Allison Shepard's Blog

I'm 2 Years Old!

2010-05-30T10:00:00.000-07:00

Wow! Time has flown by and we've been really behind in updating Allie's blog. It's been a pretty good winter and busy spring so far. Allie is now 2 years-old and just so much fun. She talks quite a bit and loves to make her animal sounds. She has started daycare 4 days a week and spends one day with Grammy as Mom has gone back to work full-time. Allie really enjoys being at daycare and has learned so much and has made lots of friends!

This spring we took a family trip with the Bullion side of the family to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Allie enjoyed playing in the sand and was amused by the ocean! She is not afraid to jump right in the water and likes to go out on the boat with us too.

We hope all our friends and family have a nice springtime and great summer!

Winter Fun!

2010-01-13T08:20:00.001-08:00

Happy Halloween!

2009-11-01T13:16:00.000-08:00

The Traveling Toddler!

2009-10-20T13:47:00.000-07:00

It's been a busy couple of months. Allie has been on the go visiting family and friends in Ohio, Texas and the Upper Penninsula! She's had so much fun seeing her cousins this past Summer and Fall! Here are some recent pics!

Summer Fun!

2009-09-01T08:03:00.001-07:00

It's been a wonderful summer this year. We've had lots of fun outdoors and have gotten to visit with many of our friends and family. We're having a blast with the Spiess family up from Texas. Allie loves to play with her cousins Jackson and Tyler. On August 30th we had all 3 kids baptized together at Matt and Erica's home church up north. The kids did just great and we had such a nice time. We really appreciate everyone coming - both near and far!

Allie is growing so fast now and is in to everything! She's walking along furniture and will stand on her own - we're sure it will be any day now before she starts walking. Her health has been wonderful and the doctor is pleased with her growth. She's talking now and will say "Da-Da" and "Baby" - no "Mama" yet, but we're working on it :)

We're looking forward to a busy fall and have lots planned. We're going to see everyone in Ohio at the end of the month and then the beginning of October Mom and Allie are off for a girls trip to Austin, Texas to visit Aunt Erica, Uncle Kyle, Jackson, Tyler and Sully dog too! It will be Allie's first plane ride! We're also hoping to go visit Uncle Mark in Marquette this fall.

We hope this note finds you well.
Love, The Shepards

More Topsail Island Pics!

2009-07-04T09:58:00.001-07:00

I Love Swimming!

2009-07-04T09:48:00.000-07:00

What a fun vacation! We spent a week at Topsail Island, North Carolina with Mom, Dad, Grammy, Uncle Mark and Uncle Mike! I loved to go swimming and enjoyed putting my feet in the sand. I did very well during the 14 hour drive! We had such a great time and loved being with family (and they loved being with me too!) Mom, Dad and my Uncles all took surfing lessons - when I get bigger I'm going to try it too! Hang Loose!

My Perspective - By Boomer

2009-06-10T09:52:00.000-07:00

Ok, so mom usually writes the posts with dad's help. Even Allie used to write the posts once in a a while. Now it's my turn... Life with Allie.

So I'm usually a pretty good dog, don't get into too much trouble then come last August mom and dad bring Allie home. Now at first I was curious, I'd look into the crib and check her out. She is cute... Now she is SCARY! The little girl crawls like crazy and thinks that I'm a toy! She even tries to stand on me! I know that she is under 20 lbs and I'm over 100 but wow can she move now.

Yesterday we were at Grandma Bullion's house while mom and dad worked at the office and she would chase me. When she catches me she goes HA! in triumph.

Not only has she mastered the art of crawling but now she is trying stand and walk. She is in her bed and will pull herself up and look over the crib. Dad had to lower the crib twice now because he thinks she might go over.

I'm adjusting to having a sister and she is a lot of fun we just have to work on the hair pulling....

Talk to you soon,

Boomer

Birthday Party #2 Continued

2009-05-07T19:24:00.001-07:00

Birthday Party #2

2009-05-07T19:20:00.001-07:00

More Pics!

2009-04-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

More Birthday Pics!

2009-04-28T10:14:00.001-07:00

Happy 1st Birthday!

2009-04-28T10:02:00.000-07:00

What a very fun day! Allie celebrated her 1st birthday yesterday and enjoyed every minute of it! The party theme was "underwater sea life" and she had an aquarium cake to go with the festivities. And boy did she love frosting........ We look forward to celebrating again next Sunday with Allie's grandparents and uncles! A girl can never have too many birthday parties!

Hop Hop Hop Easter Bunny!

2009-04-14T16:12:00.000-07:00

Allison had a fun filled first Easter! The Easter Bunny was very good to her. She loves her new doll and tea set and all the great books the Bunny brought! Allie got all dressed up her new Easter dress and looked adorable!

