Lock Down Commences

~I finally graduated to a "big girl" towel!!~

We officially began lock down today, although we actually began limiting our outings a week ago to those only absolutely necessary.  While we have been careful since we last discharged from the hospital, we have been allowed certain activities such as church attendance, grocery shopping (during week days at non-busy times), and similar things that did not involve large crowds.  With the arrival of October and the cooler weather, Noelle is now allowed to go to doctor appointments only, and we must keep her home the rest of the time for the next six months.  When they first explained this to me a few months ago, I was certainly willing to do it; but I was also dreading it a bit.  Six months seemed like a very long time, especially since I had been keeping her home ever since we discharged from the NICU; and I knew that even once the six months was completed, we would have to slowly begin introducing public activities again and could not just immediately resume a "normal" life.  However, as this time approached, I began to look forward to it and am actually thankful that it has arrived.  It will bring a certain amount of logistical challenges; but while I know that her health is ultimately in God's sovereign hands, it just feels more safe to be confined to home during this season when so many people become sick.  We are very hopeful that if she can do well (without setbacks) through this season, then next summer will be a different story altogether.  We have not forgotten that we still need to complete the sleep study and demonstrate improvement; but after talking with more members of her medical team and finding out further details of this past sleep study, we truly believe that she will not be receiving the tracheotomy that the ENT specialist thought she needed.  Improvement in her oxygen saturation levels has also continued in the past several weeks, and I am very thankful for my mom who has now moved here and is a tremendous help and blessing as we seek to do everything physically possible to aid Noelle's reflux issues (and consequently affect the upcoming sleep study results).  The nerves will still come as we approach that moment, but we continue to find great comfort in the fact that God has already planned our coming days.  As we close September and begin this new season, we had many blessings this past month of which I will share a few.  Thank you for your many continued prayers for our sweet miracle baby!!

~I just rolled over again!!~

September Blessings

~ Noelle began to roll over

~ We packed up nearly all the newborn clothes and began the transition to 3 month clothes

~ We have heard a couple of giggles now, and a full laugh is just under the surface

~ Noelle graduated from speech therapy 

~My mom (Noelle's snuggle buddy) now lives here

~Aunt Julie, Gigi, and G-Pa all came to visit

....and my very favorite:

~We reached the point of being at home for as many days as we have spent in the hospital this year!!!