Sunday, February 27, 2011

Growing

I continue to read, read and read about preemies. If you look in my Google search history, you'll see things like "preemie long-term effects" and "preemie growth." I am in awe of the power of the human body. The body has miraculous ways of fixing itself - just as a person who experiences a heart attack can go on and enjoy life, a preemie can grow and thrive with organs that strengthen themselves. Jeremy and I are doing some serious attachment parenting - besides me nursing Jossie, we "wear" her in a baby wrap and she sleeps in a bassinet close to our bed. I feed on demand...even if demand means stopping roadside yesterday afternoon. (Oh, yes, I did nurse in the car.) This is all happening as we're also parenting Jack - doing things like the pee-pee Olympics where Jack practices his aim at Cheerios in the potty.

Did we mention we're exhausted?

Jossie will be 39 weeks gestational age tomorrow. She really is acting more and more like a newborn - more alert and really crying. The crying is joy, joy, joy to our ears - we love that her lungs are strong and growing, and she has the mental capabilities to tell us when something's wrong or we're utterly annoying her. I just love hearing those beautiful cries.

Jossie already has a collection of darling clothes - I cannot wait for spring and summer to doll her up next to her handsome big brother. And, yes, I can't believe I did this, but I bought Joss her first pair of white tights. Just a few weeks old, and I'm already planning to squeeze those baby thighs into tights. We gotta look good for the spring holidays, sweethearts!

3 comments:

  1. Thank you for the new perspective on baby cries. I never thought of them that way before, but I will from now on.

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  2. I am thinking of you through this journey. Jossie is such a little gift. I can only imagine the ups and downs, but Jossie's a fighter just like her Mommy. Can't wait to meet her soon!

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  3. Oh, and by the way my friends niece was a preemie, gosh she was born very early, maybe at 6 months? Anyway, she's a beautiful, bright 10 year-old now. Also, my grandmother was a preemie -- and didn't let it stop her. Imagine being born prematurely in 1928! As you said, the human body is an amazing thing.

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