Our family enjoyed Easter together and spent the afternoon at Grammy Karen's where Allison got to meet some of the Bullion family for the first time. All her cousins loved watching and playing with her. We hope everyone had a wonderful holiday as well!

Happy Spring!

2009-04-01T18:02:00.000-07:00

Wow time has flown by! It's hard to believe Allison is approaching her 1st birthday in less than a month! Allie is such a sweet joy and is so much fun. Her personality is really starting to show. She has taken a liking to baby food and loves to "spit" her food - yes, you can imagine mealtime is quite entertaining! Her favorite food so far is Gerber macaroni and cheese - hmmmm.....must take after her Mom!

She has also become quite a wiggle worm! She loves to move around and should be starting to crawl anytime now. Allie and Boomer have become even closer friends. Boomer loves to lay next to her during "tummy time" and she loves to lunge for his ears (the poor dog is so good with her even as she pulls on his fur!)

Allie is now about 16 pounds and is really starting to fill out. We still go once a week to physical therapy to monitor her development. Everything seems to be on track and she is progressing so well! Allie is very amused to see the other kids there and loves to watch them too.

With the nice weather lately we've been able to get out more and enjoy some walks. Allie enjoys her visits with Grammy Karen and loves it when she sings to her (she falls asleep in her arms every time!) Nana and Papa have been over to visit and are amazed every time to see how fast Allie is growing.

Mom and Dad have been keeping busy with things. Dad is enjoying his law practice. Mom has added some hours at work at MACPA to cover for a co-worker's leave and is also handling marketing for the law firm......things have been go, go, go! Mom and Dad did enjoy a fun night out last weekend as some friends got married.

We are looking forward to a trip to Missouri next month where we'll visit Great-Grandma Shepard and meet up with cousins Jackson and Tyler from Texas for the first time along with Nana and Papa! It will be nice to have everyone together!

We hope this message finds you well and look forward to introducing Allie to you this spring and summer if you haven't met her yet!

Love,

Matt, Nicole, Allie & Boomer too!

I'm Growing and Growing!

2009-02-21T11:37:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends & Family,

We know it's been a while since we've posted on the blog - things have been busy, busy! Allie is doing just great. She is now about 15 pounds and 26 inches long! She is actually on the full-term baby growth chart now for her height and head circumference - so we're very excited!

Fortunately, Allie has been very healthy this winter and we've managed to dodge colds and the flu so far - we're hoping things stay that way. Allie has been keeping busy with rolling around, bouncing in her new Exersaucer and just about sitting on her own now. She loves to babble and talk, talk, talk (we think she's telling us stories!) She is becoming more and more aware of Boomer and he just adores her. He likes to lay next to her on the floor when she plays. Allie is notorious for taking off her socks and chewing on them (gross!) We cannot keep socks on her at all - she is quite the hoot!

Allie (and Mom & Dad) have enjoyed some visits from family and friends this winter and are so excited for it to warm up so we can get out the stroller! We are looking forward to celebrating Allie's 1st Birthday - just around the corner!

Hope everyone is well! Stay warm and hang in there......Spring is almost here!

Love, The Shepards

Merry, Merry Christmas!

2008-12-31T11:53:00.001-08:00

Merry Christmas everyone! We hope you had a wonderful holiday. Allison enjoyed her first Christmas and had lots of fun with her family! We spent the holidays pretty close to home this year as we still have to limit Allie's contact around others.

Santa was very good to Allie bringing books and toys and of course lots of cute outfits. Her favorite gift was from Aunt Erica, Uncle Kyle and cousins Jackson and Tyler....Elmo Live! She just stares and smiles and watches him over and over again. Mom and Dad admit that they are pretty amused with Elmo Live too!

Allie is doing amazing and continues to grow so fast - she is now about 13 lbs, loving her baby cereal and has tried a few different fruits . We did get Allie a cranial helmet to help shape a flat spot on the back of her head (very typical with preemies) - she'd adjusting to it well will hopefully just have it for a couple months. Allie has also been going to physical therapy one time per week to help strengthen the left side of her neck (she tends to favor the right.) Her therapist anticipates that she won't be there long and we'll just keep working on some stretches from home.

We look forward to sharing 2009 with all of you and may it bring you and your family good health and happiness!

Best Wishes,

The Shepards

Gobble, gobble!

2008-11-25T16:50:00.000-08:00

As we prepare for Thanksgiving Day we want to give a special thank you to all our friends and family for their love and support over the past months. We cannot thank everyone for all your kind gestures for Allie. We all have a lot to be thankful for and many given blessings.

