Thursday, July 19, 2007

Cause someone around here has to sleep all day

and get fed for doing nothing... (says the summer vacation teacher daddy)
The little one is Jocelyn. Welcome, little baby.

Update I:
I'm going to try to keep as many people updated as I can about our baby and her condition(s) as I can, so I may be a little lagging in the info department here at times.
Our little miss chubby cheeks is hooked up to the oxygen tube here (and some other gadgets and vials) because she had some trouble breathing, she had/has some discoloration issues going on (at times looking like a little Smurfette, which is not as cute as it sounds, Jossie being human and all), and she was throwing up some mean stuff. So, she's on antibiotics and she may remain at the hospital for another week. Hopefully, nothing worse is happening, but the staff is constantly checking up on her and monitoring her and everything.

Today, she had another tube going down into her mouth, and the staff has been directed to not feed her for awhile.

And it's difficult being in the Neo-natal Intensive Care Unit and seeing our relatively healthy and full-term baby and not feeling a little 'wowwed'. And we are grateful. We can, for instance, hold her. But it also hurts deeply to see our little precious one in all these tubes and crying out of frustration, a very hurt cry.

We ask and hold on to your prayers. Thank you.

Update II:

Mama and I are traveling a lot between here and there now. We can say that based on this evening's visit, our little pumpkin-head is doing so much better. She still has an infection (around the lungs, I believe), but everything else seems to be working fine and on-schedule for development (sounds like a project, eh?).

Still, we miss her here and long for the time to bring her home and hold her w/o worrying about popping off a tube or something.

Update III (July 20th):

On my way to an important (and always frustrating) teacher's fair, so I'll be quick.

Baby's doing well enough to allow her into a private room, which means that mama and/or I will have to be with her consistently until she's released (probably Tuesday, maybe slightly later). Which is terrific because mama's in recovery mode and shouldn't be doing so much traveling anyway. It also means that we may get to have a few more visitors. But, please, wipe your hands and blow your snotty noses before ya come in! (*wink*)

She's a feisty one, kinda like her mama, she even furrows her little and wide forehead like her beautiful mama.

Hopefully, I can get some pix of her and mama all cuddled up. They were running the tests on her when I came in this morning, so she was busy crying, which meant that she had the little eye-boogers on her (Joss, not Jen). Not the most photogenic, but I didn't have our cam w/ us anyhow. I'll have to steal Jen's. Jen's much more photogenic than me, but she's still cam shy. Yet how can you NOT look good cuddling next to that precious little pumpkin-head? She even makes me look good!

Update IV (July 21st):

So much I want to say, so little time. But since pictures are worth a thousand words...

Notice what's missing.
Mama and I are a little concerned about some blockage in the nasal passages, but she's off the O2 tubes, among other things.

One of the rare, valuable shots featuring the recovering mama. She's cute.

A really old picture of Jocelyn.

She's got large, spider-monkey feet.
The good news is, this is one of only two tubes left on her as of last night.

Yes, I know. We're planning an intervention.

I want to thank AJ and Therese for coming by yesterday and taking five million great pictures. (The first two pictures were courtesy Gramps Fronz and Jennie, both via the brilliant photographic capabilities of the Virgin Slver). Of course, I also want to thank Granny Fronz for exquisitely helping Jennie and the baby during the afternoon transitional period, and for Unky Chunky for coming by and bestowing his blessing on the other side of the pregnancy (Btw, Jocelyn is the first grandchild for both of our parents and obviously the first niece/nephew for our kin, so congrats to them too).

I also want to thank friends and family for their prayers, care and concern and stopping by here regularly for updates and images. I think our biggest areas of concern left are just in this transitional period (bringing her home w/o a boatload of expert staff at our every available whim for our slightest scare) and any concerns that we may/will most likely have in terms of insurance and payment.

Update V [The next one will be called Update Balboa] (July 22nd):

Not much to say. Or at least, not enough time to say it (promised Jennie I'd be back soon). But I will mention that we got news last night that we may be able to go home as early as tomorrow, Monday. She's eating well, but all of our hopes of putting her on some sort of schedule (and feeding straight from the source) seem to be flying out the window right now. O well, she's in a constant state of flux right now. We'll get it together soon and she'll pull herself up by her li'l booty straps before you know it. (You can tell I used to be a Republican?)

A picture I've been waiting to take for a while.
Don't know about you, but it makes me smile.

Update VI: A New Hope

We're still not home, after hoping to be released earlier today (although good news may come along at any given moment, I doubt they'll release us within the day). But Joss is doing well. She kept mama up all night (which I understand is perfectly normal for newborns and teenagers alike). She's also actually gained weight since birth (2 oz's. This just after we were told that she lost all-told two ounces since birth. That's a gain of like 4 ounces in one or two days. Just like her fat daddy!) - usually the babies drop that weight in the first week since they're padded with extra protection for that necessary sleep time. But at this point, we're just playing it safe. She drinks almost two ounces (the magic number, apparently) on average every three hours.

I've got more errands to do (including a trip to UPS on the other edge of town, if I can). So, I'll talk more later.

Update VII: Return of the Jossi (July 24th)

The moment we've all bee waiting for. The end of Jabba the Hut and the final confrontation with Darth V....

Sorry, wrong dramatic sequence.

I gotta go. My baby (and Jennie and myself) are coming home!

Update VIII: The Quest for Freedom (July 25th)

Look, colors!

