December 27: Changes

Hurray! No more apnea monitor. She is done with it and we can not be happier about this. Also Keelan is off the caffeine as well. She has changed so much since NICU, her weight now is about 7 pounds. Her preemie clothes are now a memory and no longer fits her. She can now turn on her side a little and we have no need for an alarm. She IS the alarm. Keelan wakes up to eat right on the dot every four hours, her bottles are now 4 ounces. We have also changed the formula from Enfamil/Similac, the popular commercial brands to Earth's Best, which is an organic formula. We like this formula a lot and Keelan seems to like it too, however, she is not only burping but passing gas is an often and loud experience. Our observation is that she seems to be more alert and less sedate after the feeding. Her lungs are definitely healthy as she cries or best describe, complains (no tears yet) really loud.

Well, so far so good. As I write this my Mom and Dad are interacting with Keelan, she loves my Mom's bosom and by now she recognizes my Mom's scent. William and I still a bit sleep deprived, I am practicing getting up early since I will go back to work in January. William will become the Daddy-manny during the day. The house has changed a lot, in fact, our whole life is different. Overall, I have to say that William and I are truly enjoying our new role. Yes, from time to time we miss something, but that is nothing in comparison to what we now have...Keelan.

December 17: First CTA Ride

We have free rides for seniors in Illinois
(Thanks Rod! !-uh, not really)
and also for those under 6 lbs...

(Keelan and mami Francis on the CTA, don't we look fabulous)

December 9: NEW PHOTOS of KEELAN

Keelan during her first days of life at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Illinois Masonic Hospital.

Princess Peanut sleeping soundly...or is she?

Wha'suupp? Are you talking to me? Are you talking to me?

December 6: Sleep Depravation

ZzzzZzzzZzzZZzzZZz...Keelan is home now and our schedules had dramatically changed. Needless to say that we have to come up with very creative ways to reorganize our old schedule to fit our new life as parents. No one told us about not sleeping, sure some jokes were made about the issue... I thought it was all a joke. No no no, not a joke at all. None of the books we read about pregnancy and parenthood mentioned that really, one does not sleep...at all.
Finally we worked out a schedule that seems to work. William tends to Keelan from 4am to 12pm then goes to work. I take care of her from noon to midnight. Then we "sleep", to do it all over again the next day. Just recently we have also been able to add a few "social" activities to our schedule. I have to say it feels great to socialize with other adults. Not that we are not enjoying Keelan, we are, but I have not really been out the house for anything but to go the grocery store and things of that sort, in addition, I am not working due to the maternity leave, so you can image. I have become a TV junkie-housewife of sort. This is not so like me-I see myself more like one of those working mothers (of course being a homemaker is a job in itself) but I was born to work outside the house, I miss my classroom. So, the new challenge for me is to learn how to juggle a career, a marriage, the home and the baby. I know this will be an interesting, exciting and wonderful journey.

I will continue this entry later as I have now to feed Keelan...this is our time to bond. Good night or good morning...