5 Weeks

What a whirlwind the last 5 weeks have been. It still seems surreal. Matt and I were just commenting about how it feels like a lot less than 5 weeks, in retrospect, but definitely glad to be where we are now, because Cora is just blooming into a real-looking baby, before our eyes! She's averaging a weight gain of about an ounce a day and these days our reports from the providers are just about how well she's doing and what the next milestones may be... in fact, tomorrow, she may no longer need any respiratory support, at all, and we may say "bye-bye" to nasal cannula! It's really a new change of focus to begin preparing and planning for when she comes home (aka "the zoo" by the NICU staff) versus thinking about all the issues she may face and how long the road ahead will be... just grateful to be where we are today!

Interesting to note that we took Stella to see Baby Cora on her birthday and then the next day, we received a notice that no children were allowed in the hospital, because it is on lock-down for flu season. I'm grateful that Stella made it to see her baby sister a few times in the hospital. Stella is such a loving big sister, she is constantly talking about how she loves "Baby Cora." I really can't wait to see the two of them together. It's starting to feel like it won't be long, now!? :)