It's hard to believe that she's going to be 7 months old on Thanksgiving! Allie is doing amazing. She is babbling so much and loves to "coo" and laugh at her toys. She is starting to notice Boomer more and even decided to crawl up on him and give him a big hug (with Mom and Dad's help of course.)

Allie has been busy with Mom the last few days preparing for Turkey Day. We've made hand-traced cut out turkeys for decoration and some kiddie cornucopias (not that she can eat them, but Mom had fun!) We'll spend Thanksgiving at home this year. All the grandparents will be over along with Uncle Mike and Uncle Mark (who will be meeting Allie for the first time.)

From our home to yours, we hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.

Love,
Matt, Nicole & Little Turkey (Allie)

Happy Halloween!

2008-11-02T08:39:00.000-08:00

Hi Friends and Family,

Halloween was extra fun at our house this year. I dressed up as a ladybug and loved it. Mom and Dad enjoyed picking out a costume for me. I stayed in this year and passed out candy - next year I'll get to go out and trick or treat.

I had a check-up with the pediatrician on Halloween and all is well. The doctor said I'm about 11 pounds and 23 inches long. He said that I'm very healthy and everything looks and sounds great, hopefully we'll continue on that note. Unfortunately I had to get some shots too, so I was a little fussy - those shots really hurt!

The doctor was impressed with my head control and movement and thought it was great that I'm rolling now! We got the green light to go ahead and try some rice cereal.....mmm, that stuff is yummy! Although, I enjoyed playing with it more than eating it - cereal was EVERYWHERE!

It's been so nice out lately and I've enjoyed going for long walks with my puppy dog Boomer. Mom went back to work 1 day a week and Grammy Karen comes over to stay with me. We have fun and like to read and sing together.

Now with Thanksgiving approaching, I'm going to try to sneak some goodies on Turkey Day....do you think Gerber makes pumpkin pie baby food?

Love and kisses,
Allie

Growing Up Fast!

2008-10-20T18:49:00.001-07:00

Time is flying by and it's hard to believe the end of October is approaching! Allie has just been such a joy to us. She loves to babble and chat and yesterday she rolled over for the first time! She enjoys playing on her Baby Einstein mat and is starting to like "tummy time" more and more. We would guess her to be close to 11 lbs now, but we'll know for sure when she goes to the doctor at the end of the month.

We've had some visitors over to meet Allie and we certainly appreciate everyone's cooperation with following our "health guidelines" to ensure we keep Allie super healthy.

Allie enjoys her visits with Grammy Karen and will get to spend this weekend with Nana and Papa Shepard as they are coming down to stay with Allie and Matt while Nicole is on her first overnight weekend (girls weekend) away from Allie. Yes, she is going to miss her like CRAZY - but she knows she'll be in great hands.

Boomer continues to be intrigued by Allie. We've caught him giving her feet "kisses" and often he lays right under her swing. It will definitely be funny when she can start feeding him goodies!

We hope everyone is having a nice Fall and hope you have fun this Halloween. Allie will enjoy her first Halloween as a ladybug!

Love, The Shepards

Happy Fall!

2008-09-27T04:46:00.001-07:00

What great Fall weather! Allison has been doing lots of outdoor activities taking advantage of being outside while we still can. We've been going to the park and out on long walks and she loves to sleep the whole time. Boomer likes to walk directly in front of the stroller and "lead" the rest of us - it's so cute!

Allie had a check-up with her pediatrician yesterday and he said that she looks great and is doing just fine. She weighed 9lbs 6oz and is 21 inches long.

Allison babbles quite a bit and likes "tummy time" on her Baby Einstein mat. She continues to be just a bundle of joy for us and we are so grateful for her good health.

We hope this message finds all our friends and family well.

I Love Being Home!

2008-09-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

It is so nice to be home with my family! I've been getting big and am adjusting well. I now weigh 8 lbs and have a big appetite! Most of my days I spend time cuddling with Mom and Dad, doing "tummy time" and going for walks in my stroller. Big brother Boomer is very curious about me. He watches me and peeks in my crib when I cry. I can't wait to pull his tail and feed him Cheerios!

Mom and Dad are taking good care of me. I'm still using oxygen and a monitor, but have started weaning off both. I enjoy "Daddy/Daughter" time when Mom needs to run errands. Dad is teaching me all about football.

Hope everyone is well!
Love, Allie

Finally settling in

2008-09-01T17:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been a while since this update but we have a good excuse. Allison is doing great but she does take a lot of our attention, probably since we don't have the nurses to oversee any longer...

Home Sweet Home!

