Summer Fun 2014

Since Haylee has been home, we've enjoyed our time as a family of 6. The summer temps have been so nice that we play outside almost everyday! And when it rains, we love to sit on the porch and watch! Easton, recently got a handsome haircut and Maddie is getting ready for 1st grade. Brooklyn killed a front tooth and Haylee is 2 months old (that post is still coming)! Love time with my kids...even when it's crazy!

Matching Grandkids

My mom took some pics of all her grand kids in matching outfits the other day. They turned out great!

Our Girls

The very day we found out baby #4 was a girl, was the same day I bought these cute outfits! 

Haylee: 1 month to 6 weeks

Here is your one month photo:

This week, I took you to see Dr Smith. All my babies (other than Brooklyn) have experienced reflux and you are no different. You cry and spit up a ton, and it comes out your nose!! :( So I took you in to get some tummy meds. You are now over 6 weeks old and you weigh 9lbs and 14 oz! Some other things about you are:

-wearing some NB clothes still but moving into 0-3 month

-being weaned off your seizure meds!!

-nursing every 2-3 hours

-still have nights and days mixed up. However, last night you only woke up twice and I felt pretty rested this morning.

-you don't really like tummy time right now because of your reflux. You prefer to be held close. When you are on your back, you'll roll to either side.

Considering how sick you became, you act like a completely normal and healthy 6 week old! We are so grateful for where we are at this point in your little life. The Lord has done great things!

 

NICU

8 days after delivering Haylee, we went to  the ER at Mother Francis. She had stopped eating, looked yellow and had a low temp. Things seemed odd to us and I'm grateful they did because her condition quickly deteriorated. We were admitted to the children's floor for jaundice. Before we knew it though, we were being sent to the NICU. Her o2 levels were in the 50s and she was extremely dehydrated. I was overwhelmed and crying. Little did I know, the worst was still to come. They put us up in the NICU, room 9(the only room where parents could stay), and encouraged us to go eat lunch while they ran some tests. I couldn't eat but we left and came back about an hour later. When we returned, they informed us that during her spinal tap, she started having seizures. That was quite the blow. Over the next 24 hours she had electrodes placed on her head, was heavily sedated with seizure meds, started a round of antibiotics and after watching her basically stop breathing, she was eventually placed on a ventilator. I cried and cried. And asked multiple nurses if I was going to have to bury my baby. It was awful and she was a sick little girl. After 48 hours, none of her cultures grew but since her symptoms presented itself like newborn meningitis, that's what they treated her for. It was a 14 day treatment. Other than about 4 hours, I stayed with Haylee every second. It was hard-seeing your baby sick, healing from delivery in the NICU and being separated from the other kids. We had lots of visitors though, which helped greatly! In the meantime, we waited for her to wake up from her medicine so that she would remember to breathe on her own. That day finally came on Fathers Day! Jaime rushed to the hospital after church and we watched as they removed her from the ventilator. Then we both got to hold her!! Every day she got better and finally, after 2 weeks, we were allowed to go home! We've been home for 2 weeks now and Haylee is doing great! She's nursing well and acting like a regular newborn! We are even starting the process of weaning her off her seizure meds and praying that process goes smoothly! I think that we are suppose to have a follow-up appt in Dallas at some point but hopefully that's just precautionary. This wasn't the journey we intended on having but The Lord met every need of ours along the way. Hundreds of people knew the name Haylee Grace Crouse and were praying for her. It was awesome to see and hear some of the stories people shared with us! Our baby is healthy and we are grateful for the staff that helped get her there! We all love you Haylee Grace!