I'm gonna clean up and feed my baby. Thanks for all your concerns, calls, texts, emails, prayers, etc.

Update IX (Jossie in Space).

We took little Joss to her first post-release doctor visit. She's not only fine, she's great. The doctor was thinking that she wasn't necessarily sick, but just threw up some milk (either mama's or the similac type stuff). Her little body (over?)reacted to defend itself and the hospital staff (overre?)acted in accordance to their policies to help the baby defend herself. But, honestly, I'm not knocking anybody. Better safe than sorry.

She's also actually gained weight already. And she's very peaceful. She can cry to stop a train, but generally speaking, she sleeps a lot, eats a lot, and poops occasionally.

BTW, I've been checking out the sitemeter to see who is interested in the news about our precious little bundle, only to find that a large contingency of international people who have visited (like, four of the ten) recently came for some insight (which I highly doubt they received) on biting beetles.

Is there something going on that I'm not aware of? (Zombie Roaches?)

Update X (The Papa Decree)

OK, and for those who just can't get enough Joss (I'm talking to you, family), we've got Flickr and Picassa slideshows above. You can get and copy pictures, I believe, just by clicking on the images.

Peace out.

14 comments:

  1. Finally! Congratulations to you and the missus. What a blessing! Enjoy.

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  2. Anonymous1:29 PM

    Awwww! Congrats! She is so beautiful.

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  3. She is too beautiful for words.

    Pumpkin head, Cute!

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  4. thanks, guys.

    hi, gabi.

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  5. Anonymous11:29 AM

    Hey...I'm here via Art's blog.

    You've got a precious little one there. Cuddle her often; babies grow up too quickly. You are so blessed!

    I'm praying for continued recovery and health for your little blessing, and for happiness for your little family.

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  6. I found my way over from Art's place too. Congratulations!

    I read this with tears in my eyes. I ,too, had a blue smurfette baby.(mine waited til we are almost ready to check out to blue and cold) I remember being scared to take her home too after we got the ok. My best advice? Call those experts anytime night or day when you have a problem, a question, or just need a little reassurance.

    Don't worry about the bills. We did not have insurance when this happened, and it took years to pay it off. But she is worth every penny.

    Now my "baby" is 12, tall for her age, and aside from being a little stubborn, perfectly normal. :)

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  7. Glad things are looking a bit better, man. God's blessings to you all!

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  8. I want to wish all three of you and your whole extended family a sincere and heartfelt congratulations. It is wonderful being able to see the pictures of you guys and to hear about the progress Jocelyn is making. Thanks for the blog as well. What a nice way of keeping in touch. Be well Dye family.

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  9. thanks to all, old and new blog-quaintances and my fellow teacher-cooperative, mr. o.t.

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  10. Anonymous4:05 AM

    Hi Jason,

    She's beautifull, happy all things are looking up for you three.

    love and cheers,
    Aunt Karen (downunder)

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  11. What a cutie. Glad she's finally home.

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  12. I was referring to the baby, not your wife. Not that she isn't too. All right, I'll stop digging the hole now.

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  13. Anonymous8:38 PM

    Since you commented about the sitemeter, I thought I'd better check in and comment. I've been reading your updates via Bloglines, and I'm not sure if those register with sitemeter when I don't click on through. So, I'm reading your updates, but you may not always be able to tell it.

    I'm glad to hear that the little one is home and doing much better!

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  14. art,

    thanks for being so patient with us during this whole pregnancy phase. i tried to make them hurry up, but you know how women are!

    and thanks for the plug on your popular site.

    gabrielle,

    thank you. seriously, i sometimes think that myself. but i'm her daddy, so i'm supposed to, right?

    Cubey,

    and we have the outfit to match, natch! hopefully her mom will let her wear it (and hopefully she'll fit in it still in late Oct).

    Vicki,

    thanks so much for stopping by. and we will. it's amazing to me that she is over a week old already. time does pass by. i had a dream that she was walking around and taking care of stuff already.

    doodlebugmom,

    1) i used to use a doodlebug. it's for cleaning and scrubbing hard to reach areas isn't it? we used to use it for stripping wax when i was a custodian. is that the same thing?

    2) what was your baby blue from?

    3) i hear you on the every penny part. esp since we can't (and won't) send her in for a refund.

    4) all my years of working with adolescents has told me that stubborn is perfectly normal for them.

    art,

    thanks again.

    ozni,

    once again, a way with words. it makes me happy to hear from the rcaa community. i already feel such a void. *blows nose* i miss you guys.

    Auntie Karen,

    since i've only got one Aunt Karen, you don't need the parenthesis with me (yet).

    although, you should know, that when i read your reply here, we were just taking joss home. and i was wearing my Australia t-shirt. and she spit all over it.

    how about that? it's an aussie inauguration?

    waspy,

    i would just say that i think that they're both cuties and i'm glad they're both back at home.

    but if you weren't all the way out there in the christian boondocks (aka, wheaton), boy i'd...

    vicki,

    that's sweet.

    i didn't even think about the bloglines (or any of those similar check-ins). i should start doing that, seeing how i rarely get time to catch up on any blogging (or news, or sleep for that matter).

    btw, there's no way that someone as technologically unsavvy as me is really capable of tracking people. i look at the data as mere general trends, etc.

    everyone,

    thank you. you've been wonderful! goodnight.

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Be kind. Rewind.