2008-08-21T07:32:00.000-07:00

Wow, what a week! It has been so wonderful having Allie home now! She is doing great and loving every minute of being with her family. The transition to home went very smooth. It was hard to say goodbye to our friends at the NICU, but we promised to stay in touch and visit.

We've had a busy week of doctor's appointments, nursing home visits and settling Allie in. Big brother Boomer is curious about Allie and peeks in her crib to check up on her now and then.

Last night we went for our first family walk and Allie enjoyed getting fresh air. She is also quite the night owl (must get that from Papa Shepard!) but enjoys long afternoon naps. Grammy Karen came over yesterday to help out and loved holding Allie for the first time. Mom and Dad appreciated a little break too!

We are so grateful and happy to have her home!

Homecoming!

2008-08-12T20:19:00.001-07:00

Today was the day we have dreamed of for so long. After over 100+ days in the NICU, Allison can now go home! We are scheduled to discharge on Sunday and we'll finally get to bring our little munchkin home!
Allie will be coming home on her oxygen canula for probably a few weeks till she gets a little bigger and she'll have a respiratory therapist follow her progress at home.
Allie is now 6lbs 13oz and loving every minute of her meals (thus her cute chubby cheeks!)
Words cannot describe the feeling of relief to know that the end of our journey is near and we can move forward now with our little angel at home.

Bon appétit!

2008-08-08T17:28:00.000-07:00

Hello my friends and family,

It is tricky trying to climb out of that crib!!!! I've been a busy girl this week. I finally got to bottle and breastfeed and am doing quite well with it. Right now they let me do it twice daily and will increase it over the next week. I'm still waiting for some Nestle Quik though!

This week I also had my development assessment by the occupational and physical therapists. Everything is on track and my muscle tone is very good. They are pleased with my strength and movement. Hmmm.....must be that new ab roller I got! I also had a follow up appointment with the eye doctor and they noted that my surgery went well and I should be all set.

I am much more awake now and love to cuddle and take baths - they are my favorite. I'm also making a lot more noises. The nurses still like to dress me up and play fashion show...I had to tell them no make-up though.

It is so exciting to hear the doctors discuss me coming home. I just need to take all my feedings via mouth and pretty much that's it. My breathing is progressing too. I'm still on the canula, but at a very low volume of oxygen, probably not too much longer with that! Hopefully over the next two weeks I should be able to come home with Mom and Dad and big brother Boomer!

Thank you for praying for me and keeping me in your thoughts.

Love, Allie

Lots of R & R!

2008-08-03T16:42:00.000-07:00

Whew!!! It took a long time for Allison to recover from the anesthesia given on Wednesday for her surgery. She went back on the respirator for breathing support during the surgery and stayed on after during recovery. Allie was pretty groggy for a few days and just took her time relaxing and catching up on some sleep. The doctors told us that each baby reacts differently to being put under, so we just waited and waited. Finally, Friday night she snapped out of it and transitioned back to her usually self....Miss Fiesty!

Things are back on track now, Allie is 6lbs 3oz and on a straight canula now. The next step will be feeding her this week. She likes her pacifier a lot, so hopefully that will go well. She has taken a new liking to her musical, light-up, moving, rainforest crib entertainment center and has decided that she no longer likes the "princess" mobile as she starts crying every time we turn it on! Allie is now responding much more to our voices and smiles like crazy! It is so heartwarming!

We are counting down the days until she can come home, hopefully within a couple of weeks. The nursery is now complete and we're just finishing up a few minor touches...all we now is Allie!

Successful surgery.......

2008-07-30T18:04:00.000-07:00

It's been a long day but we're so grateful everything is well with Allison. Allison is regularly seen by a pediatric ophthalmologist to monitor her eye development. One of the complications that preemies sometimes face is retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) which involves issues with the retina and development of blood vessels in the eyes. On Tuesday the doctor noticed that her eyes had taken a negative turn and suggested laser surgery immediately. www.ropard.org gives a full definition.

Fortunately Royal Oak Beaumont is recognized as the top facility in the world to have this type of surgery done - apparently babies are sent here from all over the world for this surgery, so we're very fortunate to have this resource right here.

Allison had a very successful surgery. The procedure took about 2 hours start to finish and only involved lasers. She had to be put under anesthesia, but tolerated it well. The doctor figured this would be the only surgery necessary and it will hopefully take care of the issues. She should have normal vision or perhaps might have to wear glasses for nearsightedness. Thank goodness!

On another great note....Allie is off of her CPAP and is now on a nasal canula 24 hours a day....this is a HUGE step for her as she can now start to bottle/breast feed hopefully in a couple days! We look forward to her progressing even more over the next few weeks and just can't wait to have her home in our arms!

