to an acceptable developmental point, she will come home...and we can't wait!