Thank you to all for your continued prayers, e-mails and calls for Allie.

3 months old!

2008-07-28T16:01:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that Allie turned 3 months yesterday! She's is now 6lbs 4oz and growing! The doctor's have actually cut back her calories since she's now on track for her weight gain. She is progressing well with her breathing. Allie continues to have 6 hour canula sessions twice a day and then alternates CPAP and the canula for the other time. We found out that Allie is also very ticklish and puts on a big smile when you tickle her feet! She is a wonderful baby and we're so happy she's doing well. She's been named the "NICU Queen" as she has been in the NICU longer that any other baby at this time!

"Splish splash...I was taking a bath"

2008-07-22T17:39:00.001-07:00

What fun! I had a day at the spa! Mom gave me a bubble bath in my new tub (thank you Nana and Shepard aunts!) It was great, I even have a head pillow! All I need now are some whirpool jets in this thing!

I am 5lbs 14oz and 18 inches long. I can fit into my preemie clothes very well now. I've been doing great on my breathing. I now use the nasal canula for 6 hours once a day and then alternate the CPAP and canula every 3 hours during the remainder of the day. I'm up to 50cc's of milk every 3 hours too. Still waiting for them to add some Nestle Quik to it!

The occupational therapist came to visit, she said I'm looking great and gave me some posture exercises to practice with Mom and Dad. The neonatologists tell me that I should be able to go home mid to late August.....Yipee!

I am so excited to go home, but will miss all my NICU friends, wonderful nurses, respiratory therapists, doctors, environmental crew and receptionists. They will never, ever know just how much their loving care, patience and knowledge has meant to all of us. They will always have a special place in all our hearts.

Love and kisses,
Allie

Little Miss Sunshine

2008-07-17T17:49:00.000-07:00

Allison has had a good week. She's now 5 lbs 3 oz and growing strong. The doctors are really pleased with her progress. Allie is still rotating between CPAP and the canula till Monday and then they'll re-evaluate where she's at. She is starting to cry more and is getting accustomed to her feeding schedule every 3 hours. She does let us know when she's hungry!!!

Allie loves to cuddle and slept on Mom's chest for 2 hours today. We read some fairy tales too!

Hope everyone is doing well and have a nice weekend!

"I'm a big kid now!"

2008-07-14T07:42:00.000-07:00

I'm back again! This time I had to rely on my doggie Boomer to help me out....he brought me Dad's laptop! I've been a busy, busy girl! I'm now 5lbs 1oz, can you believe that? The canula and CPAP are going well for me, I like it when I'm on the canula since there are less wires and tubes on my head!
I've been busy playing dress up - everyone likes to dress me and then a couple hours later they change my clothes.....I don't get it!
This weekend was busy, I had a new neighbor move in next door, she seems nice, but a little fussy at times! The gift shop downstairs had a sale going on, so I crawled all the way down there to go shopping....Mom says I have to learn how to shop at an early age so I can keep up with her and my grandmothers when I'm older!

I must get going, I've got my "yoga for preemies" class this morning.

Love, Allie

Great News!

2008-07-10T18:42:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

Allie is growing fast and is now 4 lbs 10 oz and is loving her new crib! We got the most wonderful news yesterday.....Allie's PDA valve in her heart has finally closed!!! After an ultrasound, the pediatric cardiologist confirmed that her heart is just fine and the valve closed on it's own, so no surgery! He assured us that her heart is just "beautiful!"

Allie continues to be on the nasal canula and CPAP alternating each every 3 hours. It's so much easier to hold and care for her when she's on the canula, we can't wait for her to go full-time!
Mom bought Allie a "princess" mobile for her crib....she's amused by the mirror on it!

A lot of people have been asking when she'll get to come home...most likely it will be close to her due date - give or take a few weeks. Her original due date was August 8th, so hopefully not too much longer. However and whatever it takes to keep her strong and healthy is exactly what we'll do. Thank you everyone for all your prayers for Allie.

Love,
Matt, Nicole and Allie

P.S. Maybe Allie will try to sneak out next time to write the blog!

OK, somebody snitched...

2008-07-07T18:29:00.000-07:00

I don't know who on the outside did it, but somebody must have told the nurses that I've been sneaking out and writing this blog. Today they put me in a new bed, this one has bars which I think are there to hold me in. Mom and dad seemed real excited though, they say that it is a step up and the reason for the change is because I can hold my own body temperature. I'm not sure if I buy that story...I've also been a lot hungrier lately so they have increased my feeding to 48 cc's every 3 hours (a long way since the 2 cc's when I first started). I am also doing 3 hours on the canula and then 3 hours on the CPAP. So 50% of my time is on the canula. This is real good because I'm am able to be held more and mom and dad are real excited. Oh, I almost forgot - yesterday I got my first manicure!!! It was a lot of fun and I think mom and I have a new hobby. Talk to you all soon.

Happy 4th of July!

2008-07-05T08:34:00.001-07:00

It's me again! I'm using the nurse's computer while she's on a break - HA! I'm so excited to be on the nasal canula now. They let me use it 2 times per day for about 3 hours...it is so fun being free from all the extra tubes and wires and I don't have to wear that silly hat!

The 4th of July was so much fun! Mom and Dad gave me my very first bath. I've never seen Mom and Dad get so excited over a bath.....it was very special for them to be able to do more care for me. I loved it and didn't cry one bit! I'm now 4 lbs 4 oz and getting big!

The 4th was great at the NICU.....we had a potluck dinner (I brought rice cereal with bananas and pina colada flavored pacifiers for my friends) followed by "nursery rhyme" karaoke!!! What a fun night at the NICU!

I hope everyone is well and I can't thank you enough for your calls, e-mails, prayers, cards and love. I know Mom and Dad really appreciate everything too!

I think the nurse is coming back from break....got to go!

Love, Allie

I'm 4 lbs!!!!!!

2008-07-01T18:33:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone!

I finally got to sneek out of the NICU again to post an update! I've been a busy girl lately....I'm now 4 lbs and growing strong! The CPAP is going really well and they've been able to ween my pressure even more. I overheard the doctor say today that they will try a nasal canula on me tomorrow. Wouldn't that be great? Then I can get rid of all these tubes and my hat and you can see my pretty face and hair. I've got to get lots of rest tonight so that I can save my strength for the canula!

The food is okay around here, they keep giving me the same milk stuff, but have increased the amount. My tummy has handled it well. I got in trouble for trying to have a pizza delivered to the NICU......that didn't go over good. I really wish the ice cream truck could come up to the 5th floor!

I've been having fun playing dress-up with the nurses. They love to put cute outfits on me everyday. I got so many new nice clothes and toys at my "Princess" shower last weekend. Thank you everyone for all the wonderful new things.

Mom and Dad have been hanging out with me and holding me quite a bit. I love to cuddle and hear them talk to me. Grandma Karen came to see me today too. I can't wait to go home and be with my friends and family.

Well goodnight to all and I'll try to sneak out again to give you an update on the nasal canula - wish me luck!

Love, Allie

New Pics

2008-06-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

Allie had a great day! She is still hovering around 3lb 12oz. She enjoyed a cuddle with Mom today and had a visit from Nana and Papa Shepard. As you can see, she is now fitting into her preemie outfits.

Allison is doing really good on CPAP and is weaning down her PEEP (the amount of air pressure being pushed through her nose) and will hopefully transition to a nasal canula over the next couple of weeks. She loves to be held and smiles quite often......it just melts our hearts!

3 lbs. 12 oz. and growing!

2008-06-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

Allison is doing real well, she is up to 3lbs, 12 oz and continues to improve daily.

2008-06-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Allison is doing well, she is still on the CPAP and we will begin weening her off of it on Monday, hopefully it won't take too long!!! She is around 3lbs 7 1/2 ounces, and growing. She now wears little footies, but she keeps kicking them off!

Officially off the respirator!!!

2008-06-18T19:15:00.000-07:00

On Monday at 8:30 A.M. Allison went off the respirator and is now on CPAP. She has been doing well and we hope that she continues, we can now see her mouth and can hold her in our arms. She is up to 3 lbs., 3 oz. and continues to handle her feedings well.

Thanks to the NICU staff for all their support. Allison had the whole 5th floor rooting for her CPAP success!

Her next step will be to ween off the CPAP and go to the nasal canula. GO ALLISON!!!

2008-06-15T05:39:00.000-07:00

Well, we hit the big 3 lbs mark this weekend! She is doing good and we are getting ready to try CPAP again on Monday. A lot of people have been asking about her room, thus the pictures.

All dressed up

2008-06-14T05:57:00.000-07:00

2008-06-12T18:00:00.000-07:00

Another good day. Today Allison is wearing clothes for the first time! She loves her pacifier and now likes to hold fingers. She is doing great and is only 2 oz away from 3 lbs. She keeps her eyes open for longer periods of time (an hour or so) and she loves to look around. She has this expression on her face like, "What is going on?"

Today I tried to take the pacifier out of her mouth, thinking that she was getting tired and she gave me the "I'm going to cry" face. Needless to say the pacifier went right back in. She definitely has me wrapped around her little finger. Oh well, that's what dads are for.

The pictures are taken with a cam phone, sorry but the batteries ran out on the regular camera, tomorrow's pictures will be much better, and yes, I promise to update tomorrow.

A note from Allison

2008-06-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

So, mom and dad haven't updated the blog in a couple of days so I snuck out again to update it for them. First, to all those that were at the shower this last Sunday, thank you so much. All the gifts and well wishes were a wonderful and generous surprise. I can't wait to get out of here to try on all those clothes! Right now I just hang out in a diaper, I can't wait to be dressed up!

I have been gaining weight steadily, today I am 2 lbs., 14 oz. only 2 oz. away from the big 3. My PDA is so small that the doctors tell me that it really isn't a concern right now. I know that I still have a way to go but I'm ready to hang out at my real home.

Mom still visits me all day, every day. I really like hanging out with her. Dad comes after work and hangs out until the nurses kick them out for shift change. The nurses here are real nice and the doctors are real good with me. I'm going to try CPAP again later this week or early next week, they will tell me when they think I'm ready.

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers, they really have helped me. Sorry I don't have any pictures to post - I'm too small to use a camera!

2008-06-05T17:14:00.000-07:00

2 lbs, 10 oz. - She is doing real well and we are very fortunate. She keeps growing and growing each and every day.
The CPAP didn't work out. Allison didn't have a problem with getting air, it was her temper! She became really upset with the tubes in her nose and she tensed up and fought for an hour, she won the fight and the nurses went back to the respirator. We'll try again next week, but her temperament is apparent.
Allison now likes to suck her thumb and she is starting to smile.

2008-06-01T18:45:00.000-07:00

Allison had a good weekend, she is now 2lbs. 6 oz. and is up to 15 cc's every 2 hours - she's got a great appetite. The nurse introduced her to a pacifier to use when she's being being fed through the gavage - she loved it!

They have also started Allison on a daily dose of caffeine to help stimulate her lungs as she is scheduled to move off the ventilator and onto CPAP (a breathing machine that sends pressurized air to assist with breathing) on Monday - a HUGE step for her! They tell us not to get discouraged if she doesn't take to it right away.

Allison's personality and characteristics are really starting to show - she loves to be held, dislikes laying on her back and having her face wiped. She looks more and more like Matt everyday - she's got blonde hair, cute cheeks and blue eyes, and she got Nicole's toes!

2008-05-28T19:19:00.001-07:00

Allison is 30 weeks gestation age today - yeah! She is doing great and has moved out of the "micro-preemie" intensive care unit to the regular neonatal intensive care unit - a positive move for her! She now has a "window" room as the doctors would like her to get some natural sunlight.

Allison is now up to 2.3lbs and is taking in 13 cc's every 2 hours - she continues to lower her numbers on her respirator and is progressing well.

Her latest talents include pushing herself out of her little nest of cloth bumpers and doing yoga poses. She is quite strong and pulled out her feeding tube the other day and crawled off her pillow! We get to hold her each day and participate in her daily care.

We really appreciate all your thoughts and prayers and all the support from our family and friends.

2008-05-22T17:41:00.000-07:00

How exciting a couple days can make. Allison continues to do well and she is really growing. She is taking in 1/3 of an ounce every two hours. She seems to have grown a head of hair overnight, and she really likes to show her disapproval with the nurses when they mess with her!

The pictures:
1 - Being held by dad
2 - the "change my diaper!!!" look
3 - sleeping after "the change"
4 - Look at all that hair!

Keep Growing and Growing...

2008-05-20T18:24:00.000-07:00

The website hasn't been updated in a couple days because we all have been real busy, especially Allison who keeps growing and growing. She started out at 11 3/4 inches and today is just over 13. She has hit the big 2, pounds (and then some) and no more I.V.!!! She seems real happy to have that "pain in the leg" over with. We both hold her regularly and is probably the most enjoyable part of our schedules. She is definitely an energetic girl and likes to move around a lot. We forgot the camera so todays picture is with a cell phone...

Here's looking at you...

2008-05-16T21:14:00.000-07:00

Not a bad day but not the best either. Allison has been fluctuating a little today and although this is normal, it is still hard to watch. She is up to eating 3 ml every 2 hours and is growing every day. The most incredible thing is that for the first time, when we talk to her she looks at us, they tell me that she can't see us and we are probably a blur, but nothing is more thrilling than to see her focus on us when we talk to her.

2008-05-15T17:32:00.001-07:00

No news is good news, and that is what is going on today...Another day older and another day stronger. Respiratory rate down to 26 (a good thing), oxygen still low and now eating 2cc's every 2 hours - although no chocolate milk.

2008-05-14T16:36:00.000-07:00

Another couple days and Allison grows bigger and stronger. Well, the PDA did not close as we had hoped, but the murmur is so weak and she is doing so well that talk about surgery has been put on hold at least for a while or never if the valve decides to shut on it's own soon. She is back to feeding which makes her happy and she has grown 2 cm over the last couple of weeks.

2008-05-12T16:26:00.001-07:00

Hi everybody, mom and dad are tired so I snuck out of the NICU to write the blog tonight. Today has been a good day for me, the doctors and nurses think that the PDA is closing up for good, only time will tell. I sure do hope so, I've been stuck eating through my IV the last 2 days and am ready for some milk. I requested chocolate but I don't think that is going to happen.

Mom came and held me in the morning, it was great, we sang and she read to me. Then I took a nap and in the afternoon mom & dad came back. They kept talking to me and kept making funny faces, when will they learn...

My nurse David took real good care of me, I overheard him talking to mom & dad and said that I'm almost at room air and that things were really going well - I tried to tell mom & dad that but they don't speak preemie (yet).

Well, I have to sneak back before the nurses know I'm gone, I look forward to meeting all of you real soon, they tell me just a couple months.

Love,
Allison

Happy Mother's Day

2008-05-11T14:06:00.000-07:00

Well, today was the best mother's day ever, we got to spend it with Allison. The doctors and nurses think that the PDA is closing, but we won't know for a day or so. She is doing much better though, her vitals don't bounce up and down nearly as much as they used to, especially during handling (taking her temperature, changing her diaper etc.).

Even though she hasn't been able to eat (because of the medication for the PDA) she has gained another 10 grams today, and she keeps filling out. We think she is going to be a blonde - only time will tell...

Have a good mother's day.

May 10, 2008 (Saturday Morning)

2008-05-10T06:52:00.000-07:00

The nickname around the NICU for her is now "Alli-Cat". One of our nurses told us that Allison is one of the toughest girls he has ever seen. She is doing well but her newest challenge is her PDA - a duct in the heart that closes after birth in full term babies but in preemies is more likely to stay open and causes a back-flow of blood into the lungs. It made her vitals fluctuate the last two days but she is now on a medicine that hopefully will fix the problem. She has surpassed her birth weight and is quite the eater. Nicole changes her diapers now and is excited about it (a "treat" she can do as long as she wants). I had the opportunity to hold her yesterday for the first time, an experience I will never forget.

Thank you again to all of you for your thoughts, prayers and generosity. It is shocking the outpouring of love that we have experienced and words alone cannot express how grateful we are.

May 7, 2008

2008-05-07T12:54:00.001-07:00

The days go by in a blur, but each one seems like an eternity.
Gained 22 grams today!

Tuesday, May 6 2008

2008-05-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

Another good day,

Allison continues to grow and grow, she is now eating every three hours and her digestive system is moving along well. Nicole held her for an hour this afternoon and until you have seen the benefits of physical contact (Kangaroo Care) for yourself, you wouldn't believe it. Allison continues to get bigger (by the grams) each day, but the days do add up!

Once again we are so grateful to the Doctors, Nurses and Staff at the hospital for their professionalism, service and compassion, especially answering our questions and taking our phone calls at all hours of the day and night and we truly appreciate all the support we have received from our friends and family, your thoughts and prayers mean so much.

Thank you,
Matt, Nicole and Allison

2008-05-05T20:20:00.000-07:00

2008-05-05T20:15:00.000-07:00

Dear friends and family,

As promised, I've attached some pictures of Allison. Thank you to all of you for your support and notes for our family, we really appreciate it. Allison is doing good - we've had our ups and downs, but she is making progress day by day. Her weight is now 1lb 6oz - lost weight at birth as expected, but is gaining it back. She is starting to be fed 1 ml every 4 hours - 1 ml =literally drops, it's amazing. I had the opportunity to finally hold her yesterday - which was just wonderful. We do "kangaroo care" where they actually put her in my shirt and we cuddle skin to skin. I got to change her diaper yesterday too for the first time. It was like dressing a Barbie doll. We also had her baptized yesterday, so it was quite a day for her.

She has a lot of sweet facial expressions and responds to our voices - it makes my heart just melt. We are spending most of our days at Royal Oak Beaumont. The staff and her nurses have become like second family. We can call and check on her anytime we want and can stay with her as much as we'd like, so that really helps. I can't say enough great things about Beaumont and their staff - truly amazing.

We've been so fortunate to have Matt's parents and my Mom stay with us and help with everything at home - we could not have made it through this first week without them!

Again, thanks to all of you for your well wishes and prayers!

Love, Matt, Nicole and Allison